CPA exam score scaling

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #1699788
    Victor
    Participant

    Hi, I retook REG last week and I am little worried about SIM questions after I checked my answers after the exam. I am trying to understand score scaling process used by AICPA. So here is my question. If i get 90% or 80% correct on MCQ questions and 60% or 70%, respectively, on SIM, do I have a passing score (75)? Or I have to get 75% correct on both sections?

    Thanks

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • #1699791
    Bourne
    Participant

    Total 75%. But the exam is not graded on simply you get 75/100 questions right. Each question is weighted more or less than others depending on difficulty. It's impossible to try to guess your score.

    AUD- 82
    REG- 86
    FAR- 86
    BEC- 88
    #1699794
    Luke
    Participant

    From what I understand, a passing score of 75 is not getting 75% of the questions correct. There are also other factors, such as the fact that there are pretest questions (12 MCQ & 1 SIM) that don't count towards your score, whether or not you got them correct. There is also the fact that they weight questions differently based on “difficulty” – so getting an “easy” or “moderate” question correct doesn't count as much as getting a “difficult” question correct. Anyone else please feel free to add to this or correct me if I'm wrong.

    AUD - NINJA in Training
    BEC - 79
    FAR - 80
    REG - NINJA in Training
    "Always begin with the end in mind"
    #1699798
    aaronmo
    Participant

    ^^^ Not wrong.

    You don't really know until you know. There are “experimental” questions, SIM and MCQ, which didn't count and you don't know which is which. You don't know how the questions are being scored (translation, how the exam is being curved).

    Generally I think you sort of know by your reaction to the SIMs. The SIMs count a lot and I think they're the better indication of your actual ability/preparation. I left FAR certain I had screwed the MCQ, but I knew I had destroyed the SIMs.

    AUD - 96
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 89
    REG - 86
    Aaron and always remember, YMMV

    I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

    #1699822
    Victor
    Participant

    thank you all

    Yes, i understand pretest and different levels of questions, but MCQ and SIM are first weighted separately and then 50% is taken from each, as it is explained by AICPA guideline

    Correct me if i am wrong

    #1701201
    Tim
    Participant

    I got 97 on FAR and I KNOW I got several parts of the sims wrong and I highly doubt I got every multiple choice right. I'd love to know exactly how they score.


    FAR - 97 (10/12/17)
    BEC - 95 (01/15/18)
    AUD - 88 (04/06/18)
    REG - 89 (11/16/18)
    #1701205
    aaronmo
    Participant

    I left certain I had totally boned a whole lot of MCQ…I'd like to know too.

    AUD - 96
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 89
    REG - 86
    Aaron and always remember, YMMV

    I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

    #1701642
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I'm inclined to believe that *easier* questions are given more weight than harder questions. That would be the only possible explanation for some of my passing scores.

    #1701646
    Sir Plus
    Participant

    don't listen to anyone here, nobody has any idea how the exam is actually weighted (or scaled).

    And to sit here and read the nonsense above is a complete, WASTE of your valuable study time!

    #1701669
    Bourne
    Participant

    You're too uptight Sir Plus. It's all fun predictions/guesses. Your comment was a waste of your so preciously valuable study time

    AUD- 82
    REG- 86
    FAR- 86
    BEC- 88
    #1701693
    jenpen
    Participant

    The AICPA has a PDF of how the scoring works. If you haven't read it, I suggest it. It is a little helpful. I tried to link it, but came up with an error. Just Google AICPA cpa exam score and it should be close to the top.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 82
    REG - 78
    Ethics - 95
    Licensed in IL & MO

    AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
    REG - 75
    FAR - 7/15/16
    BEC - TBD

    Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

    #1701696
    aaronmo
    Participant

    It's exactly what was said above…the exam “changes” based on how well you do…questions have different point values based on perceived difficulty, and those adjust a bit after the exam…not all of the questions are counted, some are experimental. It's all well known….but what we don't know is how much shift takes place and, about, what scores equate with how many points.

    So…again…you don't really know until you know.

    AUD - 96
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 89
    REG - 86
    Aaron and always remember, YMMV

    I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

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