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CPA · STRATEGYOffice Hours · Marcus & Ava1:27 Free

CPA Strategy: Stop Re-Reading: Active Recall and Scheduling for Working Accountants

Blueprint Domain: STRATEGY-P5

Hosted by Marcus & Ava · 100% Free Open Access
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Key Takeaways & Exam Watchouts

Key Takeaways

  • Passive studying, such as watching lectures and highlighting, can waste significant study time.
  • Active retrieval, which involves pulling information from memory from scratch, is essential for success on the CPA exam.
  • 70% of total study time should be dedicated to answering questions and practicing active recall.
  • Spaced repetition, by doing mixed questions from older modules daily, effectively stops the forgetting curve.
  • Candidates using active retrieval and spaced repetition may pass the CPA exam with fewer study hours and higher scores.

Exam Watchouts

  • Confusing recognition, where an expert explains a concept, with true retrieval, which requires recalling information from scratch.
  • Spending too much study time on passive activities like watching lectures or highlighting, which is less effective for exam preparation.

Full Spoken Transcript

238 words

Hey, welcome to VoraPrep Audio. Today's episode is from our CPA Exam Strategy Masterclass: "Stop Re-Reading: Active Recall and Scheduling for Working Accountants".

If your study routine consists of watching 40 minutes of lecture and highlighting a textbook, you are wasting half your study time. Let us talk cognitive science.

AvaMarcus, we see candidates who study 30 hours a week and fail, while others study 15 hours a week and pass with an 85. What explains the difference?
MarcusPassive studying versus active retrieval. Watching a video feels great because an expert is explaining a concept smoothly. Your brain nods along and thinks: "I know this." But that is recognition, not retrieval.
AvaExactly. When you sit in the Prometric testing cubicle, nobody is lecturing. You have to pull the journal entry out of your brain from scratch. That is why 70 percent of your study time must be spent answering questions and forcing active recall.
MarcusAnd pair that with spaced repetition. Spend 10 minutes every single morning doing mixed questions from modules you studied three weeks ago. That stops the forgetting curve in its tracks.
MarcusIf you want to put this exact strategy into practice with thousands of blueprint-aligned questions and an authentic exam simulator, head over to voraprep.com. Start your free trial today—no credit card required.
AvaSee you in the next masterclass.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between passive studying and active retrieval for the CPA exam?

Passive studying involves recognizing information presented by an expert, like in a lecture. Active retrieval requires pulling information from memory from scratch, which is necessary for the CPA exam.

How much study time should be dedicated to active recall for the CPA exam?

70% of total study time should be spent on answering questions and actively recalling information.

How does spaced repetition help with CPA exam preparation?

Spaced repetition involves regularly doing mixed questions from modules studied weeks ago, such as for 10 minutes every morning, to prevent the forgetting curve.

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