Theodore Cavaliere, who recently graduated from Hofstra University with a BS in Public Accounting, ambitiously chose to take his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exams immediately upon graduating and successfully passed all four parts of the exam on his first attempt. The exam is described by many public accountants as “grueling," with four sections that total an exam that lasts for nearly 15 hours. Theodore Cavaliere is thrilled to report that he passed the entire examination and is now certified as a public accountant.

Theodore Cavaliere attributes his success to his study habits and work ethic. “Certainly, there’s a certain amount of talent, affinity for accounting, and innate intelligence that helps exam takers,” he says, “but nothing can make up for hours of studying in terms of exam preparation. It’s the only way to do well on such a detailed exam like this one.” The CPA examinations cover a large range of accounting-related topics including auditing, attestation, financial accounting and reporting, regulation and business environments and concepts. However, once accountants have passed the examination, they are well-equipped to pursue work as a public accountant.

Theodore Cavaliere expressed support for the detailed nature of the exam, even though it meant that he had to dedicate many hours to study and preparation: “exams like this really ensure that we maintain the quality of public accountants, especially as higher education is becoming more available and accessible, and so more people are entering into business and finance careers who previously may not have pursued these types of jobs.”

Theodore Cavaliere reports that, now that he is certified as a public accountant, he would like to acquire some more licenses. “I want to be a versatile finance professional,” he says. “I want to be able to sell insurance, stocks, bonds, financial advice – whatever my clients, consumers or employers need most. I care a lot about providing good financial services.” He is looking into what licenses and certifications would be most appropriate to prepare for next. Theodore Cavaliere hopes to work for large corporations and well-respected businesses as a financial advisor, auditor, or finance specialist. He hopes to learn how to apply his finance and accounting background with a business sensibility to strategize about corporate growth, effective financial planning, and best practices for accounting in a corporate context.