Gleim Cia Review
Rolando Kumar
50 years ago Dr. Gleim, an accounting professor, decided to make it easier for students to pass the CPA Exam. From a single book to industry-leading prep courses, Gleim has championed aspiring accountants since day one.
The Gleim CIA review system provided lots of great examples and interpretations of conceptual problems, and it really helped me understand how to apply internal audit concepts into real world applications.
Gleim was a great choice to help with my CIA exam preparation. The flexibility of the system and feedback to pinpoint areas I needed to work on really helped balance the demands of getting up to speed in a new job while also preparing for the exam.
When most people think of the biggest name in CPA review, they think of Becker. Yet Gleim CPA Review has been around for nearly 50 years and has helped over 1,000,000 candidates pass the CPA exam with some of the highest pass rates in the industry. So why is it that Becker gets all the fanfare, when Gleim seems to be just as successful? We take a close look at the Gleim CPA Review course in this in-depth review and see how this quiet, but storied prep company stacks up.
In the video above, John from the Test Prep Insight team covers the major pros and cons of the Gleim CPA review course. For more information regarding Gleim, be sure to continue reading our full written review below.
The additional study tools included in the Premium Review System include instructional video lessons, digital flashcards, technical accounting expert support, and unlimited access, among other benefits.
If you upgrade to the Premium Pro Review System, Gleim tosses in live webinars and a simulation bank. The addition of the live classes is a big deal, and candidates needing more structure in their studies should strongly consider this package.
Analogous courses from Surgent CPA Review, UWorld Roger CPA Review, and Becker all cost more. Plus, Gleim routinely runs sales and special promos, lowering the net overall cost, so make sure to check for those.
Despite its affordable price point, Gleim offers one of the more comprehensive and well-designed curriculums we have reviewed. The coursework is extremely robust, covering every topic in the AICPA blueprints. In addition, I was a big fan of how Gleim organizes its student study plan.
Within each section of the CPA exam (REG, FAR, and AUD), Gleim breaks the relevant material down into 20 study units. Each unit covers a specific subtopic and is broken down even further into bite-sized subunits for ease of studying.
The SmartAdapt software analyzes your performance on the quiz and allocates work to optimize your study time. It also updates in real time as you work through the unit to continually maximize your learning gains. It is a very nifty feature, though it operates in the background and you never really see it.
The video lessons take one of two forms. One format features your Gleim instructor onscreen lecturing in front of a green screen. As they walk you through their lesson verbally, digital notes and graphics appear around them as if they are standing beside a digital whiteboard.
The other format features your instructor in the corner of the screen, where they walk you through content review, pose questions, and work sample problems. There is no green screen effect in this video style.
Generally speaking, the first half of each video is a mini-review of the material, and then transitions into practice problems. The instructor utilizes two or three example problems to demonstrate their points. It makes for a nice mixture of lecture and practice, which again helps with comprehension.
Plus, the production quality of these videos is really good. The picture is sharp and the digital effects are well done. Gleim gets two thumbs up from me on their video-based instruction.
Beyond the reading and videos, you are given audio lectures and flashcards as optional, but encouraged, learning supplements. In my opinion, the audio lectures are not really worth the time. They are informative and concise, but dry. And they obviously lack any visual element, which makes comprehension tough for visual learners like myself.
Following the quiz, you review your missed problems (or all questions if you like). The Gleim explanations, like the questions themselves, are very high quality. They are thorough, well-written and cover each answer choice, both correct and incorrect.
The simulation quality is likewise very good. As with the multiple-choice questions, they closely resemble the real thing and provide a great exam-like experience. There are usually a handful of simulations to work and this will take some time (maybe 90 minutes). Then when you are done, you will be prompted to review them.
Becker offers some excellent video recaps of the simulations that provide helpful verbal analysis and visual aids. Gleim does have some simulations related videos, but not one for every simulation like Becker.
This again is not required, but is encouraged. You can set yourself up with a customized practice session and hit a few extra problems if you desire. I typically did this every second or third unit, depending on how comfortable I felt with the material. It is definitely a nice option to have.
This makes digesting them pretty easy. I would recommend spending a few minutes reviewing these metrics to see where you are weak and focus on those areas with a few extra practice problems from the bank.
This simulated exam mirrors the real thing in both terms of both test length and interface. It is designed to give you a feel for the real thing so you can steel your nerves and condition your mind and body.
Many prep providers now offer a condensed, highly intensive cram session designed to target the most heavily weighted subjects in the final hours. The thought is that you hit as many high value targets as possible and hopefully get a little point boost.
My favorite aspect of these prep books is that they are written like an outline. Rather than some lengthy treatise with dense passages, the Gleim books contain very short, easy to read sections.
They are broken down like an outline, containing sufficient detail but hitting the high points and keeping it concise. In other words, they are both comprehensive and succinct. It is a delicate balance to master, and Gleim has done it well.
These textbooks, which come in both digital and print form, are also well written. They clearly explain the substantive material and provide numerous examples to help demonstrate points.
Those types of questions are reserved for the technical support available to Premium students only. The exam counselors instead provide more general support and guidance. You can ask them about final test day tips and suggestions, but nothing too in the weeds.
While Gleim does not offer any private 1-on-1 tutoring per se, Premium students do get access to their accounting support function. This access allows students to ask technical accounting questions and get feedback, generally within a day. It is not quite as good as private tutoring, but for many students, it may be all they need to get answers.
With respect to the 18-month access of the Traditional course, whether that is enough time will depend on the individual. For working professionals, this may not be enough time to study for and complete all four sections of the exam. So please bear this in mind when deciding on which course format to take.
One other downside of the Gleim CPA Review course is that they do not have a mobile app (unlike UWorld Roger CPA). While just about every other course offers a mobile app for their course in one form or another, Gleim does not. This is a bit of a head scratcher, as even a simple app with flashcards or a few practice problems can win you kudos.
For those students that have a change in circumstances shortly after purchasing their Gleim course, or perhaps just have a change of heart, you can get a full refund of your course cost within 30 days of purchase.
Additionally, with respect to practice material, Gleim offers some of the best quality and quantities around. The 10,000+ multiple-choice practice questions closely resemble real CPA exam questions in both substance and testing interface. I also really appreciate that Gleim places a focus on simulations, offering more than 2x as many as any other provider (with 1,300+).
Gleim CPA Review offers three course packages, with the base course costing roughly $2,500 and their most expensive offering carrying a price tag of around $3,500. However, Gleim is good about running discounts and you can usually find their courses for much less.
Though Gleim CPA Review does not seem to get as much attention as other courses, their package is absolutely worth it, especially at their approachable price point. Gleim has helped over 1,000,000 students pass the CPA.
For my final review in Gleim for FAR I got a 75 on the practice exam and a 79 on the actual exam. I just ran through MCQs on topics I was weaker on pretty heavily and a quick review of the topics I was stronger on. So I agree with the study sessions approach. You'll do fine.
On the FAR Gleim rehearsal exam I got a 77. 77 MCQs and 77 Sims. My CPA FAR exam actual was 92. I did some of the final review but did not finish. I did about 700 MCQs in the study session the week before the exam. I think doing tons of MCQs in the study session and then re-reading/re-visiting the chapters you are weak in is a good strategy.
c80f0f1006