[jrs91]

Has anyone heard of this?

I understand that there are numerous vague factors in the grading process but essentially it comes down to how well you did in relation to the pool of test takers in the exam period.

I guess you could theorize that people who take it in the beginning of the window are giving themselves less time to study than those who prepare until the end of the window. However, they may have waited the prior window out and/or are retaking the exam, in which case they theoretically would do better.

Just seems like there’s a number of ways to slice it and ultimately its a wash. There’s probably a relatively good mix of scores for a number of reasons each period.

I’m interested in other’s thoughts.

[FIFOisbetterthanLIFO]

All of the exams I passed were at the end of the window. I had the opposite theory that they let minimal people pass early to make up for the massive amount of people who will be taking the exam at the end.

FAR - Passed (82)
BEC - Passed (76)
AUD - Passed (89)
REG - Passed! (81)
AICPA Ethics

Licensed CPA

[tcheney3]

That sounds like a conspiracy theory. I doubt there is any evidence suggesting people do better in the beginning or end of a testing window. There is a good reason why the second and third quarters have higher pass rates than the first though. One, it's tax season, and two the people with the highest pass rates are those right out of college and they tend to take the exams during the summer. The AICPA swears it doesn't curve the exam. Whether you believe that or not, I think you can safely say this theory is false.

BEC - 82
REG - 86
FAR - 85
AUD - 84 and I'm out!!!!!
Ethics - 95
In Skynet's Honor:
Act I: Shutdown Skynet and prevent Judgment Day.
Act II: Add a comma and three letters to my title.
Act III: Time Travel and marry a young Denise Richards (and prevent subsequent plastic surgery),return to present.
Act IV: Serve as Successor to Elon Musk as CEO of Tesla.
Act V: Ensure Judgment Day has been stopped. Utopia achieved.

[Missy]

There is no curve. The AICPA is adament about that, and while people seek to prove otherwise they're spinning their wheels.

The questions are weighted, but if question 2 is worth 1 point on July 1, its worth one point on Aug 31.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[golfball7773]

And per the psychometrics – there is no curve

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[Anonymous]

Theres no curve. I think the AICPA specifically says since they went to the new format my score of 77 is equivalent to someone who got a 77 a few years ago. I think you see higher pass rates based off of timing. I assume more college graduates take the exam in the second and third quarter. Fresh out of school they are probably more likely to pass. Also the lowest pass rates are almost always the forth quarter. I think with holidays and busy season starting that makes sense.

[JohnWayneIsGod]

There isn't a curve. Funny thing is that I know a licensed CPA who thought there was a curve. Just goes to show how deep this myth runs.

FAR - 80

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

-John Wayne

[Anonymous]

The only one I failed was at the beginning of a window (4th qrt).

[leglock]

We know it's being graded in real time, as the difficulty of your 2nd testlet is predicated on how well you do on the first testlet, yet it can take up to a month to get the results of your test. I wonder why that is.

[Mika]

If it is not curve, why don't we have our result straight after the test?

REG - 80 (02/13/2015) Roger + Ninja Flash Card + Ninja MCQ + Becker's Note
FAR - 84 (05/29/2015) Roger + Ninja MCQ + Some Wiley book questions
BEC - 77 (08/27/2015) Roger + Ninja MCQ + Half Wiley book questions
AUD - 87 (08/28/2015) Roger + Ninja MCQ + Half Wiley book questions

[MissionCPA]

Because they want to publish the scores(although it's graded instantly) for a large number of candidates on the same day instead of individuals getting their scores all the time(like in college, there is a particular grades release date for all students).

[priceboozerhouse]

My theory is that if people got their scores immediately, there would be an increase in the number of assault and battery charges earned outside Prometric centers.

[Missy]

Because the people in charge of deciding score release are the same people that walked uphill in the snow 36 miles to sit for 8 hours with an abacus and had to chisel their answers on a slate only to wait 8 months for their score to be delivered by two European swallows and want to make today's candidates feel a bit of pain.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Skynet]

^ Sounds about right.

[confusedcandidate]

I love the first three posts in this thread:

1 – a conspiracy exists

2 – a conspiracy exists but it is the opposite of what you think

3 – there is no evidence to suggest conspiracy

WHO DO I BELIEVE!!!!1111?

Weekends are meaningless to a CPA candidate

[Skynet]

^ We need to get Mulder and Scully on this. File this as an X-File.

[Author]

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