nmm987
offlineMember
I'm in California where you only need 120 units and 2 years of experience to be licensed (changing in 2014). But I only need 16 more units for the 150, so I'm leaning towards taking random community college courses.
\nHow is everyone completing the extra units needed on top of a bachelor's degree? And does anyone else find this requirement a little silly?\n
\n
glutenator
offlineMember
I actually have a bachelors (128 undergrad credits), plus 33 graduate credits for criminal justice, plus 45 MBA credits for Accounting, plus 15 more undergrad credits to meet specific class requirements for the CPA. so, yeah, it was ridiculous.....\n
\n
CPAWannaBe
offlineMember
Haha! I have a BS degree in Graphic Communications and later decided to get a BA in Accounting. Talk about left brain v. right brain. It has been a struggle!\n
\nI went out and got my Master of Science in Accountancy and Information Technology and getting a Masters degree versus a double undergraduate. I chose the Masters over the double Bachelors because it helped me in the promotions process at work since in the evaluation process a Masters degree is worth 20 points and and Bachelors worth only 15. By the way I am a federal employee working for the Department of the Defense.\n
\n
financeguy
offlineMember
I'm in CA too, and I was wondering about this...
\nI am only 12 units short of 150 too, and I was just planning on taking random classes at the community college because that seems the cheapest route to go. I have been trying to find out if there is any requirement about what classes qualify for the 150 units, but I can't find any info. I have my BS in Finance, and I don't really want to spend the money for classes at the university level, so I would rather just do it at the JC.
\nI would like to hear a different perspective if someone thinks this is not a good idea, or if I have some wrong info. Thanks.\n
\n
zena
offlineMember
financeguy, I don't know about CA, I'm in CO which does not require 150 credit hours, only 120. CO requires 27 cr hours in accounting related classes and 21 cr hours in business related classes to be included. I would think that once you satisfy the specific accounting and business requirement you can take anything else you'd like to fulfill the 150 hours.
\nI have a B.S. in Computer Science (with no business credits) so I went ahead with a Masters in Accounting and Finance Management to fulfill the 27 + 21 hours requirement. However, since my degree includes the 4 Becker prep classes, which, as of recent, no longer qualify for the 27 + 21 hours required in CO, I had to find other ways to satisfy the missing 12 hours. I took them at the local community college and AICPA accepted them so I would think that taking classes at the local JC should be OK.\n
\n
glutenator
offlineMember
I tried for years to get into FBI, State Police and even military intelligence for the Army. I always came up short for one reason or another. The closest I got was working for US Marshall Service. I got accepted in January 1996, then they cut funding for the class and I got cut with it. I was working as a temp at the time for PaineWebber, and since I was getting married I decided to stay, as it was a paying job with benefits. I now work for a "Big 4" firm consulting for broker/dealer services. I think I'm getting too old to get back into the law enforcement side, but I really wish I could have worked as an analyst for the FBI or even the CIA.\n
\n
financeguy
offlineMember
I had a FBI speaker come to a accounting club meeting, and it sounded like a very cool job. The guy got into the FBI through accounting, but now he does all kinds of stuff like SWAT. Apparently they are really looking for people in the accounting field because of all the financial fraud that happens these days (though our government/FED are the ones committing the greatest fraud!)
\nLast year he said they had something like close to 3000 open positions in the FBI and had well over 200,000 applicants. I would like to get a job there, but it seems like quite a longshot.\n
\n
nmm987
offlineMember
Sheesh so far almost everyone has double majored or completed a Masters.
\nI want to get an MBA someday Itll be the day I work in industry and my company is willing to pay for it though. For now, I think Im in for some geology and film studies at my community college.
\nActually for right now right now, back to studying for the exam..\n
\n
StudyGirl
offlineMember
I'm in NJ and we have the 150 credit requirement too... you don't need 150 credits to sit for the exam... but it's needed to become certified.
\nI had 135 credits from my undergrad degree and am now going back to school for my Master's in Taxation & Financial Planning to hit 150 credits (and beyond).
\nI did have an undergrad professor who said that it didn't matter WHAT credits they are to make up the 150 credits... and that if I wanted to take Basket Weaving... then that would help me to become a CPA as much as Tax Accounting would.
\nand I continuously wonder why I ever chose the latter...\n
\nOr you could do what I did, change your major so many times you eventually got 152 credit hours in your B.S. in Accounting. Question though, if you're cleared to take the CPA exam by the state board and the requirements change before you pass all of them, are you still cleared to be certified under the old rules? Grandfathered in?\n
\n
Cowpatty
offlineMember
only if you sent in your application and it is approved........if not then sorry charlie
\nyou can call the state board to find out.......but that happend to me........I was qualified but never applied in 2002 but then in 2008 I applied and they said I needed some add'l requirements.........\n
\n
CapitalGains
offlineMember
I went to a quarter school and we were required to have 225 credits to sit for the CPA exam. Although I ended up with 278 credits (slightly over, I know...) due to starting out in Computer Science & Engineering, switched to Actuarial Science temporarily, then ended up majoring in Accounting with minors in Economics and Statistics. I should add that I came into college with 35 credits from AP exams in high school, so really only 243 while in undergrad. I don't think the extra requirements are silly; there was an academic article published awhile back when they were evaluating the effectiveness of the "150 hour rule." Students who had 150 hours or more (or equivalent in quarter hours) scored significantly better statistically on the CPA exam than those who had less than 150 hours, before the rule was implemented.\n
\n
CPYAY
offlineMember
Finance guy,
\nI emailed the CA cba when I first ventured out because I wanted to know the same thing re: the 150 units for that pathway. The reply I got was any unit from an accredited school (which includes JCs) counted towards the 150, but you definately needed the 24 units of accounting and 24 units of business. So, cliffnotes is you can take 12 units of ceramics, or perhaps bowling or archery... and meet the requirements.\n
\n
zena
offlineMember
My best quarter (I went to a quarter school too) was winter quarter senior year. I had a very demanding schedule each Tuesday and Thursday. Racquetball class first thing in the morning, then run to the tennis class, then hurry home to get my skis and head up the slopes for the afternoon ski class (Thu. only)!! I would get home around 5 pm completely exhausted and sore. What a life!! The problem was that the University demanded more credit hours to allow me to graduate than my major department did so I had to fill in the hours with fluff stuff. I also took volleyball, basketball and a bridge class... LOL\n
\n
nmm987
offlineMember
I'm in California where you only need 120 units and 2 years of experience to be licensed (changing in 2014). But I only need 16 more units for the 150, so I'm leaning towards taking random community college courses.
How is everyone completing the extra units needed on top of a bachelor's degree? And does anyone else find this requirement a little silly?
glutenator
offlineMember
I actually have a bachelors (128 undergrad credits), plus 33 graduate credits for criminal justice, plus 45 MBA credits for Accounting, plus 15 more undergrad credits to meet specific class requirements for the CPA. so, yeah, it was ridiculous.....
CPAWannaBe
offlineMember
Haha! I have a BS degree in Graphic Communications and later decided to get a BA in Accounting. Talk about left brain v. right brain. It has been a struggle!
I went out and got my Master of Science in Accountancy and Information Technology and getting a Masters degree versus a double undergraduate. I chose the Masters over the double Bachelors because it helped me in the promotions process at work since in the evaluation process a Masters degree is worth 20 points and and Bachelors worth only 15. By the way I am a federal employee working for the Department of the Defense.
financeguy
offlineMember
I'm in CA too, and I was wondering about this...
I am only 12 units short of 150 too, and I was just planning on taking random classes at the community college because that seems the cheapest route to go. I have been trying to find out if there is any requirement about what classes qualify for the 150 units, but I can't find any info. I have my BS in Finance, and I don't really want to spend the money for classes at the university level, so I would rather just do it at the JC.
I would like to hear a different perspective if someone thinks this is not a good idea, or if I have some wrong info. Thanks.
zena
offlineMember
financeguy, I don't know about CA, I'm in CO which does not require 150 credit hours, only 120. CO requires 27 cr hours in accounting related classes and 21 cr hours in business related classes to be included. I would think that once you satisfy the specific accounting and business requirement you can take anything else you'd like to fulfill the 150 hours.
I have a B.S. in Computer Science (with no business credits) so I went ahead with a Masters in Accounting and Finance Management to fulfill the 27 + 21 hours requirement. However, since my degree includes the 4 Becker prep classes, which, as of recent, no longer qualify for the 27 + 21 hours required in CO, I had to find other ways to satisfy the missing 12 hours. I took them at the local community college and AICPA accepted them so I would think that taking classes at the local JC should be OK.
glutenator
offlineMember
I tried for years to get into FBI, State Police and even military intelligence for the Army. I always came up short for one reason or another. The closest I got was working for US Marshall Service. I got accepted in January 1996, then they cut funding for the class and I got cut with it. I was working as a temp at the time for PaineWebber, and since I was getting married I decided to stay, as it was a paying job with benefits. I now work for a "Big 4" firm consulting for broker/dealer services. I think I'm getting too old to get back into the law enforcement side, but I really wish I could have worked as an analyst for the FBI or even the CIA.
financeguy
offlineMember
I had a FBI speaker come to a accounting club meeting, and it sounded like a very cool job. The guy got into the FBI through accounting, but now he does all kinds of stuff like SWAT. Apparently they are really looking for people in the accounting field because of all the financial fraud that happens these days (though our government/FED are the ones committing the greatest fraud!)
Last year he said they had something like close to 3000 open positions in the FBI and had well over 200,000 applicants. I would like to get a job there, but it seems like quite a longshot.
nmm987
offlineMember
Sheesh so far almost everyone has double majored or completed a Masters.
I want to get an MBA someday Itll be the day I work in industry and my company is willing to pay for it though. For now, I think Im in for some geology and film studies at my community college.
Actually for right now right now, back to studying for the exam..
StudyGirl
offlineMember
I'm in NJ and we have the 150 credit requirement too... you don't need 150 credits to sit for the exam... but it's needed to become certified.
I had 135 credits from my undergrad degree and am now going back to school for my Master's in Taxation & Financial Planning to hit 150 credits (and beyond).
I did have an undergrad professor who said that it didn't matter WHAT credits they are to make up the 150 credits... and that if I wanted to take Basket Weaving... then that would help me to become a CPA as much as Tax Accounting would.
and I continuously wonder why I ever chose the latter...
Or you could do what I did, change your major so many times you eventually got 152 credit hours in your B.S. in Accounting. Question though, if you're cleared to take the CPA exam by the state board and the requirements change before you pass all of them, are you still cleared to be certified under the old rules? Grandfathered in?
Cowpatty
offlineMember
only if you sent in your application and it is approved........if not then sorry charlie
you can call the state board to find out.......but that happend to me........I was qualified but never applied in 2002 but then in 2008 I applied and they said I needed some add'l requirements.........
CapitalGains
offlineMember
I went to a quarter school and we were required to have 225 credits to sit for the CPA exam. Although I ended up with 278 credits (slightly over, I know...) due to starting out in Computer Science & Engineering, switched to Actuarial Science temporarily, then ended up majoring in Accounting with minors in Economics and Statistics. I should add that I came into college with 35 credits from AP exams in high school, so really only 243 while in undergrad. I don't think the extra requirements are silly; there was an academic article published awhile back when they were evaluating the effectiveness of the "150 hour rule." Students who had 150 hours or more (or equivalent in quarter hours) scored significantly better statistically on the CPA exam than those who had less than 150 hours, before the rule was implemented.
CPYAY
offlineMember
Finance guy,
I emailed the CA cba when I first ventured out because I wanted to know the same thing re: the 150 units for that pathway. The reply I got was any unit from an accredited school (which includes JCs) counted towards the 150, but you definately needed the 24 units of accounting and 24 units of business. So, cliffnotes is you can take 12 units of ceramics, or perhaps bowling or archery... and meet the requirements.
zena
offlineMember
My best quarter (I went to a quarter school too) was winter quarter senior year. I had a very demanding schedule each Tuesday and Thursday. Racquetball class first thing in the morning, then run to the tennis class, then hurry home to get my skis and head up the slopes for the afternoon ski class (Thu. only)!! I would get home around 5 pm completely exhausted and sore. What a life!! The problem was that the University demanded more credit hours to allow me to graduate than my major department did so I had to fill in the hours with fluff stuff. I also took volleyball, basketball and a bridge class... LOL
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