<p>You could also always get the Masters in Accounting to fulfill the 150 credit hours.</p>
<p>Some people say it’s useless but I don’t think so at all.</p>
<p>-More opportunities to get a job in a big 4/national/regional firm instead of an industry job.
-Higher salary potential (even if it’s not much).
-Great job placement, anywhere in the country (depending on how good your program is).
-Better review to pass the CPA exam.
-Only 1 year.</p>
<p>But it’s better if you don’t have to end up paying a lot of money for it.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how Big 4 recruiting is for Masters in Accounting programs? I won’t be starting the program until the fall, so I won’t have any GPA or courses in Accounting when they come for fall recruiting (for internships). Will I still be eligible for interviews? I’m unsure if Masters recruiting is similar to undergraduate.<br>
I was also told the Big 4 does recruit at the school, but I fear the program may not carry enough prestige to get me that interview during fall recruiting.</p>
<p>I want to actually add to my above question. Would it be more suitable for me to get an MBA or MAcc? The MAcc programs I have looked at seemed more focus on just getting you to past the CPA exam, and less so on the actual jobs.</p>
<p>Between the MAcc and the MBA, it seems that the MBA programs I am looking at are more focused on placing you in a good job while the MAcc programs are more focused on getting you to pass the CPA exam. The con is the MBA programs are about 35 more credits than I feel I need right now. But if it means Big 4, I’d rather do it.</p>
What did you major for under? Do you intend to get an ACCOUNTING postion in big 4? I don’t see why big 4 will hire you if you don’t have course work in accounting, unless you’re doing non-accounting stuff. MBA program won’t help if you have no accounting background, so listen to taxguy. I’m curious what information you provide to your advisor for your career goal.</p>
<p>Not talking from personal experience, but from looking at lots of potential MAcc and MBA programs and from comments on this site and others:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Some posters have claimed the Big Four will be less favorable towards MBA’s because if you have one you are probably less committed to the accounting profession than someone with an MsAcc.</p></li>
<li><p>MBA programs with concentrations in Accounting are often going to be very repetitive for someone with a BBA in Accounting. So, particularly if you are looking at Big Four as a stepping stone to non-public accounting type jobs in the long run, get a BBA in Accounting, and an MBA in something else(but make sure you have all your requirements for the CPA, for me that’s two classes beyond what our BBA in accounting gives, plus whatever you need to get to 150 total hours). Again, I don’t know if they’re going to want to give a job to a guy with a BBA in Accounting and an MBA in Finance. Maybe they realize now that nearly everyone they hire is going to be gone in 5 years anyway so it doesn’t matter if you leave to be an accountant at a regional firm or a zookeeper as long as you do a good job while you are there. I really don’t know. </p></li>
<li><p>From what I’ve seen, there are plenty of programs at the Master’s level for people who have BBA’s in Accounting. These are distinct from those which are basically CPA mills for people with other types of degrees. UIUC for example has a Master’s in Accounting Science for these types and a MS in Accountancy for the rest. I estimate the majority of my classes when I get my master’s will not really be CPA prep. Particularly if I go heavily into the taxation track. Obviously if you haven’t already taken 6 hours of intermediate accounting, auditing, accounting information systems, etc etc, then your MAcc is going to be heavily CPA oriented. So I think as long as you look before you leap, you can get a Master’s degree in Accounting that is not just a glorified CPA prep…OR if that’s what you really need then you can probably get exactly that, too.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I am currently attending an AACSB accrediated school in the Midwest going into my senior year majoring in Accounting. I am involved with Beta Alpha Psi, and also another fraternity on campus. My cum GPA by the time I graduate should be about a 3.0-3.2. My accounting GPA is very high around a 3.8. I have also networked a lot within the Big 4 I have gotten to know a few partners and managers who can forward my resume and maybe will lead to interviews. I believe I have a great personality who can interview well, I also have about 2 years of internship experience in the accounting field within the industry. I just want to know if I have a chance with the Big 4, or will my cum GPA hold me down. I will be going a 5th year to get my MSA also. I will most likely have around a 3.5-3.8 in grad school for a year if that helps at all.</p>
<p>Canes, a LOT depends on the interviewer. Generally, y our accounting GPA is the more important;however, one never knows what the interviewer might prefer. All I can say is that you have a shot.</p>
<p>Great thread, Taxguy. I have a question I haven’t been able to get a reliable answer for elsewhere, so maybe someone here knows.
My son is an accounting major who will be starting his final year next fall with about four years worth of class credit, by his University’s standards, which include credit for AP classes taken in high school. If the 150 hour requirement includes those units, he’ll be able to complete the 150 upon graduation. If not, he’ll have to take more classes.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if (in California) the 150 hour requirement can be met (in part) with AP classes?</p>
<p>Kluge that is a GREAT question to which I don’t know the answer. I would think that geting AP credit is the same as taking a college course for credit. Thus, it would qualify. I would check,however, with the California State Board of Accounting.</p>