[thebigguy1992]

So I am going to graduate this may with a 4+1 with a masters in accounting. I have 3 graduate classes i am finishing up, and I just applied on the NASBA website for massachusetts to take the exam. Even though I have not graduated yet, I can still send in my unfinished transcript, and then send in another transcript after I graduate in may? I am planning on taking FAR in late may, and I just sent in my fees/application, and I am going to send in my transcript this week. I am on the right track right/this is still acceptable in MA even though I haven’t graduated yet? I tried looking thru the MA NASBA website but was confused with all the jargon (https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/massachusetts/). I assume in MA you are not allowed to sit 90 days before you graduate like you can for some other states, but I still am in the clear if I want to take it in late may after i graduate?

[golfball7773]

I would just call your state board for clarification

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[Missy]

Do you already have a bachelors degree? If you've got a bachelors and 120 credits you can get an nts. The 150 needs to be completed for licensing but you can sit before then. If your Bachelor's hasn't been conferred yet you'll have to wait until it shows on your transcript to get an NTS in MA. If you graduate in May it may not show up as a degree on your transcript for 2-3 weeks, then you apply so it would be almost impossible to take an exam in May.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[thebigguy1992]

here is the requirement:
In order to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination for the State of Massachusetts, you must be 18 years of age or older, and:

have completed 120 of the 150 semester hours (or 180 of the 225 quarter hours) of college or university education from a nationally or regionally accredited institution as required for licensure certification by 252 CMR 2.07(2)(a), AND
include 21 semester hours of accounting courses including coverage in:
financial accounting,
auditing,
taxation,
management/cost accounting, AND

include 9 semester hours of business courses including coverage in:
business law,
finance,
information systems, AND
obtain a bachelor’s degree.

Now I am doing a 4+1 program, and I am finish up 9 credits in my MAACT degree and I have 7 credits left in my undergraduate degree (no accounting classes or anything). That means I have completed over 120 hours. I have 21 hours in those classes mentioned above, but I haven't obtained the bachelors degree yet as I will this may when I finish those 7 credits. So am I out of luck now, and not going to be able to take the test in late may, and i also won't be able to get the application fee and 2 exam fees I already paid?

[thebigguy1992]

It also shows a section that says if you are currently enrolled in college while applying, you must submit your transcript within 45 days. So I assume I won't be losing all my money but I may not just be able to get my transcript that shows I have a bachelor degree in time to schedule by the end of may?

[kyleman323]

I am finishing my last semester of college and do not yet have my 150 hours but I will have them after this semester. I was able to receive my NTS and I plan on taking FAR in April and I graduate the following month in May. You will not be able to view your score until you have sent them your final transcripts but as long as you have met all the requirements, you should be fine.

FAR: April 2016
AUD: May 2016
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD

[thebigguy1992]

what state are you in though? I'm in MA

I just talked to the NASBA customer service guy, and he said that they will keep my application and put it on hold until they receive my final transcript showing I graduated. For MA, you need 120 hours, those accounting courses mentioned above, and obtained a bachelors degree. I do not get my bachelors until i graduate which is this may 14th. They said that I should be able to get my official transcript 2 days after I graduate, and then send it in, but that is not a sure bet.

So now my conundrum is do I risk that bet and study for the test as if I will get my transcript to them in time and plan on taking it the last day of May? Or just put my studying off and take it July 1? I am just pressed for time because I start full time middle of august and I want to get as many of these out of the way as possible.

[thebigguy1992]

So I just talked to a second lady (who seemed to be the official person for my state) and she said that I can sit as long as I know that I have 90 days until after I sit to send in an official transcript showing that I have my bachelors. This is a rep. from the NASBA phone line. So I think I'm good.

Its following this rule:

After all educational requirements have been met, you must:
A.) submit to CPAES official transcript to confirm degree conferral and satisfactory completion of courses within 90 days from the date that you sat for the first section of the examination.

[Missy]

I'm pretty sure it takes 10 days-2 weeks (if not longer) after submitting everything to NASBA to get the NTS. I don't want to be discouraging but even if EVERYTHING fell in your favor, got the transcript May 16, got your NTS May 25 the chances of you finding an open seat at Prometric between May 25 and May 31 are not great. Prometric fills up fast. If someone cancelled and you kept checking Prometric you might find something but you may not even get the NTS until May 31.

Give it a try but I can tell you it wouldn't be the first time someone at NASBA gave bad info.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[thebigguy1992]

I mean all of that would make sense if the person on the phone told me that I wouldn't be able to sit even though I haven't gotten my bachelors yet. The lady simply said that I can sit before the bachelors shows up on my transcript as long as i know that I have 90 days to send them my official transcript showing that I graduated. I then looked at the rules, and they state those same things, such as below:

After all educational requirements have been met, you must:

A.) submit to CPAES official transcript to confirm degree conferral and satisfactory completion of courses within 90 days from the date that you sat for the first section of the examination.

That lines up with what the lady told me on the phone. So this rule states that technically you can sit for the exam 90 days before you get an official transcript showing you have graduated (which is different that your graduation date because most people get their transcript a few weeks after they graduate). I just have to send in two transcripts, not one.

[thebigguy1992]

Now what just confuses me is after looking over the MA certificate of enrollment, it says “I understand that i must complete my education prior to sitting for any section of the examination.” That right there makes me not believe what the lady said, meaning I have to have my bachelors conferred on my transcript before I can get an NTS.

Next sentence it also says “I further understand that I will be required to submit a final official transcript documenting successful completion of courses listed below no later than 90 days following the date I sit for the exam.” This makes it sound like what the lady told me – that I can sit even though I haven't gotten my bachelors conferred yet, and I just have 90 days after I sit to show that. So hopefully thats the case for me?

[Author]

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