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Unified Certified Public Accountant Examination Details

Charles Schara

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Charles Schara, the president and CEO of CGS Consulting Associates in Alexandria, VA, provides financial and small business consulting services. One area of expertise Charles Schara relies on when working with VA businesses is accounting, in which he holds the important certified public accountant (CPA) designation.

One of the best-known requirements for becoming a CPA is the Uniform CPA Examination, an assessment developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) with help from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and its constituent boards. The exam has been a core component of CPA certification for nearly a century.

The CPA exam lasts 16 hours, and covers four areas of the field that all accountants and related professionals must have a keen understanding of to be considered proficient:
* Auditing and Attestation
* Business Environment and Concepts
* Financial Accounting and Reporting
* Regulation
The exam also adjusts to different learning and test-taking styles at different points by varying the format of the questions. Some questions are multiple choice, while others are short essays. Some questions also test real-world problem-solving skills by providing the test taker with a scenario that might occur in the business world. This comprehensive approach ensures any accountant who attains the CPA designation has the knowledge necessary to succeed in the field.