Baylor Accounting Students Outscore Others on CPA Exams

by Cynthia Jackson, director of communications and marketing, Hankamer School of Business, (254) 710-7628

Baylor University students from the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) and Master of Tax (MTax) degree programs had a higher pass rate on the Texas CPA exam than any other graduate program in the state and second nationwide, according to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy statistics about the 2005 CPA exam results.

"Performance of our students on the CPA exam is a solid affirmation of the quality of our graduate accounting programs," said Dr. Charles Davis, The Walter Plumhoff Professor of Accounting and chair of the accounting and business law department at Baylor's Hankamer School of Business. "Outperforming others on the exams, plus the graduate program's recent rise to 24th place nationally in Public Accounting Report, are further results of our efforts."

Public Accounting Report ranks Baylor's graduate programs fifth among private schools. The undergraduate accounting program is ranked 18th (fourth among private schools) by the magazine poll.

Nineteen Baylor MAcc and MTax students took all four parts of the exam during the year, and 16 passed all four parts, for a pass rate of 84.2 percent. Nationwide, Baylor tied with the University of Washington and ranked second only to Wake Forest University. Among other Texas schools, Texas A&M University was 15th.

Of Baylor's graduate students, 70.13 percent passed all sections they attempted.

Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business provides a complete business education - consisting of classroom learning and hands-on experience - in the context of a values-based culture. The accounting program and the Business School are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, representing the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. For more information, visit www.baylor.edu/business/accounting.