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CPA Reviewed #84 – Is the CPA Exam Curved?
CPA Reviewed #84 - Is the CPA Exam Curved?
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https://youtu.be/SBzXG2tuNVc
Transcript: What is happening, everyone? Welcome back to another action-packed edition of CPA Reviewed, the official podcast of another71.com. As always, I am your humble host Jeff Elliott, a licensed CPA in the state of Kansas by the grace of God and to the chagrin of many. Happy whatever today is. Happy Wednesday to you. This is episode 84. So, yeah, I've done 84 of these. If you wanna be on the podcast, go to another71.com. Click on the upper nav. Ask Jeff, and it will appear in a future edition of the podcast. If you want to jump to the front of the line, you can become a NINJA Monthly member, and NINJA Monthly member get their questions answered first. All right.
First up is Ninja Ashley. When you study for an exam, was there a specific or target number of multiple choice questions that you completed per day? I'm looking for a specific number if you have one. I currently set up blocks of questions by section. There are four blocks. Each block contains six sections in various orders. I selected my block order based on which sections I am strongest in and which sections I need to strengthen my proficiency. Based on the book, based on the block I shared, you can see that regulation sections two and six are my weaker sections. I would love your thoughts on my current process to get through multiple-choice questions and any general feedback to base my questions on and how many questions I should complete each night. Okay. So, I don't have a set number of multiple choice questions that you should do per day; however, the AICPA has said that the average CPA candidate spends two minutes per question on the exam. So that's under exam conditions, and that's when you are ready to roll on exam day, so. If it takes you two minutes to do a question per, or on exam day, then let's say it's going to take you maybe three, three and a half, four minutes per section, per question while you study, because you're taking notes, you're looking up for each answer explanation, and so, so, if you can do three minutes per question, that is 20 questions per hour, if you study three to four hours per day, so that's, like, 60 to 80 questions per day. So, while you're in the MCQ phase, you're spending two to two and a half weeks on your nonstop MCQ, you can pretty much budget what you're going to do there. So let's say any given section has 1,500 multiple choice questions. Well, you can do the math there. You should be doing, so I guess you should be doing 60 questions per day minimum, but I know some people do a lot. So we used to have the NINJA Weekend Challenge where people would do like 500 questions in a weekend. So that's over like two days. So you can do a lot more than 60. But, so, 60 questions, 60 CPA exam questions per day should be your minimum.
Ninja Claude writes in, I have exactly 30 days left before I take FAR, my first section, and my studying is somewhat improving, and I'm feeling a little better. But I have a question about the exam itself. Is it true that they want a certain number of people to pass each time it is administered so they might actually curve the scores down if too many people do well? I really wanna get through this thing my first try, and any further nuggets or tidbits would be appreciated, especially the ones that would stop me from getting something like a 74. Okay, is the CPA exam curved? I don't know. That's been one of those conspiracy theories that have been around for as long as I have been in exam land, which is over 10 years, so. You know, when you look at the pass rates, they are like, for FAR, they're about 45, 47, 49%, pretty much every time. Does the AICPA curve them through the psychometric formulas? I don't know. Does that impact how you study? Not at all, and if you fail, does that give you license to blame the fact that you've been curved down? No, because in any given exam section, 50% pass, 50% fail, give or take, and you just need to study really hard, and you cannot control what outside variables are going against you, if at all, and I personally do not believe that they maintain a certain number, so. You can only control what you can do. So you can only control whether or not you get up early in the morning, study at lunch, study late at night, you follow the NINJA Study Planner, so you're a Ninja, so you have the NINJA Study Planner. You can only control if you decide to study bonds for an hour versus watching Netflix for an hour, which turns into three or four hours, and pretty soon, it's two in the morning, and you have to get up at 5:30, and oh, wait, you're not gonna get up at 5:30 'cause you're too tired, and you're going to sleep until seven, and brush your teeth and jump in the car to go to work. So, you can only control your own life and your own study processes. So, that's that. Now, as far as how to study FAR, follow the NINJA framework, use your NINJA Study Planner, and you'll be good to go.
Faruk writes in, dear sir or madam, I'd like to have some information on the CPA eligibility for the active ACCA members, which is chartered accountants, who are the equivalent to a UK Master's, according the ACCA letter of equivalence and having four years of international experience as an accountant. Okay, so here's the deal. The AICPA and the ACCA and NASBA and everyone got together, and they wanna make it easier for people who have international accounting licenses and US accounting licenses to be able to go into each other's respective countries and jurisdictions and be able to work, so. So here's the deal. This is kind of new. If you are a chartered accountant, then you need to pass the IQEX exam, the International Qualification Exam, and you need to then have two years of post-qualification experience. If you are a licensed CPA, then you just need to get qualified through whatever process it is. You don't have another exam to take. And you need to have two years of post-qualification work experience. The easiest way to get all of the information you need, go to nasba.org, and in the search bar, type ICAS, and that will give you all the info that you need.
Matt writes in, I'm using NINJA as a supplement with Becker. I'm feeling overwhelmed with the amount of material. I'm feeling like I don't have enough time to do all of the MCQ for each, for each, and it's stressing me out. I have read Another71 for tips, but I don't know if you would give me any useful advice or what may work the best. Okay, you're using NINJA as a supplement with Becker CPA Review, so I would watch all of your Becker lecture videos and take notes. Work all of the questions in their software. And then I would switch over to NINJA for the J, just rewrite it. I would rewrite the NINJA notes, and for your review, I would watch the NINJA Plus videos over your weak topics, and I would, in your NINJA MCQ, I would start working the software by topic, starting with your weakest area first and working backwards. And that's how I would use NINJA and Becker. Now, if this is a retake, and if you feel like you've seen all of the Becker questions, the multiple choice questions, then instead of working all of the Becker questions again, I would work the NINJA questions as your study software, and so that's how I would do it. So, yeah, don't feel, don't feel overwhelmed with the material. I mean, you know, FAR is hard, and it's the hardest exam, and that's okay, and everyone struggles with it. And it's the beast for a reason. But 50% of the people who walk in and pass it or take it, they pass it, so you'll be fine. So just follow, you're using NINJA, so follow the NINJA framework. Use your NINJA Study Planner. Get through all of the Becker lecture videos before you work any of the questions in the software, and just follow the NINJA framework, and you'll be just fine.
Antiqua writes in, do you think it's possible to pass the FAR exam with the Roger CPA Review Cram course only? All right, so, I saw this question in my email, and they also asked it in the forum. Okay, so your question is, do I think it's possible? Yes, I think it's possible. I think it's possible to pass the CPA exam doing only multiple choice. I think it's possible because people have done it. I think it's possible to pass the CPA exam or a section of the CPA exam using only the NINJA notes, because people have done it, and they wrote me and tell me that they did. And I do think it's possible to pass the FAR exam using only the Roger CPA Review Cram course only. Now, I'm probably the only CPA review course out there who would dare mention a competitor in a podcast. Like, everyone just pretends that everyone else exists except for their comparison tables on their website where they say how everyone else is horrible. But yeah, Roger, great instructor, great course. And can you pass with his FAR Cram only? Yeah. Is it a best practice? No, it's not, because you run the risk that you don't get all the multiple choice in. So if you have the Roger Cram, you know, marketing alert, maybe you get the NINJA Monthly as well, 'cause it's cheap, and you get everything else that you wouldn't get in the cram, notes, audio, MCQ, book, a full course video, video set. But yeah, you can, you can pass with any course under the sun. You can pass with any combination of materials that are out there, and you can pass with a Cram only. It's not a best practice, but just like people pass using outdated materials, it's not a best practice, but you can do it. But you should still get NINJA Monthly.
Omnia writes in, hello, Jeff. I have a BA in sociology, but all of my experience in accounting. I decided to take my career to the next level,
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By Jeff Elliott, CPACPA Reviewed #84 - Is the CPA Exam Curved?
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https://youtu.be/SBzXG2tuNVc
Transcript: What is happening, everyone? Welcome back to another action-packed edition of CPA Reviewed, the official podcast of another71.com. As always, I am your humble host Jeff Elliott, a licensed CPA in the state of Kansas by the grace of God and to the chagrin of many. Happy whatever today is. Happy Wednesday to you. This is episode 84. So, yeah, I've done 84 of these. If you wanna be on the podcast, go to another71.com. Click on the upper nav. Ask Jeff, and it will appear in a future edition of the podcast. If you want to jump to the front of the line, you can become a NINJA Monthly member, and NINJA Monthly member get their questions answered first. All right.
First up is Ninja Ashley. When you study for an exam, was there a specific or target number of multiple choice questions that you completed per day? I'm looking for a specific number if you have one. I currently set up blocks of questions by section. There are four blocks. Each block contains six sections in various orders. I selected my block order based on which sections I am strongest in and which sections I need to strengthen my proficiency. Based on the book, based on the block I shared, you can see that regulation sections two and six are my weaker sections. I would love your thoughts on my current process to get through multiple-choice questions and any general feedback to base my questions on and how many questions I should complete each night. Okay. So, I don't have a set number of multiple choice questions that you should do per day; however, the AICPA has said that the average CPA candidate spends two minutes per question on the exam. So that's under exam conditions, and that's when you are ready to roll on exam day, so. If it takes you two minutes to do a question per, or on exam day, then let's say it's going to take you maybe three, three and a half, four minutes per section, per question while you study, because you're taking notes, you're looking up for each answer explanation, and so, so, if you can do three minutes per question, that is 20 questions per hour, if you study three to four hours per day, so that's, like, 60 to 80 questions per day. So, while you're in the MCQ phase, you're spending two to two and a half weeks on your nonstop MCQ, you can pretty much budget what you're going to do there. So let's say any given section has 1,500 multiple choice questions. Well, you can do the math there. You should be doing, so I guess you should be doing 60 questions per day minimum, but I know some people do a lot. So we used to have the NINJA Weekend Challenge where people would do like 500 questions in a weekend. So that's over like two days. So you can do a lot more than 60. But, so, 60 questions, 60 CPA exam questions per day should be your minimum.
Ninja Claude writes in, I have exactly 30 days left before I take FAR, my first section, and my studying is somewhat improving, and I'm feeling a little better. But I have a question about the exam itself. Is it true that they want a certain number of people to pass each time it is administered so they might actually curve the scores down if too many people do well? I really wanna get through this thing my first try, and any further nuggets or tidbits would be appreciated, especially the ones that would stop me from getting something like a 74. Okay, is the CPA exam curved? I don't know. That's been one of those conspiracy theories that have been around for as long as I have been in exam land, which is over 10 years, so. You know, when you look at the pass rates, they are like, for FAR, they're about 45, 47, 49%, pretty much every time. Does the AICPA curve them through the psychometric formulas? I don't know. Does that impact how you study? Not at all, and if you fail, does that give you license to blame the fact that you've been curved down? No, because in any given exam section, 50% pass, 50% fail, give or take, and you just need to study really hard, and you cannot control what outside variables are going against you, if at all, and I personally do not believe that they maintain a certain number, so. You can only control what you can do. So you can only control whether or not you get up early in the morning, study at lunch, study late at night, you follow the NINJA Study Planner, so you're a Ninja, so you have the NINJA Study Planner. You can only control if you decide to study bonds for an hour versus watching Netflix for an hour, which turns into three or four hours, and pretty soon, it's two in the morning, and you have to get up at 5:30, and oh, wait, you're not gonna get up at 5:30 'cause you're too tired, and you're going to sleep until seven, and brush your teeth and jump in the car to go to work. So, you can only control your own life and your own study processes. So, that's that. Now, as far as how to study FAR, follow the NINJA framework, use your NINJA Study Planner, and you'll be good to go.
Faruk writes in, dear sir or madam, I'd like to have some information on the CPA eligibility for the active ACCA members, which is chartered accountants, who are the equivalent to a UK Master's, according the ACCA letter of equivalence and having four years of international experience as an accountant. Okay, so here's the deal. The AICPA and the ACCA and NASBA and everyone got together, and they wanna make it easier for people who have international accounting licenses and US accounting licenses to be able to go into each other's respective countries and jurisdictions and be able to work, so. So here's the deal. This is kind of new. If you are a chartered accountant, then you need to pass the IQEX exam, the International Qualification Exam, and you need to then have two years of post-qualification experience. If you are a licensed CPA, then you just need to get qualified through whatever process it is. You don't have another exam to take. And you need to have two years of post-qualification work experience. The easiest way to get all of the information you need, go to nasba.org, and in the search bar, type ICAS, and that will give you all the info that you need.
Matt writes in, I'm using NINJA as a supplement with Becker. I'm feeling overwhelmed with the amount of material. I'm feeling like I don't have enough time to do all of the MCQ for each, for each, and it's stressing me out. I have read Another71 for tips, but I don't know if you would give me any useful advice or what may work the best. Okay, you're using NINJA as a supplement with Becker CPA Review, so I would watch all of your Becker lecture videos and take notes. Work all of the questions in their software. And then I would switch over to NINJA for the J, just rewrite it. I would rewrite the NINJA notes, and for your review, I would watch the NINJA Plus videos over your weak topics, and I would, in your NINJA MCQ, I would start working the software by topic, starting with your weakest area first and working backwards. And that's how I would use NINJA and Becker. Now, if this is a retake, and if you feel like you've seen all of the Becker questions, the multiple choice questions, then instead of working all of the Becker questions again, I would work the NINJA questions as your study software, and so that's how I would do it. So, yeah, don't feel, don't feel overwhelmed with the material. I mean, you know, FAR is hard, and it's the hardest exam, and that's okay, and everyone struggles with it. And it's the beast for a reason. But 50% of the people who walk in and pass it or take it, they pass it, so you'll be fine. So just follow, you're using NINJA, so follow the NINJA framework. Use your NINJA Study Planner. Get through all of the Becker lecture videos before you work any of the questions in the software, and just follow the NINJA framework, and you'll be just fine.
Antiqua writes in, do you think it's possible to pass the FAR exam with the Roger CPA Review Cram course only? All right, so, I saw this question in my email, and they also asked it in the forum. Okay, so your question is, do I think it's possible? Yes, I think it's possible. I think it's possible to pass the CPA exam doing only multiple choice. I think it's possible because people have done it. I think it's possible to pass the CPA exam or a section of the CPA exam using only the NINJA notes, because people have done it, and they wrote me and tell me that they did. And I do think it's possible to pass the FAR exam using only the Roger CPA Review Cram course only. Now, I'm probably the only CPA review course out there who would dare mention a competitor in a podcast. Like, everyone just pretends that everyone else exists except for their comparison tables on their website where they say how everyone else is horrible. But yeah, Roger, great instructor, great course. And can you pass with his FAR Cram only? Yeah. Is it a best practice? No, it's not, because you run the risk that you don't get all the multiple choice in. So if you have the Roger Cram, you know, marketing alert, maybe you get the NINJA Monthly as well, 'cause it's cheap, and you get everything else that you wouldn't get in the cram, notes, audio, MCQ, book, a full course video, video set. But yeah, you can, you can pass with any course under the sun. You can pass with any combination of materials that are out there, and you can pass with a Cram only. It's not a best practice, but just like people pass using outdated materials, it's not a best practice, but you can do it. But you should still get NINJA Monthly.
Omnia writes in, hello, Jeff. I have a BA in sociology, but all of my experience in accounting. I decided to take my career to the next level,