2017 CPA exam changes—Harder or easier?

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  • March 21, 2016 at 4:05 pm #200923
    JT
    Participant

    This is just something random I’ve been thinking about the past couple days.

    Is the new exam going to be easier or harder?

    Seeing how a ton of baby boomers will be retiring in the next few years, there will be a huge need for CPA’s. I honestly cant imagine the AICPA making the exam harder (thus reducing the number of CPA’s in the filed even more).

    If the test does get harder and pass rates drop, then there will be a HUGE need for CPA’s in the next 5-10 years. (supply and demand)

    I can see the pass rates being horrible the first 1-2 quarters of 2017 (seeing how review courses and exam candidates will be unprepared for the new changes) but I would expect for this to even out after a couple quarters.

    Any thought?

    REG-80-1X
    BEC-80-1X
    FAR-73-1X
    FAR-75-2X
    AUD-September 2016

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 61 total)
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  • March 21, 2016 at 4:16 pm #768879
    Claudia408
    Participant

    The proposed changes: 50/50 weighting for MCQ & SIM, additional exam duration and additional SIM doesn't imply easier to me.

    BEC - 75 (3x)
    AUD - 78 (3x)
    REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
    FAR - 54, Sept 8

    March 21, 2016 at 4:20 pm #768880
    Excel14
    Participant

    If you go to the AICPA website and read about the proposed changes, one of the things it mentions, is that the exam will be harder (longer as well). They are going more towards “application” of ideas, as opposed to “memorization of key facts”.

    BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
    FAR (09/10/16)-----
    AUD
    REG

    CIA, CGAP, CFE

    March 21, 2016 at 4:50 pm #768881
    JT
    Participant

    The new changes “seem” more difficult. But I cannot find anywhere on the AICPA's site where it says it will be “harder”.

    Also, yes, the new exams changes will be moving away from multiple choice questions and will have more weight on the sims and the new additions to the sims. Again, this might help improve scores.

    With mcq's, either you know the right answer or you don't. With more free-response/sims, there is more left to interpretation. I could be very wrong with the way I'm looking at this, but looking at the bigger picture, the fact that a ton of CPA's will be retiring, and the fact the AICPA is changing the exam leads me to believe it will be easier.

    REG-80-1X
    BEC-80-1X
    FAR-73-1X
    FAR-75-2X
    AUD-September 2016

    March 21, 2016 at 4:53 pm #768882
    MaLoTu
    Participant

    My cousin works for the licensing board in NC. He just got back from a meeting with NASBA and he explicitly told me pass it before 2017. So I am certain it will not be easier and it will unlikely even be equal difficulty to the current format.

    March 21, 2016 at 4:55 pm #768883
    Andyred04
    Participant

    I think just the fact that some of the exams will be longer goes a long way to showing they will be more difficult. However, I think that's a good thing. Like anything, if it were easy anyone would be able to do it and that would reduce the value. Do you think doctors would be compensated so highly and be so well respected if the Board Exam & medical school were easy? I just hope I'm done before all the changes 🙂

    FAR: 80 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
    REG: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
    BEC: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
    AUD: 8/27/16

    PA Candidate

    March 21, 2016 at 4:59 pm #768884
    Excel14
    Participant

    Sorry, maybe I read about it getting harder on the NASBA site, and not that of the AICPA. Doesn't matter. Neither site would exaggerate on the 2017 changes, so I think you can trust that they know what they are talking about. If you feel it will be easier, then there will be nothing to worry over.

    BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
    FAR (09/10/16)-----
    AUD
    REG

    CIA, CGAP, CFE

    March 21, 2016 at 5:12 pm #768885
    Martin
    Participant

    The following is the reason why it will be a lot harder. You can't compare simulations vs MC. Simulations are more difficult because of Recall vs recognition.

    Recall and recognition are the two ways to retrieve information from your memory. The difference is that recognition involves a cue (like multiple choice), while recall does not (Simulations).
    Recognition
    •Recognition is a response to a sensory cue. When you see something, you compare it to information stored in your memory, and if you find a match, you “recognize” it.

    Recall
    •Recall is the retrieval of information from memory without a cue. There is a question, and you must search your memory for the answer.

    For obvious reasons, it is easier to recognize information than to recall it. Because it is cued, recognition is easier than recall. A simple illustration of this is recognizing a familiar face almost instantly, but struggling to come up with the person's name.

    Through God all things can happen!

    “You never fail until you stop trying.”
    ― Albert Einstein
    When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
    “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

    FAR= 72-84
    Audit= 73-82
    BEC= 74-75
    Reg=77

    March 21, 2016 at 5:38 pm #768886
    Spartans92
    Participant

    This is freaking me out!!! I have now until August to pass all the section (no work). I would hate myself for not passing at least 2 sections given time I have. Good Luck to All!

    BEC- PASS

    March 21, 2016 at 5:48 pm #768887
    TheHoundThatRides
    Participant

    I guessed on 3 of my 7 simulations for AUD. And I wasn't completely sure about 2. I got a “comparable” to people who passed. So heavy guessing on SIMS isn't stopping people from passing the current exam. If everyone is doing terrible on this new exam the standards for passing will go down. I don't even imagine the SIMS being as difficult as the few that we get currently. I'm thinking they will be more SIMS, but on the easy level. It should still weed out people who didn't study enough while being easy to pass if you know the fundamental concepts.

    I actually said this conspiracy theory about a week back. It just seems TOO coincidental that the exam is changing right before the period of time where the majority of CPA's are set to retire.

    BEC - 78 (August 2015)
    FAR - 80 (November 2015)
    AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
    REG - August 27th, 2016

    March 21, 2016 at 5:50 pm #768888
    Excel14
    Participant

    Obviously within MCQ lies the answer. In SIMSs, it isn't there. That is what I believe Martin is saying. Application versus regurgitation, is always going to prove more challenging.

    BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
    FAR (09/10/16)-----
    AUD
    REG

    CIA, CGAP, CFE

    March 21, 2016 at 6:00 pm #768889
    patelhj1
    Participant

    HARDER…. WAY HARDER

    Try to get started ASAP and put the misery behind you. Its already very difficult as is!

    BEC 78 08/2015
    REG 71 11/2015, RETAKE 83 01/2016
    FAR 75! 5/2016
    AUD ? 8/2016

    Becker with Nonstop NINJA MCQ
    Google most difficult professional exam

    March 21, 2016 at 6:05 pm #768890
    JT
    Participant

    @thehoundthatrides

    I know what you mean.

    @excel14 and @Martin,

    I understand where you're coming from at it makes complete sense.

    Again, I'm looking at the big picture.

    For example, (and I will use a crazy example) if 0% of people pass in 1q17 and 2q17, wouldn't the aicpa change there ‘grading curve'? They want a certain number of people to pass the exam, and with a ton of cpa's retiring, this makes perfect sense to change the test.

    Don't get me wrong, there are other reasons to change the format and context of the exam, I just think it isn't an ‘Armageddon' like people are making it out to seem.

    Also, I'm not taking any chances with the 2017 changes. I'm trying to pass and be done with the exam the next 2 quarters. But the 2017 changes is something to think about as (hopefully) we all begin our careers as cpa's this year.

    REG-80-1X
    BEC-80-1X
    FAR-73-1X
    FAR-75-2X
    AUD-September 2016

    March 21, 2016 at 6:09 pm #768891
    Excel14
    Participant

    @Dab:

    How long has the average passing rate hovered at or below 50%? Has the AICPA changed anything to vastly improve that? Answer: No. If anything, they are now initiating changes that make it even more difficult. Sure, if it was of the extreme nature you described, they'd have to tweak it a tad; but I wouldn't look for much.

    BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
    FAR (09/10/16)-----
    AUD
    REG

    CIA, CGAP, CFE

    March 21, 2016 at 6:19 pm #768892
    TheHoundThatRides
    Participant

    So those of you who think it'll be harder operate under the assumption that the AICPA wants less and less CPA's out there? That benefits those of us who get licensed but it does not benefit the AICPA. It doesn't make sense.

    BEC - 78 (August 2015)
    FAR - 80 (November 2015)
    AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
    REG - August 27th, 2016

    March 21, 2016 at 6:23 pm #768893
    Excel14
    Participant

    If you are referring to me in particular, I am not relying on assumption at all. I base my opinion on what the makers of the exam are saying. Let me turn the question around….So are you saying that since the field is losing so many CPAs, the AICPA is making the exam easier, to fill those voids?

    BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
    FAR (09/10/16)-----
    AUD
    REG

    CIA, CGAP, CFE

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