• Exam FAQs

Exam FAQs

CPA EXAM EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

What requirements must I meet to sit for the CPA exam as a Massachusetts candidate if I don't yet meet Massachusetts' CPA certification requirements as stipulated in Section 2.07 of the State regulations?

To be eligible to sit for the exam, you must:

1. Be at least 18 years old
2. Have completed 120 semester hours (or 180 quarter hours) of credits from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university - Associate degree or Community College courses will be accepted only if transferred into a four-year bachelor's degree program.
3. Have 21 accounting credits including coverage in
   • Financial accounting
   • Audit
   • Management accounting
   • Taxation
4. Introductory or elementary courses can be counted toward the 21 credits.
5. Have 9 business credits including coverage in
   • Business law
   • Finance
   • Information Systems
6. Have completed all requirements for the conferral of a bachelor's degree.

Note: To convert quarter hours to semester hours, multiply total quarter hours X 2/3. To convert semester hours to quarter hours, multiply total semester hours X 3/2.

1. What if I am not sure if I meet the educational requirements?

CPA Exam Services (CPAES) will review your transcript of past and current courses to identify academic deficiencies. The fee is $50 and the review, which is advisory in nature, takes two to four weeks. Download the application form.

2. What if I satisfied some of my educational requirements at a school outside the United States?

You will need to have your educational credentials evaluated by the Center for Educational Documentation in Boston. This is the only evaluation service approved by the Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy. Visit the Center for Educational Documentation Web site.

3. Is there a difference between the educational requirements to sit for the exam and those to obtain CPA certification?

Yes, you need 150 educational credits for CPA certification in Massachusetts. Specific coursework depends on the highest degree you obtain. View these requirements.

4. Is there a time limit to meet the 150-hour certification requirement if I sit for the exam before attaining 150 credits?

Yes, you have three years from the time you receive notice of passing all four parts of the exam to meet the educational requirements for CPA certification. If you don't, you will need to retake all parts of the exam.

5. Can I sit for the exam during my final semester before graduation?

No, you cannot sit for the exam before the date your bachelor's degree is conferred (this is the official graduation date that appears on your final educational transcript). However, you can sit for the exam before you actually receive your final transcript as long as you can provide the final transcript to CPA Exam Services within 90 days of taking the exam.

6. Can I appy for the exam before I complete my degree and/or required accounting and business courses?

Yes, in addition to your application, you will be required to complete a Certificate of Enrollment (COE) form as evidence that you are enrolled and that all courses and graduation requirements will be completed prior to the date that you sit for your first section. Before you schedule your exam appointment, be certain your final transcript will be available within 90 days and that the degree conferral date as it appears on your final transcript is BEFORE your exam date. (If you don't know your degree date, check with the college registrar.)

Once the educational requirements have been met, an official transcript must again be submitted to CPA Exam Services (CPAES) to confirm degree conferral and/or satisfactory completion of courses. The final official transcript must be received by CPAES within 90 days of sitting for the first exam section. Failure to do so will result in the loss of any credit received for any part of the examination passed prior to providing the final official transcript.

7. Can I use credits earned as Independent Study to meet the accounting credit requirement?

Yes, if your college categorizes the course as an accounting course on your transcript and it is not being used to meet any of the four required areas of coverage, i.e., audit, taxation, management accounting or financial accounting.

8. Can I use internship credits to meet the accounting/business requirements?

Yes, if the credits were earned during the school year and the internship is recorded as semester hours on your college transcript. Only three credits toward the accounting requirement can be earned by an internship. However, none of the required subject area coverages, i.e., audit, tax, financial accounting, and management accounting can be accomplished by an internship; formal course instruction is necessary.

9. Can I take credits online?

Yes, however, the on-line course must be taken at an accredited college or university and the course has to be one that is offered within a degree-granting program (you do not have to be enrolled in the degree program). The college must provide you with a transcript upon completion.

10. Do I need to earn a minimum grade for my credits to count?

No, and credits earned in courses graded by pass/fail are accepted.

11. How do I know if some of the accounting and business courses I took meet the requirements? The course titles are a bit different.

If a course title does not clearly relate to the coverage area, you may need to submit a course catalogue, syllabus or letter from a professor detailing the coverage. Use this course evaluation checksheet to submit with documentation describing the course coverage when you apply to sit for the CPA Exam.

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APPLYING FOR/SCHEDULING THE CPA EXAM

12. How do I apply for the exam?

Applications are filed with CPA Exam Services (CPAES), a divison of the National Association of State boards of Accountancy (NASBA) located in Nashville, TN.

13. How long does the application review process take?

It depends on whether you are an initial or re-exam candidate.

When you first submit your application, the Massachusetts Coordinator at CPAES will send you an acknowledgment within 10 days of receipt; this acknowledgment will be delivered by the preferred method you selected in your initial application, i.e., mail, fax, or e-mail. (Contact CPAES if you don't receive anything.)

Once your application is approved, CPAES will send you a Notice to Schedule (NTS). Initial candidates should plan on 6 weeks for an NTS, re-exam candidates selecting notification via e-mail should hear within 5 days, and 10 days if delivery is via US mail.

If you have not received your NTS within the anticipated time frame, contact CPAES immediately. (Be sure to check your spam box if you are expecting an e-mail.)

14. How much does it cost to take the exam?

All applicants, both initial and re-exam, are required to pay both an application fee and an exam fee when submitting their application. Initial candidates who register for all four parts pay $1,018. You must be prepared to take all sections for which you apply within six months from the date you receive approval. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of fees and the need to reapply. View the fee schedule.

15. Is financial assistance available to take the CPA exam?

Yes. The Education Foundation of the Massachusetts Society of CPAs is conducting a lottery to award 45 vouchers in the amount of $400 to assist with exam costs. To be eligible, you must sit for 1 or more exam sections between May 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011. In addition, you cannot receive financial assistance from your employer in the form of payments/reimbursements of exam fees or review courses, or receive a bonus upon passing the exam. Download the lottery application form.

16. When is the exam given?

The exam is offered during the first two months of each calendar quarter - these months are referred to as "testing windows." Testing is available in January & February; April & May; July & August; and October & November. Testing is NOT available in: March, June, September, and December. Testing centers are usually open 6 days a week.

17. Must all four exam sections be taken at the same time?

No, you may take any section of the exam in any testing window and in any order you wish. You will not be required to pass one section prior to applying for another. However, you may not take any single section twice in the same testing window.

18. Is there a time limit for passing the four exam sections?

Once you pass one exam section, you have 18 months to pass the remaining three sections.

19. How do I schedule an exam appointment?

Once you receive your Notice to Schedule (NTS) you will need to contact Prometric to schedule your testing dates. You can do this online at prometric.com or by phone at 800.580.9648. It is recommended that you choose the online option since this method will provide you with a written confirmation of your appointment. You must schedule a separate appointment for each exam section but it is not necessary to book your appointments all at once. To increase the likelihood of receiving your first choice of date, time and location, you should schedule at least 45 days before the desired date. Your NTS is valid for 6 months; if you do not take all sections for which you have been approved, you will forfeit your fees and will have to reapply.

20. Where do I take the exam?

You may take the exam at any Prometric testing center located throughout the 55 U.S. jurisdictions. In Massachusetts, sites are in Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Burlington, East Longmeadow, and Worcester.

21. Is the exam offered in different languages?

No, it is only offered in English.

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EXAM CONTENT, STRUCTURE, AND DELIVERY

22. What are the component parts of the CPA exam?

The computer-based exam is a 14-hour exam with four sections:

Access the Content Specification Outline for more detailed information about exam topics.

NOTE: At Prometric test centers, the time allowed for each session is 30 minutes longer than exam time so that candidates may complete the sign-in process and survey without using up any of the time allocated for the exam. (This does NOT mean that exam time is extended for those who finish the sign-in process quickly. Exam time never changes.)

23. What are the rules regarding new accounting and auditing pronouncements?

Accounting and auditing pronouncements are eligible to be tested on the Uniform CPA Exam in the testing window beginning six months after a pronouncement's effective date, unless early application is permitted. When early application is permitted, the new pronouncement is eligible to be tested in the window beginning six months after the issuance date. In this case, both the old and new pronouncements may be tested until the old pronouncement is superseded.

For the federal taxation area, the Internal Revenue Code and federal tax regulations in effect six months before the beginning of the current window may be tested.

For all other subjects covered in the Regulation (REG) and Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) sections, materials eligible to be tested include federal laws in the window beginning six months after their effective date, and uniform acts in the window beginning one year after their adoption by a simple majority of the jurisdictions.

24. What types of questions are included on the exam?

The exam is composed of testlets (groups of 24 or 30 multiple-choice questions) and simulations (condensed case studies). Three testlets and two simulations are included in each of these sections: Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) consists of three multiple-choice testlets only.

25. Do the multiple-choice questions follow the same order as the Content Specifications Outline (CSO)?

No. While each exam covers materials from the Content Specifications Outline (CSO), the questions in each testlet are delivered randomly and do not follow the CSO order.

26. What are simulations?

Simulations are condensed case studies designed to test the knowledge and skills that are required of entry-level CPAs.

Accounting knowledge is tested in simulations through a variety of tasks, some of which require searching databases, completing written communication exercises, and working with spreadsheets and forms. The skills that simulations are intended to measure are: analysis, judgment, communication, and research.

27. What databases are available to candidates completing simulations?

For the research portions of simulations, candidates have access to some sections of the AICPA Professional Standards (in the Auditing and Attestation section), FASB Current Text and Original Pronouncements (in the Financial Accounting and Reporting section), and Tax Code (in the Regulation section).

28. Is this what is referred to as authoritative literature?

Yes, the reference materials consisting of AICPA Professional Standards, FASB Current Text and Original Pronouncements, and the Tax Code are referred to collectively as "authoritative literature."
Exam candidates are offered a free 6 months subscription to the authoritative literature when they receive their Notice to Schedule. Learn more.

29. How often are authoritative literature databases updated?

With reference to simulations, databases are updated annually. In rare instances, a recent FASB or AICPA pronouncement or a change in the Tax Code may impact a simulation. In such instances, candidates should answer the simulation using the database provided.

30. What are the written communication exercises in simulations?

In all simulations, candidates are presented with a situation and instructed to write a letter or memorandum on a specific topic.

31. What is the percentage value of each exam component?

In Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG), multiple-choice testlets account for 70% and simulations 30% of the score. The 30% simulation portion is further divided into 10% for written communication and 20% for all other parts of the simulation. In Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), multiple-choice questions account for 100% of the score.

32. What is the delivery model used for the exam?

A multistage adaptive test delivery model is used for Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG) multiple-choice testlets. This means that the first testlet presented to the candidate is at a level of moderate difficulty. Subsequent testlets, at the same or slightly more difficult level, are then chosen automatically based on the examinee's performance on the previous testlet.

At the present time, Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) does not follow the adaptive model, and is composed of testlets at the moderate level of difficulty only.

The simulations presented in FAR, AUD, and REG do not follow the adaptive model. They are not selected on the basis of prior performance.

In what order are testlets/simulations presented?

Three multiple-choice question testlets are always presented first followed by two simulations (in all sections except BEC which consists of multiple-choice testlets only).

33. Must questions be answered in the in the order in which they are presented?

Within each testlet or simulation, questions may be answered in any order. However, the sequence in which testlets and simulations are presented cannot be changed.

34. Is it possible to return to a previously completed testlet/simulation?

No. Candidates may review and revise their responses only as long as the testlet or simulation remains open. Once they complete the testlet or simulation and move on to the next, it is not possible to return.

35. Do candidates take the same or different exams?

Candidates take different, equivalent exams. The questions presented to candidates are drawn from a pool of test questions according to defined specifications. Although candidates take different tests, the specifications ensure that the results are comparable.

36. With candidates taking different exams, how is it possible to ensure that each candidate is being correctly assessed?

The test assembly method and expert reviews ensure that all tests meet content specifications. All test questions are classified according to their content and statistical properties before they are administered on an operational test. The moderate and more difficult testlets meet equivalent content specifications. Test administration software at the test center selects the difficulty level of multiple-choice testlets based on the candidate's performance.

37. What is the passing score?

The passing score is 75 on a 0-99 scale. The scale of 0-99 does not represent "percent correct." A score of 75 indicates exam performance reflecting a level of knowledge and skills that is sufficient for the protection of the public.

38. How and when do I receive my scores?

CPAES will post your score during the third month of the window in which you take the exam. Scores are posted in random order and are occasionally available before the closed month. To view your score, you will need your NTS number and birth date. Your scores will also be mailed to you.

39. How can I better understand the diagnostic report that accompanies my score?

View sample diagnostic reports and find further information about interpreting the report.

40. Will the exam change in the future?

Yes, exam content will be kept current. Additional changes in test length, structure, and content may be made, subject to the same process as was used to propose and approve the current test format. Changes based on regular practice analyses are part of a critical ongoing program of continuous improvement.

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EXAM SOFTWARE

41. What computer skills do I need to take the Uniform CPA Exam?

You are expected to be familiar with the use of a mouse and keyboard and with basic spreadsheet and word processing functions. You must also be able to use a four-function online calculator.

42. Does the Exam utilize Wordtm and Exceltm?

No, the exam uses word processing and spreadsheet applications that are similar but NOT identical to Word and Excel applications. For a demonstration of the exam software, review the tutorial first and then the sample tests. Access the tutorial and sample tests.

43. What are some examples of specific computer skills needed to respond to exam questions?

In order to respond to Exam questions, you may need to:

44. Can I see a demonstration of the exam's functionality?

Yes, the online tutorial and sample tests demonstrate the software features of the exam. It is important to view the tutorial and sample tests before taking the exam as these tools are NOT available at test centers. Access the tutorial and sample tests.

45. Must the exam be taken in a computer-based format?

Yes, the exam is available only in a computer-based format.

46. What is the process to obtain special accommoations for the exam?

Special accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) may be requested as part of the application process. Learn more.

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PREPARING FOR THE EXAM

47. What can I do to prepare for the exam?

Here are some measures you should take before you sit for the exam:

48. Are there review courses to better prepare me for to pass the CPA exam?

Yes. Although the Society does not endorse one particular course, MSCPA members receive discounts with several providers. It is recommended that you select the program that best suits your learning style. View the discounted programs.

49. Is there a Web site that I can use as a resource for exam and certification information in Massachusetts?

Yes. The MSCPA's student Web site CPATrack.com is a valuable resource for exam and certification information as well as specifics about college programs, scholarships, internships and job opportunities. There, you will find links to relevant sites such as the American Institute of CPAs, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, and the Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy.

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