<p>I am so Glad to have come across this Forum.</p>
<p>And sincerely seek your help… Though I might sound a bit Dumb( am feeling so much the same… right now) but please be patient and give the post a read.</p>
<p>I am 28 years old/ Female from India. I have a work ex of almost 3 years as a company secretary and in the Finance Department of the Company.</p>
<p>COMPANY SECRETARY (C.S.), though sounds like a secretarial position is indeed a statutory position… a requirement for all the INDIAN Companies. There’s a single Comapny Secretary in the Company and he’s the principal officer responsible for all the legal and financial compliances ( the authorised signatory for all company’s documents including Financial).</p>
<p>Company secretary profession is governed by Parliamentary Act. The syllabus includes everything from Corporate/ Business laws to Finance, Taxation and accounting. </p>
<p>I even have a Mater’s degree in Commerce with major in Accountancy and Business Stats.</p>
<p>Now the main problem( please dont think that all I wrote earlier was CRAP!!!)</p>
<li><p>I am moving to US this november…as CS is not known in US I have to pursue something else…</p></li>
<li><p>based on my past ex… i had two choices LAW/ MBA…Looking at the period of time involved I oPted for MBA.</p></li>
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<p>3.Am taking GMAT… THIS AUGUST… BUT HONESTLY, think i have had enough of stats and dread to study Maths/ quantitaive tech again.</p>
<li><p>Rather I wanted to pursue… Anthropology or something to do with community service… but dont have any under grad experience there.</p></li>
<li><p>I can only enroll into B schools around San Francisco… where I just know of two- HAAS and Stanford… cracking them is again a big deal.</p></li>
<li><p>Am in a fix Guys…</p></li>
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<p>6.1 suggest me is My profile good enough?
6.2 Other good schools in San francs… with decent placements.
6.3 Is MBA a wise decision.</p>
<p>Please help!!!</p>
<p>P.S. and yeah thanks a ton for reading it… to last.</p>
<p>Why don't you work for awhile and see what's what in the states. I really don't know if your grades/scores/experience are Stanford or Haas calibre, but those are the only top business schools in the SF area. If you can get into Stanford, then go, it will take you anywhere. Haas isn't in that league but it's very respected in CA and I'd go if I wanted to work there. There are a bunch of mediocre ones after that, but wait until you see whether one of those will get you where you want to go.</p>
<p>Thanks... but You see thats the trouble I dont know what can I do In US based on my India exp....which was all to do with Indian Tax laws/ corporate law..</p>
<p>Well no one here knows either. If you are moving here because of parent's employment, can the employer help you? Will you have a visa good for any job?</p>
<p>To understand if you have a shot at Stanford let's say, there must be profs you have had that can help you decide whether your job and education background would be considered top.</p>
<p>Have you ever thought about part-time MBA. Chicago GSB is offering one. The quality of this degree is very good, and it is much easier to crack it than HAAS or Stanford fulltime MBA.
You would have time to work and probably to pass CFA exams (for example) at the same time (I think it's doable)...</p>
<p>Otherwise you have to master GMAT etc. to get to Stanford or HAAS and this may be (honestly) very very difficult...</p>
<p>The situation is that I am getting married and moving to San franc.</p>
<p>Though after Browsing for a while, jus realised that there are couples of masters degrees available in finance/ accounting. ( under different names) </p>
<p>But don't know how beneficial they are ? Plus doing a part time MBA....I thought of Santa Clara Univ ( Leavey School) but then again, Think that in my case a Full time would only help!!!!!!!!GOD i am so so so CONFUSED.</p>
<p>are you moving to San Fran or San Jose? University of Santa Clara is kind of far from San Fran, don't let the milage fool you, traffic can be bad.</p>
<p>CPA and CFA are qualifications for accountants and financial planners and not really programs to get masters degrees. However, CPAs and CFAs generally make pretty good money. Yet, it's not the same as an MBA or Masters in Finance degrees. Rather, you will need or be expected to have these qualifications if you want to do someone's taxes (CPA) or manage someones stock portfolio (CFA).</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. I definitely understand that CPA and CFA are not programs to get a Master's degree. But I asked for these Programs as they are very much in line with what I have studied and Done.</p>
<p>From your reply it seems that a Master's in Finance, is more lucrative than CPA/CFA.. Right? And is it essential to have a Master's If i wana practice as a CPA/ CFA?</p>
<p>Further Jasper, are there good Univs. at San Franc, from where pursuing a Master's in Finance/ Accounting would be worthwhile?</p>
<p>As i have already said I am so tired of Investments/ Finance/ taxes.. feel have had enough of them, But can't change the stream as all my education has been in these fields, So want something Light,(Not too stressing) which pays Decent( is it possible?????)</p>
<p>-Shivangi</p>
<p>P.S. hey, thanks for that additional information on the distance to Santa Clara.. coz I m indeed moving to San Fran.</p>
<p>If you're tired of finance/investing/etc. then don't do either the CPA or CFA, in my opinion. I think the MBA will be best for you, as it seems you want to make a career change and that degree can help facilitate that. You will have the opportunity to explore your desire to work in community service or other non-profit work (I believe United Way is headquarted in SF). Also, SF is a very culturally rich and diverse place which will afford you a lot of opportunity to explore career options in areas you seem interested in. </p>
<p>FYI, I wiki'd "Company Secretary" and it says that it is known as a "Corporate Secretary" here in the states and is a very respected occupation. </p>
<p>On a completely different note; don't think you can't change the stream you are on. Many people change their course mid-career and have found that the skills the learned in one profession actually makes them well suited for other professions. Do what you love, and don't look back.</p>
<p>To be fully accredited as CPA and CFA, one needs related and qualified work experience.
I suggest you come to the US, get a job, spend more time getting adjusted, then you can decide what to do. You don't want to jump into anything.</p>
<p>Thanks for that info on Corporate secy. . i did visit their websits and even talked to a person there. Actually its very different in US. corp. secy. Dont have to qualify any exam.. rather their essential duty is to draft minutes.</p>
<p>Pretty different from a CS in India.</p>
<p>And yeah Cbreeze, even I feel I m stressing out without a reason.</p>
<p>Anyways jus one more things guys tell me how good it is to do a MBA from a not so good univ.. something like California state University?</p>
<p>I would try and stay away from the state schools (CSU) if at all possible. You seem smart and should be able to get in somewhere else, at least look at University of California San Francisco. UCSF is a good school, just not full of hoity-toity people all caught up on prestige.</p>
<p>To be a corporate secy. u have to attend some essential seminars, at least thats what i could make out from my conversation with that lady, but i wonder whether someone can gain a good knowledge of SOX jus by attending seminars.</p>
<p>Further, I guess University of california, San Francisco, doesnt have a finance program, its into medical sciences only.. Did you mean USF??</p>
<p>mOREOVER WHILE LOOKING FOR GOOD ACCOUNTING/ FINANCE SCHOOLS.. i CAME ACROSS kELLER gRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT. Is it good?</p>
<p>Keller is DeVry and neither is AACSB accredited. I wouldn't go to that school, nor would I consider an online degree if I could help it. Still, if I couldn't go to a "brick and mortar" I would make sure the school is properly papered; make sure it is AACSM accredited.</p>