[bigcore20]

So we’ve all seen the pass rates for each quarter. I simply cannot believe that pass rates drop an entire 5% from Q3 to Q4 without some kind of adjustment. The current logical theory that’s been going around is that they have to adjust pass rates in Q4 to keep a consistent rate for the year. I’ve asked a family friend who has worked with the AICPA before, and he said he can’t reveal anything like that, but he wasn’t going to deny it either. There’s meetings to discuss pass rates and how they have to keep them at a certain level. Essentially, you could have taken the same exact exam in Q3 and Q4 with the same answers, but you would pass in Q3 and fail in Q4.

Bottom line: take exams in Q2 and Q3

[bigcore20]

@bucknell39 – Agreed. I never said it is fraudulent though, that was brando. I just said it is happening, and I think it ruins the integrity of the license

[neaux]

I don't believe this to be true, and even if it was, how does knowledge of this better our situations?

[garnerr2]

I don't see how adjusting scores ruins the integrity of the license.

The AICPA has come out and stated that getting a 75 on the exam does not mean you got 75% of the questions correct. So knowing that, a candidate could possibly get 80% correct and get a 75 if the test was too easy, or could get 70% correct and get a 75 on a tougher exam.

If they had come out and said that getting a certain amount of questions correct would give you a passing score, then I could see why it would hurt the integrity of the license. It seems instead they have chosen a little ambiguity.

AUD - 76
REG - 78
FAR - Aug 2016
BEC - 79

[StudyNowCPA]

I don’t know if there is a conspiracy or not but I can say this…. I think there are more than the 99 total points you can score on the exam. What I mean is that if you scored this exam like a regular exam there are enough points to score over 100. I got an 83 on FAR and I didn’t finish the exam. I only finished 3 ½ SIMS and literally entered random stuff on the rest of them. On the research question I only entered the first blank space. So that means that I had to get a perfect score on all of the multiple choice and the 3 ½ SIMS I actually did and the extra 3 points were for the random stuff I entered in the other 3 ½ SIMS. Technically, the maximum score I should have gotten was an 80.
There is a discrepancy or maybe just secrecy over how the exam is scored. It is not by points. That’s what I got out of this exam. I find it hard to believe that I got every question I answered 100% correct. Who knows though. Maybe I did. I can’t really think of any questions I got wrong except for the ones I didn’t do. I was just in total shock when I received my score. So, if anything I think they adjust to help not hurt.

[StudyNowCPA]

After writing all of that I looked at my performance report… Here it is:

Framework and Standards – Stronger
Financial Statement Accounts – Comparable
Specific Transactions/Events – Stronger
Governmental – Stronger
Not-for-Profit – Stronger

I think the scores are dependent on how well you score compared to others. They want the top X% of accountants and those are the ones they pass. Period. I don’t really think it’s a bad thing at all.

[wakingbrando77]

Boy Bigcore you have a reading comp problem..and no I did not study for 10 months by choice..I fought with NASBA for the NTS for that long studying along the way..and I work in public where we have nothing most of the summer..so yes I study 6-8 hours a day and get paid to do so.

And what I meant by fraudulent wasn't the fact that they adjusted my score downward(which you suggested)..its the money grab of them charging you 250 bucks for every test you take..IF they are adjusting scores of people who past downward that would be considered fraud in the eyes of the law…forcing you to pay over and over again.

yes getting 80% plus on the study questions that were similar to the problems on the test is doing pretty well..and pocket protector..good one..another internet tough guy lol

[wakingbrando77]

I'm guessing Bigcore youre a recent college grad that hasn't figured out the CPA is outright meaningless in terms of performance and lifetime earnings..its a BS cert that you have to get to say you got it in order to bill at a higher rate..it serves no purpose other then perceived perception..nobody at my firm carries an active license outside the two managing partners that sign off on things..you know why? because none of them need it and the real world is nothing compared to college and theoretical questions..

But I digress..you seem like someone who likes to argue and wants to pick a fight..even with someone who posted on here agreeing with you..lol WTG!

[wakingbrando77]

Study nowCPA thats what I was saying as well..they set a threshold where the top percent in that testing window pass no matter what the scores are or how well you do..

Which explains why people who feel terrible leaving the test can pass thinking they did awful and vice versa..

Generally you should know how well you understood the material..and how you did.

[wakingbrando77]

Also being you only answered 3 questions adds to the BS of the scoring when I answered all of them and know they were all right because I finished with an extra hour and looked up every single one to make sure they were right except for the gov journal entries which were probably 80 percent right..at the least

If you didnt answer all the questions their is no way in hell you should have got an 83..this is why the exam is a complete joke.

[Anonymous]

@StudyNowCPA I also got a 83 on FAR! High five!

Here's how my report came out if you're curious. I think you must have done very well on the multiple choice.

Framework and Standards- Stronger
Financial Statement Accounts – Comparable
Specific Transactions/Events – Stronger
Govt – Comparable
NFP – Comparable

Sims – Stronger.

My score on the sims really surprised me because I felt terrible during the sims and really had no idea what to fill in for the journal entries and just tried to fill in what I thought were the accounts with full belief that my numbers were wrong.

Anyone know when does the AICPA release the pass rates for Q4?

[bigcore20]

@wakingbrando77 – Nah, you just have a writing problem. You never talked about your NTS issues. But the fact remains, you studied for 10 months 6-8 hrs a day and failed. I'm not trying to pick a fight, but don't go telling people that their IQ isn't above average if they don't believe they are rigging it. You agreed with me that they're rigging it, but not the method that they use to rig it. No need to basically call people stupid though.

Also, I don't know what firm you work for, but at a big 4 firm, we need the license to get promoted. Pretty much all of us have CPAs after the first year. It's definitely not a “BS cert” in reality, and honestly you're only saying that because you failed a few times already and haven't figured out how to pass yet. Most licenses may be BS in theory, but you bet I'm going to hire the CPA vs the non CPA every time, that's just how the world works. Being an accountant without a CPA makes things challenging. Yes, there are successful accountants without CPAs, but MOST of the high earners have/had the license. Those who don't pass or give up usually go into other fields like finance analyst or HR type stuff. Maybe at a small firm with “nothing to do in the summer” there will not be many CPAs, hence why they lack clients and revenue.

And no, getting 80s on practice problems doesn't really mean anything. The exam questions are “obscure” as you said, so you will need to have a natural ability (IQ) on top of studying to pass the exam. You say you had an hour left to look stuff up in the AL, this probably means you rushed the exam and got a lot of things wrong that you thought you got right. Audit I could see having an hour left, but if you have an hour left for FAR after doing everything yet failed, you probably rushed.

[Anonymous]

@walkingbrando77

Just curious have you actually passed any of the exams? It's sort of hard for anyone to take your opinion seriously if you haven't.

The AICPA explicitly explains that there are pre-test questions and also that questions are weighted.
Just sounds like you have many of the Roger MCQ's memorized and many people have said that Roger CPA's questions are too easy. On each exam 12-15 MCQ and 1 simulation are thrown out of the exam. Also different questions are weighted based on difficulty. Harder questions are worth more points and easier ones are worth less.

Also not to bash Roger Review but I've heard that his lectures are good but his MCQs are way too easy. So trying to correlate your performance on practice questions(which many of which you've probably memorized) and your actual exam score doesn't really mean anything. Have you tried another MCQ and gotten similar scores?

And to say the CPA license is BS is stupid. I don't know where you live but in California if you have the right connections having the CPA exams passed is a guaranteed interview with the Big 4. If you think you don't need it then you don't have to take the exams.

[CPA2BEE]

@brando How is it that the CPA is meaningless in terms of lifetime earnings? How many non-CPAs do you know that bill out at $300/hr over the span of a 40+ year career?

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[ahsq]

I definitely think the scores are rigged. I got a 74, I walked out thinking I got at least 85. ;(((((((((((((((((((

How do you guys that passed and got a detailed report back? that makes no sense? All I got back with a blank report with a PASS on the first page.

[bigcore20]

@ahsq – I think Texas and maybe a few other states will give you a detailed score report even if you passed. Also, this might sound stupid, but usually if you think you passed, you probably didn't, and vice versa lol. That's how the exam seems to work

[Author]

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