[nans]

Hello~

I searched through the forum but couldn’t find this question so here it is:

Are there certain states where the exams are less competitive?

I’m currently in NYS (& will stay here for a really long time), but my friend is telling me to apply under another state (like Georgia) and when I pass, I’ll just transfer my score to NYS. She says that other states are less competitive than ny. Her dad took the GA exam in NY & transferred the scores. (This was many years ago.) After 2 passing scores & a total of 14 exams, she herself has given up on the exam & changed her goals.

As much as I would like to scored easily, I don’t want to have the trouble of my scores not transferring or *gasp* having to retake the exam.

Anyone has any ideas about this?

I hope everyone is studying well! 🙂

[mla1169]

The exam is uniform. It's the same everywhere.

The requirements for licensing in addition to the exam vary by state.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

The exam is uniform. It's the same everywhere.

The requirements for licensing in addition to the exam vary by state.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

Like mla said, the exams are the same. Maybe when her dad was taking the exams it was different from state to state? But the scoring is all done by the national organization (I can't remember if it's the AICPA or NASBA) and then the scores are just sent to the states.

For the non-exam requirements, you could get licensed in another state and – for example – be a GA CPA living and working in NY – but just because you are licensed in a state with easier licensing requirements doesn't mean that you can transfer that license to a tougher-licensing state without meeting their requirements. Like, I'm in KY – we are required to have 1 year of experience, but it can be anything in accounting. I'm pretty sure that mla has said that in MA, you have to have auditing experience to get a reporting license, but perhaps that you don't have to have any experience at all (just a Master's?) to get the non-reporting license, which is what she has. So, I'm a CPA in KY, without having ever touched audit. But, if I moved to MA and wanted to be an MA CPA, I would probably need to get 1 year of audit experience if I wanted a reporting license. Make sense?

[Anonymous]

Like mla said, the exams are the same. Maybe when her dad was taking the exams it was different from state to state? But the scoring is all done by the national organization (I can't remember if it's the AICPA or NASBA) and then the scores are just sent to the states.

For the non-exam requirements, you could get licensed in another state and – for example – be a GA CPA living and working in NY – but just because you are licensed in a state with easier licensing requirements doesn't mean that you can transfer that license to a tougher-licensing state without meeting their requirements. Like, I'm in KY – we are required to have 1 year of experience, but it can be anything in accounting. I'm pretty sure that mla has said that in MA, you have to have auditing experience to get a reporting license, but perhaps that you don't have to have any experience at all (just a Master's?) to get the non-reporting license, which is what she has. So, I'm a CPA in KY, without having ever touched audit. But, if I moved to MA and wanted to be an MA CPA, I would probably need to get 1 year of audit experience if I wanted a reporting license. Make sense?

[nans]

mla1169 & Lilla, thanks for the replies! 🙂

The only thing different from state to state are the requirements. I totally understand your explanation Lilla.

[nans]

mla1169 & Lilla, thanks for the replies! 🙂

The only thing different from state to state are the requirements. I totally understand your explanation Lilla.

[Liss, Master of Coin]

Hi all,

Oh I'm so glad I found this post. I'm wondering the same thing as @nans.

I found this NASBA summary this morning which shows that Utah and Wisconsin have the highest passing rates. https://nasba.org/files/2014/02/2013-Overall.pdf

Meanwhile, my state of CA has the highest amount of applicants but isn't one of the top 3 in passing rates; I think I read somewhere else that CA ranked 28th.

I thought the exam was uniform over the country, so this surprised me. Maybe the answer is that Utah and Wisconsin just have better schools, therefore they better prepare their CPA candidates. Or maybe it's because CA did not require 150 total education hours before 1/1/14 so they had many more candidates attempt the exam who were unprepared, therefore lower passing rates. I hope the answer is something logical like that, because otherwise it seems odd to me that there is that big of a difference.

I think the exam grades have to go from NASBA then to the states; it's the state determines who passes and who doesn't, right? Which is making me wonder that if CA only wants X amount of passing grades per quarter, do they “weigh” the grades down thus making it harder to pass (I know they claim grades are not weighed, but it still makes me wonder.)

Has anyone had any experience with switching from CA to another state and seeing a difference in their scores?

I'm already thinking of switching states, to MA or CO, because of the experience portion of the CA requirements. But now I'm wondering if I should switch to Utah, Wisconsin or even Oregon first.

CPA (MA, Non-Reporting)

The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting - Walt Disney

B - 33, 71, 79!
A - 32, 61, 70, 83!
R - 33, 58, 73, 69, 81!
F - 47, 78! 🙂
After 3 long years, I'm finally DONE!
I could not have done it without NINJA MCQs.

Used: Roger for his Videos, WTB, and NINJA Audio, Notes and Test Bank.

[Liss, Master of Coin]

Hi all,

Oh I'm so glad I found this post. I'm wondering the same thing as @nans.

I found this NASBA summary this morning which shows that Utah and Wisconsin have the highest passing rates. https://nasba.org/files/2014/02/2013-Overall.pdf

Meanwhile, my state of CA has the highest amount of applicants but isn't one of the top 3 in passing rates; I think I read somewhere else that CA ranked 28th.

I thought the exam was uniform over the country, so this surprised me. Maybe the answer is that Utah and Wisconsin just have better schools, therefore they better prepare their CPA candidates. Or maybe it's because CA did not require 150 total education hours before 1/1/14 so they had many more candidates attempt the exam who were unprepared, therefore lower passing rates. I hope the answer is something logical like that, because otherwise it seems odd to me that there is that big of a difference.

I think the exam grades have to go from NASBA then to the states; it's the state determines who passes and who doesn't, right? Which is making me wonder that if CA only wants X amount of passing grades per quarter, do they “weigh” the grades down thus making it harder to pass (I know they claim grades are not weighed, but it still makes me wonder.)

Has anyone had any experience with switching from CA to another state and seeing a difference in their scores?

I'm already thinking of switching states, to MA or CO, because of the experience portion of the CA requirements. But now I'm wondering if I should switch to Utah, Wisconsin or even Oregon first.

CPA (MA, Non-Reporting)

The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting - Walt Disney

B - 33, 71, 79!
A - 32, 61, 70, 83!
R - 33, 58, 73, 69, 81!
F - 47, 78! 🙂
After 3 long years, I'm finally DONE!
I could not have done it without NINJA MCQs.

Used: Roger for his Videos, WTB, and NINJA Audio, Notes and Test Bank.

[Anonymous]

The exam is the same no matter where you take it. It is scored the same. It's called The Uniform CPA Examination.

Some states may have a higher pass rate, but that does not mean the exam is scored any different.

[Anonymous]

The exam is the same no matter where you take it. It is scored the same. It's called The Uniform CPA Examination.

Some states may have a higher pass rate, but that does not mean the exam is scored any different.

[mla1169]

Neither NASBA or the states decide who passed. The AICPA provides NASBA the scores. A 75 or better is always a pass. The passing rate by state is because of something other than the exam itself, whether their requirements to sit are higher or their universities teach more to the exam.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Neither NASBA or the states decide who passed. The AICPA provides NASBA the scores. A 75 or better is always a pass. The passing rate by state is because of something other than the exam itself, whether their requirements to sit are higher or their universities teach more to the exam.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Study Monk]

@ liss_ will_be_a_CA_CPA

We just have so much cool stuff to do here in California..

So hard to study 🙁

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

@ liss_ will_be_a_CA_CPA

We just have so much cool stuff to do here in California..

So hard to study 🙁

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Anonymous]

Plus, you'll have to change your name if you don't become a CA CPA.

[Author]

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