Audit ace.

• Position: Finalentry - Interview

Sarah Guillen finished her CPA Exam with a bang acing the audit section. And her success speaks as much about her knowledge as it does about the value of hard work and perseverance of her family. Guillen's grandmother was an undocumented worker from Guanajuato, Mexico, and her grandfather also from Mexico was the son of a rancher born during a cattle drive in Texas. Her father, who grew up running the books for the family's upholstery business, and his brother also passed the CPA Exam in one sitting and have since opened their own CPA firm with their third brother in Simi Valley: Trison Partners. We caught: up with this rising star to learn her test-taking secrets and how the influences of her past will shape her future.

Was there a point during the exam you felt you had it aced?

I left the lest center feeling like I had passed the audit exam, but it's always hard to gauge how well you scored. It was my last exam, so I was just excited and relieved to be done studying.

Who was the first person you told about your perfect score?

My mother. She was in the kitchen with me when I checked the score. I told my father about it as soon as he came home because we had a competition going. He and two of my uncles passed the CPA Exam and 1 bet him that I would earn higher scores than he did. I was very excited to tell him that I received a perfect score on my last exam! He was happy for me, even though he had to admit I won the bet.

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What preparation tips can you share with future test takers?

Take studying seriously The hours pay off. I felt prepared for the tests because I had practiced countless multiple-choice questions and simulations. 1 also planned fun rewards for myself after each exam, like going on a weekend trip. That helped me get through the long hours of study time.

How does it feel to take a job at KPMG in Los Angeles not far from where your grandmother worked as a seamstress upon first arriving in the United States?

I feel like I'm taking advantage of the opportunities my grandparents and parents worked so selflessly to provide for me. Despite never obtaining a formal education past elementary school, my grandparents worked hard to provide greater opportunities for their five children. All of their children graduated from college, with three of them earning master's degrees. My father and his two brothers became CPAs. By graduating as salulatorian from Pepperdine University and building a career, I feel like I'm...