The relationship of college preparation and college grades to success on the CPA examination

The problem of the study was to determine the relationship of college preparation and college grades to success on the CPA examination. The solution to the problem was approached through five objectives:

To compare the success on the examination of

1. College graduates and non-college graduates.

2. College graduates who were accounting majors and those who were not accounting majors.

3. College graduates with overall averages of B or higher and those with overall averages below B.

4. College graduates who attended member schools of the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business and those who attended schools which were not members of the Association.

5. College graduates and technical school graduates.

Data were gathered from the records of the State Board of Accountancy and presented in tabular and graphic form. The data were then interpreted with the aid of tables of comparison. The conclusions reached as the result of the interpretations were stated.

The results of the study showed that some groups are better prepared to pass the CPA examination than other groups. The candidate with the best preparation for passing the CPA examination is one who has graduated from a degree granting college or university with an overall average of B or higher and a major in Accounting.

College grade averages are an indication of expected success on the CPA examination to the extent that of candidates whose average was B or higher, 47 percent will pass while of those whose average was below B, 28 percent will pass.