Thanks. I still haven't decided whether to go after another bachelors or a masters. If your masters is in a different field than your original bachelors, really, you end up taking just as many hours as getting another bachelors, if you count all the prerequisites you have to take (which I'm taking now) before being admitted into a masters program. Plus, I understand that a CPA trumps any degree you have. Still not sure what my best (and least expensive......) option is. FYI, it's not like I dont' plan on sitting for the CPA.... I'm just wondering how far I can go in the mean time.
From what I know CPA is an absolute given for accounting majors. I don't see why anyone would get an accounting degree but not take the CPA.
if you plan to stay in accounting and work for a public firm, then a CPA is what you need to do. Not a "must" but certainly it's a great benefit
From what I've been seeing, public accounting firms, mainly the big 4, want you to be at least eligible to sit for the CPA upon graduation. However, if you do not plan to take the exam another route you could do is work in the industry sector. Why do you not want to take the CPA exam? I'm sure you will be at least eligible once you get your bachelors in accounting.
You definitely need the CPA. For Big 4 you have to be eligible to sit for the exam, and you cannot make it to manager or above without the CPA. I think you could take the Enrolled Agent exam to become a manager but I'm not sure. The levels at the public firms are usually like this: Associate Sr. Associate <--- Stuck here if you don't have CPA Manager Director/Sr. Manager Partner Here's your promotion timeframe: Associate 0 - 2 years Sr. Associate 2 - 3 years Manager 4 to forever Director/Sr. Manager 5 years and up (People usually leave if they don't make partner) Industry I'm not sure, but I think it usually goes like this: Jr. Analyst Analyst Sr. Analyst Manager Director VP CFO And the time frame for promotion is a bit slower than public. Most companies will pay for the CPA prep course. Becker and Bisk are pretty expensive courses. I know the BIG 4 firms will pay for the materials and probably give you a bonus if you can pass it in the first year that you're hired with them. For the amount of hours needed to sit for the exam, you might as well go to graduate school as well. Most business colleges have a program where you get your accounting undergrad and grad work done at the same time. I think UH calls it their PPA program. Or you could double major. Good Luck.
After I graduated with a BS in accounting, I was applying at various accounting firms - mainly midsize (not big4) and they wouldn't even give me the time of day because I wasn't "CPA ready," meaning, I didn't have the upper level courses required to sit for the exam completed. Very, very frustrating. Best advice is to try to land an internship when you're a junior - then you have a shot. Now I work in HR. Good thing about an accounting degree is that employers know it's one of the tougher undergrad business degrees to attain - so you can basically start anywhere with it.
I heard they were outsourcing a lot of lower level accounting jobs to other countries. It's not like accountant have to interact with other people much, so its makes a lot sense.
You need to explain that the small business clients I talk to everyday. Some of them I talk to more than my brother.
I was thinking more for large corp jobs. For small businesses, you always have to have people on the ground, so to speak.
Given the choice between a masters in a different field (accounting), or two different undergrad degrees why not go for the masters if its the same number of hours? An MS trumps a BS and both will prep you for the CPA if you go that route. A BS in accounting without a CPA won't get you up that corporate ladder you covet so much.
None. I was unemployed at the time and needed work - fast. After a month of not getting any response, I sought work in a different field - which came pretty easy.
If you already have a bachelor's degree and would like information on becoming CPA ready, email cap@uh.edu. They can talk to you about the Certificate in Accountancy Program at UH. There is always Certified Internal Audit. Only a bachelor's needed, no specific hours requirement and most firms have an internal audit department that deals with Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Audit, etc. Have you earned your bachelor's yet? If not (and if you are in Houston) send me an email at mulderfoxx@gmail.com and we can discuss your future.
It depends. Sometimes the internal audit guys have to travel out to other sites at the same companies, but it is the external auditors that have to travel a lot.
I guess it depends on where you want to work. I've been doing accounting for about 10 years now so I have some knowledge in this area. I have a BBA in Finance but was actually doing A/P work before school. I got a good break after school and went to work for a non profit as an accounting manager for about a year. After that I was a Controller at a for profit for about year. I moved to another state and had to take a Senior Accountant job (tough local economy), but the company is great with excellent bennies. I still work there now. I do not have a CPA though I have enough credits to sit. If you want to work at an accounting/auditing firm then yes a CPA is vital. If you want to work in the accounting department of a corporation then not as important. The other thing I have noticed is that the CPA is more valuable in certain states/regions. Here in New Mexico you would think a CPA can walk on the water. In Pennsylvania where I went to school not as important. In Arizona where I held the Controller position, not as important. Hope this helps.
Perhaps look into finance jobs. It's much better to have an accounting background while working in finance than having a finance background and working in accounting. Finance jobs have higher upside and imo are more interesting. You have much greater flexibility in finance. Just a thought.
