It took me 3 tries to pass the CPA exam 30 years ago, before multiple guess questions dominated the test. BTW, I took it 15 years after college, as there were other pursuits/careers along the way.
What got me over the top were the essay questions. Credit goes to my accounting professor in college. He gave two tests every semester, a mid-term and a final. All essay questions, at least two or three made you start your answer with, "based on the information you've given me, I cannot answer the question." From there, you had to explain the accounting theory involved.
He also used no numbers in those 30 semester hours of instruction. It was all accounting theory. Brilliant man, brilliant teacher. He was larger than life, and a good friend by your senior year. The stories I could tell about him, 45+ years after graduation.
Back on topic, anyone who has been found guilty of cheating on the ethics exam should be fired, and their license revoked.
bttt
The irony here is stupendous.
Not that asking the SEC to audit EY would be much different.
Their crooks just use what they see to find new players when they exit government for the private world.
It took me three tries to pass the CPA exam, the first time fresh out of college and no prep, I failed miserably. Then a few years of private accounting, two years of public accounting and a prep course, I passed part and the rest the time after that. The parts were different then - Auditing, Accounting (Practice) I and II, Accounting Theory and Law. Back then, you could get certified with only a batchelors degree, most if not all states now require at least a master’s degree.
I think the “Ethics Exam” is a separate test required by some states. I think some states allow taking the test on line, I’d guess that’s where it would be easy to cheat. But I can’t imagine cheating on the exam. Working in public accounting is hard work, and throwing it away like that is foolish.
The last exam I took was a ham radio exam, and even taking it on-line it is hard to cheat, you have to scan the room you are taking the exam in, and have a camera on yourself. If you’d rather travel to the take the exam, the sit-down exam is proctored.
In my state we are required to take 4 hours of ethics every 3 years, so I usually just work in 2 per year. I take mostly self study and a few on-line courses, as that is best for my schedule, no traveling and blocking out time from work for seminars, (I am in a pretty remote area, and hour and a half to anywhere that might have a course).
We had parts of the Glime Delaney(spelling) manuals as our final exams in Intermediate and Business Law. I graduated a little over 30 years ago but I didn’t bother sitting for it. I knew there was no way in you know where I could pass the exam even with Becker.
Piker......It took me four......:>)