New Software in Exam’s Future

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State Board Report

July 2017

The introduction of the revised Uniform CPA Examination has gone extremely well, NASBA Executive Vice President and COO Colleen K. Conrad reported to the Regional Meetings. With AICPA Examination Content Director Richard C. Gallagher at the Western Regional Meeting and AICPA Vice President – Examinations Michael A. Decker at the Eastern Regional, Ms. Conrad reviewed changes made in the latest Examination, how they had been responded to, and changes anticipated in the near future. The volume of testing last spring was very large and a subsequent drop was expected this year. However, Ms. Conrad commented, the “volumes have dropped, as anticipated, but remain respectable.”

“We could not have had a better launch,” Mr. Gallagher observed. The Examination contained more task-based simulations and an hour had been added to both the BEC and REG sections of the Examination. Mr. Decker pointed out that despite the addition of simulations to BEC, the completion rate for all four sections remained generally consistent. Both simulations and essays “are performing well,” Mr. Decker noted.

Score releases on the revised Examination are being held up until late August, which means some candidates may miss out on passing the four parts in the required windows. Ms. Conrad said that the majority of State Boards are handing this with candidates on a case-by-case basis, and all Boards have been asked to notify NASBA of the extensions they make so the Gateway database can be accurately updated.

New software for the Uniform CPA Examination is currently projected to be launched on April 1, 2018. Mr. Decker said that will enable full use of the 23” screen with a much cleaner design, split-screen capability and the use of Excel. Mr. Gallagher said beta testing of the Examination with the new software is scheduled for the fall of this year.

The State Boards were asked to consider volunteering or suggesting volunteers for the AICPA’s content subcommittees for each section of the Uniform CPA Examination. Generally these will require four, two-day meetings per calendar year. The volunteer period is February 1, 2018 – May 31, 2019