I am studying accounting with the hopes of becoming a CPA one day. I just finished my 4th year of the 5 year program. I am currently doing a Co-Op in Auditing at Baker Tilly, a well-known national CPA Firm. This co-op is in auditing and will extend into the upcoming fall semester. Afterwards, I have an internship at PwC starting next January, and will last until the end of April. As a result, I won’t have time to take any classes. I will return to school next Fall (2017) to finish my studies and will graduate in May 2018 (a year later than expected). I will also sit for the CPA Exam that Spring before I graduate since my school offers review courses. I am well aware that in addition to passing the exams, one has to have at least 2,000 hours of applicable work experience in accounting. Which will happen, before I receive my degree, since internships can fulfill the requirement. By the time I graduate, it will have taken me a total of 6 years to receive my degree (including the internships). Will that look bad to graduate in 6 years? I am just trying to get some work experience, and hopefully a job, before I graduate. I have a 3.6 GPA. Its not like I’ve been failing and dropping classes. Has anyone taken a semester off to intern?
BTW In order to sit for the CPA Exam in my state, you need to have 150 credit hours (minimum) with at least 30 of those being in upper-level accounting courses.