Opportunities for Enhancing Professional Skepticism Prior to Entering the Accounting Profession

ABSTRACT We investigate the development of professional skepticism prior to entering the accounting profession and consider opportunities for enhancing it through university instruction. In two longitudinal studies of 857 participants, we track performance over several years. Students with higher levels of trait skepticism perform better in accounting and auditing courses and score higher on their first attempt at the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. However, students with lower trait skepticism demonstrate strong perseverance and ultimately pass the exam at similar rates. Audit instruction affects students differently: Those with the lowest initial skepticism show significant increases, while those with the highest initial levels show significant decreases. Trait skepticism is positively associated with initial risk judgments, but audit instruction reduces these differences by increasing risk perceptions across all students. Trait skepticism does not influence self‐selection into the accounting major. However, women with higher trait skepticism are more likely than men to choose auditing careers. In sum, these findings suggest that audit firms and educators should use trait skepticism assessments as an important developmental tool to identify promising candidates, diagnose training needs, and tailor support for those with lower initial levels of the trait.