<p>One line degrees such as University of Phoenix should be acceptable for CPA requirements IF the school is properly accredited. Since each state has slightly different requirements in order to sit for the CPA, please check with the appropriate State Board of Accountancy regarding course requirements.</p>
<p>Taxguy, you seem to really know your stuff - I’m an accounting student at a community college about to transfer. I’ve enjoyed what I have seen at Arcadia University, a smaller school outside of Philadelphia. They are accredited by the ACBSP and a member of the AACSB (membership seems different than accreditation though). Do you think a student with great grades would have trouble finding an accounting job after graduation because I did not attend a bigger school like Drexel?</p>
<p>BrodyR, I really can’t comment on job prospects for grads of online schools. I just don’t know. Ask an accounting firm about them. Frankly, I would doubt that Arcadia would have the same cache with firms as the top flagship state university in your state.</p>
<p>AACSB is accreditation for large research universities only. Most schools will never Achieve that accreditation. Arcadia is a top tier private school and is well known in the region. If your goals are for a regional job Arcadia is good for you. Arcadia’s global studies college is among the top international schools in the country and Arcadia has programs all over the world. If you goal is international Arcadia should be good. If you goal is wall street or fortune 500 you need to reconsider.</p>
<p>I’m an Arcadia M.B.A. candidate but I’m self employed and live around the corner. I own an Investment Advisory and international VC consulting firm. I would definitely hire from Arcadia and my alma mater Temple U. I’ve already taken on 1 Arcadia graduate. It also depends on how you use the degree. Most of my clientele don’t care where I got my degree just that i have one and know more about business than they do. Most business adjunct professors are just MBA’s. So my MBA is like a license to consult and teach. JP Morgan doesn’t care either. They wouldn’t hire me, but they’ll contract with me; which is all that counts in the end… Show Me The Money.</p>
<p>I believe online courses hinder your networking ability and a lot of business is networking. Apparently quite a few people disagree. I’m probably wrong and old fashioned…</p>
<p>Tort. If you don’t mind me asking…I am interested in investment advising…what was your path to get to where you are?</p>
<p>How is the pay for CPAs in Big Four firms with a few years of work experience? Compared to those in mid-sized or smaller firms?</p>
<p>My route was non traditional. It depends on what you want to do. Do you want to manage funds, do research, do wealth management and personal finance, or become a hedge or private equity fund. I recommend starting with a degree in Finance and get a MFS or a PhD in economics, or a MSFE. </p>
<p>I’m more into venture capital so I’m BBA Finance/International Business Administration, MBA/Finance (candidate) I have a series 65 and a real estate license. My employees have the 65, and an insurance producers license, and/or series 3. I’m interested in investment banking activities so I may get sponsored or buy a shell bank and get the new series 79 and the 24. </p>
<p>For my international business studies I took mostly international finance and economics courses; and1 international marketing class, and 1 international law class.</p>
<p>I’ve seen financial planners with English degrees. As long as you’re good with math up to basic algebra you can be a financial planner. I believe basic algebra is not enough to be competent in finance. But some disagree… Who am I to argue with my lesser and weaker competition. ;)</p>
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<p>Everything else you said may or may not be true, but this is definitely not true. I could give you a long list of schools that have AACSB that are not large research universities.</p>
<p>Cardiovascular technologist
Between the ongoing need for hospital workers and the aging baby boomer population, this is one career that isn’t going anywhere, says Laurence Shatkin, author of more than 20 books for job hunters, including “150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs.” According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this job is expected to grow by 24 percent through the year 2018. As the BLS reports, most cardiovascular technologists in training earn at least a two-year technical degree. In addition, some get on-the-job training in the necessary equipment (for example, EKGs).
Median annual salary: $60,400</p>
<p>Database administrator
Like health care, information technology remains a hot field with ample opportunity, says workplace expert Alexandra Levit, whose latest book is “New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career.” In other words, she says, “Everyone needs these people.” Whether you’ve acquired the necessary tech skills in the workplace or studied information technology or management information systems in college, a solid foundation in computing is essential, reports the BLS, adding that certifications can only make you more attractive to employers.
Median annual salary: $72,600</p>
<p>Gas/electric/utilities strategic planning analyst
Working in the utilities sector remains a wise bet, no matter what the economy’s doing, Levit says. “They’re just not downsizing at the rate that some other industries are right now. People still have to heat their homes,” she explains. As a bonus, the BLS predicts turnover for utilities positions will be high in the coming decade as older workers retire (in 2008, 53 percent of the utilities workforce was age 45 or older). According to the BLS, of all utilities sector support staff, technology workers and analysts will find themselves best equipped to capitalize on job openings.
Median annual salary: $68,700</p>
<p>Accountant
Do you enjoy crunching numbers but worry that the bulk of corporate accounting jobs were eliminated in the wake of the 2008 banking crisis? There’s no need, Levit says. In fact, the BLS estimates that accounting jobs will grow by 22 percent in the next decade. Plus, “Accountants make a good living, especially those who work with organizations that have been required to meet certain federal mandates,” Levit says.
Median annual salary: $49,100</p>
<p>Marketing manager
With a product branding and business management background, you – and your bank account – can go far. Organizations from all walks of corporate America need creative folks who can write and analyze a marketing survey, position a product to consumers and the media, and collaborate with market researchers, product managers, and profit-minded accountants. What’s more, the BLS predicts that opportunities for marketing managers will increase by 13 percent through 2018.
Median annual salary: $60,200</p>
<p>Dental hygienist
Of all the jobs that require a two-year technical degree, this one promises the most opportunity in the new decade, boasting a whopping 36 percent growth rate, Shatkin says. Why? Because “dentists try to shrug off more work to dental hygienists so they can see more patients,” he explains. As a bonus, Shatkin adds, many of these positions are part-time with flexible hours, making them ideal for parents with young children.
Median annual salary: $57,100</p>
<p>Interior designer
Are you a design blog junkie? The friend everyone calls when they need help sprucing up their living room? Then why not put your artistic flair to work? Although you’ll need to invest in a design degree and acquire the necessary budgeting and software skills, the payoff is worth it, says Shatkin: Job opportunities are expected to grow by 19 percent through 2018.
Median annual salary: $46,100</p>
<p>Occupational therapist
Thanks to the country’s aging population, occupational therapy remains a high-growth field, with 26 percent more jobs predicted in the new decade, Shatkin says. If you’re the patient, nurturing sort who thrives on helping people, this could be the career for you. Occupational therapists help people who’ve been sick, injured, or otherwise impaired gain the necessary life skills (using a computer, cooking, dressing, and so on) to return to work or their own home. According to the BLS, nearly a third of occupational therapists work part-time, and a master’s degree and state license are usually required.
Median annual salary: $69,400</p>
<p>Source: Salary data from PayScale.com. The salaries listed are median annual salaries for full-time workers with 5-8 years of experience and include any bonuses, commissions, or profit sharing.</p>
<p>Michelle Goodman is a freelance business journalist and author of “The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube.”</p>
<p>Hey… I made a thread about attending a MAcc program. Just thought I could link it here if anyone has any more input </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/business-school-mba/967629-attending-macc-program-25-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/business-school-mba/967629-attending-macc-program-25-a.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Taxguy,
On the first page, you say this:</p>
<p>7.What is the best preparation in high school? Surprisingly, I do NOT recommend that you take any accounting in high school. You will get plenty of that in college. You should take a strong college preparatory program, which should include four years of math, English, history, economics, science etc. </p>
<p>You also mention that accounting is a “weed-out” program. I guess I am questioning the idea of studying accounting in high school so the student can get a feel for it. I know they will get plenty of it in college but wouldn’t it be somewhat wise to get a semester or two feel for it in high school to make sure it is truly something the student wants to study? My son has a strong interest in accounting but he has never actually done accounting so I am not sure where that interest comes from! We do a lot of budgeting and finance work plus economics with him so that might influence him but he doesn’t know accounting from surgery. I just think giving him a little background in accounting could help him to make sure he really wants to go in that direction once he is of college age.</p>
<p>Wakeup 13, I’m not the one you’re looking for answer, but last year I had a conversation with a college admission officer. When asking if my child should take an accounting class over a science class, the answer was a very clear “NO”. He pointed out -</p>
<p>1) The accounting classes offered in HS are normally towards preparing kids into workforce right after HS graduation. It’s too easy. It’s better to have students to take broad **college prep **classes even the student wants to major in accounting, same as you quoted from Taxguy.</p>
<p>2) If a student really wants to be exposed to some accounting classes while in HS, he/she should take those classes in local community college rather than in high school.</p>
<p>Thanks, Watermark. That helps!</p>
<p>I am currently active duty Army and I have about 2 years until I get out. I have a BA in Political Science, but would like to go into Accounting when I’m done with the military. I’m looking at a Certificate in Accounting online from UCLA extension which is AACSB. The courses are expensive, but my GI Bill covers it all. I could finish in 2 years and it meets all the req’s for taking the North Carolina CPA. Would having a certificate hurt my chances of getting a job rather than a full Bachelors in Accounting? If I do get my CPA would employers care that its only a certificate? Thanks.</p>
<p>I would use the TAP thing(tuition assistance program or something like that?) Whatever it is where you get 5000 a year for tuition or 4500 or whatever it is. It’s been a few years since I was in, so I don’t really remember. Use that to get the introductory coursework in accounting and then get a Masters. Many MAcc programs will have a minimum number of hours for those with undergrad degrees in accounting or lots of accounting coursework. Pick some you would like to do, in person, so you can have access to campus recruiting. </p>
<p>Use active duty tuition assistance, not your GI Bill, get your basic accounting, finance, management, etc classes and then you should be able to get a Macc in two or three semesters right when you get out using The GI Bill. You’ll still have 2-3 years of GI Bill left. That way, if you want to get an MBA at a great school 3 years down the line you’ll be able to do it. You’ll also be able to get an MBA at an okay school if you get fired. Free tuition plus BAH isn’t bad, definitely better than delivering pizzas. I think you can also get unemployment while on the GI Bill in most cases. It’s a nice safety cushion to have.</p>
<p>Unfortunately as an Officer, using tuition assistance also means an extra 2 year obligation when I’m done with my classes. I will still look into an online MAcc using my GI BIll. Thanks.</p>
<p>To anyone who can answer, what is the business honor society in colleges, Beta Alpha Psi, all about? I just ran into it while looking at some college websites. Is it important to have in the college you select? I am a senior in high school & am deciding where I’m applying etc.</p>
<p>BAP is basically a little club which doesn’t allow people with bad GPA’s or people who aren’t in relevant majors. That makes it really helpful as a filter for companies, particularly accounting firms. So if Company X wants to get its hooks into some A students without having to buy dinners for the C students, they’ll invite BAP over for a boring infomercial in their office. If you want to work for Company X, you should join BAP.</p>
<p>My guess is if your school doesn’t have BAP but is still well regarded, then it shouldn’t matter because if Company X recruits on that campus they’ll probably have some other way to give you a free dinner and make you watch some powerpoint. </p>
<p>If your school doesn’t have BAP because it’s really, really bad, then that’s another thing. However there’s probably better ways to tell that a college is bad than seeing if it’s got BAP, especially because there’s probably more bad colleges with BAP than good ones without it.</p>
<p>Never seen this answered, but what are the few states that DONT need 150 credits for CPA?</p>
<p>Go to Beckers website. They will answer that question. </p>
<p>I know my former state North Carolina doesn’t.</p>