[SallyCPA]

What are your thoughts on the grading of the new exam in first new testing period? I feel like there is going to be a significant curve and more leniency based off of peoples’ experience with the exam, especially with the SIMS.

[Anonymous]

If they are waiting to see all the exams before finalizing the grading (id assume to keep the passing rate similar) isnt that the same as having a curve without necessarily calling it a curve?

[barnold]

@Bizzle99 that's the only thing that makes sense to me

AUD - 81
BEC - 83
FAR - 79
REG - 81

Been in the game for too long

BEC - 69, 77, 83
AUD - 63, 68, 70, 79
REG - 69, 63, 70
FAR - 60

[ThomasHallberg]

Surprised they haven't been sued. If it's not curved, then we would have our score immediately. They can place whatever fancy name they want on it. It's a curve.

AUD - 81
BEC - 77
FAR - 76
REG - 75

How does Santa's accountant value his sleigh? Net Present Value

Good luck favors the prepared

KPMG Audit

[Jj]

I don't think they can outright say it's a curve due to backlash they would get from people that passed outside of Q2. But the fact that they're waiting for all the scores to grade with the intention of keeping around a 45% pass rate, it's a curve. If the pass rate is 20% overall, what else would they do?

[Cruzer]

Bump

“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” -Anonymous

• AUD - PASSED (Q1 2017)
• BEC - PASSED (Q3 2016)
• FAR - PASSED (Q2 2017)
• REG - PASSED (Q4 2015)

 

[Me!]

Here is a link to a podcast from the CPA Insider(AICPA), July 17,2017 issue.

It explains why there is a 10 week lag in the scoring of the new version and the process involved. I found it interesting.

https://e.aicpa.org/a/hBZbJi3B81KsbB9dvPwAAE0f3x7/cpa5

The podcast is on the middle of the page.

AUD - 76
BEC - 78
FAR - 70-Q1; 66!-Q2 WTH! 77
REG - 78

Used CPA Excel, Wiley, Ninja

Licensed CPA, Tennessee 2/2018

[Wannafree]

It takes 10 weeks (2 and half month) to evaluate the answered questions but expected us to write the answer in 4 hours.No fair.

WannaB

[NeedsA75]

45-50% of you will pass and the others will fail. They will adjust scores accordingly so those pass/fail rates are met…nothing more nothing less

AUD - 96
BEC - 86
FAR - 76
REG - 92

PETH - 92
Licensed in California

 

[Cruzer]

@pjrosenberg listened to the podcast. I like when they get to the part that he asks the guy why does it take so long to score the exam. Mise well say its curved. It does sound like they need time to see what questions are pretest and which ones should be graded by bringing in supervising CPA's who directly supervise active CPA's. Another interesting aspect is he states that they will sit down with the Board of Examiners and establish the passing score. I thought it was a 75? lol

“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” -Anonymous

• AUD - PASSED (Q1 2017)
• BEC - PASSED (Q3 2016)
• FAR - PASSED (Q2 2017)
• REG - PASSED (Q4 2015)

 

[Me!]

@Cruzer- I looked into the Board of Examiner's report on the new exam. It basically says that the average CPA exam taker “should” have 2 years of experience. Well I have way more than that and it is still a b****! I believe the Board of Examiners meeting in August will be setting the passing(curved)or what constitutes a “75” based on the new exam criteria that has been reviewed for the past 2 months. A curve is a curve. I am just hoping that that we get a 75, whatever that really is…And be done with it!

AUD - 76
BEC - 78
FAR - 70-Q1; 66!-Q2 WTH! 77
REG - 78

Used CPA Excel, Wiley, Ninja

Licensed CPA, Tennessee 2/2018

[Cruzer]

I think 2 years of experience seems adequate to even sit for the new exam. Yeah who cares about the curve because it's not called a curve because the scoring is all preliminary subject to initial review. blah blah blah. I've read before a 75 is really not a raw score of a 75 so if you were to sample a group and come up with a mean score then use a prophency formula to calculate a raw score of a lot lower than a 75 (more like in the mid to high 40's). Does this make sense?

“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” -Anonymous

• AUD - PASSED (Q1 2017)
• BEC - PASSED (Q3 2016)
• FAR - PASSED (Q2 2017)
• REG - PASSED (Q4 2015)

 

[Anonymous]

What do they even mean by “2 years of experience”? In public accounting? Or doing audit/tax work? I don't have that. I do have 2-3 years of general accounting work, but that's it. But come on, these tests are mostly not even testing real-world stuff. They're just standardized tests…academic tests…of how book-smart people are. Or, not even that so much as “how much stuff you can cram into your head, and perform successfully on 4 exams, in an 18 month period.” I remember before the new version came out, there was all this hullabaloo about newly licensed CPAs underperforming on the job, and that's why they put in the DRS's and reconstructed the tests to reflect higher-order thinking skills. They also said, and I quote directly from the AICPA's website, “Candidates are expected to perform at the level of a second year CPA.” Now, does that mean they're expected to perform on the EXAM at that level, or in the workplace after being licensed? Big problem with that…how does a new CPA who just got licensed perform at that level when they haven't been a CPA for 2 years? And how does a non-licensed CPA perform at that level (I guess that would mean on the exam) when they aren't even licensed? They also said they wanted candidates to do more communicating with CPAs and seek out information from them as part of their preparation for the exam.

There may be no curve. But the scoring does have algorithms or tolerances or *WHATEVER* built into it, to give someone the benefit of the doubt. On my last FAR attempt, I got 62. I was sure I got in the high 40s or low 50s when I walked outta there. I wasn't prepared. But, I'm sure my raw score on the questions was probably 48-55 and they bumped me up a bit to account for any bad questions or questions I might have misunderstood. So, that's actually fair. They may also have a percentile system that they use…those who do better than the average end up with surprisingly high scores, while those who are below the average get even lower scores than they probably should.

[QueenCPA]

I believe the previous exam was also curved but like folks have mentioned, not the traditional curve so may be they consider it to be something different.

But damn they need to do something with this new exam 🙁

 

"And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful .Yes, make our efforts successful"

Amen 🙂

[smoothiezguy]

It's not technically a curve, but your scores are affected by how others did on the exam. The questions that a lot of people get right are assigned a lower point-age, while the questions that few got right are given more point value. Once that is done, they then assign a backstage passing score (keeping the passing rate under 50%) which is then interpolated into the universal 75 that we all desire.

BEC - 83 x1
FAR - 87 x1
AUD - 71 | 82 x2
REG - 93 x1

I'm Done!!!

CMA - 430
BEC - 83
FAR - ?
AUD -
REG -

[Wannafree]

@smoothiezguy , what you said is right for old format exam where rules were established ,this is the first time in new format so the rules has to be framed based on goal of the test and if the score is hitting the target.When you divide the number by infinite or zero it becomes useless.So if some candidates are too good in MCQ but failed miserably in SIMs or only few people are doing good in SIM then it's would be clear that questions are not really able to test the candidates's knowledge or able to achieve the goal of test.So they will have to frame the cut off etc.No wonder they are taking time.

WannaB

[Author]

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