Talent meets tools
Preparing students at Truman State University for the CPA Exam is an all-hands-on-deck endeavor. Armed with Becker educational and training tools, the Truman program and faculty received the top ranking nationally on the Accounting Today CPA Success Index for helping their students achieve a higher CPA Exam pass rate than any other university.* On campus, Truman faculty integrate Becker CPA content into their classroom and leverage Becker CPA video lectures to further engage students. “When watching the videos and working on problems, our faculty will ask a lot of ‘what if’ questions,” said Dr. Stacey Kaden, accounting department chair and associate professor of accounting. “For example, if the video has a partnership question about formation, the professor may say, ‘Well, what if this is a C Corp and not a partnership — how would your answer change? Or what if this number, instead of being 50,000, was 200,000—how would the answer change?’”
This ongoing dialogue elevates lectures and videos into discussions. And these discussions help students learn to think on their feet and prepare for questions that may appear on the CPA Exam.
“Nearly all of our faculty chip in to teach different sections of the Becker FastPass® Plus program. That gives students specialization for whatever area they’re learning.”
Dr. Stacey Kaden
Accounting Department Chair and Associate Professor of Accounting
An intense, condensed review program
Truman runs a FastPass® Plus program, where students study and sit for all four parts of the CPA Exam the summer after they graduate from their Master of Accountancy program. “Finals are Friday, graduation is Saturday, and after a Sunday off, we get started studying on Monday morning,” said Dr. Kaden. For students, it means they complete exam prep in a three-month window and then leave campus just as their leases end and they’re ready to begin their professional careers in the fall. For faculty, it means they get to focus on teaching in their area of expertise over a condensed period and also get to enjoy their own summer.
Consistent local support
Becker’s partnership extends well beyond providing coursework to help students prep for the CPA Exam. Every university is assigned a local account manager to make the process as seamless as possible. At Truman, Kristin Curcuru has been a vital resource for students and faculty for over seven years. Kristin helps faculty learn how to use Becker’s tools in the classroom. And for students, Kristin provides study schedules, as well as a timeline to help them know when to apply to qualify to sit for the exam, and eventually how to register for Becker through their firms.
Results
Truman has a highly regarded undergrad and master’s program, a legacy of accountability among student peers, and a comprehensive Becker program. The results they produce are in a class of their own. Accounting Today named Truman as the top university in the nation for their students’ CPA Exam success.*
To learn more about our partnership programs, contact Amy Johnson, Becker’s senior national university program manager at ajohnson@becker.com or visit becker.com/university-partnerships.
Download the full case study here.
Results are as reported by Truman State.
*Truman State University’s score on the CPA Success Index means that nearly 100% of their students can expect to pass the exam within 18 months. They ranked in the #1 spot in Accounting Today’s report in February 2021. Davis, Charles, Lindquist, Timothy, & Ugrin, Joseph. “Truman State takes top spot among college accounting programs.” Accounting Today, 3 Feb. 2021.
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