Best path to become an accountant?

[newuserguy]

<p>Three years ago I withdrew from a top 10 public business school. I left for several reasons, but mainly because I was immature and lacked any motivation. My GPA fell to a 3.0.</p>

<p>Now, I've been readmitted back starting this spring semester to finish my BS and I'm considering accounting as a future career. At the moment, I can graduate at the earliest in December of this year. </p>

<p>I think my GPA is too low this semester for a prestigious internship. I think I should take a semester's worth of accounting courses this summer instead. This will give me a great accounting GPA, while boosting my overall GPA. In the Fall, I have the choice of either to graduate or complete another semester. What would you recommend?</p>

<p>Should I...</p>

<p>Try to find a summer internship with the Big 4 at that point, then focus on the CPA after I'm presumably hired?
Take a few more undergrad classes to reach the 30-hour CPA requirement, take the test and find some sort of work?
Enroll in a MAC program to get the extra hours, get my CPA, then apply for a Big 4 internship/job?</p>

<p>If I can make straight As, earn an accounting GPA around 3.5 and an overall around 3.3, how competitive will I be? What is the future like for students who don't get their initial experience at a big firm?</p>

<p>I'd appreciate any advice from any of you who have experience with the process.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

[Thetaxdad]

<p>My advice would be to first of all finish all the credits that you need to sit for the exam before you think about full time work. Trying to work in public accounting and going to school to finish your 30 extra credits doesn’t work too well. It doesn’t really matter at this point about internships for this summer, as most firms recruit much farther in advance, so taking classes would probably be a good idea.</p>

<p>As for next year, trying to find an internship would be a good idea as most firms hire out of internship pools first when looking for new hires.</p>