What's more cost-efficient?

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    Topic
  • #184361
    kky617
    Member

    What would be more cost-efficient? Attending local state university with minimal career/placement opportunities vs. another state university (1.5 hours away) with good career/placement opportunities? I am hoping to secure an internship position at Big 4 and get a public accounting job upon graduation (after 3 semesters).

    If I attend local college, I can stay home and don’t have to commute long distance.

    If I attend a college far away, I would still have to stay home and drive long distance back and force.

    Would it be better to attend local college and try my absolute best to network? (LinkedIn, COCPA, and what else?)

    There is no BAP (Beta Alpha Psi) in my local college, but I was allowed to join the other school’s BAP (where Big 4 comes).

    Would attending the Meet the Firms with Big 4 sufficient to secure an internship position?

    Please help!

    Kay

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)
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  • #531729
    acamp
    Participant

    So your trade off is 3 hour round trip commute for better career opportunities? Time to buy a commuter car!

    Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

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    Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

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    #531752
    acamp
    Participant

    So your trade off is 3 hour round trip commute for better career opportunities? Time to buy a commuter car!

    Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

    California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

    FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

    Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

    Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

    California CPA

    #531731
    kky617
    Member

    @acamp

    I really wish I could buy a commuter car, but it will cost a fortune since I woud need to buy AWD or 4×4 (it snows a lot here) 🙁

    #531754
    kky617
    Member

    @acamp

    I really wish I could buy a commuter car, but it will cost a fortune since I woud need to buy AWD or 4×4 (it snows a lot here) 🙁

    #531733
    Study Monk
    Member

    @ kky617

    State colleges can be more interconnected than you think. These are the things I would look into before making your final decision.

    1)Can you access the recruiting fair of the better recruiting college when you attend another state college? I got two different jobs at recruiting fairs of schools I didn't attend.

    2) Can you join the accounting club of the heavily recruited college, without attending the college, and have access to some of the recruitment opportunities? How will this lower your commute time and frequency?

    3)Will joining non-college CPA clubs and attending events give you the same recruiting opportunities?

    4)Is the program name and requirements the same at each college? Can you do most of your degree at the local college and transfer into the heavily recruited college before they make internship/ employment decisions.

    5)Can you apply for the internship by contacting the firms directly instead of going to the distant college?

    6)Will you be better off with a degree from the less recruited college if you have more money to study full time for the CPA after you graduate? Is graduating 3 months later due to an internship really more valuable than 3 months of full-time study towards the CPA exam?

    7)Do your parents drive you crazy?

    I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

    "Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

    #531756
    Study Monk
    Member

    @ kky617

    State colleges can be more interconnected than you think. These are the things I would look into before making your final decision.

    1)Can you access the recruiting fair of the better recruiting college when you attend another state college? I got two different jobs at recruiting fairs of schools I didn't attend.

    2) Can you join the accounting club of the heavily recruited college, without attending the college, and have access to some of the recruitment opportunities? How will this lower your commute time and frequency?

    3)Will joining non-college CPA clubs and attending events give you the same recruiting opportunities?

    4)Is the program name and requirements the same at each college? Can you do most of your degree at the local college and transfer into the heavily recruited college before they make internship/ employment decisions.

    5)Can you apply for the internship by contacting the firms directly instead of going to the distant college?

    6)Will you be better off with a degree from the less recruited college if you have more money to study full time for the CPA after you graduate? Is graduating 3 months later due to an internship really more valuable than 3 months of full-time study towards the CPA exam?

    7)Do your parents drive you crazy?

    I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

    "Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

    #531735
    Vailute
    Member

    Are you in CO? I worked for BIG 4 in Colorado, if you have any questions I can send you my email. I'd be glad to help out.

    BEC - 85
    AUD - 72, 86
    REG - 71, 78
    FAR - 80 (expired), 77

    #531758
    Vailute
    Member

    Are you in CO? I worked for BIG 4 in Colorado, if you have any questions I can send you my email. I'd be glad to help out.

    BEC - 85
    AUD - 72, 86
    REG - 71, 78
    FAR - 80 (expired), 77

    #531737
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Does the school with the longer commute offer online courses?

    1.5 Hours commute each way can be a real bear, and I'm assuming it doesn't account for poor weather or bad traffic. Plus, long commutes is a lot more draining than you'd realize. I work as an auditor and have done a lot of long commutes when conducting field work (up to 2+ hours each way). Those days with the long commutes I end up going to bed several hours earlier than usual just because I'm so exhausted. If you're trying to do school work on top of it, you're in trouble.

    #531760
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Does the school with the longer commute offer online courses?

    1.5 Hours commute each way can be a real bear, and I'm assuming it doesn't account for poor weather or bad traffic. Plus, long commutes is a lot more draining than you'd realize. I work as an auditor and have done a lot of long commutes when conducting field work (up to 2+ hours each way). Those days with the long commutes I end up going to bed several hours earlier than usual just because I'm so exhausted. If you're trying to do school work on top of it, you're in trouble.

    #531741
    kky617
    Member

    @ Study Monk

    1)Can you access the recruiting fair of the better recruiting college when you attend another state college? I got two different jobs at recruiting fairs of schools I didn't attend.

    I contacted the person in charge of career fair, and she said that I won't be able to attend their career fair, because even though they are the same state school, the funding for career fair is solely from the school's resource. There are three different colleges of the same state school and I can attend the other two's. But again, the school that I cannot attend has the most active career opportunities.

    2) Can you join the accounting club of the heavily recruited college, without attending the college, and have access to some of the recruitment opportunities? How will this lower your commute time and frequency?

    I got permission to join the accounting club at the heavily recruited college without attending the college and have access to ALL of the recruitment opportunities (if that means, Meat the Firms). As a pledge member, I need to attend 8 professional meetings, 2 community services, and 1 banquet. Total of 11 round trips back and forth.

    3)Will joining non-college CPA clubs and attending events give you the same recruiting opportunities?

    I am not sure about this… I guess it depends how well I network 🙂

    4)Is the program name and requirements the same at each college? Can you do most of your degree at the local college and transfer into the heavily recruited college before they make internship/ employment decisions.

    They are similar, but not entirely the same. I am not sure whether transferring to that school after transferring into the local school is doable, because there must be certain credit hours I would need to fulfill in order to graduate, and I would very much like to get done with by next year 🙂 Whether I would transfer now to that school is a different beast though.

    5)Can you apply for the internship by contacting the firms directly instead of going to the distant college?

    I am not clear about what you mean by this question. I am sure I can apply through Big 4 and large accounting firms' internship program by applying online. But, I believe “applying” and “interning” is two different stories, because I've heard that just by online application alone, I would get only a slim chance of receiving a call back to schedule an interview 🙁 If you are asking about whether I can contact the firms who posted on the school's career webpage, that school keep the info private (only to its own students).

    6)Will you be better off with a degree from the less recruited college if you have more money to study full time for the CPA after you graduate? Is graduating 3 months later due to an internship really more valuable than 3 months of full-time study towards the CPA exam?

    I am already eligible to take the exam, so I am hoping to get over with while I have “so much ;)” time–NOW. My last exam is scheduled to be in 10/1 (that's the last day I can register with my current NTS). I am not trying to graduate after 3 months because of the internship 🙂 I just have enough credits to graduate in 3 semesters 🙂

    7)Do your parents drive you crazy?

    Thankfully 😉 I am married and live with my husband. But still, they ARE driving me crazy! They are like “your younger brother just got his “REAL” full time job. When will you get the “REAL” job! xp

    #531763
    kky617
    Member

    @ Study Monk

    1)Can you access the recruiting fair of the better recruiting college when you attend another state college? I got two different jobs at recruiting fairs of schools I didn't attend.

    I contacted the person in charge of career fair, and she said that I won't be able to attend their career fair, because even though they are the same state school, the funding for career fair is solely from the school's resource. There are three different colleges of the same state school and I can attend the other two's. But again, the school that I cannot attend has the most active career opportunities.

    2) Can you join the accounting club of the heavily recruited college, without attending the college, and have access to some of the recruitment opportunities? How will this lower your commute time and frequency?

    I got permission to join the accounting club at the heavily recruited college without attending the college and have access to ALL of the recruitment opportunities (if that means, Meat the Firms). As a pledge member, I need to attend 8 professional meetings, 2 community services, and 1 banquet. Total of 11 round trips back and forth.

    3)Will joining non-college CPA clubs and attending events give you the same recruiting opportunities?

    I am not sure about this… I guess it depends how well I network 🙂

    4)Is the program name and requirements the same at each college? Can you do most of your degree at the local college and transfer into the heavily recruited college before they make internship/ employment decisions.

    They are similar, but not entirely the same. I am not sure whether transferring to that school after transferring into the local school is doable, because there must be certain credit hours I would need to fulfill in order to graduate, and I would very much like to get done with by next year 🙂 Whether I would transfer now to that school is a different beast though.

    5)Can you apply for the internship by contacting the firms directly instead of going to the distant college?

    I am not clear about what you mean by this question. I am sure I can apply through Big 4 and large accounting firms' internship program by applying online. But, I believe “applying” and “interning” is two different stories, because I've heard that just by online application alone, I would get only a slim chance of receiving a call back to schedule an interview 🙁 If you are asking about whether I can contact the firms who posted on the school's career webpage, that school keep the info private (only to its own students).

    6)Will you be better off with a degree from the less recruited college if you have more money to study full time for the CPA after you graduate? Is graduating 3 months later due to an internship really more valuable than 3 months of full-time study towards the CPA exam?

    I am already eligible to take the exam, so I am hoping to get over with while I have “so much ;)” time–NOW. My last exam is scheduled to be in 10/1 (that's the last day I can register with my current NTS). I am not trying to graduate after 3 months because of the internship 🙂 I just have enough credits to graduate in 3 semesters 🙂

    7)Do your parents drive you crazy?

    Thankfully 😉 I am married and live with my husband. But still, they ARE driving me crazy! They are like “your younger brother just got his “REAL” full time job. When will you get the “REAL” job! xp

    #531743
    kky617
    Member

    @ Drake11

    Unfortunately, that school doesn't offer any accounting courses online 🙁 I am sure it will be very tiring to drive back and forth for almost 3-6 hours (depending a weather). That school is further north, and the weather is in general pretty bad during winter.

    #531765
    kky617
    Member

    @ Drake11

    Unfortunately, that school doesn't offer any accounting courses online 🙁 I am sure it will be very tiring to drive back and forth for almost 3-6 hours (depending a weather). That school is further north, and the weather is in general pretty bad during winter.

    #531745
    ruggercpa2b
    Participant

    I was listening to a podcast by The Bean Counter yesterday and one of the things the guy talked about on his podcast was that the school that he went to in Florida did not have much recruiting so he snuck into a career fair at one of the big state schools. If you know what day the career fair is going to be and there is no one policing the doors it would not hurt to try and go. If anything a recruiter would be impressed that you made the effort.

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