The "PITYPASS" Phenomenon of the PRC

pit·y·pass (ptps) -n. a common yet peculiar event that takes place in licensure examinations whereby one receives the exact passing grade, not more nor less, despite a poor performance. -v. to do the act of a pitypass.

I recently got the results of the exam from PRC because it's part of the requirements for applying. And I'm man enough to admit, I was pitypassed in one subject. I'm not surprised though, I didn't exactly burn any brows or bag any eyes, as mentioned in the previous entry.

You ask, what is this "pitypass" that you speak of?

Actually, this is a frequent occurence in licensure examinations. The reason you haven't heard of this word is because it is commonly known as the "curve," an inexplicable and unimaginable force that magically increases the passing rate. Pitypassers are the beneficiaries of this so-called "curve."

Exam takers are told that there are only three outcomes of every exam, namely, passed, conditionally passed and failed so as not to stress them out from any unnecessary worry, or any meaningless facts that would occupy braincells that should be used for the exam. In reality, there are 6 levels that a board/bar taker will fall under with regard to the results:

1. Topnotcher - If your name is on the shorter AND on the longer list of names.
   
2. Almost Topnotcher - If you only need less than one percentage point to reach the last spot. In this recent CPA board exams, those occupying the 11th-20th spots automatically qualify since the PRC did not include them on the list.
   
3. Ordinary Passer - All grades higher than the passing grade.
   
4. Pitypasser - At least one grade exactly the same as the passing grade.
   
5. Conditional Passer
   
6. Absolute failure

Pitypassers are further grouped into two: pure and partial. At first, I didn't believe in such stratification but I know of someone, let's call her Rich Ann to protect her privacy, who saw someone with a grade of 75 in ALL subjects. Either he's one lucky bastard or he's a pure pitypasser. There are also others, like me, the partials who just pitypassed one or two subjects.

Admitting to a pitypass does not justify the mediocrity of the exam taker, nor does it devalue the title of a bona fide passer. Admitting to it is just like admitting you're gay: obvious, irrelevant, and no one really cares. The truth is, being a pitypasser has no effect but that of a useless statistic, just some random trivia, a story that will just be told over and over from one exam taker to another until fading away to obscurity in the passing of time.

Being one isn't something to be ashamed of. In fact, I'm even happy about it because there are things far worse than being pitypassed. And from experience, the level of relief experienced by a pitypasser is considerably higher than that of an ordinary passer.

My name is momonyak... and I'm a pitypasser.

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