I have been reading another website (www.another71.com) where they provide more data on the CPA exam. Here, I am trying to write about my own experiences, but that website offers statistics on passing rates, when you can expect to receive your score, and other useful information.
One interesting fact that I read is that passing rates for REG and FAR were up 5-6% in Q2, giving a pretty good reason why the FAR test that I took was so far off (in my opinion) from the review materials that I had studied for a month. It seems as though the tests for Q3 were made harder to keep the passing rate at around the same level.
Now, this raises a question that I think is fair: Am I being tested on my own personal knowledge or my knowledge compared against others? Shouldn’t the test be based on a certain percentage of knowledge that the candidate has received, and not based on his or her competition? If there aren’t enough people passing as is needed to sustain the profession, then we should either improve the educational process or not ask questions designed specifically to trick people. In other words, we should teach the right knowledge effectively and test people fairly.
Requiring a certain passing percentage could keep people out who otherwise have the knowledge and are qualified, or it could bring people into the profession who aren’t qualified but got in just because no one else was that great either. The CPA exam and its passing rates need to be reviewed in my opinion.
Valbona Bushi
1 Comment
July 23, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I couldn’t agree with you more. I sat for FAR last Monday, and was completely dumbfounded by the material. I was completely exhausted to begin with from so many late nights and early mornings studying, but I felt that many of the questions were beyond the scope of the Becker material. I am praying I passed. I also took BEC in May and passed and am in the AUDIT class right now.