MAcc PROGRAM
CPA Exam Results Reach Historic High for School, Exceed U.S. Rate Impressive CPA Exam pass scores don’t just happen. In the Harbert College of Business School of Accountancy, they are earned. “At Auburn, students are set up to be successful—that’s how the program is designed,” said Caroline Forbes, 2017 Master of Accountancy (MAcc) graduate and auditor at EY in Atlanta GA. Harbert College’s Master of Accountancy program announced that the Class of 2019 earned one of the highest CPA Exam overall pass rates in school history: 94 percent compared to 54 percent nationally. The pass rates—no less than 92 percent on each of the four sections of the exam—are the byproduct of a rigorous undergraduate curriculum and a graduate program dedicated to preparing students for the exam. “Auburn is unique in that we are one of the few programs that embeds the Becker Review Course and the CPA Exam into the graduate program,” said Andee Hodo, Director of Accounting Graduate and Online Programs. “Most other MAcc programs require the students to navigate the exam on their own. We walk our students through the entire application process, make sure their respective state-bystate requirements are met, and remove the extra stress from the equation. All they have to worry about is passing the exam.” Will Ousley, an Assurance Associate at
PwC in Atlanta and 2018 Auburn MAcc graduate, admitted that all exams make him nervous. “However, I knew Auburn’s curriculum and study schedule prepared me for test day. When you put the effort in to studying, you know how to execute the problems,” he said. That’s the beauty of Auburn’s accounting program. It prepares students for arguably the most important test they’ll take. “Our undergraduate program is rigorous and high-quality—and that’s where much of the preparation for the CPA Exam really happens,” said Duane Brandon, School of Accountancy Director. “We have dedicated, high-caliber faculty. Many of them have been formally recognized for outstanding teaching, with quite a few professors winning college and universitywide teaching awards.” Much of the information tested on the CPA Exam is taught at the undergraduate level. Once students enter graduate school, they are able to focus on refining their skills and expanding their accounting knowledge. Hodo noted that the MAcc program utilizes the Becker Review Course. The entire class studies and prepares together. “Our students are all on the same schedule—it’s very regimented. They sit for each section on the same day. This peerSee Exam, next page
Claire Brien, Class of 2019 "No part of the CPA was easy, but with a network of MAcc alumni, classmates, and professors to support us, it helped keep spirits high. I found that Auburn MAcc students truly embody the Auburn Family and uphold their commitment to excellence. We worked as a class to achieve success, forming lifelong friendships in the process.”
Ben Taylor, Class of 2019 “Studying for the CPA Exam was one of the most difficult, and at the same time, one of the most rewarding experiences of my Auburn career. There were a lot of long study days, but the support of the other students kept everyone accountable. It’s a great feeling when you graduate and start your career having passed all four sections.”
Auburn MAcc Program Class of 2019 CPA Exam Pass Rates
EXAM SECTION
Financial (FAR) Audit (AUD) Regulation (REG) Business (BEC) Overall Average
AUBURN MAcc PROGRAM* First-Time Candidates
NATIONAL PERCENT PASSING AVERAGE** Repeat and First-Time Candidates
95% 44% 93% 58% 92% 59% 94% 55% 94% 54%
* Source: Students’ Official CPA Exam Score Reports on first attempt. ** Source: The National Percent Passing rates for the 1st and 2nd Quarters of 2019 were obtained from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). Auburn MAcc students sat for FAR and BEC in first quarter 2019 and REG and AUD during the second quarter.
32 The SOA Connection Winter 2020
