<p>You are a rarity? LOL, think again.</p>
<p>Well it just seems that most people want to work at public firms whereas I and my wife value family time more than a big check. That’s all I meant.</p>
<p>Ah well I have seen plenty of people who want to get government jobs-federal/state/local.</p>
<p>It seems like a rarity here, too, though I think many who want family time and security and whatnot here are looking at a few years in public accounting followed by going after their PhD. </p>
<p>I will strongly consider the Federal route if I don’t get an internship or if my internship sucks. The biggest upside I see to the ridiculously frontloaded internship process with them is that I’ll probably have a really good idea whether or not I’ll be able to get a job in public accounting long before I need to start applying to everything else. Plus I’m a veteran so I get a preference.</p>
<p>It is VERY hard to get a federal job today with the economy. Many unemployed folks are applying to the government, and the government is cutting positions.</p>
<p>As for as the difference between an Internal Revenue Agent and a Revenue Officer: a Revenue agent conducts most civil tax audits and proposes deficiencies. A Revenue Officer deals with collections and settlement of a stipulated tax debts.</p>
<p>I thought the IRS was adding 2000 new positions…?</p>
<p>My son applied for a Revenue Officer position. He passed the test and was told that he didn’t get the position because IRS cut the slots. What IRS makes public in their press release doesn’t always echo reality. If people think that IRS is hiring a lot, it will encourage more compliance regardless of the reality of the situation.</p>
<p>Sounds like your son is making excuses for not having a strong GPA.</p>
<p>taxguy, you mentioned “it is VERY hard to get a federal job today with the economy.” what are the departments (ie: department of defense, energy, health and human services) that would be considered more competitive by applicants? which ones allow more growth potential? are there differences in people’s perception when it comes to prestige?</p>
<p>I’d like to add on to that question, when you join the FBI in the forensic accounting department do you have to go through the physical training with all the field officers?</p>
<p>Whistleblower notes,ounds like your son is making excuses for not having a strong GPA."</p>
<p>Response: First he graduated with honors from both undergrad and the graduate program. Secondly, he actually got a notice that “they cancelled the slots”</p>
<p>Finally, I find most of your posts to be offensive and rude,which is why you probably set up a new account to hide your normal name. Accordingly, welcome to my “ignore list.”</p>
<p>Just an update: After almost completing my undergrad, I can come to the conclusion that for Accounting, school does matter. Here is why.</p>
<p>A Big 4 recruiter at my school (UMich) said that a 3.2 or 3.3 at Ross is equivalent to a 3.7 or 3.8 at most other schools in the nation. If you go to a top school, you will get an interview from the Big 4 even if your GPA isn’t quite high (3.5+). So yes, school does matter. Also, the Big 4 recruit at a lot of other schools. But they recruit a significantly larger amount from the top schools. PwC alone hired 50 from Ross (interns + full time) last year, which has been the worst year in terms of employment for a while. That speaks a lot.</p>
<p>MightyNick, that might be true, assuming that the premium they give on UMichigan students exceeds the difference in grades the average person will get. In other words, a student who gets a 3.0 at Ross might be able to get a 3.9 at some less known, easier school putting in the same work and given the same intellect. I have gone to a top state school and a 2nd tier one, and I’d say the Big Four recruiter would find that if he could go back in time and send his 3.2-3.3 Ross hires to those other schools they’d be sitting on 3.7’s and 3.8’s right now…</p>
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<p>I am that student! (okay, maybe not a 3.0 but not exactly a 3.5 either)</p>
<p>See Ive had PwC and Deloitte tell me the opposite, that as long as its a top 25, its the same recruiting, plenty of people who go to top programs like UT dont make big4…</p>
<p>I’m torn between the two, and I can’t decide so someone here decide for me, lol. I’ve been asking everyone I know for their advice including other online forums. I’ve been telling others that I feel like a guy madly but equally in love with two wonderful women.</p>
<p>Personal info: No accounting background. I’m interested in working in the higher education industry and real estate (I’d like to combine the two somehow). </p>
<p>Chapel Hill’s program is shorter; will automatically allow me to sit for the CPA exam in states that have a 150 hour requirement; the campus and facilities are gorgeous; and the curriculum is very well-organized and laid out. </p>
<p>Some perceived disadvantages however is that the curriculum might be two crammed. It’s 12 months long and broken down into 7 week “modules” (kinda like a quarter system). In the summer sequence, you take financial and managerial acct., microecon, quantitative methods class, etc.</p>
<p>Also, the business school is isolated from the rest of campus and so it will be harder to mingle with people outside of the b-school.</p>
<p>UT’s program is more disorganized (you won’t know until you meet with your advisor how and when you’ll be eligible to sit for the CPA exam in states that have a 150 requirement), but it’s also more flexible. They have four tracks including a managerial acct. track that you can combine/tailor to your carreer goals.</p>
<p>I know the regular posters on this thread say that a # 1 ranking doesn’t matter in accounting, but it’s hard not to let that sway you psychologically. Having said this though, part of the reason schools like Texas and Illinois are ranked so highly is because they have large ph.d programs that produce alot of professors, who are the ones who fill out the ranking surveys.</p>
<p>Also, UT’s McCombs School is right in the heart of campus, and it feels just more socially alive. Austin’s also more fun than Chapel Hill.</p>
<p>I don’t know what to make of going for the shorter or longer program. I don’t have the cash to burn, but a longer program allows me to plan more ahead and mature. The cost will come out about even or more expensive for UT since it’s longer. </p>
<p>I’ve been told that UNC is better for North Carolina obviously, but also the east coast.</p>
<p>Texas would be better for Texas and its surrounding states.</p>
<p>What do you guys think of the reputation of these two programs for southern or northern California?</p>
<p>My son is an Eco major at a small LAC. A senior, he’s only taken Accounting I, but it seems to be a good fit. What should he do next if he wants to continue towards a career in accounting? Take more accounting courses, or go for an MBA? Is it necessary to have an MBA or is that later?</p>
<p>BTW: my niece will graduate in May and already has a job lined up at one of the Big 4. Goes to UVa.</p>
<p>Hows your niece even relevant? If he wants the fastest way to accounting he should do an MSA.</p>
<p>If I have a poor record in undergraduate but I do a masters in accounting, will employer’s mainly look at my master’s record GPA?</p>
<p>biocmp, each firm as a different culture. Some are very grade oriented…period. The is particularly true for the big 4 firms.Some are much more forgiving regarding grades if the student shows a good personality and seems to have a decent work ethic. You just need to send out resumes and interview a lot.</p>