You won’t hear a seasoned CPA recalling a time when taking the CPA Exam meant walking uphill both ways in blinding snow to sit in a tiny schoolhouse without heat, but there’s no doubt that the process of taking the exam has changed considerably over the years. So has the process of preparing for it.

Young adults in 2008 are the most technologically savvy generation to date. Instant media mechanisms have changed the way people consume, process and retain information. And it makes sense. Minds trained to handle data in a new way will naturally struggle with the previously accepted methods for doing so.

Time-honored methods of communication and education are now being challenged by this shift. A recent article¹ in the April issue of The American Association of Law Libraries Spectrum Magazine is one of the latest among a number of sources to note a marked downward shift in student attention spans and their ability to effectively learn in a traditional lecture format. Students are becoming more comfortable getting the information they need when, where and how they choose.

The Classroom Comes Home

For CPA Exam candidates, traditional review courses pose a number of inconveniences. Because conducting a live course requires securing a qualified instructor and the physical space for each course to occur in, it is impossible to offer a “live” course that works for every single CPA Exam candidate. Those located in more remote areas typically do not have a “live” course available within reasonable driving distance.

Even those who live in major metropolitan areas often find it difficult to attend traditional live courses. Many are working more than 50 hours per week, and getting to class often means a long commute across town through rush-hour traffic after work. Candidates preparing for multiple exam sections simultaneously would have to deal with this hassle more than once each week. Imagine fighting traffic to make it to your class on time and arriving exhausted — not exactly the optimal condition to effectively absorb a lecture.

The Online Review Course from Kaplan CPA Review introduces a better option for CPA Exam candidates. Students attend seven to nine weekly three-hour sessions from the comfort of their home or office. Each class is conducted in real-time, as if the candidate were actually sitting in a live classroom — except they can enjoy this class from their own couch. It’s the 21st century answer to a growing issue in higher education.

Any Questions?

The Kaplan Online Review Course is the first to give students the ability to interact directly with their instructor. Because the course is conducted in real-time, the instructor and the student are in front of their respective PCs at the same time. The Kaplan course incorporates an instant messaging element that allows candidates to take full advantage of the real-time course environment.

Students naturally learn at their own pace and need to find clarity in each concept before moving on. With the new Kaplan Online Review Course, candidates are able to get the answers and clarity they need and then move forward with the rest of the class.

Let’s Take Another Look

Life has a way of throwing people curveballs when they least expect it. Sometimes work runs late or the kids need to be picked up, and life gets in the way of attending a CPA Exam review course. Missing even one night of these fast-paced courses means missing a lot of material that could be critical to success on the CPA Exam. Since traditional class sessions aren’t recorded, there is no way to go back and watch what you may have missed in a live course.

Each session of the real-time Online Review Course is taped and archived on our Web site for later viewing. This feature provides participants with the option of viewing the classroom session at their convenience. The streaming archives provide flexibility for the busy lives of young accountants.

The archives also address the retention deficiency believed to be at the heart of students’ struggles to learn in traditional classroom settings. Kaplan’s Online Review Course offers the opportunity for students to go back and review previously covered material for maximum comprehension and retention.

Conclusion

Just as the accounting field and the process of taking the CPA Exam have evolved over the years, the learning style of CPA Exam candidates is changing as well. Interactive online classrooms are the future of CPA Exam preparation. By appealing to the candidate’s natural information retention methods, Kaplan CPA Review is ensuring the success of your future CPAs for generations to come.

Kaplan CPA Review is the first CPA review course provider to offer interactive Online Review Courses to candidates preparing for the CPA Exam. To learn more about the Online Review Course and firm, corporate or society discounts, call 1-800-CPA-2DAY or visit their Web site at www.kaplanCPAreview.com.

¹ http://www.aallnet.org/products/pub_sp0704/pub_sp0704_TLR.pdf (PDF).

Pat Watters is the Marketing Specialist for Kaplan CPA Review. Contact him at 608-779-5599 x214 with any questions or comments.