<p>hello,
i am about to enter my junior year at a big pac 10 school and was wondering if i could get your advice. I just studied abroad in china for 2 months for a global business program and am on track to graduate a semester early ( fall 2011) what i want to ask you is in regards to the upcoming semester. by the spring i will have obtained a 3.5 gpa approx. and i want to get your advice if i should apply for an internship at a big 4 in LA(my home city) or instead do networking and get an internship at a big 4 office in phoenix. or if i should go with a smaller firm that recruits at my school. ( GT, BDO)</p>
<p>is it difficult for an out of state student at an above average business school out of state to get an internship back at his home state since those offices recruit ucla and usc kids mostly?</p>
Firms do not care about study abroad - it’s good experience for you however, but they do not care.</p>
<p>2) Don’t graduate early. It will not matter. What’s the point of doing this? If it’s not a finance issue, stay. Enjoy. What if you do not get an internship or a full time offer by then?</p>
<p>3) Do you want to do the CPA exam?</p>
<p>4) Good GPA, keep it up. Safe territory.</p>
<p>5) Is your school accounting accredited?</p>
<p>6) Network, get an internship wherever you can. Try everything. Don’t just rule out the smaller firms.</p>
<p>7) Any internships or jobs?</p>
<p><—I have a job with a national public accounting firm lined up.
Thank you very much.
:D</p>
<p>yes its accounting accredited its u of arizona. if i do not graduate early ill probably double major in finance or econ. yes i want to do the cpa exam. in california u only need 120 credits but its subject to change so ill get a masters from usc or claremont colleges. i will network and such but im worried since it will be networking with phoenix offices. i want to network with the LA or orange county offices because its where i want to work. the accounting program here is ranked 18th among public schools ( US news) and the business college overall is ranked 23rd among public schools ( US news). i am really just worried if i should get an internship in phoenix or try to get one back in LA. im just unsure since it may be more difficult and i may have a better chance to get an internship with a big 4 in phoenix.</p>
<p>What exactly do you expect from posting this question?</p>
<p>Of course in a perfect world someone would come on here and say “you have a 25.65% greater chance of getting a job in Phoenix” but that’s just not going to happen.</p>
<p>It depends on a million variables including the firm, demand in both locations, and how strong of a candidate you are. You’re just going to have to make the call based on incomplete information and go with it. That’s the real world…</p>
<p>1) For intern, get whatever you can get from your campus regardless location. Statistically, it’s much easier in Phoenix office than in LA since your college is local to Phoenix.</p>
<p>2) If you get the internship, you would probably be extended an offer. At that time, ask if it can be transferred to LA office if the internship is big4 or national firms. Also at the same time, apply directly to the LA office of all the firms. Since you have internship already, you have an edge over those who don’t. </p>
<p>3) For big4 at least - If you end up only have offers in Phoenix, take it. You can apply for internal transfer after whatever time it needs to. This is not unheard of. The shortest I know is 6 month, calif to NY.</p>
<p>4) While double major, plan/choose your courses effectively. Try take all accounting/business/ethics your school offers. Starting 2014, Calif. requires additional 30 quarter units of accounting/business (although still undefined yet) and 15 quarter units of ethics, on top of the current 36 accounting + 36 business. That’s 102 quarter units (or 68 semester units) of acct/busi in total. Still, Master is NOT required. Unless you’re sure you can be licensed before 2014, you’d better load up for the extra.</p>
<p>thanks for the replies everyone. unfortunently i am set to graduate in fall 2011 , i can graduate in the spring but that would require me to either take 6 units(2 classes) which have nothing to do at all with my major, or i can take some bs classes for “fun.” the thing is i wouldnt know what to do in the spring if i decided to graduate in the fall.my counselor recommended me applying to the business school in az since they accept ppl in the spring, but i am still uncertain since i am not sure if i want to get on in az, i would perfer to get on in southern california where my family and home is.anyways just came to seek some advice from some experts who can help me out with my situation</p>