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NASBA Pulled the Cruelest April Fools’ Prank Ever on Some CPA Exam Candidates

Posted on by Adrienne Gonzalez

As far as the CPA exam is concerned, it’s one thing you really shouldn’t joke about. And, in NASBA’s defense, it’s not like they actually meant to punk a bunch of eager CPA exam candidates this past April Fools’ Day, it just so happened that way.

Set the scene. It’s March 31 and you’re printing out your Notice to Schedule ahead of your exam tomorrow. You go onto the NASBA website and see this:

NASBA 404

Huh. Well that’s weird. OK, refresh. Still there. Hmm. Alright, maybe it’s just temporarily down and will come back soon, no biggie.

As the night wears on and you continue to check NASBA’s site, you grow increasingly concerned when you still can’t get to your NTS. Panic sets in. Who can you call? No one, their office is closed. All that’s left to do is shoot a tweet out into the abyss and hope everything is resolved in the morning.

Welp, spoiler alert: it stayed down for a few “lucky” candidates who were unable to take their scheduled exam due to being unable to print out their NTS.

A NASBA spokesperson told us the issue affected less than 20 candidates. “We were able to work with each candidate to reschedule their Exam section,” he said.

That’s all well and good but damn, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. But hey, well-played as far as pranks go I guess, totally beats the ole fake desktop trick.

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Is the AICPA Lowering the Bar on the CPA Exam?

Friendly reminder: >75 is here to answer your CPA Exam questions so send them over.

Sadly, JDA is technically still employed by a CPA Review course (and, of course, not a CPA) but hey, if any of you are looking to protect the public interest, have at it.

This may just be some wild speculating here but I have to admit my first thought upon seeing this was that the AICPA is scared everyone will freak out when IFRS hits the CPA Exam on January 1, 2011 and bomb horribly. Does this mean it’ll be graded on a curve? If so, I’m starting to have some concerns about that “protecting the public interest” bit.


Lowering the bar, AICPA Board of Examiners style:

THE AICPA EXAMINATIONS TEAM IS SEEKING CPA NOMINEES TO SERVE ON CPA EXAMINATION PANELS

When the new Uniform CPA Examination is launched on January 1, 2011, changes in content, format, and structure will be introduced. These changes will require the current passing score to be re-examined. The process to do so will include convening four panels of CPAs – one for each examination section – to prepare the groundwork for the passing score decision by the AICPA Board of Examiners. A new passing score determination is necessary in conjunction with the new examination to ensure that legally defensible CPA Examination pass/fail decisions continue to be made in protection of the public interest.

Panel Nominees

The AICPA is seeking nominations for passing score panel membership. Nominees should be CPAs who:

• have been licensed for between 3 and 5 years
• have supervised entry-level CPAs during the past year
• have NO affiliation with CPA Examination review courses, and
• are willing to participate in an August 2010 two-day meeting in Chicago, IL at the expense of the AICPA.

The selection of panelists from among qualified nominees will be made to ensure broad representation from all segments of the profession and demographic categories. Panelists will be given training at the August meetings on their responsibilities as panel participants.

Submitting Nominations

Nominations may be submitted online at http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/4e5ag3f124 or the forms completed and returned by FAX to 609-671-2922. Or, the names and contact information of nominees may be sent by e-mail to passingscorepanel@aicpa.org The information collected about nominees will be used only for the purpose of selecting panel participants.

The deadline for submitting nominations is MARCH 31, 2010.

Like I said, JDA is out; any of you kids in on this?