CPA Who Gave Up Public Accounting to Drive an 18-Wheeler Says He Made More Money Driving a Truck
*post image is not Steve, just some guy from iStock Letters to the editor are great because they clue you in to how a reader identifies with what you’ve written and often the writer will share their own experience viewed through the lens of your story. In this case, the reader-submitted letter we’re about to […]
Believe It or Not, You Can Master Work-Life Balance While Studying For the CPA Exam
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment prospects for CPAs are expected to increase by 22% between now and 2028. Earning a CPA accreditation signals to accounting firms that you’re dedicated to advancing within the field, and gaining CPA expertise early in your career opens up a range of prospects, including higher income and […]
Opinion: The Profession Is Not ‘Diluted,’ It Is Evolving
[Ed. note: The following is a letter we received in response to a reader letter we published in September which lambasted the AICPA for diluting the profession. We are publishing it with permission from its author, who we have chosen to keep anonymous due to the anonymity of the original letter writer. We hope this […]
Number of the Day: $2,626
A question we’ve often been asked through the years from aspiring CPA candidates is: Do accounting firms give out bonuses for completing the CPA exam, and if so, how much? The answer is, yes, many public accounting firms do throw some money new CPAs’ way for passing all four parts of the exam, but the […]
What I Learned From Failing the FAR Exam Twice
Before working in my current position as a senior tax associate, I was helping people to make the world a better place in a different way, as a manager for a Montessori preschool. I valued my relationship with the staff and children, but my interest was continuously drawn more into the business side of the […]
Just Abolish the CPA Exam, Says Guy
For at least a year now, we’ve been getting emails from some guy who really, really doesn’t like the CPA exam. And for at least a year now, we’ve pretty much ignored them because, well, abolishing the CPA exam is up there with curing cancer and people learning how to use turn signals, as in […]
Tonight Marks the Very First CPA Exam Score Release Since the Launch of Continuous Testing
According to the AICPA’s CPA exam score release timeline, candidates who sat for the exam on or before July 23 were due to receive their scores tomorrow, August 7; however, according to a very recent tweet from NASBA, scores are here just a little early. #CPAExam candidates! Waiting for your score(s)? They will be released […]
Psst, the AICPA Is Giving Away Money For You to Take the CPA Exam
Before you get too excited over that headline, note this is a scholarship and not an announcement that the AIPCA has hired Jerome Powell to make their own personal money machine go brrr for CPA exam candidates. Alright, with that out of the way, the AICPA announced today that it is launching a new CPA […]
NASBA Is Actively Working With State Boards to Extend 18-Month Windows So Please Chill
This afternoon I sat in on a Becker webcast with peeps from NASBA, the AICPA Examinations Team, and Prometric so I can bring you the following information to report back. It’s important for those of you freaking out I hope. I’ve seen a lot of CPA exam candidates blowing NASBA up on Twitter demanding they […]
[UPDATED] Prometric Extends Site Closures For a Third Time, But There’s a Bright Side For Future CPAs
Ed. note: Updated with 4/23/2020 NASBA statement below So I have a little news on Prometric closures to share with you all, thanks to a tipster who obsessively refreshes the Prometric COVID-19 page each morning in hopes of an update. As we reported on April 15, Prometric announced just days before their planned April 16 […]
Here Are Your Elijah Watt Sells Award Winners For 2019 (And the Big 4 Firm With the Most of Them)
Celebratory news is in short supply these days, so maybe these 135 people can feel extra proud that their already-impressive accomplishment comes at a time when people are desperate for anything remotely resembling good news. As we have done as far back as I can remember — so far back, in fact, it started back […]
Why Now Is the Time to Study For the CPA Exam and Why FAR Should Be First
Not sure if you’ve heard but the world is a little topsy-turvy these days. Many accountants who just a month ago were thinking about how to survive busy season are now adjusting to a new normal in which work is done from the comfort of home and in-person meetings are replaced by video conferencing. As […]
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 […]
FYI, CPA Exam Candidates, COVID-19 Just Killed Prometric
Whelp it’s official, no one is going to be taking the CPA exam anytime soon. Prometric announced yesterday they are taking steps to close all testing centers in the United States and Canada for 30 days. Let’s check out the details: Within the past 24 hours, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued […]
Here’s What You Missed From This Week’s Mega CPA Exam Information Webcast
I tried earlier this week to gently encourage you little shits to attend the webcast held Thursday by folks from NASBA and the AICPA who think CPA exam candidates deserve to be as informed as possible, so hopefully you took my advice and were in attendance. Now, for those of you who had to tend […]
Hey Y’all, Let’s Get Salty About These 2018 Elijah Watt Sells Award Winners
Whelp it’s that time of year again, the time when we recognize the efforts of an elite handful of CPA exam candidates whose performance on one of the toughest professional examinations out there ranks the best of the best. The AICPA handed out 110 Elijah Watt Sells Awards for 2018 last week, and as is […]
NASBA Pulled the Cruelest April Fools’ Prank Ever on Some CPA Exam Candidates
As far as the CPA exam is concerned, it’s one thing you really shouldn’t joke about. And, in NASBA’s defense, it’s not like they actually meant to punk a bunch of eager CPA exam candidates this past April Fools’ Day, it just so happened that way. Set the scene. It’s March 31 and you’re printing […]
Here’s Your Open Thread For the Second CPA Exam Score Release of Q1 2019
It’s February 25 and you know what that means. Well, you know what that means if you sat for the CPA exam between January 21 and February 14 — score release day tomorrow! As promised, the AICPA has accelerated the score release process for 2019, so we’ve got two more score releases this quarter after […]
Here’s Your Open Thread for the First CPA Exam Score Release of Q1 2019
HELLO and Happy New Year, muffins. Here we are anxiously awaiting the first score release of the first quarter of 2019, my how time flies. I can’t believe it’s been almost 12 years since I started working in CPA review, hopefully none of you have been attempting to pass the CPA exam for as long […]
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 […]
Here Are Some Tips on Having a Less Crappy CPA Exam Experience at Prometric From a (Probably Legit) Prometric Employee
A short while back, one brave soul (ThrowAway20112348) presented themselves as a Prometric employee on Reddit and shared some insight, tips, and rules for U.S. testing centers. The universe thanks you, friend to CPA exam candidates. Now, I’d like to share the love by recapping their message from the great testing center beyond. In their […]
Certain People Are Not Exactly Pleased With the Way California Handles CPA Exam Scores
Hey guys, I’m happy to report I’m back from the plague and would like to thank the exactly none of you who sent me well wishes while I lay dying in a hospital bed. Seriously, y’all are the worst. OK so, as my esteemed colleague Bramwell pointed out earlier this week while I was busy […]
Friendly Reminder: You Should Schedule Your CPA Exam Date Yesterday if You Plan to Test in 2018
Psst. Hey you. You sitting there screwing around on the Internet instead of studying for the CPA exam. Come here. STOP FUCKING AROUND. There is less than a month remaining in the final CPA exam testing window of 2018, and sorry to say but if you haven’t scheduled your exam(s) already, you may be in […]
AICPA Announces 2019 CPA Exam Score Release Dates
Alright, kids, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. 2019 CPA exam score release dates are not only out (they’ve actually been out for a hot minute) but have been announced by the AICPA, meaning they’re probably pretty much set. By “set,” I of course mean as set as they possibly can be. The AICPA […]
The 150-Hour Rule is Kinda Bullsh*t, Says Guy
It’s only been about a generation of CPAs or so subject to the national implementation of the 150-hour rule, which is now in effect for all 54 CPA exam jurisdictions. As all of you know, the 150-hour credit requirement has been touted as a way to ensure modern CPAs are equipped to handle an ever-changing […]
AICPA Says the CPA Exam is Intentionally Simple Because CPA Candidates Are Like Dogs Distracted by Shiny Things
Have you ever wondered why CPA exam questions are so plain? I mean, you’d think they could take it easy on CPA exam candidates held captive in Prometric for hours at a time by peppering the questions with just a little humor. It doesn’t have to be memes or anything, just, you know, why can’t […]
Rejoice, Your Final CPA Exam Testing Window of 2018 is Upon Us
Good afternoon and happy fiscal new year, y’all. Today is October 1 which means those of you dragging your heels on sitting for the CPA exam have officially run out of pavement on which to drag. So get thee to Prometric and knock ‘er out already. Historically, Q4 can be a bit tough to schedule […]
Here Is the Absolute Best Time to Pass the CPA Exam Per NASBA
Per NASBA, here is the best time to take the CPA exam. Spoiler alert: It’s right after you graduate. I’m sorry if you clicked on this thinking NASBA was going to tell you the best testing window to pass. Yeah right. Still, this is pretty interesting and all the more reason to get the exam […]
Let’s Figure Out How This Person Bombed the CPA Exam More Spectacularly Than Any CPA Exam Bomb in History
Ed. note: an earlier version of this article contained the name of a review course the poster claimed to have used. As this information has not been verified and is not relevant to the issue at hand, it has been removed. Spotted this on Reddit this morning, and like /r/accounting I’m wondering how this is […]
NASBA Tweets CPA Exam Scores Are Up, Lies
It has been a strange week on Twitter for professional and semi-professional public accounting bodies the last few days, but NASBA has officially taken the crown from the AICPA for Twitter snafus. In case you missed our earlier discussion, @AICPA got hacked by Bitcoin scammers. At publication time, the scammers still have control of @AICPA. […]
Here’s Your Open Thread for the First CPA Exam Score Release of Q3
As most of you know, the CPA exam changed up in April of this year, and as such, the scoring gnomes need a little extra time to calculate those 75s for the remainder of this year. If, by chance, you are one of the few who is actually impacted by the new rolling schedule (versus […]
Starting in October, You Can Grab a Pint at a Real English Pub After the CPA Exam
Congratulations, unlicensed U.S. expats in Europe, beginning October 1 you no longer have to head to Bahrain to take the CPA exam. According to an announcement from the AICPA, NASBA, and Prometric, nine Prometric locations across the pond will offer CPA exam testing for qualified applicants. Bristol, London, and Manchester (England) Edinburgh (Scotland) Cork and […]
CPA Exam Candidate Numbers Are Back Down After Modest Growth
NASBA recently released their yearly Candidate Performance books, which we used to buy and comb through for your sake but stopped after NASBA politely asked us to stop sharing the data they wanted people to pay for. So we won’t be drilling down into that data, but we do have some points to share. In […]
CPA FAR is Hard, and That’s Okay
The FAR section on the CPA Exam is hard. Don’t believe me? Just ask the pass rates. The fact is, people don’t pass FAR as often as they pass all the other sections. For some people, quickly working through complex calculations really hits their sweet spot. Others, not so much. Me? When I first began […]
A 2018 Refresh: The CPA Exam User Experience Reno
Along with a series of other 2018 CPA Exam changes that will make the testing experience easier for CPA candidates, the latest version of the exam will feature a redesigned CPA Exam user experience (UX) for virtually all interfaces. The AICPA is demolishing the outdated look it’s had for so long and introducing a more […]
Exposure Drafts: All’s FAR in Love and the CPA Exam
Exposure Drafts appears every other Wednesday. Send your accounting cartoon ideas and CPA exam scores to [email protected] You can follow Greg Kyte on Twitter.
NASBA ‘Cannot Pinpoint an Exact Time’ of the CPA Exam Score Release and People Are Freaking Out
Earlier today, NASBA sent a communique from its Twitter account that they knew, or at least should have known, was going to get people worked up: We’ve had many ?s about the time of the score release. Since this is the first time releasing scores with the new Gateway system, we cannot pinpoint an exact […]
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 […]
Here’s Your CPA Exam Score Release Open Thread (Q4 2017)
Yes, it’s CPA exam score release season, again. So, if you took a CPA exam from October 1 through December 10, 2017, then consider this post a safe place. Waiting for your #CPAExam score(s)? The score release is expected to happen on December 19 and you can check for scores here: https://t.co/aNB5vqOXsK pic.twitter.com/yI9s89qMOK — NASBA […]
Let’s Hear Your Best CPA Exam Stories, Misadventures, and Unlikely Triumphs
Earlier this week, the Journal of Accountancy shared some yarns about the CPA exam from years ago when candidates took it with pencil, paper, and 500 of their closest friends. It was a simpler time, although I’m sure all of these CPAs would tell you that the exam was much harder then than it is […]
Gather Round, CPA Exam Scores Are Out
Pass or fail, we still got you. Hey look, NASBA released CPA exam scores today: On August 17, 2017, NASBA received and processed the following scores from the @AICPA pic.twitter.com/xpt49bKJXN — NASBA (@NASBA) August 17, 2017 Twitter is filled with the normal joy and strife of any score release date — mostly because the bumrush […]
Beware the CPA Exam Bonus Clawback
You just handed in your notice and finally pulled the trigger on resignation from public accounting. It’s both liberating and terrifying. Your email box fills with things you have to do before you leave. It’s a mix of run-of-the-mill farewells and requests to set up an exit interview and transition meetings for each of your […]
A Special Offer for Going Concern Readers from Gleim CPA Review
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. About Gleim CPA Review As the leader in accounting exam prep, Gleim has helped candidates pass over 1 million CPA exams. Our proven teaching method prepares you to pass the CPA Exam by using diagnostic quizzes and detailed answer explanations to strengthen weak areas while cultivating […]
FYI: CPA Review Guy Is Free Tonight for Drinks, Riffing on Pension Accounting
If you’re in Los Angeles, thirsty, but also have the urge to kick around some pension accounting, Peter Olinto’s got you covered: If memory serves, “coffee” was also Olinto’s code word for beers, so don’t be shy about getting the adult beverage. If you’d rather stick with coffee, at least get something with the most […]
Here Are Your 2016 Elijah Watt Sells Award Winners
It’s time once again to pay homage to the best CPA exam takers in all the land. Yes, the Elijah Watt Sells award winners have been announced, and you aren’t on the list. Or maybe you are! If so, drop us a note to say hi. Anyway, of the 102,323 people who took the CPA […]
CPA Exam Introductory Screens: New Exam Edition Changes
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. The changes coming to the CPA Exam on April 1 affect several aspects of the exam, one of which is the duration. While we learned months ago that each section of the exam would now last for four hours, the AICPA recently announced another modification to […]
CPA Experience Verification: A New Service from NASBA
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. If you’re in CPA Exam land, you or someone you know has probably struggled with the CPA experience requirement. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may be required to work under a CPA for 1-2 years in order to have your experience verified. However, thanks to NASBA’s […]
Impatient CPA Exam Candidates Won’t Be Pleased With the 2017 Score Release Schedule
A tip came in earlier today noting that the 2017 CPA exam score release schedule looks a bit different than in recent years past: I'm not sure if it has been like this before but they aren't releasing CPA exam scores nearly as often this year. Looks like in quarters 2-4 they are just saying […]
Sponsored: Should You Get a MAcc on Your Way to the CPA?
CPA at the end of your name? Powerful and sexy. MAcc? The verdict is still out. It can be expensive and honestly, accounting firms don’t require a graduate degree to make partner. You might think, “What’s the point?” If you already scored a high paying first job out of undergraduate without a MAcc, is it […]
Task-Based Simulation Study Tips
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) are a significant part of the current CPA Exam, and their significance will only increase in the next version of the CPA Exam coming in 2017. For the rest of 2016, the AUD, FAR, and REG sections of the CPA Exam will include […]
CPA Exam Multiple-Choice Questions
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are a major component of the CPA Exam. Every section of the current version of the CPA Exam contains several dozen MCQs, which will retain their significance in the next version of the exam. However, CPA Exam multiple-choice questions will not retain their […]
Don’t Attempt to Steal a CPA Exam Study Book and Expect the Owner to Take It Lightly
Normally, this should all go without saying, but apparently not everyone knows the rules, as evidenced by a report out of Fayetteville, Arkansas: Victor Rudsell walked out to his car on the 1900 block of North Garland Ave. Monday morning, when he saw Joshua Pry inside his car, the report says. Rudsell saw Pry wearing […]
BEC CPA Exam Section
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. One of the four sections of the CPA Exam is Business Environment and Concepts (BEC). Like the other three sections, the BEC CPA Exam section contains several testlets of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Currently, BEC is unique because it does not contain any Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) and instead […]
CPA Exam: What are Task-Based Simulations?
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. The CPA Exam consist of three question types: multiple choice (MCQ), Task-Based Simulations (TBS), and written communication (WC). On the current version of the exam, TBSs appear on the AUD, FAR, and REG sections, and Written Communications replace TBSs on BEC. However, the format of the next […]
#CPAexamFail Doesn’t Do This Justice
Nor does it seem real which either means: 1) It's totally real and if so, let's pray for this person; 2) It's totally not real. But hey, someone shared it with us on Twitter, so okay! Worst #CPAexam score ever? What do you think happened here @going_concern #yikes pic.twitter.com/c2oSSzfhIc — benson (@benson304) June 21, 2016 […]
Document Review Simulation: Last Minute Tips
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. The Document Review Simulation (DRS), a new type of Task-Based Simulation (TBS), will start appearing on the AUD, FAR, and REG sections of the CPA Exam in just one month! If you plan to sit for one of these exam sections on or after July 1, […]
The Benefits of Becoming A CPA
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. Some titles and designations we receive when we are born: son, daughter, sister, brother. But most of the distinctions we desire in life demand more effort. Usually, the greater the cost of a designation, the greater the benefits, and that is definitely the case with the […]
The Importance of Creating a CPA Exam Study Schedule
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. No matter why or when you intend to pass the CPA Exam, the best way to maintain your motivation is to establish a CPA Exam study schedule. The benefits of creating a CPA Exam study schedule are numerous, and the process is simple, so use this […]
How to Pass the CPA Exam Before 2017
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. The recent release of the finalized changes to the 2017 CPA Exam has left many candidates feeling pressured to pass the current exam before the new version launches. Thankfully, with the additional testing days provided by the testing window extension and the official introduction of the […]
Learning About CPA Exam Changes From the AICPA
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. Every spring, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) hosts at their New York City headquarters the American Professional Accounting Certification Providers Association (APACPA) meeting. The APACPA is a trade organization for CPA Review providers such as Gleim CPA Review, and we faithfully participate in […]
Here Are the 2015 Elijah Watt Sells Winners
As you well know, there's only one correct score on the CPA exam: a passing score. However, some passing scores are more correct than others, as we have explained at length. The 75 individuals listed below scored better than the other 93,667 people who sat for the CPA exam last year. For Elijah Watt Sells […]
Finalized Changes to the 2017 CPA Exam
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. On April 4, the AICPA published a press release confirming the final details of the 2017 CPA Exam. These details included the official launch date of the next version of the exam, April 1, 2017, the new exam’s purpose and basis, some of the definite 2017 […]
2016 CPA Exam Testing Window Extension and Transitional Credit
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. The next version of the CPA Exam will introduce a significant number of changes in 2017, and NASBA is anticipating an increase in candidates in 2016 due to those upcoming changes. Because of this uptick in demand, NASBA recently revealed two CPA Exam testing updates: a […]
The Format of the Next Version of the CPA Exam
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. The AICPA has now revealed the structure of the next version of the CPA Exam, and candidates taking part or all of the CPA Exam after April 1, 2017, should use the latest details about the exam structure to plan effective study schedules and establish realistic […]
CPA Exam Score Release Dates
Please enjoy this sponsored content from Gleim CPA Review. After months of studying for the CPA Exam, success boils down to one moment: the moment you receive your score. Your CPA Exam score determines whether all of your preparatory effort was effective, so you probably want to see your score as soon as you can. […]
Assemble the Superhero Weapons You Need to Overcome the Changing CPA Exam
So, the powers that be have called upon you to serve humanity as a defender of accounting justice. Though you may already be equipped with your accounting degree and relevant work experience, you have yet another formidable challenge to face before you can fulfill your destiny: the CPA Exam. A great shadow falls over your […]
Tim Gearty: Von Miller Doesn’t Hold a Candle to Successful CPA Exam Candidate
Go ahead, try to disagree with the man. [via r/accounting] More Tim Gearty goodness:Enjoy This Mesmerizing Video of Tim GeartyThese Pictures of Tim Gearty with Neil Cavuto Are Glorious
CPA Exam Score Release Anxiety Is the Best Anxiety
Forgive the tardiness on this, we owed it to you yesterday. On November 4, 2015 NASBA received and processed the following scores from the AIPCA: pic.twitter.com/FtnQdqngiw — NASBA (@NASBA) November 4, 2015 I think it's important for every to remember that the anxiety people have waiting for their scores is half the fun: Is @nasba […]
Will the CPA Exam Become Optional?
I'm catching up on my reading and lo and behold, here's another CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING IS SO FAST article. It's only been [counts fingers] a few weeks since we last touched on the topic, but we can't waste a good crisis, can we? No, we cannot. This particular piece is based on a speech by […]
Here Are Ten Hot Takes on States’ CPA Exam Performance
Hey, look, a map from NASBA: How well does your home state perform on the Uniform #CPAExam? pic.twitter.com/vKjJGKVYRq — NASBA Talks (@NASBA_Talks) September 17, 2015 It's a Thursday in mid-September and since everyone's talking about the Fed and last night's debate, how about some CPA EXAM HOT TAKES? Come on, you don't have anything better […]
Complaints to NASBA About Releasing CPA Exam Scores Met Expectations
Today is the third release of CPA exam scores for Q3, which means the days and hours leading up to the flood of scores have made NASBA's Twitter account an interesting thing to watch. @NASBA There's got to be a better way for you to handle this. — Kemi Kemi (@Kemi202) September 9, 2015 Debating […]
The Second CPA Exam Score Release for the Q3 Testing Window Is Today
If you took a section of the CPA exam on or before August 14th and have been dreaming of adding three letters to your business card, today could be a very big day. After spending weeks and months ignoring loved ones, allowing pets to defecate indoors, canceling vacations, forgoing sleep, missing out on hate-watching True […]
CPA Exam Scores, Explained and Ranked
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? […]
ICYMI: AICPA Will Squeeze Excel Into the CPA Exam This Decade
The AICPA reports that Excel's ubiquity in the accounting profession caused a bunch of people to suggest, "use of Excel in the CPA Exam to create an authentic user experience." Accordingly, "The AICPA plans to launch a new testing interface utilizing Excel in 2018." If anyone has further concerns or feedback, send a raven. [AICPA]
Let’s Discuss These CPA Exam Drop-Out Numbers
First, a chart: Many candidates who began the #CPAexam 2012 dropped out by 2014. What obstacles did you face in this period? pic.twitter.com/8C1UrPujID — NASBA (@NASBA) May 29, 2015 As a wise man once said, "That's fucking interesting. That's fucking interesting, man." The chart seems to make sense — for candidates starting in 2013, they […]
Here Are Your 2014 Elijah Watt Sells Winners
Fifty-nine1 lucky boys and girls managed to score 95.50 across the board and on the first try so they all take home a trophy or whatever. As you may recall, we learned last year that in 2011 the Board of Examiners decided to standardize the EWS winning score at 95.50 which accounts for the boom in number of […]
Confirmed: Golf More Difficult Than CPA Exam
Lots of accountants like golf. Well, sorta. Judging by some of the behavior I've witnessed, the opposite seems true. Whenever I see a club slammed into the ground and then flying into the trees, I think, "Why is this otherwise mild-mannered person flipping the fuck out?" Golf makes people crazy. It is known. Anyway, […]
Friendly Reminder: Stop Talking About CPA Exam Specifics on the Internet
So, imagine my joy and pleasure when I received the following email from the AICPA this morning: Dear Ms. Gonzalez, In order to ensure that exam content is kept secure and to maintain the integrity of the CPA Exam, we regularly take a look at what candidates are saying on social media and in web […]
Friendly Reminder: NASBA Is Still Screwing With Your Head
What's the second worst thing a CPA exam candidate can see besides a 74 on score release day? Well this, of course: Those of you with a promising future in audit will notice that the dates are all wrong here. If the AICPA received your exam data by February 14, your score should be released […]
Common Traps CPA Exam Candidates Fall Into and How to Avoid Them
Now that scores are out, this may be relevant to your interests.
AICPA’s Concern Over a Building Gap in CPA Exam Candidates Totally Immaterial
Yesterday, Colin stuck the following story in ANR. We're going to go ahead and give it its own spot because this is something worth discussing: The number of New Yorkers obtaining their Certified Public Accounting license from the state remained relatively flat in 2014, according to statistics compiled by the New York State Education Department. […]
Here is Your CPA Exam Score Release Timeline for the First Two Quarters of 2015
Did everyone have a nice restful holiday? Yeah? That's lovely. As we are all aware, it's January which means it's time to start taking the CPA exam again! Aren't you just thrilled? Just so you're prepared for the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, here are the target score release dates for the […]
Let’s Talk About Those 2014 CPA Exam Pass Rates
The final tallies are in, all the BEC written communications have been skimmed for proper grammar, and the last 74s of 2014 have been posted. So, how did you all do this year? Let's see. Wow, a lot of you just phoned in that 4th quarter, didn't you? Ah well, it happens. Compared to last […]
NASBA Cutting You Off From CPA Exam Score Releases For Now Because You Ruin Everything
Remember that time you people broke NASBA's website with your obsessive refreshing and then proceeded to yell at NASBA about this? Good times. Well, NASBA is attempting to outsmart you now and will not let you blow up the website looking for scores until scores are ready: We will be temporarily disabling the online score […]
The Latest CPA Exam Pass Rates are FAR From Bad
FAR from bad, get it? Get it?? Never mind. So, the AICPA released pass rates for the third quarter and here's where you all stand for the year: As you can see, AUD and BEC are down a bit from the quarter previous but overall, you guys are still killing it on the CPA exam. […]
AICPA Seeks to Better Weed Out Losers, Misfits with Evolved CPA Exam
We heard they want to make BEC an 8 hour marathon just for kicks.
Everyone Passing the Audit Section of CPA Exam Should Celebrate with Audit Ale
Auditing portion of the CPA exam complete, finally time for the Audit Ale from Listermann Brewing I've been saving pic.twitter.com/B8NDEM7hbP — Joel Weaver (@JoelWeaver10) October 4, 2014 Upon further investigation, we found that the gang at Listermann Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio had a different idea behind releasing this beer: Audit Ale is a beer with […]
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 […]
IFRS 15 Will Not be Tested on the CPA Exam Any Time Soon
As all of you should know, any new pronouncements are usually eligible for CPA exam testing 6 months after their effective date. So, for example, if a new rule comes into play on December 15 (which they do often for companies that have a year end of December 31), it can appear on the CPA […]
NASBA Doesn’t Think the CPA Exam is the Worst Part About Becoming a CPA
Those of you currently in CPA exam studying hell should appreciate this. NASBA came out with "Three Tips for Planning to Take the CPA Exam" today, which is predictably remedial in typical NASBA fashion. The tips are pretty much duh, like know the requirements to sit in your desired state of licensure, don't plan to […]
#TBT: Could You Answer These Questions From the First CPA Exam in 1896?
According to A History of Public Accounting in the United States by James Don Edwards: The first examination was given by the New York Board of Examiners on December 15 and 16, 1896. The first section of the examination, on the theory of accounts, was given on December 15, 1896 from 9:15 A.M. to 12:15 […]
If You Were Planning to Procrastinate on the CPA Exam This Year, Don’t
Sometimes, the CPA Exam Powers That Be see fit to have mercy on your procrastinating souls and extend testing windows at the end of the year just in case you absolutely need to catch up with your family around the holidays. Not so much this year. From NASBA: The Fall 2014 testing window begins on […]
NASBA Respectfully Asks You Not to Act Like an Idiot at the CPA Exam
Long ago and far away, we wondered out loud what would happen if you tattooed CPA exam formulas on your arm. Not that we suggest doing that as tattoos are permanent while the CPA exam is temporary, but would Prometric throw you out? Would you be barred from taking the exam due to cheating and […]
The California Board of Accountancy Wants You to Facebook Them Your CPA Exam Worries
You're a busy CPA exam candidate with no time to read the Candidate Handbook or use Google to get the answers you seek. What do you do? Get on Facebook and holla at your friendly local Board of Accountancy, natch. Post by California Board of Accountancy. This is actually a pretty cool […]
Peter Olinto Inspires Would-Be CPAs To Look Down on Their Loser Friends
How do you inspire a bunch of uninspired CPA exam candidates to get off their asses and study? By reminding them their friends are a bunch of losers who will mooch off them: Studying got you down? Think of all your broke friends begging to sleep on your mansion floor once you get your CPA […]
Don’t Freak Out But NASBA Will Be Down This Weekend
We're hoping NASBA has sent out a notice but just in case you didn't catch this on Twitter, here's what you need to know: In order to provide you with faster and more efficient service, NASBA is performing system upgrades and important maintenance that will cause our systems to be down from Thursday, June 26, […]
It Will Soon Be a Little Cheaper to Take the CPA Exam in California
Good news, California CPA exam candidates! Even though taxes are up, gas is up, food prices are up and you'll soon have to start importing your water in from Minnesota, you're going to get a break on CPA exam fees: The CBA announced a temporary reduction in CPA Exam application fees for a two-year period […]
CPA Exam Score Release Timeline for Q3/Q4 Is Out
For those of you who plan to ruin summer by studying for the CPA exam, you now have dates to circle on your calendar: Here is the 2014 Q3/Q4 CPA exam score release timeline: http://t.co/LnFZNmv4yP — NASBA (@NASBA) June 16, 2014 The specifics: Plan accordingly.
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 […]