2020 Enrolled Agent Courses - Top 5 Comparison

Choosing the right EA review course is the single most important decision you will make on your Enrolled Agent journey.

Consider how competitive this industry has become— the BLS expects positions to decrease by 4% over the next ten years1, with automation being one of the core causes2. And while this will probably lead to increased salaries over the long term, it also means that you’ll need to work even harder to achieve success in your career.

A lot of the hard work is studying so you can pass the IRS Special Enrollment Examination (SEE). But in order to make those hundreds of study hours count, it’s crucial to find the course that best fits your learning style and background.

So here’s the good news – I have personally tested every major EA review course on the market so you don’t have to!

The comparison chart below will help you figure out which EA review course best fits your needs.

What Are The Best EA Review Courses?These are the Top 5 Best EA Review Courses in 2020 ( December ):

Here are the best EA review courses & EA study materials to help you pass the exam on your first try and become an Enrolled agent.

How do you rate Surgent EA Review ?

Surgent EA Review Course (Rank: #1)

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

Adaptive Learning: With Surgent’s EA review course, you’ll be studying smarter, not harder. With the integrated adaptive learning software, you will be studying the topics you don’t know instead of reviewing the areas you’ve already mastered.

Clear Course Design: Thanks to the updated interface 1.5, Surgent’s EA review course is set up with an organized dashboard that clearly shows your progress, overall score, hours studying, and even a count down to your exam date. The clear design throughout the course helps you stay focused on your studies and on track to pass.

Ultimate Coaching: Recently, Surgent added some excellent features to their Ultimate Pass. If you sign up for this EA prep package, you’ll be able to participate in 1-on-1 virtual coaching sessions with one of their exam experts— in addition to many other appealing features!

Available in Spanish: This is the only EA review course out there that has Spanish answer explanations. This is great for all the native Spanish speakers out there!

Bottom Line: Surgent EA review course offers a time-saving educational program that can help both English and Spanish speakers study smarter, not harder. They also provide helpful digital textbooks and video lectures in their premier level course.

GO TO SURGENT EA REVIEW COURSE

Surgent EA Review Course Discounts & Promo Codes

$140 Off Surgent EA Review

33 uses today

Expires: 12/05

Crush Exclusive $250 Off Surgent EA Ultimate Pass Review

41 uses today

Expires: 12/03

Gleim EA Review Course (Rank: #2)

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

Course Includes Personal Counselor: If you enroll in Gleim’s EA review course, your very own counselor will guide you through the Enrolled Agent Exam process. Your counselor will help you create a study plan and answer all of your questions about the exam process. You’ll also have access to a team of experts by phone or email if you have questions about exam-related content or study material.

Customize Your Practice Tests: The user-friendly online test software allows you to customize your practice tests with ease. Create an exam that consists of questions you’ve never seen, questions you’ve never answered, questions you’ve answered incorrectly, or all available questions. This is convenient because it allows you to create a short exam if you want to fit in a quick study session.

Course Analytics: Gleim EA review course software comes with detailed analytics to help you track your progress and performance. Their SmartAdapt learning platform identifies the areas where you need to spend more time on and the areas where you’re already proficient. Because it adjusts as you make progress through the course, it’s the ideal companion to keep you motivated and engaged with your studies.

Final Exam Review: The Exam Rehearsal mode allows students simulate the actual EA Exam with a computerized test. Gleim recommends that students take this exam at least one week before their scheduled exam date and during their final review. Just like the real EA exam, this test is 3.5 hours long and includes 100 multiple-choice questions, so you can practice your pacing while answering so many questions.

Bottom Line: Gleim is determined to prepare their students for the EA exam and other exams by any means necessary and their EA review course is a perfect example of this. In addition to excellent analytical tools, they provide live counselor instruction and customizable practice tests.

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Gleim EA Review Course Discounts & Promo Codes

Cyber Monday Sale! Save $158 Gleim EA Review Course

33 uses today

Expires: 12/03

Fast Forward Academy EA Review Course (Rank: #3)

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

Intricate Video Content: While the video lectures on their own aren’t particularly noteworthy, the way that Fast Forward Academy’s EA review course integrates supplementary information is impressive. Boring video lectures become informative multimedia presentations.

Community Feedback: Fast Forward Academy EA review course integrates their community forum seamlessly with the rest of their study tools. Because of this, students can easily compare their progress with their peers as a barometer for their study efficiency.

Low Cost: Whether a student is interested in trying the full digital course or simply wants the written study guide, the conveniently low price for either package is well within a frugal student’s budget.

Bottom Line: The affordable EA review course study program provided by Fast Forward Academy is a terrific resource for students who learn best through video content. Integrated community features are a convenient fringe benefit.

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Fast Forward Academy EA Review Course Discounts & Promo Codes

Cyber Monday Sale! $163 OFF Fast Forward Academy EA Review Course!

41 uses today

Expires: 12/03

Lambers EA Review Course (Rank: #4)

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

Multiple Options for Review: Lambers EA review course offers students the option to review with audio lectures, video lectures, and an online workbook. The audio EA review course can be downloaded to your computer and then synced with iPods and other MP4 media players for convenient study while you exercise or commute.

Flash Trainer: Although the traditional study materials like video lectures and audio content are included with this course, it’s Lambers’ Flash Trainer that makes this program stand out. This is a new twist on an old classic, providing a seamless method of testing your memory and understanding of EA curriculum with digital flashcards.

Intuitive Process: With the aid of their subject matter expert Eva Rosenberg, Lambers revamped their outdated course to include a helpful and streamlined study routine. This three-step process evaluates each student’s specific educational needs and meets them with adaptive educational drills and simulations.

Video Content: Don’t get me wrong: the video lectures provided with Lambers EA Review provides useful information to help students understand core concepts covered on the EA exam. However, the presentation for these video lectures is static and bland, feeling like a glorified PowerPoint presentation.

Bottom Line: The insight provided by Eva Rosenberg and Arthur Reed in Lambers’ EA review course is impossible to find anywhere else. With a bit more engaging video content, this would be one of the top courses on the market!

LEARN MORE ABOUT LAMBERS EA REVIEW COURSE

Lambers EA Review: Save $300 & Get 1-Year FREE Continuing Education of Enrolled Agent Review

36 uses today

Expires: 12/04

Lambers EA Review: Get 1-Year FREE Continuing Education of Enrolled Agent Review

35 uses today

Expires: 12/04

WiseGuides EA Review Course (Rank: #5)

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

Low Price: Pay as little as $49 per exam section (90 days of access) or $79 for each part of the exam, or $237 for all three (12 months of access). The WiseGuides EA course includes access to all online features, practice questions and online exams, 1,500 digital flashcards and hard copy textbooks.

Number of Practice Questions and Materials: You’ll get a total of 2,900 study questions and 1,700 electronic flashcards for all three parts of the exam, an unlimited number of online practice exams, and eLessons or printed Lesson Books for additional practice. Although the technology is old, you will get a lot of material at a bargain price, making this course a great supplement to another study program.

Outdated Technology: In terms of layout and design, this course needs significant updates. Limited feedback and analytics are available when it comes to performance tracking, and the online tools and course dashboard are very basic and old-school. The free demo will give you an idea of the tools and capabilities you’ll get with this course, so definitely try it before you buy it.

Bottom Line: If you can manage to stomach the obsolete technology behind their EA review course, WiseGuides can provide one of the most affordable courses that still includes thousands of practice questions

LEARN MORE ABOUT WISEGUIDES EA REVIEW COURSE

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Course
Surgent EA Review
Fast Forward Academy
Gleim EA Review

Top Features
Most Material Covered
Most Cost Effective
Best Value

Enrolled Agent FAQs

Want to learn more about enrolled agents or the EA exam process? Here are some helpful answers to frequently asked questions:

What is the best Enrolled Agent prep course?

The EA exam prep course that offers the best experience for the widest range of students is Surgent. Their curriculum is made up of several different study materials, they offer live instructor assistance, and their adaptive learning technology is second to none. Some students will ask our thoughts on other courses like Fast Forward Academy or Gleim–Gleim also has an excellent catalog of EA exam review courses with the largest volume of practice questions and quizzes.

Is the enrolled agent exam difficult?

When looking at the pass rates for EA exam takers, it’s clear that this three-part exam is very difficult— but it gets easier as you progress through each level. According to data gathered by Gleim, Part 1 has the lowest average pass rate (around 61%), and Part 3 has the highest (around 85%).3

How do I prepare for the enrolled agent exam?

The IRS recommends consulting several of their official tax forms and documents when preparing for the EA exam.4 Additionally, they have a list of recommended prep course providers to help you understand the test material, including several of our top-rated courses like Gleim and Kaplan.5

How long should I study for the enrolled agent exam?

According to Fast Forward Academy, students typically need between 40 and 160 hours of study time for each section of the EA exam. They recommend scheduling regular study times over a period of 3 to 4 months in order to meet this goal and pass the EA exam.6

Sources

These are the sources used to make factual claims in the article above:

Additional Resources to Get You On the Right Track

Not sure you want to become an Enrolled Agent? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back! Check out my Enrolled Agent vs. CPA comparison and see what’s a better fit for you. You can also learn more about other finance and accounting related certifications: CPA Exam Courses, CFA Prep Courses, and CIA Study Materials. And if you have any Enrolled Agent questions, just drop a comment below and I’ll personally help you find the right course for you!