Articles for Educators

Hayden Myers’ path in the accounting profession is nothing short of inspiring. Graduating from Virginia Tech in just three years, she is now pursuing her master’s degree to deepen her understanding of accounting and prepare for the CPA Exam. 

Prospective CPAs now have another way to pursue the designation in Virginia — without a requirement to obtain 150 hours of education. This new CPA pathway will encourage even more accountants to become CPAs, increasing the talent pool into...

The VSCPA applauds the Virginia House and Senate for passing VSCPA-backed legislation to address a crucial barrier preventing accountants from becoming CPAs — a requirement to obtain 150 hours of secondary education before becoming licensed.

At its Nov. 8, 2024, meeting, the VSCPA Board of Directors approved revisions to its standing position statement on practice mobility and licensure:
 
 The Society endorses automatic practice mobility for out-of-state CPAs with licenses in...

Getting accounting recognized as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field will elevate its exposure and increase awareness of the profession. The VSCPA supports legislative initiatives toward this end and the STEM initiative is part of the Society’s top-line goal to address the CPA pipeline crisis. 

The word “pipeline” is everywhere these days, but what do we really mean by that? Essentially, the CPA pipeline is the queue of next-gen accountants — beginning with students’ piqued interest in accounting in middle school all the way through young professionals deciding to stick with the profession long term.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) will launch an innovative post-graduate program this fall in collaboration with the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (SoPA). The program blends rigorous online learning with on-the-job professional experience for college accounting graduates, offering a less costly and more flexible way to complete the 150-hour course credit requirement to become a licensed CPA.

By Tori Smith 
 
 Harold Martin, CPA, played guitar at an AICPA conference. Jessica McClain, CPA, is a season ticket holder for the Washington Commanders. Jonathan Saad, CPA, enjoys playing golf and tennis in his free time. Hope Cupit, CPA...

By Brigid D’Souza, CPA, MBA, Saint Peter’s University   
 
 The window on the current CPA Exam format is quickly closing, making the new CPA Evolution licensure format an imperative classroom focus. Accounting professors serve as tip-of-the...

For nearly the past two decades, prospective CPAs in Virginia have had to undertake 150 hours of education before becoming licensed. But a declining CPA pipeline has accountants asking: Is the 150 now a barrier to becoming a CPA? Is it time to reimagine how we prepare CPAs for an increasingly evolving profession?

The 150-hour educational requirement for CPA licensure went into effect in Virginia in 2006. Since then, we’ve heard from VSCPA members — CPA leaders across organizations of all sizes — questioning if the 150-hour requirement is a barrier to entry in the profession. At a time when we’re actively investigating ways to reduce barriers to entry and increase the CPA pipeline, we took these concerns seriously.

Regardless of the changes occurring in the accounting profession, one fact remains: CPA firms are trying to attract and hire the best candidates and are doing so at earlier and earlier stages of accounting students’ education.

Data analytics, artificial intelligence, virtual workspaces, remote learning … The professional life of a CPA is a far cry from the physical general ledgers of the past. The skills and competencies CPAs need today today to continue to provide high-level services to their companies and clients are rapidly changing.

The post-graduate summer is a limited window of time to maximize efficient, effective CPA preparation. The momentum to study can dissipate as candidates start to work full time and their plates fill up with on-the-job deliverables. Passing the CPA Exam as soon as possible after graduation should be a core aim for an accounting graduate.

A new book, Advice for a Successful Career in the Accounting Profession: How to Make Your Assets Greatly Exceed Your Liabilities, published by Wiley, sheds light on how to be successful at all levels within an accounting career — something that’s not readily discussed in the classroom.