Passing or failing your first attempt at a professional exam can set the tone for your entire career. The psychological effect of failing an exam can lead to heightened stress levels, diminished confidence and self-esteem, and even depression. It’s that serious.
The worst part?
Failing an exam isn’t a personal failure; it’s the failure of your prep materials. That’s why making the right choice is so crucial for your sense of self and the optimistic vision of your future.
I’ll outline everything you need to know about one of the most popular EA prep courses, Gleim EA Review. Together, we’ll cover pricing, guarantees, course content, study materials, and so much more.
By the end, you’ll know whether Gleim will lead you to confidence-crushing results or give you the win you deserve.
Should You Choose Gleim EA Review?
- Choose Gleim if you want the largest EA test bank, with 3,500+ practice questions to fully prepare for the exam.
- Choose Gleim if you prefer structured, detailed study materials, including in-depth performance reports and adaptive learning tools.
- Choose Gleim if you value personalized support, with access to 1-on-1 coaching and expert accounting guidance in the Premium package.
- Choose Gleim if you want a risk-free investment, with their Access Until You Pass® guarantee and a 100% money-back pass guarantee.
- Don’t choose Gleim if you prefer more straightforward, less challenging practice questions, as Gleim’s MCQs are known to be harder than the actual EA exam.
Gleim Overview
Curious about the company behind the courses? Let’s get to know Gleim.
First and foremost, Gleim is a dominant force in the professional exam prep industry. Gleim just celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2024. Since its inception, they’ve helped over one million students pass their licensing exams across over 180 countries. Further, Gleim offers prep courses for a wide variety of certifications, including CPA, CMA, and CIA.
But how do they cater to aspiring enrolled agents?
Gleim’s website states, “More Enrolled Agents have passed with Gleim than any other review provider.” Further, Gleim is the preferred provider of the National Association of Tax Professionals. Throw in guaranteed Access Until You Pass® and a money-back pass guarantee, and you have the formula for a trustworthy, safe investment that will take you to the finish line.
Gleim EA Review Course Comparison
| Package | Test Bank | Traditional | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $499 | $699 | $799 |
| Financing | Starts at $46/mo | Starts at $64/mo | Starts at $73/mo |
| Access | 12 Months | 12 Months | Access Until You Pass® |
| Pass Guarantee |  | | 100% Money Back |
| Practice Questions | 3,500+ | 3,500+ | 3,500+ |
| Mock Exams | | 3 | 6 |
| SmartAdapt™ Course | |  | |
| eBooks | | | |
| Printed Books | | | |
| Audio Lectures | | | |
| Gleim Instruct Video Lessons | | | |
| Digital Flashcards | | | |
| Up to 72 Hours of CPE | | | |
| Unlimited Practice Exams | | | |
| Final Review | | | |
| Study Planner | | | |
| Performance Reports | | | |
| Support | Email, Phone, Chat | Email, Phone, Chat, Coaching | Email, Phone, Chat, Coaching, Accounting Experts |
Gleim EA Discounts
Want to save on your Gleim EA Review course? Spend less and save more with our coupon codes to start preparing for the EA exam at a lower price!
Pros
- Large Test Bank: If you know the secret to exam success is grinding through MCQs, Gleim has the absolute most, with around 500 more than Becker and 1,500 more than Surgent.
- Personalized Support: Pass the enrolled agent exam with customized coaching to define your study plan and 1-on-1 access to accounting experts to get your tax questions answered.
- Stress-Free Study: From a 100% money-back guarantee to the unlimited Access Until You Pass® policy, Gleim’s premium course lets you stop stressing over limited time and money.
- A Detailed Dream: From detailed explanations for practice questions to insightful performance reports, Gleim understands the importance of digging deeper.
- Adaptive Learning Platform: Most of Gleim’s materials are connected within the SmartAdapt™ course, allowing students to strengthen their weaknesses through every study tool.
Cons
- Premium Bias: Video lessons are a necessary tool for many students to learn properly, but they’re confined to the Gleim EA Premium course.
- Get Ready For a Challenge: Gleim’s practice questions are often much more complicated than what you’ll find on the exam, which prepares students but can feel frustrating and overwhelming.
Gleim EA Course Features
Certain features can make or break the effectiveness of your exam prep. As someone who has studied this industry for years, here are the factors that students should seriously consider when choosing a review course:
- Practice Tools and Study Materials
- Video and Audio Lessons
- Technology
- Student Support
- Guarantees, Access, and Price
Let’s discuss the features to determine which set Gleim EA Review apart from the competition, and which features don’t step up to the plate.
Practice Tools and Study Materials
The Biggest and Best Test Bank on the Market
Let’s start with the most significant selling point: the Gleim EA Test Bank. With over 3,500 multiple-choice questions to practice with, unlimited practice exams, digital flashcards, and even final review content, Gleim is the perfect choice for quick learners who want to make the most of their practice time.
One Redditor puts it simply:
“Another vote for Gleim here. I used them to prep for my EA exams and found their process and their large question bank to be very useful.”
Audio and Video Lectures
30+ Hours of Content From a Beloved Instructor
For visual and auditory learners, video and audio lectures should be non-negotiables in your prep course—and Gleim delivers, particularly in the Premium EA Review System.
Gain access to 30+ hours of video lessons with Nate Wadlinger, a beloved lecturer at the University of Central Florida with a 4.8-star average rating on RateMyProfessors.com. An astounding 98% of students say they would take his classes again.
The reviews share many common sentiments: He’s funny, engaging, passionate about his job, and, overall, a wonderful person who truly cares about his students’ success. With Gleim, you can experience his outstanding instruction through audio lectures for on-the-go learning.
One student’s glowing review reads:
“Professor Wadlinger truly cares about his students and puts so much energy into every class! He’s always well-prepared and makes topics easier to understand with clear explanations and examples. You can tell he genuinely wants everyone to succeed and is always available for extra help if you need it.”
Technology
Adaptive Technology, Dynamic Recommendations, and Performance Tracking
Gleim’s tech mission is simple: to make studying faster and easier. Notably, the SmartAdapt™ Course tracks your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to discover opportunities to earn more points on the exam and monitor your progress as you improve via detailed performance reports.
Further, you’ll get personalized study recommendations for what to work on next. Gleim’s prep materials ensure you spend your time efficiently, so you can spend less time watching videos or practicing MCQs and more time living your life.
Student Support
1-on-1 Coaching and An Expert Accountant Hotline
Like any prep provider worth their salt, Gleim offers students fundamental support options: technical support and award-winning customer service by phone, chat, and email.
When you upgrade your package to the Traditional EA Review and Premium EA Review Systems, you unlock 1-on-1 coaching through Gleim’s personal counselors. Not only are the counselors a phenomenal resource for keeping you accountable on your study journey, but they can also help you develop and refine effective study plans. If you want the world’s biggest cheerleader at your side, coaching is well worth the extra $200 to $300 investment.
Finally, in the Premium Course, get ready for top accounting experts to answer every question you have on the exam. Struggling with specialized returns or tax deductions for businesses? Shoot your messages to a tax guru who’s got you covered.
Cecilia Lau mentioned her positive experience with the personal counselors in her review:
“I am so excited that I managed to pass all three parts of the Enrolled Agent exam in less than a year[…] The Gleim study material and counselors are the best, and I would refer this product to my friends and colleagues!”
Guarantees, Access, and Price
100% Money-Back Guarantee and Unlimited Access at a Reasonable Price
Finally, Gleim boasts some superb guarantees allowing students to study without unnecessary anxiety.
In the Premium System, you have both a 100% money-back guarantee and the Access Until You Pass® guarantee. One ensures that if you fail your exam, you can request a complete refund as long as you follow the terms and conditions. The other does away with access lengths completely, saying you can continue using and studying the materials until you achieve your goal.
Further, Gleim is relatively affordable. Though they’re not cheap, the price range of $499 to $799 lies in the middle of the pack. Gleim’s guarantees, personalized support, phenomenal video instruction, and adaptive learning technology make for a fantastic deal at this price point.
Final Verdict
Let’s wrap it up by answering the question you came here to ask: Is the Gleim EA Review worth it?
If you haven’t guessed by now, the answer is yes. No course is perfect, and indeed, no course is perfect for every student. However, Gleim gets pretty close. From their confidence-inspiring pass guarantees to their vast library of top-notch practice materials, Gleim’s EA packages truly have everything you need to succeed.
Ready to take your next steps? Take a closer look at Gleim’s packages and choose the right one for you!
FAQs
Becker and Gleim are top choices. Becker offers a well-structured, reputable program, and Gleim provides the largest question bank for in-depth practice. Surgent is another top choice that offers personalized 1-on-1 guidance.
Yes, Gleim offers a massive test bank, adaptive learning, and strong guarantees, making it a solid choice for EA exam prep.
The EA exam pass rate varies but typically ranges from 70% to 74% across all three parts.
No, the CPA exam is generally considered more difficult due to its broader scope and lower pass rates.
Both Gleim and Becker offer excellent EA courses; however, I tend to trust Becker more due to their low price, outstanding reputation, and high pass rates.
