Recent Alumni Here - Ask Questions!

Colleges and Universities A-Z SUNY at Albany
1

Hello all,

I am here to help any prospective students or parents of prospective students figure out if UAlbany is the right choice for them.

About myself:

Major: Accounting
Minor: Business Administration
Transfer student from community college
Lived OFF campus (commuter student)
Graduated: December 2016

Personally, I love UAlbany. Right now, it is an exciting time to be a part of the Great Dane’s family because there are so many wonderful things happening on campus. To name a few:

  1. Renovated campus center/courtyard (outside of the science library)
  2. Expansion of the downtown campus (College of Engineering and Applied Sciences)
  3. College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity

UAlbany is truly a “University on the move.” - President Jones

Specifically about the business school: It is amazing. Simply amazing. Companies truly value UAlbany grads from what I can see (considering all of the job offers that I have received).

I don’t want to make this too long… So please, any questions that anyone has, feel free to ask and I will answer to the best of my ability!

2

were you a tour guide?

3

I was not, but I have grown up in the Albany area and I have been to campus so many times that I could probably be a tour guide at this point haha.

4

@JMM72493

Congrats. If I may ask, what job offers have you received? I know the recruiting is great at Albany, but Binghamton likes to brag about how great their placement rate is so I would love to hear what offers you received. Big 4? midsize, small? Thanks

ps are you considering staying at albany for your masters? Seems to me that would be a great fit for you since you know the professors, they know you etc

5

@euve69

Thanks!
Personally, I am not interested in a career with the Big 4 (I know, shocker, haha) but many, many of my friends in the accounting program have received offers from the Big 4. I would honestly say about 80% of people I KNOW in the program have interned/accepted full-time offers with one of those companies.

As for me, my interests are more directed at the banking industry. I have received an internship offer through the State Attorney General Office for forensic audit which I am definitely considering. I also received a full-time job through KeyBank (interned there) for an internal audit position. Additionally, I have spoken with many mid-size firms and smaller firms, but many require work experience (1-5 year approx) and so I figured that interning or KeyBank would be a better start to my career.

Unfortunately, I will not be attending UAlbany for grad school. I fell very ill during the time that I had to take the GMAT exam, and I just have not had the money to retake it since (apartment bills, etc.). So, I am hoping to receive admission elsewhere.

The professors are honestly amazing. Each accounting professor that I have had is great; each with a PhD and experience in their field. Even my finance and business course professors were very good. I will definitely miss them. In some way, though, I think going to another university would be a good experience because it will kind of enhance my ability to adapt to new environment and things like that.

I know your son is considering UAlbany for college, and I think you guys will be extremely satisfied. I sound like a broken record, but there are numerous organizations that assist with helping students find jobs. Take Beta Alpha Psi (accounting fraternity) for instance: They bring in recruiters from Big 4 firms all of the time. Same with Delta Sigma Pi (business fraternity). Don’t get turned off by the word “fraternity!” They are not like social fraternities in the partying sense, haha.

Also, taking advantage of the career fairs that are hosted twice a year is very beneficial. Encourage your son to participate each and every time.

Reach out to Professor Hughes. He is a great person to speak with about the program as he is the director of the undergraduate and graduate program. He is also a professor for numerous accounting and additional courses. He is truly a pleasure to speak to.

Good luck!

6

@JMM72493

Yes, I spoke with Professor Hughes right around Thanksgiving. I spoke with him for over an hour. He is a great individual and I got alot of info from him. Like I have been saying all along, I love Albany, and we visited the campus in October and he liked it alot. I know if he goes there that he will get a great education and if he does well, he will get alot of opportunities internship wise.

Sorry to hear you did not feel well during the gmat, but does Albany really put alot of weight on that for a MS degree? Especially for a Albany undergrad who did very well in the accounting program? I know they require it for accredidation purposes, but do they really give a crap how you do? Just curious what score they are looking for.

Anyway. I am sure there are alot of programs out there that will accept you.

Good Luck!!

7

ugh, yes unfortunately :frowning: but here is the thing: UAlbany has this “index score” where they take your GPA, multiply it by 200 (or so i believe), and then they add your GMAT score. if you are at a 1250 or above (which admittedly, requires a strong GPA and GMAT score), you are automatically accepted.

i know people who have gotten into graduate accounting programs at UAlbany with less than a 500 on the GMAT. they did, however, have a strong undergraduate GPA. make sure your son busts his butt studying in case he slips up on the GMAT.

i am retaking it, but i will be too late by the time UAlbany’s deadline rolls around. i am hoping for admission at University of New Hampshire or UBuffalo depending on how i do! I know there are certain schools where if you are an accounting major with a certain GPA and you’re trying to go to the same university for grad school, some universities waive the GMAT for their undergraduate students. UAlbany, unfortunately, is not one of them :frowning:

guess that tells you somewhat of how serious their business school is!