Planning for the CPA Exam? Find sample questions and answers now.

The drafting of the CPA exam multiple choice questions is outsourced to third party companies. These drafts are then reviewed and approved by AICPA volunteers who serve on one or more content committees. On any given CPA exam that is administered at a Prometric facility, approximately 15% of the multiple choice questions are designated as pre-test questions. These questions are inserted into the candidate`s exam in order to develop good data on possible new questions. These pre-test questions do not count for or against the candidate`s final score.

At this time, there is no set timeline for implementing simulations in the BEC section. A new practice analysis started in mid-2006, and the results may ultimately lead to changes in simulations testing on the CPA exam. The practice analysis is a multi-year project. More information will be made available on the practice analysis in Fall 2006.

The AICPA does interact with exam review companies, but provides them with no additional information than what is already in the public domain. AICPA representatives make sure that review companies have the latest, correct information. Periodic face to face meetings and phone Q&A sessions are conducted to facilitate dialogue.The AICPA believes that many do offer sufficient materials for an applicant to pass the CPA exam. However, it does not evaluate or endorse any review program. It is a personal preference whether CPA candidates choose to study with a CPA exam review company.

The multiple choice portions of the exam are graded by computer programs. The exam is scored using Item Response Theory (IRT).The written portion of the exam is graded by both computer programs and humans. The sophisticated computer programs use advanced algorithms to search for certain words and word combinations that will assist in the scoring of the exam. Every written exam is graded by at least one person though to ensure the accuracy of the computer grading.