Graduates of the Terry College of Business’ J.M. Tull School of Accounting ranked No. 1 among large programs and No. 2 among all programs for first-time pass rates on the Certified Public Accountant exams during 2015.
 
According to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, which proctors the test, Terry College students who took the CPA exam for the first time had an 88.4 percent pass rate.
Students who pass the CPA on their first try are well positioned for the job market, said Terry College Dean Benjamin C. Ayers.
 
“We are incredibly proud of the success our students are having in passing the CPA exam and the impact they are having in their careers and on their communities,” said Ayers, who previously served as director of the Tull School. “This level of performance is a great reflection of the caliber of our students and their work ethic, as well as the quality of our faculty and programs.”
 
This marks the fourth straight year that the college’s first-time pass rate has placed among the nation’s top five. The Terry College’s rankings are more impressive in light of how many graduates from the school took the test. With more than 270 students taking the test, the Terry College’s scores reflect more than 10 times the number of students of similarly ranked institutions.
 
“We teach our students to be great thinkers and hard workers, but we don’t teach to the exam. That’s what makes this ranking all the more exciting,” said Ted Christensen, director of the Tull School. “We’ve long believed that providing a rigorous education will allow our students to be successful in their lives, and it’s always nice to see that success in action.”