How to Take a Gap Year

One of the hardest parts of the CPA Exam is trying to get it done while working. For most people, the best they can hope to do is start studying in May, and get 1, maybe 2, exams done before they start work in August. That leaves 3 exams to get done while you’re working in your first full time professional job. Not ideal and definitely not easy.

But the option that I am going to argue for today is much more conducive to CPA Exam studies than the typical path. I am a big supporter of The Gap Year. 

I know for many people this is a scary word. They think, “How is that going to look on my resume?” “What will interviewers think?” “There’s no way I’ll ever get a job after taking a gap year.”

These worries are completely irrelevant, if you do the gap year right. 

How does one “do the gap year right?” I’ll explain.

When you take a gap year it is important that the CPA Exam is one of your top priorities. If you’re stressed about employers worrying about your gap year then you definitely need to show you took some initiative and passed some (or all) of the CPA Exams. I mean part of the reason for taking this gap year is so you can pass the exams before you start working. 

Another important thing is to have some sort of job, or mission, or journey. Something that you can point to and say “I took a gap year to do X and take the CPA exams.” It could be trying to start your own business, traveling, doing service work, or even just working part time to save up money. It can really be anything. Ideally, it is something that can go on your resume so there isn’t just a huge gap with nothing in it.

And, ideally it is something you are passionate about. Something you’ve always wanted to do. Something that you may not be able to do once you start your career. It is much easier to do something crazy and off the beaten path before your career is fully up and running. Take advantage of your youth and freedom while you can. And, the passion you display when you tell employers about it will be evident and they will be attracted to that. And it will show you did more than just lay around and study for a year. 

For me, it was teaching English abroad. I took my gap year in Spain where I worked 4 days a week as an English teacher and spent my free time studying for/taking the CPA Exams and exploring Spain and Europe. It was a great experience and living abroad was something I knew I wanted to do someday. Instead of putting it off until later in my life and career where it would be much more difficult to accomplish, I got it done early in my life and before my career started. I truly have no regrets about it. 

Ok quick summary of how to do a gap year:

• Study for and pass multiple CPA Exams

• Do something you’ve always wanted to do along with the exams

• Leverage this experience on your resume and in interviews

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions about taking a gap year! Thanks for reading!

Note: If you are going to travel for your gap year, be sure to check where you can take the CPA Exams. There are testing centers outside of the U.S. but there are not a lot of them. I believe only 4 countries (England, Ireland, Scotland, & Germany) in Europe are available and I’m not even sure about other continents. 

Notes/Thoughts:

• Good luck to everyone getting BEC done in the next week! You got this!

• Stay warm! It’s getting cold out there! 🥶

• Find a free course explaining everything you need to know about a career as a CPA on cpaexamplanners.com 

• Use code: “CPA2023” to get 10% off your order on cpaexamplanners.com

• Have a great weekend! 😊