UWorld Roger CPA Review has named the recipients of 10 scholarships to cover the tuition of UWorld's Elite-Unlimited CPA Exam Review Course, valued at more than $3,000.
"The primary goal behind the scholarship has always been to advance career goals, and we are looking for students who are giving back to their community," said Charlotte Roberts, vice-president of e-learning at UWorld. "Many of this year's candidates are first-generation college students who are looking to forge a new legacy. They show that they are not only ready to pass the exam, but to support the next generation of CPAs."
The scholarships were distributed by
Scholarship recipient Eun-seok Choi, a Michigan State University graduate, came to the U.S. from South Korea 10 years ago. He attributes his passion for accounting to his father, who is a financial advisor, and uses his financial literacy to help people through his volunteering efforts at a local nonprofit that provides assistance with income taxes. Choi passed the first two sections of the CPA exam and intends to finish the remaining two with the help of the scholarship.
"Most CPA materials are pretty similar, but when I saw a sample lecture from Roger CPA Review, it was the most energetic and interesting," said Choi. "Numbers never lie, and I think it is very fun and scientific. I want to offer my services to society, and my goal is to help my future clients to prepare their own corporate tax returns correctly."
Scholarship recipients will have lifetime access to UWorld's most comprehensive four-part CPA exam review. This includes the question bank, which is paired with the profession's most concise answer explanations designed to help students master the CPA exam. Each year, approximately 100,000 people take the CPA exam, and 94% of UWorld's students pass on the first try, which is 74% higher than the national average.
Scholarship winner Reina Godeck, who recently obtained a master's degree in Taxation, never expected to work in accounting when she lived in Mexico. A first-generation college student who was forced to drop out of high school to support herself, Godeck returned to school at 26 on the recommendation of loved ones.
After obtaining her GED and working as a public accountant to afford college classes, Godeck developed an affinity for a discipline that she describes as challenging, but very welcoming. With her scholarship now at hand, Godeck plans to take the CPA exam in a few months and maybe pursue her interest in international tax matters.
"Accounting attracts a lot of people like me because it provides a lot of structure that we do not enjoy in our lives, and it is very reassuring to have this structured path that you can follow, with clearly defined achievements," shared Godeck. "At one point, you are bumping into things that no one in the industry has ever seen, and you become the one to create this structure."
When it comes to studying for the exam, each student has their own technique. Choi recommends studying at least three hours a day to read as much material as possible and to keep watching Roger CPA Review videos to get familiar with the questions. As for Godeck, she gives a lot of importance to graduate studies, to which she attributes her research abilities and critical mind. But most importantly, Godeck believes successful accountants are people who can give back to their communities and learn how to depend on people.
She attributes a lot of her success to her mentors from the University of Washington, who taught her that intellectual curiosity, team-building and open communication were essential to thrive in the field.
"Having someone who is invested in your success is absolutely wonderful," said Godeck. "It is not uncommon to become a mentor yourself and help people who are at different stages than you. We are very fortunate that accounting is not particularly elitist because if you have the interest, you will go very far."
