CPA Results - Semester 2, 2020
A tough semester with online, proctored exams and digital whiteboards
CPA Australia recently released the Exam Report for Semester 2, 2020.
Despite the extra challenges presented by COVID-19 closing most testing centres and the transition to online exams, the results reflected similar trends to previous semesters.
Key observations are as follows:
- Ethics and Governance consistently has a high fail rate, and Semester 2, 2020 was no exception to the rule. Ethics and Governance is often the first subject new students attempt in their CPA journey and many students withdraw after an unsuccessful attempt at Ethics and Governance.
- Although Strategic Management Accounting is of a similar difficulty to Ethics and Governance, the fail rate is usually much lower. This is likely because Strategic Management Accounting is often the second subject completed by students, and the additional exam experience has a positive impact on grades.
- As all CPA students know – Financial Reporting is a tough subject for students to pass – it’s always a relief to complete it successfully! Financial Reporting again recorded a fail rate of approximately 30% for the most recent semester.
- With respect to the electives, Australia Taxation – Advanced continues to stand out as the most challenging elective to pass with a fail rate of 46%.
Semester 2, 2020 results - all subjects
The chart below shows the grade split across the four core subjects. These results can be compared to the results in 2018 in the second chart, and the following observations can be made:
- Although the fail rate was similar (an average of 31% across the four subjects in 2020 vs 30% in 2018), it was significantly harder to achieve a High Distinction in 2020.
- Global Strategy and Leadership recorded substantially better results in 2018 vs 2020 – with 12% of the cohort achieving a High Distinction in 2018 vs only 6% in 2020 and 22% achieving a Credit in 2018 vs 16% in 2020.
Overall, all students should be very proud of passing subjects in Semester 2, 2020 – CPA is not an easy course and the added challenges of COVID-19 only increased the pressure experienced by students. The fact that results remained consistent with previous semesters shows a very high level of commitment from students.