Over the past two and a half years I have fielded questions from literally thousands of Candidates regarding the CPA Exam Score Release process. As you can imagine, most people find the CPA Exam score release process confusing and are looking for answers.
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Welcome to the Official CPA Exam Scores & Results Releases Update Page for the July/August 2010 testing window.
Bookmark this page for CPA Exam Score Release updates as they happen.
Be sure to get my FREE 15 page CPA Exam Score Release FAQ E-book that covers everything that you need to know about how the CPA Exam Results Release process works.
Update #1 (August 16): Updated BEC release prediction: Wednesday 8/18 Update #2 (August 18): 10,896 BEC scores released by the the AICPA Update #3 (August 20): 7,629 AUD scores were released by the AICPA Update #4 (August 23): 1,808 AUD and 8,625 FAR scores were released by AICPA Update #5 (August 25): 313 AUD, 1,704 FAR, and 8,329 REG scores were released by the AICPA Update #6 (August 27):265 FAR, and 1,845 REG scores were released by the AICPA Update #6 (August 30):168 REG scores were released by the AICPA
JEFF’S WAVE 2 AICPA SCORE RELEASE PREDICTIONS:
As predicted, the AICPA released FAR third and not last yesterday when they released 6,965 FAR CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states on Monday afternoon.
What’s Next? Well, more FAR scores I’m guessing. Look at how many scores were released – less than 7,000. Compare that with the 7,800 AUD scores that came out Friday and I think we’re going to see another 800-1,000 FAR scores released with REG as well as a few hundred AUD scores as well.
When with the AICPA release REG? Today (Tuesday) or Wednesday. I honestly think it’s 50/50. Look for NASBA FAR scores tonight!
The AICPA released 7,845 AUD CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states on Friday afternoon at approx. 4:15pm EST.
What’s Next? I’m predicting a FAR AICPA release on Monday as well as a NASBA AUD release Monday night. Some independent states will be getting their scores out on Saturday in all likelihood.
The AICPA didn’t release any CPA Exam scores on Thursday.
NASBA, however had a very quick turnaround on BEC scores and released them one day after the AICPA release.
What’s Next? AUD is my guess and I predict that the AICPA will release it by 5:30pm EST. If a score release happens today, some of the indie states will have them out by Saturday and NASBA people can plan on a Monday evening release.
Heading into a weekend without your score is maddening…I remember it well.
Update 4:15pm EST: Today, 7845 AUD scores were released AICPA to NASBA for the Apr/May 2010 testing window.
The AICPA released 8,301 BEC scores to NASBA and the indie states Wednesday afternoon.
What does this mean for NASBA people? A Thursday evening BEC release @ 10:15pm EST is likely. Check this post for updates Thursday.
What does this mean for indie people (CA/IL/VA/etc)? Some will get them late morning or afternoon (CA/IL?), and some snail mail states won’t send them out until next week probably.
Wave 1 CPA Exam results should start rolling out by the AICPA this Friday, May 14.
Is this guaranteed? No.
Only the AICPA knows when they are going to release the first wave of scores.
Another71.com has been tracking CPA Exam score releases since Moses parted the Red Sea November 2008 and knows that NASBA released scores to candidates on May 15, 2009, which means that the AICPA released scores around May 13, 2009.
Could BEC be released today? YES, absolutely.
Would it shock me? NO, absolutely not.
Would it shock me if the AICPA took until the following Monday to release BEC?
NO, absolutely not.
The safe bet is Friday, May 14 which gets the ball rolling for the onslaught of score releases.
Friday May 7:Last day that you can sit for your exam and be eligible for Wave. This is not an exact science. Sometimes scores from exams taken on the 8th day of the third month in the testing quarter get released.
Note: These are predictions based on historical trends.
May 14: The AICPA releases BEC
May 17: The AICPA releases AUD
May 17: NASBA and some indie states release BEC
May 18: NASBA and some indie states release AUD
May 19: The AICPA releases REG
May 20: NASBA and some indie states release REG
May 21: The AICPA releases FAR
May 24: NASBA and some indie states release FAR
FAQs:
Q: I didn’t get my score in Wave 1 – am I borderline?
A: No – it means you likely had a new simulation. Try not to read too much into it.
Q: My co-worker has their score already and we took the same exam before the Wave 1 cutoff. Did I fail?
A: No – it means you likely had a new simulation. Try not to read too much into it.
Q: I didn’t get my score!!! Does this mean something?
A: No – it means you likely had a new simulation. Try not to read too much into it.
March is upon us and as candidates are going postal patiently waiting for their CPA Exam results, here are some things to keep in mind:
March 8, 2010: Due to the crazy weather on the East Coast, the January/February 2010 window was extended to March 8. According to NASBA, exams taken in March will be part of the Wave 2 score release.
Keep in mind that the March 8 extension could wreak havoc on the score release process. Then again, it may not. I wouldn’t be surprised either way.
The following are predictions based on historical trends:
Monday March 15, 2010: AICPA releases BEC
Once the AICPA starts releasing CPA Exam scores, California, Illinois, Virginia will follow suit. NASBA usually releases scores within two business days after the AICPA release.
Tuesday March 16, 2010: AICPA releases REG
Tuesday evening March 16, 2010: NASBA releases BEC at approx 10pm Eastern
Wednesday evening March 17, 2010: NASBA releases REG at approx 10pm Eastern
Thursday March 18, 2010: AICPA releases AUD
Friday evening March 19, 2010: NASBA releases AUD at approx 10pm Eastern
Monday March 22, 2010: AICPA releases FAR
Tuesday evening March 23, 2010: NASBA releases FAR at approx 10pm Eastern
CPA Exam Score Release Wave 2 FAQs: Q: I sat for my exam in early January, but didn’t get my score in Wave 1. Am I “borderline”?
A: No. It likely means that you had a brand new, never-before-tested simulation and are therefore in Wave 2 automatically, per my Interview with the AICPA.
Q: I didn’t get my score in Wave 2!!! Am I borderline?
A: Possibly. Keep in mind that the AICPA will release a section like Regulation and then release 1,000 more REG scores with Auditing.
However, once Wave 2 is complete, an additional wave of scores usually come out 2-3 days later. This is known unofficially as Wave 2.5.
Historically, people who get their scores after Wave 2 usually fall in the range of a 72 to 76. Granted, there will be some outliers here (i.e. a 90), but people who fall into this “Wave 2.5″ almost always end up reporting scores in this range.
Get CPA Exam score release updates at the CPA Exam Forum.
The 2010 CPA Exam is in full swing and candidates are neck-deep in their CPA Review courses trying to fit in another exam in a shortened testing month.
Dates and news that candidates should know:
February 7, 2010: Traditionally, the 7th is the last day you can sit for a section of the CPA Exam and still be eligible for the Wave 1 score release (if you’re not included in Wave 1, you will have to wait another month until Wave 2, which begins mid-March).
According to my Interview with the AICPA, if your exam had a new simulation, you will automatically be in Wave 2.
The following are predictions based on historical trends:
February 12, 2010: AICPA is expected to start releasing BEC scores per my CPA Exam score release predictions (which historically are 50% spot-on for Wave 1). Once the AICPA starts releasing CPA Exam scores, California, Illinois, Virginia will follow suit.
NASBA usually releases scores within two business days after the AICPA release.
February 15, 2010: NASBA BEC Score Release
February 16, 2010: AICPA AUD Score Release
February 17, 2010: AICPA REG/NASBA AUD Score Releases
February 18, 2010: AICPA FAR/NASBA REG Score Releases
I will also mention that if you want the best chance of being in the Wave 1 score release, schedule your exam on Friday, February 5 2010 or before.
Nothing, is guaranteed, however. As disclosed in my Interview with the AICPA, if you get a new simulation (and only the AICPA knows whether or not you did…), then you are automatically in Wave 2, regardless of when you took your exam.
As expected – and posted on the CPA Exam Forum earlier today, Financial Accounting and Reporting scores were released by NASBA this evening. This concludes the score release process for the October/November 2009 testing window.
…except for Wisconsin candidates who haven’t received a single Wave 2 score, as is customary.
Wisconsin is the only NASBA state (that I’m aware of) that holds all scores for a wave until all scores have been received. (???).
If I’m mistaken – someone in Madison set me straight.
***Update: 12/21/09 9:00pm Eastern*** – REG scores started rolling out around 8pm Eastern…NASBA site died for about 30 minutes and then came back online and people got the remainder of their REG scores.
October/November 2009 Wave 2 CPA Exam score releases started out very slow, but has turned around very quickly. The AICPA didn’t release BEC scores until Wednesday, when they usually start Wave 2 on a Monday.
At 1:15 pm Eastern on Thursday, December 17 the AICPA released Auditing and Attestation CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
As I posted in the [CPA Exam Forum], the AICPA would release a set of scores around noon today.
At 4:15 pm on Wednesday, December 16 the AICPA released BEC CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
I’ve had several people contact me about checking their scores for them because they would not have internet access on vacation or wherever they were going. They could check e-mail on their phone, but couldn’t check the NASBA.org website and asked me to check for them. This application would have solved all of the frustration of relying on someone else to check your CPA Exam score for you.
Once you buy the application, you can use it for all of your remaining CPA Exam scores.
The price of the application is $9.99, but sanity is priceless.
(Where was this thing when I was taking the exam???)
OnFriday, November 20, the AICPA released more Regulation and Financial Accounting and Reporting CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
258 FAR and 161 REG scores were released.
I anticipate a Monday PM release from NASBA (just a prediction).
At 4:15 pm EST on Thursday, November 19, the AICPA released Regulation CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
6,870 REG scores were released.
In addition, 1,547 more Auditing and Attestation, and 330 more Financial Accounting and Reporting scores were released.
On Tuesday, November 17, the AICPA released Financial Accounting and Reporting CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
I have met many of the people who work for NASBA personally and they’re great people and want to get candidates their CPA Exam results as quickly as possible.
I have confirmed that barring another tech issue (two separate tech issues in the past two windows that caused the batch process to fail), Auditing and Attestation Wave 1 CPA Exam scores will be released by NASBA tonight.
I realize that I said the same thing for BEC and they didn’t come out.
Was I given bad info? No. They had a programming issue that caused the batch to fail, but the scores were supposed to come out.
I only post info that is 110% credible. Always have…always will.
Best wishes to everyone waiting for their results,
NASBA released BEC Wave 1 CPA Exam scores at a little before 9pm Eastern on Friday night. I was told earlier in the evening that the scores would load tonight and that the technical issue that occured last night was due to a programming error and was not the same error that prevented scores to be released as plan last window.
Up next, we will have Auditing scores released via NASBA. It will either be Monday or Tuesday, but I’m saying Monday.
Coming up on Monday or Tuesday should also be an AICPA release of REG or FAR CPA Exam scores.
I did some looking at some old score release prediction posts from a year ago and REG got the shaft in the October/November 2008 window. Not only was REG released last in Wave 1 – only 48% of Wave 1 REG scores were released.
It’s a given that FAR will be last…it’s just become accepted. FAR is the hardest…FAR comes out last…that’s just how it is. REG customarily is released second…sometimes third…but this time it was last.
Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself a year later.
At 4:00 pm on Friday, November 13, the AICPA released Auditing and Attestation CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
As many of you figured out last night – the BEC CPA Exam scores did not load. NASBA is working on this and will try to get them out today. I don’t know if this means during the “day” or if you will have to wait until this evening. I will post updates as I get them.
All information that I post about score releases is 110% credible and from a very credible source. The only “guessing” I ever do is with the score release predictions and I make that pretty clear that it’s based on conjecture alone.
As I said yesterday – the score release would happen barring any tech issues, which apparently was the case.
I will post updates as I receive them. Thanks to NASBA for working hard and trying to get scores out…everyone appreciates it.
With [Wednesday's BEC release from the AICPA], everything is set for NASBA to release scores tonight. I have confirmed that the scores are locked and loaded and barring any tech issues, NASBA results should be out at approx. 9pm EST Thursday night.
Good luck everyone. Thanks for reading. (…and thanks to NASBA for getting scores out so quickly).
At 3:00 pm on Wednesday, November 11, the AICPA released BEC CPA Exam scores to NASBA and the independent states for distribution through their respective channels to the CPA Exam candidates.
(Exams taken between October 1 and November 7 are eligible, but you are not guaranteed to get your score in Wave 1)
AICPA Release:
BEC – Friday, November 13 (Actual release: November 11 @ 3pm…earlier than usual…)
REG – Monday, November 16
AUD – Wednesday, November 18
FAR – Thursday, November 19
NASBA Release (posted between 9pm and midnight Eastern):
BEC – Monday, November 16
REG – Tuesday, November 17
AUD – Thursday, November 19
FAR – Monday, November 23
Note – these are based on trends from data that I have recorded from previous windows. These are just predictions.
Wave 1 History of Score Release Date Predictions (NASBA release):
October/November 2008:0/4
January/February 2009 : 4/4
April/May 2009:2/4
July/August 2009: 2/4
October/November 2009: TBD
Overall: 8/16
As score information becomes available, I will post it at the CPA Exam Forum. To avoid confusion as to where to get score release information, I am closing comments on this post. Please use the forum.
Frequently asked questions about CPA Exam score releases:
Q: What is the difference between an AICPA and a NASBA score release?
A: The AICPA has to release scores for a particular section of the Exam before anything else can happen. Once that happens, then scores can start being released. Everything depends on the AICPA. The way that it works is that the AICPA releases scores to the states. Some states are independent – such as California, Illinois, Virginia, Texas, etc and release through their own state website. The majority of states, however, release their scores through NASBA. It’s important to remember that the AICPA controls score releases and until they release scores – all is quiet.
Q: I didn’t get my score and Wave 2 seems to be over – where is my score?
A: Your score is in what I called “Wave 2a” – which is usually approx. 5 business days after Wave 2 is released via NASBA for a particular section. This isn’t official, but “Wave 2a” scores tend to be between 72 and 78.
Here are my predictions for the April/May 2009 Wave 2 CPA Exam score release:
AICPA Release:
BEC – Saturday, June 13 (Actual release Friday June 12 4pm CST)
REG – Monday, June 15 (Actual release Tuesday June 16 3:45 pm CST)
AUD – Tueday, June 16 (Actual release Thursday June 18 2 pm CST)
FAR – Thursday, June 18 (Actual release Friday June 19 7:30 pm CST)
NASBA Release (posted between 8pm and midnight EST):
BEC – Monday, June 15 (Actual release Monday, June 15)
REG – Wednesday, June 17 (Actual release Wednesday, June 17)
AUD – Thursday, June 18
FAR – Saturday, June 20
Update 6/13 - California, Illinois and a few others have released BEC so far… Update 6/16 - AICPA Released REG at approx 3:45pm CST Update 6/17 - CA/IL and maybe a few others have released REG…NASBA expected tonight Update 6/17 -I’ll go ahead and go out on a limb and say AICPA releases AUD today and FAR Friday…based on nothing but my “gut”…haven’t heard a word about it… Update 6/21 Still waiting on NASBA AUD and FAR (should see AUD Monday night…I bet FAR is out too…just a guess though) See Also: CPA Exam Scores and predictions from previous windows.
Here are my predictions for the April/May 2009 Wave 2 CPA Exam score release:
AICPA Release:
BEC – Saturday, June 13Â (Actual release Friday June 12 4pm CST)
REG – Monday, June 15 (Actual release Tuesday June 16 3:45 pm CST)
AUD – Tueday, June 16 (Actual release Thursday June 18 2 pm CST)
FAR – Thursday, June 18 (Actual release Friday June 19 7:30 pm CST)
NASBA Release (posted between 8pm and midnight EST):
BEC – Monday, June 15 (Actual release Monday, June 15)
REG – Wednesday, June 17 (Actual release Wednesday, June 17)
AUD – Thursday, June 18 (Actual release Monday, June 22)
FAR – Saturday, June 20 (Actual release Monday, June 22)
Update 6/13 - California, Illinois and a few others have released BEC so far… Update 6/16 - AICPA Released REG at approx 3:45pm CST Update 6/17 - CA/IL and maybe a few others have released REG…NASBA expected tonight Update 6/17 -I’ll go ahead and go out on a limb and say AICPA releases AUD today and FAR Friday…based on nothing but my “gut”…haven’t heard a word about it… Update 6/21 Still waiting on NASBA AUD and FAR (should see AUD Monday night…I bet FAR is out too…just a guess though) Update 6/22 Final scorecard: I was 2/4 on both Wave 1 and Wave 2 predictions.
The wait for CPA Exam scores just got a little easier
CPA Exam candidates: rejoice. Waiting up all night or getting up early in the morning to check your CPA Exam scores are a thing of the past.
When I set out to dialogue with the AICPA and NASBA about the CPA Exam, my goal was to simply shed some light on the entire process and give candidates a better understanding of what was going on behind the scenes – particularly while they waited to get their scores back. What I did not anticipate was:
My conversation with Patricia Hartman, NASBA Director of National Candidate Database & CPAES Examination Operations, is still on-going and will be released soon, but it has already brought about a significant improvement in the score reporting process:
CPA Exam candidates will now get their scores through NASBA five to six hours earlierthan in previous windows.
People who are new to the process might sluff this off as no big deal. However, those of us who have stayed up all night – or have gotten up so many times the night of score releases that they might as well have stayed up all night, will see this as significant progress.
Under the old process, NASBA scores came rolling in around 3:30 am EST, which made for MANY sleepless nights for those of us hoping/praying that scores would magically appear in the wee hours of the morning, only to have 7am roll around and nothing to show for it but bags under our eyes and frustration.
Patricia told me today that she went to IT and asked them to move the batch scoring process to #1 in the que. Instead of running at midnight CST, they are now starting the process at 7pm. Instead of scores coming out at 4:30am CST, they will now come out between 9pm and midnight CST the night before (plan on it being closer to midnight than 9, though).
The only caveat with this is that there may be some glitches with shifting things around, but just know that starting with BEC in this window, scores should be coming out 5-6 hours earlier than normal…giving candidates plenty of time to go out and celebrate or drown their sorrows – whatever the case may be.
Theupdated score release predictions (for NASBA only… California, Illinois, Virginia, etc. CPA Exam scores should be released as originally scheduled) are as follows:
May 17 – BEC
May 19 – AUD
May 20 – REG
May 21 – FAR
update: AICPA released BEC earlier than expected…here’s some bold prediction updates (reckless and not for the faint of heart…)
I was 4/4 in Wave 1 of the January/February window and 0/4 for Wave 2. We’ll forget Wave 2 ever happened (and assume that the AICPA won’t delay BEC or release FAR second again) and march boldly forward with these predictions.
Joanne Vician (who graciously sent me score release info ahead of it being public) at the Illinois Board of Examiners retired after the Jan/Feb 2009 window, but left the readers of this site in good hands with a contact of hers…more to come on that later.
Here we go…
Here are the predictions for the April/May 2009 Wave 1 (NASBA) score release…
May 18 – BEC
May 20 – AUD
May 21 – REG
May 22 – FAR
Which means that IL, CA, VA, etc will get their scores…
May 15 – BEC
May 18 – AUD
May 19 – REG
May 20 – FAR
Like I said, Joanne left the candidates who read this site in good hands…as I get info on score releases, I will pass them along as I can…most likely via Twitter, as I can update it via my phone.
If you haven’t already received your score from the January/February 2009 testing window, then you are in Wave 2 of the score releases. Even still, some of you will not get yours when every one else does in Wave 2. Your score will come within 1 to 5 days later and it is very likely that you are borderline.
Most of the people who get their scores after Wave 2 fall in the 73-76 range. I have seen some people score very high after Wave 2, so this isn’t always the case, but in general, this is what happens.
For those new to this little waiting game, the Illinois Board of Examiners site is the best place to go to see what is going on with score releases. Typically, IL, CA, and VA release their scores on their own state websites and NASBA follows suit with their score release one to two days later.
By no means is this a perfect science, but the margin of error on any given prediction should be no more than two days. With that said, sometimes they switch AUD and REG around, but you can bank on BEC being first and FAR being last.
Visit the Illinois Board of Examiners site here. They are very good about letting candidates know what’s going on and usually update their site in close to real time.
Update 4/16/09: I was wayyy off for this Wave of releases. For one, BEC got delayed, which pushed everything back. Two, they released FAR second…they never do that…FAR is almost always last. I was 4/4 in Wave 1 and 0/4 in Wave 2. Go figure.
Here are my predictions for the Jan/Feb Wave 2 (NASBA) release…
Here are my predictions for the January/February 2008 Wave 1 (NASBA) release.
Keep in mind that approximately 75% of all eligible Wave 1 scores (exams taken January 2 – February 7) will get released in Wave 1. The rest will wait until Wave 2. If you don’t get your score in Wave 1 and you should have, don’t read too much into it.
For those new to this little waiting game, the Illinois Board of Examiners site is the best place to go to see what is going on with score releases. Typically, IL, CA, and VA release their scores on their own state websites and NASBA follows suit with their score release one to two days later.
By no means is this a perfect science, but the margin of error on any given prediction should be no more than two days. With that said, sometimes they switch AUD and REG around, but you can bank on BEC being first and FAR being last.
Let me be the first to say that I really don’t have any special insight about score releases. I do however know a few numbers at NASBA that have proven to be reliable (which I will call when the time is right) and I also know what they have done in the past to use as a benchmark.
With that said, the AICPA released fewer than 50% of the Wave 1 scores last month when I thought they would release close to 75%, so take everything with a grain of salt.
During the last wave, I correctly predicted the NASBA release for REG and FAR…I was off on AUD and BEC is the engine that gets the whole thing moving.
Here are my predictions for the Oct/Nov 2008 Wave 2 (NASBA) release…
BEC Oct/Nov **2007** Wave 2 release (IL BOA): 12/14
I documented the releases for the last window and using the pattern from then, this is my forecast. If they’re released earlier, then I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Exam scores will be available on NASBA’s site:
BEC – Tuesday November 18
REG – Friday November 21
AUD – Monday November 24
FAR – Wednesday November 26
Again…just my prediction…I didn’t call any ‘little birds’ yet…too early.
update 11/18: AUD is apparently out for CA/VA. AUD was the third section released last window…although I used Wave 2 as a guide…Wave 1 could be different, I don’t know…it looks like AUD results will be out 5 days earlier than I predicted
After being clearing wrong on AUD, I did a little checking to see when scores came out for Wave 1.
13. Jul, 2010 
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