According to the AICPA time table, the second batch of CPA exam scores for the first half of 2021 were due on February 23, which means that candidates were anticipating them starting some time last week. Even with the entire world in turmoil, the benevolent overlords of CPA exam administration have done a spectacular job getting scores out on time — and even early in some cases — so this week’s minor bump in the road is not only sort of expected but not that big of a deal. Let’s figure out what’s going on.
On Monday night, one day before scores were due to be released, NASBA tweeted that they’d be out that evening.
#CPAExam candidates! Waiting for your score(s)? They will be released tonight at 7 p.m. CST. Good luck!
— NASBA (@NASBA) February 22, 2021
Unfortunately, that tweet was quickly followed by another. Cue Price is Right losing horn sound here.
We experienced technical difficulties tonight releasing the #CPAExam scores, but they should be released by 8:30 p.m. CST. Sorry for the wait and thank you for your patience.
— NASBA (@NASBA) February 23, 2021
As you can imagine, this didn’t sit right with people who’d been sitting around all day waiting for their score. And you can’t really blame them for getting mad since they were just told that scores would be out, only to have the rug yanked out from underneath them without so much as an “LOL SYKE!” from NASBA.
We pay thousands of dollars to take these exams, and are promised nothing but “quality” processes and procedures. Wait a month for a score to be reviewed that was computed before we left the test site, and now, they can’t even manage to post a score on time. Ridiculous pic.twitter.com/ltbxVu32OX
— ⚡️Daniel (@TheDancuso) February 23, 2021
— DAN (@Wackfree) February 23, 2021
Brief scandal aside, they were able to work through whatever issues they were having and scores came out exactly as they were supposed to according to the AICPA’s schedule. So, no harm, no foul?
Hopefully this is the most scandalous thing NASBA will do all year. We can only hope.
