<p>Basically, I want to make money and have a stable job in the future. However, people say that this major is very boring. I honestly don't want to be bored out of my mind when I'm working. I have no interest in accounting whatsoever other than its job outlook and its decent salary. My brother's an accountant and he said that accounting is a pretty tough major because it's like learning a totally new language. So will I be making the right decision if I do major in accounting? Thanks!</p>
<p>If you don’t like it, don’t do it.</p>
<p>rusoboy23’s advice is on the mark. I’d suggest you take an introductory accounting course and see whether you are bored out of your mind.</p>
<p>Accounting is one of those things where either you get it or you don’t. I was hoping to major in accounting but soon I realized I’m not good at it and its in my best interest to major in something else.</p>
<p>Well, I don’t know if I’m gonna like it or not but I do know that I won’t be doing accounting for the rest of my life. I’m just doing it because it has a very good job outlook and decent pay. I’m planning to save up and do something else. It’s either this or computer science.</p>
<p>Job prospects are not “very good.” the pay in some of the jobs are decent, but everyone wants those jobs. are there 5-yr or 4-yr degrees that pay better? Im guessing there are. </p>
<p>From what you’ve written it sound like you should NOT do accounting. especially if your basing your decision on job and pay, and then hoping to go back to school later for what you really want to do. doesnt make much sense to me. pick something your actually interested in.</p>
<p>@Whatdidyou- I honestly, at this very moment, have no idea what interests me at all. My other option is computer science. I deal with computer everyday. I love games. I like doing something and the result comes out satisfying. But will I be able to find jobs though? That’s the problem :/</p>
<p>The job prospects are “very good” you just have to do well in accounting to be able to capture them. Don’t make excuses about the job market.</p>
<p>Outsourcing too…another problem for Computer Science :/</p>
<p>I agree with goose. The job propects are pretty good if you have a solid GPA and can interview well. </p>
<p>Often times, students put way too much emphasis on GPA (killing themselves over getting a 4.0). From my experience, anything above a 3.3 can land you a public accounting interview. In fact, quite a few of my classmates have landed PA jobs and internships with 3.3’s and 4’s. It’s all about your ability to communicate and interview well.</p>
<p>It seems as though all the 3.8-4.0 introverts with a MACC degrees are graduating with no offers. Those who have high grades and good communication skills are almost guaranteed a job after graduation.</p>
<p>One more thing, at my school, graduating with a GPA in 2’s is like not graduating at all. This is especially true for the accounting majors.</p>
<p>RBP3418</p>
<p>I disagree. If you want an interview you need above a 3.5 and even then your not guaranteed all interviews. Maybe a couple people have landed interviews with 3.3s but, at my school, i doubt it. If it happens it is definetly an exception to the rule. </p>
<p>Im tired of people saying that a high gpa and good social skills will guarantee you a job in public accounting. This is not the case. It is not just introverts who don’t get offers, it is also students with good/normal communication skills. That said, having good communication skiils will definitely help you get a job, but it is still very competitive and you may end up with nothing and/or having to settle for a low paying job elsewhere. </p>
<p>True, if your thinking about being an accounting major, you have to have a high gpa. gpas in the 2’s is worthless. even gpas in the low 3s are aren’t gonna give you much opportunities. </p>
<p>My recommendation: if your gonna major in accounting, make sure you get 4.0s in all of your GERs that way if you dont manage high grades in some of your accounting classes, which will likely happen, your gpa isnt terrible.</p>
<p>My D had a 3.5 GPA, not OVER a 3.5, she interviewed with all of the Big 4 firms with 3 of the 4 offering her a summer internship in her preferred region of the country. I agree that the GPA has to be somewhere around a 3.5, but that these Big 4 firms ARE hiring their future accountants. Much depends on HOW you present yourself in the interviews.</p>
<p>That and you’re not going to be sitting there for hours doing journal entries and amortizing leases. You’re going to be doing Tax or Audit. Plus, what’s the difference between a 3.7 and a 3.3? Going from a B+ to an A- can be as little as 3%. Both signify understanding of the material. Of course this is over a bunch of classes and not just one or two, but the point is the Big 4 merely use GPA as a benchmark since there are so many qualified candidates. Your resume and networking can be much more important than your GPA. If a recruiter knows you by your first name, you can be 95% sure you’ll land that first interview even if your GPA is at that minimum 3.0 or 3.2 that’s required. A guy I know got a Big 4 internship and offer without even having a 3.0. How? He was involved with the accounting student group and networked and knew all the recruiters. At the end of the day, no one wants to spend 50-60 hours a week with 3.8-4.0 introverts.</p>
<p>3.7+ and social/interview skills = almost guaranteed to land an accounting job. </p>
<p>If you think otherwise, then your social skills and interview skills are not as good as you might have thought. </p>
<p>This is not a shot at anyone, rather, just the reality of the situation.</p>
<p>3.7 and social skills does not equal an offer. </p>
<p>Im not basing this on just me but others in my class. Its not mathematical but this is what it seems to be: For every normal person (social, likes people) who has a high gpa (high enough to get an interview - so based on people that I know didnt get interviews - probably 3.5+) that got an offer there are at least one to two normal/sociable people with high gpas who did not. So if your a normal person, who is sociable, likes people, can hold a conversation, be professional, and maintain a high gpa, you might get a job but it is far from a sure thing. </p>
<p>This is the reality of the situation. </p>
<p>I don’t know peoples interviewing skills…etc. BUT to say if you have social skills then all you need is a high gpa is simply not true. </p>
<p>So for NORMAL students (social) with high GPAs, you are not guaranteed a public accounting job. </p>
<p>Contrarily, if your thinking about majoring in accounting, think you can maintain a gpa of 3.5+ (maybe higher, since more and more people are choosing accounting), and know you are extreemly charasmatic and that strangers tend to like you immediately, moreso than the average joe. Then you will probably be guaranteed a job.</p>
<p>Like I said, the individuals who have high GPAs, received interviews, and didn’t receive offers are misjudging their “like-ability” or interview skills. </p>
<p>You are preaching to the choir on this one. I went through recruitment and received almost double digit offers from across the country without ever being turned down. I know exactly what I am talking about and what firms are looking for in the recruitment process. If someone is a top student and has interviewing skills, then opportunities exist and job offers will follow.</p>
<p>For those students who weren’t at the top of their class, the B4 isn’t as much of an option, but external audit and tax is available at regional firms and internal audit and corporate accounting is available in industry.</p>
<p>“Basically, I want to make money and have a stable job in the future”</p>
<p>I think you are misinformed. Accountants make $35k/yr. You might think that there are a lot of jobs but it isn’t true because there is a lot of turnover in accounting, unlike engineering or healthcare professions (which provides REAL careers). This is because in accounting you are expected to put 10+hrs/day but still get paid salaried.</p>
<p>If you want good pay and stable job, I suggest:
- Join the army - excellent pay, training, pension, retirement benefits. or
- Enroll in vocational school (salary $35-200k+) - Car mechanic, Airplane mechanic, Welding, RN, Respiratory Therapist, MRI tech, Ultrasound tech, etc.</p>
<p>You will be making more if you do #1/#2 than majoring in accounting.</p>
<p>jellocancer i hope you are ■■■■■■■■…</p>
<p>jellocancer - your understanding of accounting salaries is incorrect as it relates to B4 entry level positions. The average starting salary for the B4 (no prior experience) is 50k. If you live in a low cost of living area it might be 45k and high cost (e.g. NYC) as much as 57K. Although entry level employees are salaried they are not management and therefore are eligible for OT and/or comp time. I don’t know where you got your information on 10 hours per day. Staff accountants have to bill their time to specific projects. If you don’t have work then there’s definitely no desire for you to bill 10 hours. You won’t have 10 hours per day of work for the entire year.</p>
<p>my understanding of accounting salaries incorrect? only in your world my son…</p>
<p>the thread is titled “considering accounting” nowhere does it mention Big4. And lets remember what the Big Four are… ???</p>
<p>Exactly, They are the “Big 4”!
Taking a sample from JUST 4 companies and averaging it out is not an industry-wide average and highly misleading if I may add. </p>
<p>In regards to work hours, it is not uncommon to work 12 hrs or so a day as someone on here attested to.</p>