CPA Exam Changes and Pipeline Woes Are a Perfect Storm of Problems For the Profession
Ed. note: The following is a guest post by Liz Kolar, EVP at Surgent. It is of particular interest to professors, accounting department chairs, other assorted academics, and any accounting profession meteorologists who are tracking the perfect storm of pipeline problems and a completely revamped CPA exam debuting in just a few months. Comments from […]
CPA Exam Candidates: Save These Dates
Inspired by @profjackc who shared some very important CPA Evolution dates and motivated by our undying sympathy for CPA exam candidates, we’re putting his reminder in picture form to make sure you have these dates. CPA Evolution is bringing big changes with it next year, most notably it’s killing off BEC and replacing it with […]
NASBA Decides to Give CPA Exam Candidates an Extra Year to Pass the Exam BUT…
If you happen to pursuing the internet today and see the exciting headline about NASBA increasing the time you have to pass the CPA exam from 18 months to 30 months, there is a bit of critical information you need that you might miss if you don’t read the article: current exam candidates remain under […]
Reddit is Bickering Over the CPA Exam Getting Harder (or Not) Over the Years
There’s a fun little conversation happening on r/accounting right now (it was yesterday actually but I have the rona and time is a meaningless measure when one is contending with brain fog of this level) and we’d be remiss if we didn’t recap it for you. First, the original post: I didn’t realize Barry Melancon […]
Looks Like There Will Be a Very Different CPA Exam by 2024
The Journal of Accountancy reported this week that the NASBA Board of Directors voted unanimously to support the proposed CPA Evolution, which would mean a slightly different exam with a stronger focus on technical skills, though core content is expected to remain the same. The AICPA Governing Council endorsed the model in May. We first […]
And Now For Some Good News: Continuous CPA Exam Testing Is a GO As Planned, Says NASBA
While coronavirus is out here ruining everything from grocery store aisles to high school graduations we got some good news from NASBA this afternoon that I can’t wait to share with you. It’s the little things, ya know? We first learned of the plan to launch continuous testing in May of last year, at which […]
The CPA Exam is Changing Soon, Here’s What We Know
Last week, we caught you up on the latest goings-on with the CPA Evolution process, an ambitious effort by NASBA and the AICPA to tweak the CPA exam to ensure the licensure model is meeting the profession’s demand for future-proof CPAs. This week, we’ve got news that a separate but related effort is underway to […]
Here’s What You Need to Know About the New Proposed CPA Licensure Model
As you may recall (or not, as I barely do), last summer NASBA and the AICPA reached out into the abyss hoping to get feedback on a new CPA licensure model. You see, the future is coming and fast, and in atypical fashion, The Powers That Be realized maybe it might be important to test […]
Do You Need to Purchase New CPA Review Materials for 2019?
Here we are in a brand-new year and here I am writing about the same topic I’ve written about since 2007. Oh well, I suppose there are worse beats out there for drunken tabloid writers, like that brief period I paid my rent with actual clickbait and had to come up with 15 high-fashion models […]
REG Changes Are Coming Right After Santa; Here’s What CPA Exam Candidates Need to Know
Do you remember December 2017? You know, back when “The Last Jedi” premiered (RIP, Carrie Fisher) and BTS was blowing up Twitter (“Mic Drop”)? Yeah, me neither. But one important event happened in December 2017: the signing of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) into law. This new tax law was last year’s early Christmas present […]
Heads Up Future CPAs, TPTB Are Considering Testing Your Competency in Tech
Although this news is unlikely to affect anyone currently studying for the CPA exam, the potential impact on future accounting majors cannot be ignored. From the Journal of Accountancy: A working group formed by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the AICPA is exploring possible changes to the CPA licensure requirements […]
CPA Exam Excel-erates into 2018
On April 1, which is (Facebook) officially known as the International CPA Exam Changes Day, the CPA Exam will undergo another round of major updates. I know you’re all thinking, PLEASE no more changes. And, in the wake of the Great Content Overhaul of 2017 when the AICPA increased the number of Simulations in each […]
Navigating Task-Based Simulations on the New CPA Exam
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. In the months leading up to the launch of the new version of the CPA Exam, the AICPA disclosed many details about how the format and functionality of the exam would change. One final bit of insight the AICPA offered before the new version launched addressed […]
The AICPA Is Taking Your Comments on the CPA Exam Now
Before those of you who spend your lives tweeting obscenties at NASBA for holding your score hostage get all excited, let's be sure we understand who we mean when we say "your" comments: The American Institute of CPAs has issued an Invitation to Comment, requesting feedback from key stakeholders to shape the next version of […]
BREAKING: Commas To Be Added to the CPA Exam
YES you read that right, COMMAS: We are adding a comma to the calculator on the CPA Exam. The comma is meant for large numbers such as 1,000 and above to make them easier to read. We are also updating the tutorial to reflect a few recent changes to the CPA Exam, and at the same […]
AICPA Will Pass “Old” GAAS on the CPA Exam in 2014
Well look at that, you guys got all worked up over the Clarity Project and now you have this to worry about. From the AICPA: Beginning in 14Q1, the extant standards (AUs) will no longer be tested on the AUD section of the Uniform CPA Examination. The clarified U.S. Auditing Standards (the AU-Cs), issued by […]
The Clarity Project Clarifies That CPA Exam Candidates Should Clear the Audit Hurdle Soon
While we've all been focused on the desperate tactics of the IASB to shove IFRS down everyone's throats and make it seem way cooler than lame old GAAP, the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB) has been quietly aligning its agenda with that of the International Auditing and Assurance Standard Board (IAASB). Dubbed The Clarity Project, […]
I Am Mad Not Disappointed: A Parting Shot on Changes to the 2011 CPA Exam
On this, the final CPA exam testing day of 2010, I feel compelled to skip the advice column and launch straight into the rant. It’s finally over and here’s hoping you people will stop asking the same five questions about the 2011 exam over and over.
I don’t mean to offend anyone in particular so if you catch a feeling on this, it’s probably because I’m talking directly to you. You know who you are and I respectfully request you knock it the fuck off.
First, the misinformation surrounding the 2011 exam changes absolutely blows my mind. The AICPA announced these changes well in advance of the planned launch of CBT-e and I can’t speak for everyone but know that we here at Going Concern have covered just about every tiny detail of what’s ahead. Regardless, I still get my inbox blown up with the same simple questions, the answers to which may be found with a simple Google search or by checking out our previous posts on the subject. Information is everywhere, you’ve just got to get off your lazy ass and look for it.
I think you guys are forgetting that this is a professional examination and that you are allegedly professionals. Is it reasonable for professionals to work with financial statements being misinformed and confused by simple instructions? No. Is it reasonable for CPA exam candidates to have absolutely no idea what is happening in 2011? HELL NO.
The “OG” CPAs of the paper and pencil days laugh at candidates who have to take the computerized exam and for good reason, you guys can’t even figure out a simple change like CBT-e. People still seem to believe BEC will contain simulations in 2011 and for Christ’s sake, let’s all keep in mind that about 90 – 95% of what is being tested in 2010 will still be tested in 2011. Do you really think the AICPA Board of Examiners is going to trash all those wonderful questions they worked so hard to get? Please.
So while you guys are freaking out over changes that aren’t even going to happen, you could be studying current material and educating yourself on what’s new for next year. I’m shocked that so few of you know that the exam actually changes twice a year, every year anyway and that 2011 is really no different except for the fact that it is a bit larger a change than usual. It sickens me, actually, because I had so much more faith in you guys to go into the exam prepared and informed. Instead I continue to get the same 4 or 5 questions over and over and over and always walk away with the sense that you guys aren’t listening and unless it is handed to you, won’t go looking for the answers you need.
Seriously, knock it off. Now that 2011 is very nearly upon us, I expect ALL OF YOU to get off your asses, get to the Google and do some reading. It’s really not hard, the info is plastered all over the AICPA’s website as well as places like the CPAnet forums and various blogs strewn throughout the blogosphere.
You’re making the profession look bad, you know. How can accountants protect the public interest if they can’t even figure out a simple change to the CPA exam?
Side note: While I’m ranting about the 2011 exam, I should also throw in a few expletives meant specifically for the AICPA Board of Examiners for choosing to do this in the first place. WTF were you thinking?! We don’t even use IFRS and don’t know when we will, why the hell should we be so eager to test it now?!
/end rant
Final Reminder of Five Ways the CPA Exam Could Change in 2011
We’ve been talking plenty about 2011 CPA exam changes but since this is my last Friday CPA exam column until the new exam hits in January of next year (December being a blackout month), I figured now would be a good time to go over what will or might be changing next year, much of which is entirely dependent on how things turn out early in the year when CBT-e launches.
First, international standards WILL be eligible to be tested beginning January 1, 2011 but that doesn’t mean the 2010 exam and 2011 will be completely different. I suspect that the AICPA Board of Examiners will be extremely conservative with new standards for at least the first two testing windows of 2011 if not longer. That means you will see new standards and questions but likely will not see too much new material if you’re testing in January/February or April/May.
Second, simulations and research problems WILL look different, unless you’ve taken the exam this year already, in which case you’ve probably already seen a preliminary version of 2011’s simlet problems. The format is changing slightly but pretty close to the current tabs in simulations so it may not look all that different to you come 2011. Research will be worth more than the single point it is now so check out the tutorial on the AICPA’s website and don’t forget to use your current NTS for a free 6 month subscription to the professional literature.
Third, the candidate performance report (score report) is changing. Check out the AICPA’s website for a somewhat complicated scoring FAQ that explains how they currently determine your performance and what all those “comparable” or “weaker” notations mean on your score report.
Fourth, possibly based on the third point, the AICPA has pledged to look into changing what qualifies as a passing score in 2011. They have been pretty quiet with details and have not really said whether new passing scores – if implemented – would be higher or lower than the current 75. The best bet until we hear otherwise is to relax and worry about it later if they decide an 80 works better. They have pledged to give scoring a look after the first window of 2011 so stay tuned and we’ll let you know if we hear anything at that point.
Lastly, remember that the AICPA is nothing if not conservative. That means even though things are changing next year, it is highly unlikely that the AICPA will feel comfortable completely changing things on candidates. So for those of you rushing to get in one last part in the next two weeks (remember: you’ve only got 8 testing days left in 2010!), I’m pretty sure you’ll find next year’s exam to be far more familiar to you than you might think.
Will You Need New CPA Exam Materials In 2011?
As many of you know, some parts of the CPA exam are changing significantly in 2011 though don’t listen to the rumors that say everything is changing profoundly. If you sit for the exam before 2010 and sit again in early 2011, chances are you will recognize much of the content and format of the exam beyond the few changes. We’ve covered those here before, feel free to check out our previous CPA exam posts for more detail.
Anyway, a lot of you are wondering if you should purchase CPA exam review materials now and if you do how you will handle the new material in 2011.
If you’ve done your homework, you’ve found a CPA review course that offers updated material at no additional charge. This could be in the form of split shipments, updates to books or new books altogether depending on whose program you have sunk your hard-earned money into. If you are unsure whether your course offers these or if you are still shopping around for a review, be sure to ask before committing as some providers could end up charging you for new materials.
Keep in mind, however, that much of what is being tested currently will still be tested in 2011, even in areas like FAR and AUD that are getting a significant amount of new international material added to them. If you read too many misinformed forum posts, you might be under the impression that 2010 material is completely and totally irrelevant in 2011 and that studying from these materials will mean guaranteed failure on the exam. That is simply not true. Of course it is a good idea to also study from whatever updates you might receive to 2010 materials if you are sitting in 2011 but it is not worth panicking over nor delaying your studying because you are holding out for brand new 2011 information.
The AICPA Board of Examiners is not about to throw away their precious bank of tried and true CPA exam questions, even though they are anxious to add new international content to that mix. Much of what CPAs have been tested on for the last 6 years will still be relevant next year and there is no need to hold a giant 2010 CPA review book bonfire to eliminate old, outdated content.
You will definitely want to get access to any material updates if you are allowed them by your review course but please, don’t burn books or run out and get all new materials just because you are afraid of being left behind in 2011. Debits still go on the left, even under IFRS.
How Much Harder Is REG Going to Be in 2011?
Well we’ve reached the end of our 2011 wrap up series so here are FAR, AUD and BEC if you missed them.
Let’s skip the pleasantries and get right into what you’re dying to know, how bad is Regulation going to be next year?
Things they are a-changin’…but not much – The good news is that REG is hardly changing at all. After all, you can’t test international standards of federal taxation as globalization hasn’t completely taken over so don’t expect to see much different content-wise come 2011. You will see the new simulation problems and notice there are no longer written communications. But beyond the cosmetic changes, the actual content that makes up Regulation will be quite similar to what’s already being tested. Of course, that is true across the board as a good 90 – 95% of what is being tested will still be tested next year if my gut feeling is still any good. You guys have to remember – next time you are freaking out about new exam material – that CPA exam questions are difficult to develop and the AICPA Board of Examiners isn’t about to trash all their useful questions just to start testing you on the international stuff.
Tax year overlap – One thing to keep in mind when taking REG – in the first two windows of the year you can be tested on both current and former tax year numbers. This means if you take it in January of 2011 you may see 2010 tax numbers or you may see 2009 or a mix of both. Chances are the newer numbers will not make their way to the exam (hey, the AICPA BoE is super busy getting those IFRS questions in working order!) but just something to be aware of. That doesn’t mean you have to memorize tons of different tax tables but it would be wise to stay up on tax changes in the year ahead as many tax rates are still in the air at the point many review courses are rushing to go to print.
Who said anything about ethics? – Ethics and professional responsibility are moved out of REG and put back into AUD except for those pertaining to tax practice and will still be tested about the same as 2010: 15-20% versus 15-19% in 2011. Business law will carry less weight, making up 17-21% of all questions. Federal tax procedures get a boost from 8-12% in 2010 to 11-15% in 2011. Great news for those of you who really do not like taxes, federal taxation of entities gets a downgrade from 22-28% to 18-24%. Individual tax stays about the same, going from 12-18% to 13-19%. Don’t expect much of a break, it is Regulation after all.
Other than that, REG won’t see much of a change. Business structure (partnerships, et al.) has been moved out of BEC (rightfully so) and will only be tested in REG but you already know most of that stuff if you have passed either section in 2010.
If you can, I advise holding off on Regulation until the last two windows of the year so you have a better chance of getting only one year of tax numbers (the AICPA will generally test the previous year’s tax numbers) but if you are looking for a good one to hold off on taking until next year ahead of the CBT-e changes, REG would definitely be it.
Good luck and we’ll see you on Friday!
Oh and in case you didn’t get the memo, if you have a CPA exam question for us (for example, which part can I procrastinate on until the very end of 2011?, Is farting allowed at Prometric?, How can I tell my girlfriend to leave me the hell alone and let me study? etc etc), do get in touch.
How Much Harder Is BEC Going To Be In 2011?
Following the awesomeness that was our “How Much Harder Is FAR Going To Be In 2011?” post, I figured it would be a good idea to go over each section to compare this year’s CPA exam with next year’s. Today you’re lucky to get a good BEC wrap up.
Written Communication – As stated last Friday, written communications are moving from FAR, AUD and REG to strictly BEC. This is good (and possibly easier) for most of you as writing can be a right-brained activity while the rest of the CPA exam mostly tests your left brain’s ability to process and digest information.
If I were taking the exam, I’d relish the opportunity to have three attempts at essays (since it might make up for my pathetic understanding of cash flows) but for many of you this is a weak area. That’s fine. In 2011 you’ll only have to try it once with three BEC-related WCs. You still do not have to get the answer correct but simply have to A) write like you have at least some sense of what a “business memo” contains B) not misspell any words (you get a spell-checker in 2011, no excuses) and C) stay on topic.
Easy. Currently you get two written communications in three different sections, while in 2011 you will get three written communications in one section.
No Simulations – Contrary to rumors I am still hearing for some unknown reason, BEC does not and will not contain simulations in 2011. It may not contain them for some time or the AICPA BoE could get creative and start testing them out in a few years, it’s hard to say but my understanding is that they are happy with written communication in BEC for now. Between you and me I imagine part of the motivation behind this is getting all of you off their backs about the fact that a multiple choice only exam section still takes the same amount of time to grade as more complicated sections like FAR, AUD and REG. But what do I know?
More Econ, Less IT – As for actual BEC content, IT will be more lightly tested while econ will carry more weight. Econ goes from 8-12% of questions to 16-20%. A new area, operations management, will make up 12 – 16% of questions you see. Business structure (partnerships etc) goes back to REG where it belongs and corporate governance takes its place with 16-20% of your questions coming from that area.
Narrowing Components – The new AICPA target weights have changed since last year. Before you were tested on five core components: communication, research, analysis, judgment and understanding. In 2011 (this is for all sections), you are tested on just three: knowledge and understanding, application of the body of knowledge and written communication. Knowledge and understanding make up the MCQ (80 – 90% of your score in 2011’s BEC exam) while written communication makes up the other 10 – 20%.
Will BEC be more focused than it has been since 2004? We wouldn’t put any money on that. It’s still the junk drawer of the CPA exam though it’s come quite a way since its debut with the computerized exam 6 years ago. As a person intimately acquainted with it, I feel it has a ways to go. But 2011 is an improvement and just like FAR probably easier for you guys in the long run.
How Much Harder Is FAR Going To Be In 2011?
Quick answer: easier actually, in my opinion. I didn’t take the exam this year and I am not taking it next year nor any year after that so perhaps I’m wrong.
A few nights ago, a CPA exam candidate was bitching about studying so I threw in my whining about digging into new CPA exam content for next year. Cry cry, we all have it rough.
Long story short, since I was stuck shuffling through new content anyway she asked an easy 2011 question.
Can you tell me if FAR will be that much harder in 2011? I don’t think I’ll get my NTS in time to schedule for 2010
How many of you are in that boat right now? I’ve seen quite a few of you making plans to knock out two exam parts this year that have just put in your applications; I’m truly sorry to be the one to break this to you but chances are you aren’t going to get in this year. It’s good to be realistic going into this, anyone could lie to you and say in 4 – 6 weeks you’ll have an exam date. Even if you do get approved to sit right now you still have to wait for payment coupons and NTSs, by the time all that is in your hand all the exam dates will be taken. Don’t trip, next year it will be easier and here is why:
Simulations: Big ass simulations are broken up into little parts so you can totally blow a few of them and have several different topics coming at you instead of just two. So if you’re not so hot on pensions, you still have 5 or 6 other chances to do well on simulation problems. In 2010, if you didn’t study the indirect method you better hope you don’t get it or else you’ve blown it. For candidates who have sat this year, you’ve likely already seen them testing out the new format.
Written Communication: You get a spell checker in written communication AND you only have to do essays once (unless you fail BEC). Come on, written communications are easy already, you don’t even have to be right you just have to rite good. In 2011, you won’t have to write 6 different essays in 3 sections but just 3 in 1. That’s a win. Throw in the spell checker and I really wonder why some of you are scrambling to take BEC this year so you don’t have to in 2011. Is writing that bad? Get used to it, you’re going to be writing a lot of unnecessary emails and it’s an important skill to have. You can’t protect the public interest if ur writin liek this. Point being, FAR won’t have written communication for those of you morally opposed to writing anything.
IFRS Just about everything you’ve learned in 2010 will still be relevant in 2011, especially in FAR. No one is throwing out GAAP (even our super excited friends at the AICPA who can’t wait for IFRS!) and some areas of FAR aren’t impacted by IFRS at all. It appears throughout FAR but you shouldn’t be too freaked out by it because you don’t have to be an IFRS expert to nail the material. Just read, learn and pass. It’s really simple. The questions will likely stay mild until the AICPA Board of Examiners figures out whether or not this was a good idea a few quarters down the road. Conservatism dictates they’ll take it slow with international content until we’re actually 100% on this convergence thing so don’t freak out, IFRS makes a lot more sense than cost accounting ever will.
Not bad right?
Here’s where the old timers chime in and tell us all about back in the day when you didn’t get a calculator and had to walk uphill both ways to get to an auditorium in the middle of nowhere for a 17-day marathon of CPA exam testing. In the dark. With no scratch paper. Commence telling us about the “Before Time” please.
CBT-e Strategies: What To Do When You’re Still Sitting for the CPA Exam in 2011
Those of you who graduated in May should already be buried in your review books and planning to sit for some parts – if you haven’t already – but for some of you, the long wait to get your applications processed is anything but over OR you managed to procrastinate up until this point and haven’t even begun the process. I’ll resist the urge to smack you if you promise to submit those as soon as you’re done reading this post. Regardless of where you’re at in the process, chances are you’re tripping about 2011 changes. Not to worry, my big fat brain packed with CPA exam goodness is here to help.
Accounting Is Still Accounting – Even if they are testing IFRS in 2011, debits still go on the left (at least I’m pretty sure they still do under IFRS) and pension accounting is still really annoying. Keep in mind, IFRS isn’t the norm in the wild – at least in the U.S. at this point – and will not be for several years so it would be irresponsible of the AICPA Board of Examiners to heavily test rules that aren’t even widely accepted in practice. So relax, the changes are coming but they aren’t nearly as scary as you think.
FAR – If you are able to, get FAR done this year so you don’t have to worry about it next year. The first two windows of 2011 will say a lot about the AICPA’s strategy but knowing them, I wouldn’t expect 2010’s exam to be completely different from 2011’s. Those questions cost a lot of time and energy to make and the BoE isn’t about to trash all of them just so they can start testing rules that we don’t even use. With me on this one? Calm down.
CPA Review Materials – If you haven’t yet committed to a CPA review course, be sure to ask about 2011 materials and how changes affect the course you choose THIS year. A good review course will offer updates to the material but be on the lookout for additional product purchase charges or fees to update your materials. For BEC, REG and AUD the changes are minimal: international audit standards will appear here and there and a few things are moved around but for the most part the largest change in these areas will be the cosmetic change in BEC as written communications are moved out of the other three sections and stuck there. This does not change the content, only how you prepare and the point percentages for this section.
You can find the new 2011 CSOs via the AICPA here if you’d like a better look at what you’re in for next year but as I said, it doesn’t take long to figure out that next year’s exam really doesn’t look all that different from this year’s.
If I Pass CPA Exam Parts in 2010, Will I Have to Pass Them Again in 2011?
Have a question on the CPA Exam? What section is easiest? How should I study for Regulation? Are pants mandatory at the testing site? Shoot us an email with your query.
It’s the big question on everyone’s minds so we better address it now before you cute little CPA exam candidates start freaking out:
Do you know what will happen if as of December 31, 2010 I have completed two sections of the exam? Will I only have to take the remaining two sections or will I be subject to the new exam parts coming in 2011?
Good question. First of all, keep in mind that a lot of the hype surrounding the 2011 changes is:
A) CPA Review course marketing (“buy new materials! Be sure you’re up to date!”)
B) AICPA marketing (“Hey! Check out how advanced we are and how easily we can integrate a whole new set of standards into our psychometric exams!”)
C) Misinformation spread by candidates who “heard from someone” that BEC will now contain 10 simulations and all of them will be graded.
Just stop. The two biggest changes for 2011 are the addition of IFRS (which will mostly affect FAR) and communications in BEC, that’s it! That means get FAR out of the way this year if you can and throw in BEC before December if you are allergic to written communication. The exam changes twice a year anyway, this is nothing new.
Now that that’s out of the way, the rolling 18 month period also stays the same so whatever you have passed in the last 18 months will still be good. Again, if you’re freaking out about all of this, get FAR done ASAP and you will have minimal IFRS and GAAP codification garbage to deal with. A few sections are moved around (for example, business structures will be moving out of BEC) but it’s mostly the same content. REG is hardly changed at all and AUD will be one half hour shorter with more on professional ethics while BEC will be one half hour longer with written communications.
Simulations are trimmed down to “simlets” and instead of getting one topic, you have a better chance of doing well as they will be smaller and consist of several different topics. In my opinion, the exam is just getting easier.
I’m willing to bet that testing will be a bit of a bumpy ride for the first two windows of the year as the AICPA BoE gets its bearings with the new information and somewhat adjusted formats. But debits are still on the left and credits on the right so it’s not worth getting bent out of shape over; the exam will still suck and you’ll still have to study but thankfully, just like thousands of CPAs before you, you’ll rarely use anything you learned for the exam in the real world.
Adrienne Gonzalez is the founder of Jr. Deputy Accountant, a former CPA wrangler and a Going Concern contributor. You can see more of her posts here and all posts on the CPA Exam here.
Just When You Thought You Knew the CPA Exam…Three Ways It Will Change in 2011
Now that we are nearing the end of the second CPA exam testing window in 2010, it’s about time to remind you (once again) that the CPA exam is scheduled for a pretty significant facelift in just two testing windows. Though we have covered it before, we thought it would be helpful to go over some of the planned changes.
Let’s meet your new CPA exam for 2011, shall we?
Changes to Content Specification Outlines – First and most significantly, the CSOs will undergo a huge overhaul. IFRS will be added – initially – to FAR and eventually international accounting standards and demonstration of an understanding of how they work will play a larger role in examination questions. Keep in mind that IFRS testing will be gradual and likely focus on the differences between IFRS and US GAAP initially until the AICPA BoE feels comfortable with candidate performance and the SEC’s procrastination on IFRS adoption. IFRS will also be tested in AUD and BEC (XBRL for one, which they have already been pre-testing for several windows) but expect a skiddish stance from the BoE in the beginning.
Audit loses 30 minutes to BEC – The reasoning behind this to allow candidates more time in BEC for written communications, which will be removed from FAR, AUD, and REG (where they currently are). Don’t bother trying to avoid written communication altogether by taking BEC this year and the other three next year, it’s an easy 10 points as long as you can write a standard business letter. You do not even have to be correct when you answer the question, you need only stay on topic and use good grammar.
International CPA exam testing is coming – Thirdly, the AICPA, NASBA and Prometric are working together to make international CPA exam testing a reality. Chances are if and when Prometric begins administering the CPA exam offshore, testing will be limited to a handful of countries (likely Japan, Dubai, and possibly India, where large numbers of Chartered Accountants tend to also seek the US CPA designation). We’ll see how this unfolds come 2011, as the AICPA would like to begin international testing with new CBT-e changes.
All in all, accounting is still accounting and the CPA exam will be exactly as it always has been: a test of your basic understanding of many broad topics that you may or may not ever encounter in your professional life. CBT-e will most likely be rolled out in pieces and subject to tweaks along the way.
Is the AICPA Lowering the Bar on the CPA Exam?
Friendly reminder: >75 is here to answer your CPA Exam questions so send them over.
Sadly, JDA is technically still employed by a CPA Review course (and, of course, not a CPA) but hey, if any of you are looking to protect the public interest, have at it.
This may just be some wild speculating here but I have to admit my first thought upon seeing this was that the AICPA is scared everyone will freak out when IFRS hits the CPA Exam on January 1, 2011 and bomb horribly. Does this mean it’ll be graded on a curve? If so, I’m starting to have some concerns about that “protecting the public interest” bit.
Lowering the bar, AICPA Board of Examiners style:
THE AICPA EXAMINATIONS TEAM IS SEEKING CPA NOMINEES TO SERVE ON CPA EXAMINATION PANELS
When the new Uniform CPA Examination is launched on January 1, 2011, changes in content, format, and structure will be introduced. These changes will require the current passing score to be re-examined. The process to do so will include convening four panels of CPAs – one for each examination section – to prepare the groundwork for the passing score decision by the AICPA Board of Examiners. A new passing score determination is necessary in conjunction with the new examination to ensure that legally defensible CPA Examination pass/fail decisions continue to be made in protection of the public interest.
Panel Nominees
The AICPA is seeking nominations for passing score panel membership. Nominees should be CPAs who:
• have been licensed for between 3 and 5 years
• have supervised entry-level CPAs during the past year
• have NO affiliation with CPA Examination review courses, and
• are willing to participate in an August 2010 two-day meeting in Chicago, IL at the expense of the AICPA.The selection of panelists from among qualified nominees will be made to ensure broad representation from all segments of the profession and demographic categories. Panelists will be given training at the August meetings on their responsibilities as panel participants.
Submitting Nominations
Nominations may be submitted online at http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/4e5ag3f124 or the forms completed and returned by FAX to 609-671-2922. Or, the names and contact information of nominees may be sent by e-mail to [email protected] The information collected about nominees will be used only for the purpose of selecting panel participants.
The deadline for submitting nominations is MARCH 31, 2010.
Like I said, JDA is out; any of you kids in on this?
CPA Exam Changes Shouldn’t Affect You
The CPA Exam is apparently changing, whether you like it or not.
More, after the jump
The American Institute of CPAs has scheduled Jan. 1, 2011 as the official launch date of CBT-e, a more technologically modern version of the Uniform CPA Examination…CBT-e, short for Computer-Based Testing evolution, will also update the content of the Uniform CPA Exam. The exam will include new content and skill specification outlines, including questions about International Financial Reporting Standards…Also starting on Jan. 1, 2011, new authoritative literature will be released based on the FASB Codification of accounting standards and a new research task format will be introduced on the CPA Examination.
Considering this is over a year off, these changes should not be of concern for most of you but considering some of the scores we’ve seen for this year and pretty much everyone seems to be ignoring the new Codification, maybe some of you should be worried.
Here Are Some CPA Exam Changes You Can Expect in a Few Years
The AICPA recently issued an Invitation to Comment: Maintaining the Relevance of the Uniform CPA Examination. The purpose of this initiative is to ensure the CPA Exam remains relevant and continues to align with recent changes to the business and regulatory environments. Personally, I like invitations to comment- especially when I see lots of opportunity […]