2017 CPA exam changes—Harder or easier? - Page 4

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #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 - 46 through 60 (of 61 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • #768924
    ScarletKnightCPA
    Participant

    I am inclined to say that the complaints regarding quality of the internationally outsourced accounting work is overstated. I see mistakes and errors made but I don't think it's any more than would have occurred locally. There was a time when a lot corporate controllers jobs (just a couple decades ago) were done by folks with no college degree at all but they were able to get through it. I think that folks are more inclined to complain about the work that was outsourced internationally. Is there any study showing that accounting work outsourced internationally contains more errors?

    According to this report, there has been an 20% increase in accounting graduates since the last survey (does not state when the last survey was), a record setting number.
    https://www.aicpa.org/PRESS/PRESSRELEASES/2013/Pages/Record-Setting-Demand-for-Accounting-Graduates-AICPA.aspx

    There does not appear to be any shortage of new accountants. You can argue that there is a shortage of QUALITY accountants (whatever that means), but that quality will not increase by making professional qualifying exams easier.

    Can someone show me where any report suggests there is going to be a shortage of accountants? An increase in demand does not mean a shortage of supply meets or exceeds demand. Also keep in mind, a lot of large company corporate controllers jobs were done by folks with high school degrees as recently as a couple decades ago.

    Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
    Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

    MBA in progress

    #768925
    ScarletKnightCPA
    Participant

    Reviewing the graph that I pointed out, can anyone point out the supply shortage of accountants due to retiring baby boomers?

    The number of accounting degrees awarded until 1990, more than doubling, flat lined until early 2000s and now is higher than ever before.

    For there to be a supply shortage due to retiring baby boomers in the next 10 years, there would have had to been a supply flat line or drop around 1970 to 1990, there does not appear to be any.

    https://www.aicpa.org/PRESS/PRESSRELEASES/2013/Pages/Record-Setting-Demand-for-Accounting-Graduates-AICPA.aspx

    Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
    Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

    MBA in progress

    #1305508
    Trele6
    Participant

    I would assume the test is getting harder. However, like others mentioned above it will only be those of use that know the old test that will see the real differences. I expect the future passing rates will all still be around 50% per section.

    Hopefully I get a passing grade on the 4th for my AUD retake and will be done!

    First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
    Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
    Far / Apr 2016 - 79
    Bec / May 2016 - 80
    Aud / Aug 2016

    #1305535
    jeff
    Keymaster

    The new exam will be a different experience – and probably considered harder due to the higher weights of the SIMS (and introduction to SIMS in BEC).

    Longer exam (BEC/REG) … higher weight in SIMS … more SIMS … higher order skills tested (Analysis/Evaluation) … and wait for it …

    wait for it …

    (wait for it…)

    April/May 2017 score release happens in …

    WAIT FOR IT!!! ….

    (August).

    Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

    #1305544
    Trele6
    Participant

    My first credit (REG) expires on May 27th. If I don't pass AUD on my second and third tries and have to take it again in April I am assuming I wont lose REG while having to wait for my grade assuming I find out I pass AUD in August right???

    First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
    Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
    Far / Apr 2016 - 79
    Bec / May 2016 - 80
    Aud / Aug 2016

    #1305549
    mjbey1s
    Participant

    This is a great question. I lose my REG credit on 5/31. There is no way they can take credit away for a test if you are waiting until 3 months after to figure out your final score on your last test

    #1305552
    ShutUp
    Participant

    I feel as though this is extremely unfair for people with one test left… if I have just reg left (and god forbid failed in October – and fail again in January…) I then have to wait 3 months between the next 2 attempts??

    FAR - May 23rd (24th, Prometric power outage) - 89 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)>⌐■-■
    AUD - July 18th - 88 ┴┬┴┤( ͡° ͜ʖ├┬┴┬
    BEC - August 29th (☞゚ヮ゚)☞
    REG - TBD ಠ_ಠ

    "You better cut the pizza into 4 pieces because im not hungry enough to eat 6!"

    #1305597
    NeedsA75
    Participant

    Reading this thread gives me heartburn…as if the deck isn't already stacked against us. Makes me want to throw in the towel..

    #1305618
    NeedsA75
    Participant

    Can someone confirm when we will actually see the new version of the exam? I'm confused if it will be rolled out in Q1 2017 or if we won't see it until Q2 2017 ? Thanks

    #1305624
    ShutUp
    Participant

    April 1 2017

    FAR - May 23rd (24th, Prometric power outage) - 89 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)>⌐■-■
    AUD - July 18th - 88 ┴┬┴┤( ͡° ͜ʖ├┬┴┬
    BEC - August 29th (☞゚ヮ゚)☞
    REG - TBD ಠ_ಠ

    "You better cut the pizza into 4 pieces because im not hungry enough to eat 6!"

    #1305859
    mylifeisover
    Participant

    People who have already passed the exam kill me with how happy they are with the upcoming changes in 2017. At the end of the day some people are better test takers than others you cannot say that adding more difficult SIMS on the CPA test will help protect the public. Test taking exams vs real life work is just not the same. I do not even see a lot of the stuff I learned studying CPA in my real life work.

    #1305882
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Easier. There are too many baby boomer CPAs retiring to make it harder for millenials to pay AICPA dues.

    #1305961
    Spartans92
    Participant

    The exam changes gonna suck but they dont worry me as much, it is the changes in the score release schedule. someone in another thread mentioned that if we were to take it in April of next year we won't get scores until August. That is just insane! Thats a ton of time wasted. Like I could be taking it in July but I gotta wait another month.. as if we already dont need to wait long enough for retakes.

    I usually dont pray but Im praying to God and whatever else there are to give me the power/strength to pass these last few parts prior to the changes. I can't even think about having to retake BEC with the SIMS!

    BEC- PASS

    #1306333
    rlarivee01
    Participant

    Jeff,

    My 10 point combo access just ended, with *sigh* 0 exams passed. As I understand it, I lose MCQ and blitz access, but I still have the book, audio, and notes. I plan to buy MCQ sets one at a time. It says on the combo page free updates until passing- is there a way to get updated notes/book when updates are made, or do you think I can learn enough of the concepts to make it work? Are the 2017 updates way in the future?

    I'm leaving my FT job in December to exclusively study the CPA, because I'd like to get as much done before April. Wish me luck!

    #1306375
    SaveBandit
    Participant

    Statistically, the exam pass rate hovers around 50%. I doubt these changes will affect that rate very much. Even if scores take a nose dive – they are still going to pass half the people taking it.

    This whole thing is purely a scare tactic.

    4 for 4

    FAR 85
    AUD 94
    BEC 86
    REG 90

Viewing 15 replies - 46 through 60 (of 61 total)
  • The topic ‘2017 CPA exam changes—Harder or easier? - Page 4’ is closed to new replies.