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CPA Exam Scores, Explained and Ranked

Posted on by Caleb Newquist

Today is the first CPA exam score release date for the Q3 testing window, meaning that answered prayers and shattered dreams abound. 

In times like these, it's important to reflect on your score with a bit of context. Sure, you may have passed or failed but what does your score mean? Did you overdo it? Maybe you phoned it in? Are you an embarrassment to the accounting profession, ergo, you should run away and join the circus?

What follows are a few thoughts for you to consider after receiving your CPA exam score. You're free to disagree of course, but it should be noted that you will be wrong.

1. 75: Congratulations, you scored perfectly. To prepare the exact amount necessary and achieve the desired result demonstrates effectiveness, efficiency and mediocrity. You'll thrive in the profession.

2. (tie) 76-79: Admirable job. However, you could've gone on that date with your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend and maybe enjoyed a nice sexual experience afterwards. Instead you studied. NBD. Assuming you didn't ruin the relationship, you can have make-up sex tonight to celebrate. 

3. (tie) 80-100: Show-offs.

4. (tie) 0-69: See comment about circus above.

5. (tie) 70-73: Look, life is full of crushing disappointments. Receiving socks as a Christmas gift; an overdone steak; your favorite football team; Season 2 of True Detective. This is just another one. Move past it; you'll get 'em next time. 

6. Stubbing your toe: The other morning, I walked around the island in my kitchen and stubbed my right pinky toe on one of the stools. I tripped forward, yelping in pain only to stub my left big toe on the chair to my desk that sits in the corner of the kitchen. I cursed loud enough to wake the neighbors. My left big toe bled for 10 minutes.

7. 74: Sorry. Go have a good cry.

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Tales From the CPA Exam: Is Gum Really Banned at Prometric?

Directly from CPAnet comes word that gum could possibly be banned by Prometric, although it may only apply if the testing staff are having a bad day. I didn’t see gum on the list of prohibited items either and would assume the rules are not there for interpretation by staff based on the mood they are in.

The test facilitator at Prometric today made me take my gum out before the exam. I rebutted with the fact that the AICPA does not prohibit gum in the list of prohbited items in the AICPA Candidate Bulletin: She then explained that people have left their gum in the testing center and it has been a “mess” to clean up. She seemed irritated and ornery, and I didn’t want to raise my blood pressure any higher before going into the test room… so I conceded and spit out my gum.

Now, I tend to consider myself to be a courteous and responsible gumchewer. I dispose of my gum in its original wrapper that always ends up in a trash can. One reason I like chewing gum while taking a test is b/c it allows me to harness any natural stress and focus on the task at hand. I really could’ve used some gum today, but I didn’t let that ruin my test. However, I will never be able to quantify the effect of my lack of gum on my final score tbd. Does anybody know the official gum rule? I think this lady was just having a bad day…

I didn’t attempt to reach Prometric to confirm this candidate’s story, I believe that our little candidate here IS a responsible gumchewer. Since this was posted on August 3 (assuming the night after the exam), the candidate still has until September 3 to request a rescore though it’s been several years since the AICPA has actually granted one (don’t waste the money).

I believe you can also contest the conditions of your testing center within the same 30 day window so if you absolutely must, go that route. Complain that you were subjected to conditions outside of your control that had a detrimental effect on your performance and see how that works out.

Or hope you passed and don’t bring gum next time. Regardless of why you wanted it, you should have been allowed it since it wasn’t on the list. Hopefully this person checks in and lets us know how it turns out.