<p>I'm about to start my junior year as an accountant major, and I'm not quite sure as to what is the best path for someone who is aspiring to become a CPA.</p>
<p>My GPA is very LOW (its a 2.89) but I'm definitely going to pull it up by the end of Fall semester. However, Fall is also the time where many firms do recruiting for internships, which is what I'm trying to get, however with my GPA, I don't know if I should even bother.</p>
<p>Also, I'm definitely planning on entering the MACC program after undergrad to get my 150 credits for the exam.</p>
<p>My question is, when should I apply for internships? This fall, or is it too late if I wait between my 4th-5th year, because then hopefully my grades would be above 3.0?</p>
<p>Also, I'm not shooting for the big four or anything, probably just a nationally recognized firm.</p>
If you know of firm that recruit on campus other than the Big 4, then trying for an internship is better than not trying. If you can deal with possible overlook/rejection due to your GPA (which is not the only thing many firms look at in determining internship placement), then you should go ahead. Even if you don’t shoot for the Big 4, it may turn out to be a good networking opportunity for the future. For example, you see a rep for a local firm, you talk for a while, apply for one of their internships, exchange a couple emails etc. You don’t get any interviews (you think because of your GPA), but the following year at the same event you see the same rep and bring up the prior conversations you’d had with them. They seem to remember you and you slip them your updated resume and they notice some new stuff and a good improvement on GPA. Not saying this would directly relate to you getting an internship with that particular firm (or a firm that person can refer you to), but anything is possible and I’m sure farther leaps have been made.</p>