<p>domrom I appreciate the reply. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t been nearly as proactive in gaining work experience as I should have been. Admittedly I didn’t even know WE would play such an important role until recently. In my first two years at a CC before transferring it wasn’t stressed at all.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on how I can right the ship? Obviously I’d still like to be a competitive candidate and will be joining BAP this upcoming semester and getting more involved.</p>
<p>I currently a 25 year old married with 3 kids. I am currently in community college hoping to transfer to old dominion university sometime in the near future. I use to work for the accounting firm Dixon Hughes Goodman llp in their client services department (tax process etc.) Before they had a reduction of forces that I was in fortune to be a part of due to cutting their budget. I was there for almost 4 years and even though I wasn’t a staff accountant I do know how the office works during tax season and other tax deadlines. While I was there I decide to change up my degree program and try to become a staff accountant since I was there. I was hoping that since I was a worker there I could possible avoid having to intern and just get brought on fulltime. But being that I’m not currently working there would I still have to intern once I get my degree in accounting? I am just worried that if I have to intern I would have to quit my current job and i am not even guaranteed to get a job offer after interning. I have a family and I don’t want to risk giving up a job that paying my bills to intern and I’m not guaranteed to get a job and be jobless. I was also wondering being that I worked for a respectable cpa would that be enough to somehow bypass the process?</p>
<p>So, I’m 25 years old and I graduated UTD with a BS in Accounting. My major GPA is 3.8 and my cumulative GPA is 2.86. During the first two years of college, I was a Biology major on the Pre-Med track due to pressure from parents. During that time, I also had a part-time job as a waiter to support my self. Due to bad personal choices, I ended up being put on Academic Suspension for a year during the time when I was supposed to be a Junior. The suspension was a wake-up call that I desperately needed so I began to get stuff together. Anyway, during the time that I was suspended, I got a full-time job and registered for courses at my local community college to at least knock off some core courses. I also made sure that I would never make the mistakes I did during the first two years of college again. So, after the year suspension, I was readmitted into UTD and switched my major to Accounting. I worked my tail off for the next 2 years, killed all my Accounting courses and ended up earning a 3.8 major GPA and raising my cumulative GPA to a 2.86 (it was 0.683 before). During the last year of my college, I interned as Internal Audit Finance Intern. </p>
<p>My question is whether or not I have any chance of getting a job at a Big 4 or a Mid-sized firm with my current stats. I do eventually plan on getting my CPA licence and my Masters in Accounting for the credit hour requirement, so if it’s not too much too ask for, I’d like to know whether or not I should do my master first then apply or settle with whatever firm I manage to get a job (if I can get a job) and wait a few years to complete my masters.</p>
<p>@paragon…Definitely take an accounting internship before graduating. The work experience itself is a different story compared to theory accounting you learn in the classroom. Plus you will expected to be proficient in excel if you want to work in pub. accounting now that competition is getting more fierce. Even if it means taking a gap semester to get an internship on your resume, do it. Also, don’t forget to network with recruiters.</p>
<p>I’m a junior and I have two tax internships at Bulge brackets and 1 Corp. Finance internship at a F100, along with ok ECs, and 3.5+ GPA. It’s still hard to get an interview for a big 4 or mid size. Also, consider the accounting firm’s leadership programs. Those allow you to jump straight into superday for their internship</p>
<p>Quick question: I’m studying at a CT school, but I plan on getting my CPA cert in NY.</p>
<p>Would studying at a NY school have had any benefits for someone who plans on getting their CPA cert and basing him- or herself in NY that studying at a CT school wouldn’t provide? </p>
<p>Am I at a disadvantage in any conceivable way compared to if I’d studied at a NY school?</p>
<p>You need to look at the NY eligibility requirements, and make sure you meet them. Other than that, no issue.</p>
<p>I was wondering if I should double major in Accounting/CIS, taking four years to graduate and then one year to get my Master’s degree. However, wouldn’t it be better just to get an Accounting degree within 3 years and then immediately move on for a Master’s degree? I will get my Master’s degree in 4 years as opposed to 5, but at the cost of a Computer Information Systems undergraduate degree.</p>
<p>Thanks for any help in advance.</p>
<p>Question in regards to Masters Accounting programs in San Diego. I know SDSU and USD have been said to have good undergraduate accounting programs, but how are they for MS Accounting programs? Also, which of that two would you say is better in terms of recruitment? Thanks.</p>
<p>Hi taxguy, </p>
<p>I graduated back in 2011 and have been working as an accounting admin assistant ever since. I’m finally applying to MAcc programs geared towards students without an accounting background for the Fall of 2014. Just a few questions…</p>
<p>1) What are the best routes for students with non-accounting backgrounds to enter the profession? Would an MBA with a concentration in accounting suffice for the CPA and other certs? Also would a 2nd bachelor’s degree at least allow one to get their “foot in the door”?</p>
<p>2) Although I graduated with a 3.5 from a good school, I experienced many hardships during my first two years. I actually ended up withdrawing from 3 full semesters worth of classes (for the record, I regret not taking a break). Should I write a hardship letter as an addendum to my applications? And, if so, would providing medical documentation be appropriate?</p>
<p>3) Do you view the GMAT and GRE differently? I’d like to take the GRE because I have a learning disability and the GRE tends to award extended time a bit more easily. However only 10 out of the 30-odd programs I’m looking into actually accept the GRE. Should I push to take the GMAT even though I probably won’t get extended time (they’re a bit more strict than ETS)? </p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any advice. D</p>
<p>Hi,
I am currently considering accounting and by what you are saying the school you attend doesn’t matter. I’m deciding between UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point. I know Whitewater has the better business and accounting program but you are saying it does not matter what school you attend, so I’m just curious if this is true in this case as well?</p>
<p>First thing I want to say is that these posts are incredibly helpful and I thank the community for it. I am a future undergraduate student pursuing a career in accounting and wanted to get a head start in it. I have heeded the advices on this forum, but I also have some questions.</p>
<p>A few quick questions:</p>
<p>Does the majority of firms utilize QuickBooks? Does Big4?</p>
<p>Does colleges/universities teach QuickBooks/Excel in the accounting curriculum? </p>
<p>What are some recommendations for self-starters on accounting with zero experience?</p>
<p>Viciouzkid:</p>
<p>QuickBooks are mainly used by small companies and some select large companies like Liberty Mutual. When you run a larger business, you need a more sophisticated way of reporting and analyzing your data so most large companies have expensive software auditing packages or have their own custom software developed for them like the Big 4. </p>
<p>QuickBooks and Excel are typically not part of the accounting curriculum. I never had to learn them in my associates but it’s expected of you that you know how to use these programs so I suggest either taking a class or learning on your own. I still have yet to master Excel because it has so many features, however, I’m taking a QuickBooks class now and it seems to be pretty straightforward. You just got to remember where things are.</p>
<p>The only recommendation I would give for a self-starter is start reading up on some basic principles online and try to work through problems and see if it’s something you’d like to do. As for personality wise - I’m not a big detail guy and I actually like to look at the big picture which is often in conflict with the accounting personality but I feel like lots of personality types work well with that of an accountant. Some just have to work at it harder than others. The journey to find what you’re good at it is a hard one! It’s one that I myself keep reevaluating over time as I start to make plans for the future. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks hikaru12! </p>
<p>That clarifies alot of my misunderstandings. </p>
<p>I humbly thank you once again and for the life advices given to me!</p>
<p>This thread was made more than 5 years ago. I doubt job prospects in accounting are as great now…</p>
<p>Viciouzkid: It depends on your school. In my school, at the junior level, we’re using quickbooks on a project right now as a requirement. I’d say just have a fundamental understanding of accounting such as debits/credits, assumptions, etc. All of that is taught in introductory accounting classes such as financial and managerial.</p>
<p>As far as the job outlook, a partner from a firm that is currently trying to recruit me told me that he sees the job market dropping in the next few years around 2016. However, accountants are always needed which makes it such a great field, even if the demand isn’t as crazy as it is now.</p>
<p>Taxguy, for someone interested in a career on the tax side, do you recommend completing 150h (and an MSA/MAcc/etc.) and sitting for the CPA exam; or, do you see no added benefit of having the CPA (over simply becoming an EA)? </p>
<p>Also, for tax, do you think an MST (without a CPA) is worthwhile? Or, do you think that all tax professionals should have a strong background in other areas of accounting (MIS, cost accounting, managerial accounting, financial statement analysis, etc.) in order to be competitive in the job market and in their career.</p>
<p>It really depends on what you want to do. My degree isn’t in accounting, and I was an EA with a nepotism job (family tax practice) for 5 years or so, at which point I went back to school to pick up enough accounting hours to sit for the CPA exam. I had enough experience and professional contacts that I was pretty sure that if I wanted to work somewhere else I could get hired - but without the CPA designation, I’d get paid less and have fewer (maybe no) promotion chances. CPA is a lot more administrative hassle, although now that EA CPE has to be pre-approved by the IRS, there’s administrative hassle on both sides. </p>
<p>I personally see no value to an MST without a CPA. Clients who don’t care if you’re a CPA will assume that you’re technically competent regardless of your lack of designations; clients who care if you’re a CPA won’t consider an MST to be the same thing.</p>
<p>It is immensely difficult to be a competent jack-of-all-trades. The more I know, the stupider I get, and all I attempt to do these days is tax.</p>
<p>Thank you all for this thread. I have one problem. My daughter a junior in H.S. will be graduating in a year #1 in her class, 4.0 GPA, 2340 SAT, tons of EC’s and applying to top universities. I hear through this thread that it does not matter whether she gets her masters from a Upenn-Wharton, Georgetown-McDonough, Cornell-Dyson or second tier schools such as a Bentley, Binghamton, Baruch etc… Do you mean to tell me that all of her hard work to be tops in her school was for nothing if she wants to get into accounting? Whether she attends a top college or not means nothing. I find that very hard to believe. During the interview process the school attended means nothing? Bulloney!!! That gives us a very hard decision, go to a top school if accepted or go to SUNY Binghamton because of the price. I do believe the alumni from the top tier schools are rubbing elbows, and hooking each other up with good gigs. I may be wrong, but I do not think so. My friend came out of NYU-Stern and went to one of the big 4 and said he felt a little out of place the first day while watching the Georgetown group rubbing elbows over here and the Upenn hires rubbing elbows over there. He said he was eventually accepted into the mainstream but he is an exceptionally gifted human being as far as personality goes. When the partners need to make a decision between which worker will get the promotion (all other things being fairly equal) they may tend to sway on the way of someone that attended a premier college. But who knows I may be totally wrong, they may pick the kid from Baruch. </p>
<p>Ikgrg17, I won’t say it means nothing to work hard and get good grades in high school. After all, learning the primary skills in high school will serve people well throughout their lives. However, the school that you attend honestly doesn’t have the huge impact on a career that you would think, although attending a top school might open up a few job opportunities not normally available such as investment banking.
First I went to Baruch. I NEVER had any problem getting interviews with the national firms. Secondly, you are completely WRONG, and I can’t emphasize this enough, to say that partners make promotion decisions based on the college that a worker attends. It is all about the quality of their work and their social and political skills. NO ONE cares about where someone went to school when it comes to promotions! Many of these expensive colleges have fooled parents for years into thinking that they offer some type of lifetime benefit in promotion and hiring. This just isn’t the case anywhere that I have seen.</p>