Ever since the CPA Exam changes for 2011 were announced, the big question for upcoming CPA candidates has been…
What is the passing score?
There has been much speculation among CPA candidates about the CPA exam passing rate in 2011.
Now that the exam scores have been released, as of the end of March, some of the latest findings about how the new exam changes will affect scoring are:
Amid many other major changes, the CPA exam passing rate has not changed from the previous 75 passing score.
While the passing score has not changed from 75, the algorithm in which this number is determined has. While some information about this has been announced, regarding the new weights for each category, the scoring process in which they reach your final score is not something that will be released. Most importantly, the 75 passing score has remained the same.
CPA candidates all agree that the most frustrating part of the CPA exam has been the score release process. The AICPA now releases scores in one wave instead of 2. Scores are released during the 3rd month of the testing window, March, June and September. Scores are expected to be released much faster by the fourth quarter of 2011. CPA candidates are excited about this change and looking forward to a more efficient score release.
Because the CPA exam is a “high stakes” test, the scoring process is taken very seriously and is very deliberate in order to ensure the most meticulous and accurate scores. Whereas the cpa exam changes have been significant in 2011, the scoring process will also have to be revised. The AICPA has the obligation to collect a sufficient sample size of actual exam results in order to score the exams most accurately. Faster score release is expected in the fourth quarter of 2011, because by that time, sufficient data will have been collected during the first 3 quarters.
While the CPA exam passing score has remained the same at 75, there are many other things in 2011 that have changed. CPA exam scoring weights have been reconfigured. The multiple choice questions for AUD, FAR and REG will now account for 60% of the total score and simulations are 40% of the total score. For BEC, the multiple choice questions will account for 85% and the written communication tasks will account for 15% of the total. The structure of the exam has also been modified. For AUD, FAR, and REG, there are 3 multiple choice testlets and only one testlet including 6-7 task-based simulations. For BEC, there are 3 multiple choice testlets and 3 written communication tasks on BEC topics. New time allotments have also been determined for each section. New tools, including a new calculator and a new spreadsheet tool have been introduced in the 2011 CBT-e CPA exam.
For more information about CPA exams visit http://www.cpaarmy.com/
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CPA Army
Contact Name: Melanie Haehl
3451 Colony Cove
Lehi, UT 84043
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http://www.cpaarmy.com/
