[Anonymous]

I’ve heard the rumor over an over that the exam is curved. I’ve heard that you have a better chance of passing if you take it in a window with fewer qualified applicants etc. I pulled the following directly from the aicpa’s FAQs on their website. I just thought maybe some of you would find it interesting since it’s such a prevalent rumor. Happy studying. 🙂

“The CPA Examination is NOT curved. Every candidate’s score is entirely

independent of other candidates’ Examination results.

The CPA Examination is a criterion-referenced examination which means that it rests upon pre-determined standards. Every candidate’s performance is measured against established standards to determine whether the candidate has demonstrated the level of knowledge and skills that is represented by the passing score. Every candidate is judged against the same standards, and every score is an independent result.”

[M.O.D.]

This is BS. It contradicts their method of grading it (psychometric scoring) and Item Response Theory. They apparently contract that shit out because they don't understand it themselves.

Also take a look at their flowchart on grading. Last item is weighting:

https://www.aicpa.org/BecomeACPA/CPAExam/PsychometricsandScoring/ScoringInformation/DownloadableDocuments/How_the_CPA_Exam_is_Scored.pdf

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Anonymous]

The exam is not curved. The policy weighting they are referring to corresponds to 40% sims, 60% MCQ, and the like.

[mla1169]

“Curved”, in the traditional sense means that your score is dependant on other candidates who take the same exam at the same time. No this exam is not curved, according to the AICPA.

It is curved in the sense that they use the results from “pre test” questions in prior exam windows to determine how to weight each test. So if I took the exam in Q1 and you took it in Q2, you would be “curved” against me…….but that's not how the term Curve is used.

would be like a college professor curving your score to the results of the prior semester. The argument for or against a curve could go either way.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

The exam is not curved in the sense that they do not bump scores up. However, within each window, they determine the pass/fail mark. They then assign scores based on how close and far you are from that mark.

In essence, the exam isn't curved, but it's possible to get a 75 and get less than half the answers correct.

[Anonymous]

MLA: It would be a sort of “rolling” curve though right? If I took it in Q2, the weight of my questions would in part be determined by Q1, but also PY Q4, PY Q3, PY Q2 etc. So in short, it would not benefit one to try to schedule a test in a window directly after a statistically poorly performing window.

[Anonymous]

@Bill, how was BEC?

[Anonymous]

Nick: unpleasant, stressful, frustrating, bewildering – Also, I left not knowing if I would likely get a 50 or a 90. So exactly like my first two exams. haha

[jeff]

https://www.accountingweb.com/topic/education-careers/aicpa-responds-cpa-exam-myths

🙂

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

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

[Anonymous]

@Bill, so you got a 90. Nice!

[mla1169]

Bill it's irrelevant because the “pre-test” questions don't count toward the scores of the preceding windows. In each exam you have 15 MCQ and 1 sim that don't count toward your score but are used to determine the weighting when they are used.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[M.O.D.]

I quote:

“The current score reporting in two waves seems to be well understood by candidates but much more needs to be done to erase candidate misconceptions about why some scores are released earlier than others. For example, candidates need to know that those who are presented with simulations that have not been tested previously will receive their scores in the second wave, even if they test at the beginning of a testing window. A sufficient number of responses to new simulations must be available for psychometric analysis before scoring can begin. and it is impossible to predict who will receive new simulations as simulations are assigned at random.”

Why would they need to know how others answer the simulations before grading your test? Unless of course it is to weight/curve your score according to their answers. This contradicts the first answer that your score is independent of how others answer their tests.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[mla1169]

The two waves of scores went away 3 years ago. Now almost everybody (except those right on the fringe with WC for BEC needing human review) gets their scores on the same date. The old way was a pain.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[wallybally]

If every candidate's scores is generated independently, why can't we find out whether we passed right away?

FAR - 86 (July 2014)
AUD - 85 (Aug 2014)
REG - 80 (Oct 2014)
BEC - 81 (Nov 2014)

I'm done!!!!

[Anonymous]

The way I see it is it doesn't matter if the exam is curved or not. If you believe it's curved u need to do better than about half the test takers. If you don't believe it's curved you just need to worry about the 75 which about half of candidates do. Either way about half pass so it's not really relevant. Just prepare properly and you will properly pass.

[Anonymous]

Good point Wally

[Author]

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