Before becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), candidates must pass a rigorous assessment. Of nearly 75,000 individuals who took the CPA exam in 2020, a graduate of the Anderson University College of Business is among a select group of candidates honored for a notably high score.
Jacob Oster, a 2019 accounting graduate, passed his CPA exam at such a high level that he won the prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award. He is one of only 89 candidates awarded — chosen out of nearly 75,000 individuals who sat for the CPA exam in 2020.
The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA Exam. CPA candidates must have a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Exam to receive the award, as well as pass all four sections of the exam on their first attempt and have completed all testing in 2020.
Oster received his Bachelor of Science in Business from Anderson University; he also received his Master of Science in Accountancy at Wake Forest University.
Oster describes his experience in Anderson’s accounting program as “top notch,” providing him a foundation that benefited him entering graduate school and today in his work on the audit staff for the accounting firm of Elliott Davis in Greenville, South Carolina.
“At the end of the day, the foundation classes you have in accounting—they’re pretty pivotal,” he said. “It’s a great group of faculty and I miss them a lot.” Oster also appreciates the guidance of the university’s internship program, helping him make connections to be where he is today.
His wife Sara, whom he met at Anderson University, also graduated from the College of Business. She’s a business analyst with Global Lending Services in Greenville.