<p>Hi everyone:</p>
<p>Is it better to study right away for my CPAs after my undergrad or apply to a Maac program?</p>
<p>Apply to as many public accounting firms as you can and get some solid work experience. That’s probably the best thing you can do for your career right now.</p>
<p>When are you graduating?</p>
<p>Spring of 2012. I’m planning to use the Maac program as a way to fulfill the units needed for the CPA license.</p>
<p>Ok. Also, if you could provide a “mini-resume” (gpa, ECs, work experience) I can give you some very relevant advice.</p>
<p>workingATbig4,</p>
<p>Right now, I have a 3.5 GPA at a Cal State University. I’m going into my senior year. My only ECs include clubs such as Accounting Society, however I don’t hold any leadership positions. I’m currently working at a small accounting/consulting firm as an intern.</p>
<p>I don’t think that I have a high chance for a spot at the Big 4 (although it’s my dream to work at Deloitte). I just want the best realistic path for my career, given what I have on my resume.</p>
<p>Well the problem is your lack of preparation honestly. You have all the right stats to at least get a Big4 interview (assuming they recruit at your school), but the recruiting season is very much underway and you need to getting an internship this spring or summer 12 to have a shot at full time. </p>
<p>Go find out about your schools recruiting season for Big4 ASAP. Let us know when you get this info.</p>
<p>Does the DTTL recruit at your school? If yes, then you have a shot. Although your GPA is fine, try to improve it, and join the Beta Alpha Psi.</p>
<p>Also…what other ECs did you do? And leadership doesn’t have to be an office position. You can highlight a time when you lead a project for your club. Any volunteer work with these clubs? And finally, what are your upper level accounting grades (int I,II, audit, etc.)?</p>
<p>Big 4 normally recruits during this upcoming semester at my school. I’ve been told that they only hire juniors to intern during the summer after their junior year. Unfortunately, I’m a senior. Is it worth staying a fifth year for an extra round of recruitment?</p>
<p>I have not participating as much ECs as I should have during college, but I’ll try to make it up this year.</p>
<p>My grades for upper level accounting so far are A in int I and II.</p>
<p>“I’m planning to use the Maac program as a way to fulfill the units needed for the CPA license.”</p>
<p>Shouldn’t you have enough units coming out with a degree in accounting to sit for the CPA exam? In addition, you can fill up the additional units by taking courses at a community college rather than paying multiples for a MAAc. But if you are doing it strictly for recruiting, then that’s another story.</p>
<p>I’ll have enough to sit for the exam, but not enough for the license in California (150 units). I’ll have 120 upon graduation. I would take courses at a community college, but the California Board of Accountancy is implementing a new rule that requires specific accounting courses for the remaining 30 units. These aren’t offered at community colleges.</p>
<p>Pathway 2 (After Jan. 1, 2014, this will be the ONLY pathway to licensure in California.)
If you are licensed under this pathway, the majority of other states will recognize your license. If you think that someday you might want to practice in another state, Pathway 2 may provide you the professional mobility you desire. Requirements:</p>
<pre><code>A bachelor’s degree;
24 semester units in accounting-related subjects;
24 semester units in business-related subjects;
150 semester units (or 225 quarter units) of education;
Passing the Uniform CPA Exam; • One year of general accounting experience supervised by a CPA with an active license; and
Passing an ethics course.
</code></pre>
<p>You won’t have 24 and 24 of accounting and business units when you graduate?</p>
<p>The gray area is challenging for universities and students, as there is no clear definition of what curriculum will need to be taught so students can meet the new requirements. Most universities do not offer 10 units of ethics and would have to develop these courses from scratch. In fact, it would not be advisable for colleges to develop courses until the actual requirements are adopted by the CBA because the developed courses might not meet the final requirements. </p>
<p>Note that incoming new hires and unlicensed employees would have to go back and meet the requirements if their 150 units did not match the requirements developed by the CBA’s advisory committees and adopted by the CBA. There is no waiver in the law for candidates educated under the current 150 requirements and no way for them to get a licensed after January. 1, 2014, unless their education matches what will be required, or they get additional education to supplement what they already have.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Do you know your MAAc will be in compliance with SB 819?</p>
<p>[Attention</a> CA CPA Candidates: 2014 is Fast Approaching! | CPA Exam Preparation Blog](<a href=“http://blog.rogercpareview.com/2011/07/attention-ca-cpa-candidates-2014-is.html]Attention”>http://blog.rogercpareview.com/2011/07/attention-ca-cpa-candidates-2014-is.html)</p>
<p>It appears that the CBA still hasn’t finalized what it wants the extra 30 units to be comprised of. Why not find a full time public accounting job, study your butt off, and get licensed before 2014? It may be a bit of a rush but its better than having a MAAc that potentially won’t be SB 819 compliant.</p>
<p>Moss,</p>
<p>I have considered that option. It works, but it is pretty risky. I would be taking 30 random extra units that would be rendered worthless if I fail to get licensed before SB 819 kicks in (2014). </p>
<p>By the way, thanks for taking your time to research about the new SB 819 rule.</p>
<p>I thought that a MAcc in addition to an accounting undergraduate makes you immune to all of these changes. Did something change?</p>
<p>Moss - I’m a little confused, why would the CBA not approve credits from an ACCOUNTING masters program? While I understand that there needs to be regulations as to what the additional 30 credits should entail, I would have assumed that they would want those credits coming from accounting/finance/math/economics instead of say, golf/theater/video-productions/etc. Am I mistaken or is this an effort to have accountants be more “well-rounded?”</p>
<p>Accounting majors:</p>
<p>These slides explain the new rules clearly.</p>
<p><a href=“http://groups.haas.berkeley.edu/accounting/students/Meeting%20CA%20CPA%20Requirements%20Slides.pdf[/url]”>http://groups.haas.berkeley.edu/accounting/students/Meeting%20CA%20CPA%20Requirements%20Slides.pdf</a></p>