Hi everyone, the deposit for my college decision is due in 2 weeks and I have no idea which school I should go to. I have a 95 average got a 1780 on the sat 600 math 510 reading 650 grammar. That’s my mini background for you :). I’m planning on majoring In accounting and taking the CPA exam but I don’t know which school would be best for that. I would be paying relatively the same amount for each school so that’s not a concern. I don’t know whether to stay in NY bc of the “greater” opportunities regarding internships and stuff or if it doesn’t make a significant difference. I narrowed my choice down to Scranton or St. John’s recently but I’m not sure whether they’re good. I also got into Hofstra and Pace Fordham and U of Miami. Fordham is amazing but it’s too expensive so that’s out. So Im left between Scranton, St. John’s University -queens campus, & maybe Hofstra & Pace, What I was thinking was to maintain a high Gpa and then go to an awesome grad school(NYU Stern??) Also, for accounting is it better to do a 5 yr program where I get my masters or do the 4 yrs, sit for the CPA exam , intern and go to grad school later on? If anyone can help me I’d really appreciate it, my parents don’t know much about college so I’m trying to figure this out. Thank you 
You have to do a 5 year program now before you sit for the CPA.
Can you list the precise result in dollars for this calculation:
(tuition, fees, room, board) - (scholarships, grants) = $…
for EACH university on your list, indicating if it’s 4 or 5 years.
We’ll tell you more about the value (“bang for your buck” sorta).
Pace, St John’s, Hofstra, are all accredited, UScranton isn’t.
Baruch is tops though, you weren’t interested?
You should get the Master’s degree first. But my S got his BS and then went directly to another college for a one year MS in Accounting degree so you might be able to move somewhere else for grad school. Most CPA firms will not hire you until you get the 150 credits needed to become a CPA. If you intern it is generally the summer after you get your bachelors and before you start your masters.
And UScranton is accredited per their website and I think it might be a very good option. I looked at Scranton with my S (who ended up elsewhere) and liked the school. http://www.scranton.edu/academics/ksom/
I’d try to contact the accounting or career placement departments of the schools you are considering and try to get a sense of where their graduates get hired (ex. what % got jobs, what % Big 4, what % mid sized accounting firms, what % private sector etc.)
Sorry, I checked AACSB accounting accreditation and didn’t see UScranton. If it’s accredited, then it’s a GREAT choice; strong academically, residential, well-balanced in terms of majors.
OP, can you present the different costs, calculated as stated above?
I agree with happy1: email each college about career placement, %Big4, etc.
@MYOS1634 Fordham- 54,027-24,047=$29,980
Hofstra- 45,490-31,314= $14,176
St. John’s- 44,633-41,697=$2,936 (it’s close so not sure if I should dorm)
Scranton- 54,962-44,166=$13,796
Pace had some problem with my financial aid so they still have to send it but Im not sure if I should even wait for it.
So the only way to get 150 credits is by doing the 5yr program? I wanted to get my MBA in grad (nyu is the goal) but what’s confusing me is if I do a 5 yr program for example at Scanton that means I’m getting my masters from Scranton? So then what happens to going to NYU?
@happy1 thank you, I will email the schools and see what they say. I wasn’t exactly sure what I would be asking but now I have an idea. You’re a great help
Thank you for this!
Can you afford UScranton? It seems like a good deal - you get to dorm, it’s accredited, it’s a strong school overall, and it’s not too expensive. Is that amount within budget for your parents?
As far as I know you’re allowed to spend the 5th year wherever you want. AFAIK, if you have a high GPA, you can apply anywhere for the 5th year Accounting Master’s.
oh really? I didn’t know that. What would be the difference between a a MS in accounting and an MBA. Is it possible to get both or is it a waste ? Which one is more useful? Where should I get which? Like should I do a 5 year program at Scranton and do my fifth year at nyu,? work then go back for my MBA? Im not so sure what would be the right path to go. I know this is probably alot and I have a lot of scenarios running through my mind haha but I’m just curious. If you aren’t sure that’s fine but if you do that would be great!! @MYOS1634
You can get to the 150 credits without a MS. Most people who do this have a lot of AP credits (which count towards the 150 credits) and take some summer classes to make up the difference. However, many students need a lot of credits and feel that since they have to take so many additional classes that they may as well take a few more and get the MS degree. As time goes on with all new CPAs needing the 150 credits I think more and more will opt to get a MS in Accounting. A small benefit is that you can get your CPA license with one year of experience if you have a MS as opposed to 2 years experience if you only have a BS.
It sounds to me like another question you can ask the schools is about how their 5 year program is set up. My S went to Fordham and you had to apply to Fordham’s grad school in your senior year for their one year MS in accounting program. That set-up gave him the opportunity to apply to other places and he got his MS at Notre Dame. I think some schools accept you to the MS program after junior year and then do a combined program of finishing your BS and getting a MS over the last two years. You may want to see how each school is set-up. I’d try to find out from each school: 1) if the five year accounting program at each school is a combined BS/MS program over 5 years or if you would get your BS after four years and a MS in a separate program at the school after the fifth year and 2) when you would have to commit to stay at the school for the 5th year to get the MS.
I’d also check NYU before you dream too much about going there for grad school (not to burst your bubble)-- I’m not sure that they offer a one year MS in accounting unless you did your undergraduate work there but I’m not sure (I just think my S would have applied to NYU if that was an option for his MS).
There is a difference between a MS in accounting and a MBA. The MS in accounting is a very focused degree while a MBA can be in a wide array of areas. There will be some overlap for sure. But I guess I can see someone who has an MS in accounting and wants to leave the field going on to get a MBA to jumpstart a new career, but I’d imagine that it would be pretty unusual given the cost and the time involved.
And I’m glad to provide some help with what questions to ask. I’m a CPA and my son recently became a CPA so I’m familiar with how things work.
@happy1 Thank you so much. A school that I just starting thinking about was SUNY Binghamton. When I applied I applied to the School of Managemnt not knowing how competitive it is. Everyone I know with the same grades as I do got in but to the Harpur School so I have a feeling I would’ve got into that school as well :/. What I was thinking was to go to St.Johns because I would barely be paying anything and then apply as a transfer to Bing, I don’t know, maybe as a sophomore or the second semester of freshman year? Then apply to the school of Management for junior senior year . Should I even consider this or stick to one school. I want to go to a college that’s challenging and has a good reputation. What would you do or recommend?
You can certainly transfer, especially if you start at a school and are not happy. If you do I’d probably recommend transferring sophomore year, before you really start your accounting courses.
^This sounds like a reasonable plan but would you dorm? This first year living in the dorms is very important - the things you have to deal with are very formative and you learn a lot about yourself as well as about others. What about going to UScranton for your first year, then re-assessing?
Binghamton, Albany, and Geneseo are accredited for accounting I think. Would they be affordable with just need-based financial aid? (As a transfer, you’d no longer be eligible for any merit aid).
Yea I would have to figure that out with financial aid but that seems like a good plan and if anything I could just stay in Scranton. Thank you so much @happy1 @MYOS1634 you guys were a big help!!
Seems best to choose a school and figure you’ll stay unless you are unhappy. If Scranton has everything you want, why wouldn’t you stay? Maybe to make up for students they lose, colleges seem to be encouraging students to move around. While it is always an option, it reduces the chance for successful completion. It is a great option for those unhappy during their first year. But thinking you plan to transfer from day one could interfere with your becoming fully engaged in your program. So that’s like handicapping yourself before you start.