Yeager CPA Review – Quality and Personal Service

Yeager CPA Review is, in our opinion, one of the best CPA review courses on the market.  If you enjoy value, old school learning, and top quality customer service you will be impressed with this course.  

Dr. Phil Yeager founded the company in 1977 based on his desire to help CPA candidates prepare for the exam. 

He became a CPA in 1974 and was disappointed in the review options available to him as he prepared for the exam. 

The company is still family owned and guided by his desire to help students succeed.  Let’s see what makes Yeager different from the other review options.

What Makes Yeager Unique?

Yeager offers a guided CPA review system, similar to many others.  Lectures are available online or through DVD’s.  You also receive instructor handouts, textbooks, and practice test software.  There are factors, though, that differentiate Yeager from other courses.

  • Lecture Style: These are old school, classroom type lectures.  Rather than an overview, you will learn from examples, anecdotes, and problems worked out on a white board.  Since the focus is your success, Yeager spends extra time on common problem areas like Cost Accounting or difficult simulations.  In fact, there are over 136 hours of lecture included in this course, more than any other review course.
  • Customer Service:  Along with your package you get live help on the telephone.  When you call, you get to speak with an instructor one on one to talk through your questions.  Former students were impressed because Phil Yeager himself often fields these calls and will spend a few hours discussing an issue if needed. 
  • Focus on What They Do Well:  Yeager uses Wiley textbooks and practice test software specifically so they can focus on instruction.  The handout materials that accompany the lectures are developed by Yeager staff, but other written material is not.  This allows Yeager the time to provide the customer service they are known for.
  • Exam Focus:  This course doesn’t try to teach you everything about accounting.  They focus on everything that appears on the CPA exam. 
  • Unlimited Access:  There is no time limit for using Yeager or limit to the number of viewings per lecture.  You have unlimited access to the entire program, including updates.

So, What’s The Downside?

By now you may think this review is an advertisement for Yeager CPA Review.  Not so.  There are a few downsides to this course.  It’s important you be well informed about what to expect when you purchase.

  • Family Run Business:  The focus is on your success, which is a positive.  Since the staff is small, however, the materials are not as polished as some of the other courses.  You will notice typos in some of the materials.  The lectures are sometimes interrupted by off camera conversations or distractions. 
  • Lecture Style:  The lectures feel like a college classroom lecture.  If you are looking for something more flashy or entertaining, this is not the course for you. 
  • Teaching not Reviewing:  Unlike some of the others, the focus on this course is instruction, not review.  Difficult concepts will be explained in detail.  Great if you don’t understand something, but dull if you do. 
  • Organization:  The handouts that accompany the lectures are not as well organized as a more flashy review course such as Becker.  Some students have difficulty following along, while others don’t seem to mind.  If you are looking for a professional and polished review guide, you won’t find it.  That doesn’t mean the handouts aren’t adequate – just that they are not as user friendly as other courses.

A Word About Cost

Yeager CPA Review is moderately priced at $1,787 for the entire package.  It’s less than Becker CPA Review, but more costly than other guided packages like Gleim CPA Review or Roger CPA Review.  Keep in mind, though, that Yeager offers coupons, specials and discounts frequently.  Currently we found a coupon offering a $500 discount.  There is almost always a coupon of some size available to reduce the cost.

Additionally, the unlimited access feature means you won’t have to pay to receive upgrades or renew your access after a time window.  Also, since Yeager already gives you Wiley CPA Review material as a part of their course, most Yeager students don’t have to purchase a supplement to augment their studies.

Yeager CPA Review – Is It For You?

Yeager CPA Review offers a balanced approach to CPA Review.  If you like guided learning and benefit from college classroom style lectures, this is a great value.  However, if you prefer a lively lecture style or more of an overview rather than instruction, this might not be the best fit for your needs.