[Oh]

I recently come across a student who says competition and how easy to pass differs between testing sites and the state you choose to get a license for. For example, since Maine state requires less accounting credits for eligibility and taking exams in Guam is relatively cheaper than going to Hawaii, exam takers who are in those pool have toughest time getting pass the exam.

Is that even partly correct?

Thanks .

[AusNat]

I have never read or heard anything of the sort from a credible source.

It would not surprise me, however, if areas with lower requirements to sit the exam also have slightly lower pass rates just because there may be more inadequately prepared testers. It may or may not actually work out this way in practice, but it would be a reasonable hypothesis.

AUD - 94
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - 95
REG - NINJA in Training

Are we there yet?

[thisismyname]

I don't think the exam differs based on testing site, but it looks like the quality of the candidate pool certainly does. NASBA publishes these stats, and it looks like Guam's average passing rate is 30% (the lowest scoring region along with Puerto Rico) versus an overall average of 50%.

Link to NASBA's candidate performance summary:
https://nasba.org/app/uploads/2018/03/2015-University-Book-Final.pdf

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

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[Cobalt60]

I travelled to Utah to take each section because the pass rates are higher there.

AUD - 91
BEC - 90
FAR - 84
REG - 89

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[Art Vandelay]

The exam is the same in every state. The past rate is higher in Utah for other reasons, but not because the exam is actually easier. This is directly from the AICPA website:
“While the exam is the same no matter where it's taken, every state/jurisdiction has its own set of education and experience requirements that individuals must meet.”

That's why it is called the Uniform CPA Exam.

AUD: 91

BEC: 89

REG: 89

FAR: 11/5 Score Release

It's not a lie if you believe it

[thisismyname]

According to those NASBA statistics, candidates who retake a given section of the exam have a 10% lower pass rate than those who take it for the first time! I'm wondering why that is – I would expect your chances of passing would increase as you repeat a section? I took FAR today and I am pretty sure I'll be taking it again in Jan. There are no words to express how much this sucks.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

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[Art Vandelay]

I haven't felt very good coming out of any of my tests. I think the pretest questions make the exam feel harder than it really is. I am also waiting for FAR. Good luck to you!

AUD: 91

BEC: 89

REG: 89

FAR: 11/5 Score Release

It's not a lie if you believe it

[AusNat]

According to those NASBA statistics, candidates who retake a given section of the exam have a 10% lower pass rate than those who take it for the first time! I'm wondering why that is – I would expect your chances of passing would increase as you repeat a section? I took FAR today and I am pretty sure I'll be taking it again in Jan. There are no words to express how much this sucks.

Thisismyname – I think that's just about the average candidate in each group (passed vs. failed first time). There's going to me more people testing a second time who are either unprepared or struggling with the material, because you've removed all of the super-accounting nerds & spectacularly diligent studiers from the sample pool. Candidates who are really struggling (or just not studying) aren't being balanced out by the upper tier anymore in the second sample. That doesn't mean that any individual's chances (including yours) of passing go down if you take it again or won't go up if your prepare more.

AUD - 94
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - 95
REG - NINJA in Training

Are we there yet?

[animalwithin]

It wouldn't surprise me if retakes have a lower passing record. I believe this to be true because I feel it gets much easier to second guess yourself when you accumulate more information as opposed to the first time around. This is because of doubts, remember different yet similar questions/answers, etc.

[Earla Riopel]

Seriously? My guess then, that passing my four exams (all expired) in the past, I happened to be one of the lucky ones who were not seated with the so-called “nerd” (my apology dear scholars)?

Well, I won't be writing for a while, at least until next summer! Hopefully, all the ‘scholars' are not seating in the same window then (since they're done already), so I have more chances of passing!:)

Passed: AUD (75%'08/77%'17); REG (76%'09); BLaw(77%'99); Highest: FAR (63%'11/'15); BEC (63%'11);

US CPA Exam Candidate - Grandfathered Status - State of WA

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