Authors: Alfonzo Alexander, NASBA Chief Relationship Officer and James Suh, NASBA Director of Training, Analytics and Quality
Posted: October 20, 2011

While it’s true that colleges and universities have been some of the major consumers of NASBA’s Candidate Performance Book, there are plenty of others who use that data to great benefit.

Colleges and universities’ accounting programs
are quickly able to find how well their students are performing and their undergraduate and graduate programs by further mining the data. State Boards
of Accountancy also keep tabs on the data to see how the schools in their jurisdictions are performing, and how they can be of assistance.

Because of the inclusion of data regarding demographics, success rates and scoring trends, learning providers are also able to use the book extensively. If you’re targeting current or potential
CPA exam candidates, then being able to see how
a state performs or what a school’s pass/fail rate is can help you narrow your focus to regions where
your services would be most effectively deployed.

In short, the Candidate Performance Book provides a plethora of relevant information that is used in a variety of ways by our stakeholders. And because of that fact, NASBA is always seeking ways to refresh the book. This year we’re implementing enhancements to both the methodology behind the data and the delivery method of the publication.

On the data side, we’ll be publishing more relevant information regarding long-term trending and aggregate-type summaries. The feedback we’ve received in the past from users about what they need to see to help them make business decisions has resulted in the creation of new sections for the book that will be implemented over the next two years. These data improvements will make the book more relevant for its user base.

In regards to delivery, we’ll be publishing the yearly book earlier than previous years and have also added additional releases of data snapshots in a variety of formats. Beginning at the end of this month, quarterly snapshots of data from the previous testing window will be available, and will be each quarter thereafter. In addition, the 2012 edition will be available by February 2012, approximately seven months earlier than previous years. From that point forward, candidate performance information will be available on a quarterly and annual basis in a variety of formats, such as ebooks, standard online reports and customized reports.

The Candidate Performance Book has become a staple at more than 200 different organizations and institutions, from college libraries to exam prep providers. We even see interest from parents and students who contact us, or their state board, for a copy in order to help with the decision of which college or university to attend.

Whoever the user, the Candidate Performance Book‘s reports and measures — and the way it shows how that data trends over time — make it an invaluable asset to anyone who has an interest in or is involved with the Uniform CPA Examination, and how those who take it fare in the process.

> Find out more information about purchasing the Candidate Performance Book