[ParanoidAndroid]

I’m already a CPA, but I’ve been thinking a lot about going for my Macc so I can get a real job. It seems like that’s my last resort. I already have 12 Master level credits, but those credits would not transfer because I plan to attend a different university due to its prestige and networking opportunities. The program costs $28,000 and runs for 10 months on Saturdays only from 8am-6pm…2 hrs away from where I live…

Does this seem a reasonable idea or am I losing it? =P

CPA for life...

[mla1169]

Jaim, how positively presumptive of you. Since I'm likely old enough to be your mom, I will cut you some slack on your sheer ignorance of what I did or did not do during my program. And please don't bother with a detailed list, if it's such a struggle to put together its not likely to be a compelling argument.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

“Social events with your cohort, recruiting events (exclusive to master student, where recruiters from all major public accounting firms pull from), job placement tools, you name it. I wont even mention the friend thing”

The above things are all great, I'm sure, but to a person with a family, working full time and taking night/internet classes…they might not be possible to fit in an already full schedule.

I don't even have an accounting degree, I have a BS in Psychology and 52 hours of accounting/business courses so I could sit for the exam. I didn't have time to go to events on campus or even get involved with BAP as those events were held from 4-5pm and I worked (and still do) until 5:30pm. The CPA certification (without a masters or even a bachelors degree in accounting) will be enough to put me in a management position at my current employer and with my experience in other financial fields, I feel like I'm marketable without attaining another degree. Just my .02.

[jeff]

Forgive my small-mindedness (it's because I live in a fly-over state…us folk don't be educated much, *sling blade voice* mmmmhmmmmmm), but I would pass the CMA exam and see where that got me before throwing $28k at a MAcc when I already had my CPA designation.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[laserglare]

this is a great topic. i was going to make one similar to this,. a lot of this applies to me…

@Crockpot, how long did u work before u started taking the cpa exam? I'm a neuroscience major going into accounting

@Jeff, what's your opinion on getting a Masters for someone who just has a science degree. I will already have around 60 hours of accounting/business credits by the end of june, and was either going to start studying for the CPA right away, or start studying for the GMAT so i can try to attend masters program this fall/spring . Keep in mind i have zero accounting experience.

The only reason i think a masters would be worth it in my position is that it gives me the ability to attend On Campus recruiting events, especially if big4's recruit there.

ALSO, if i make less than 12k this year, i still qualify under a veteran tuition waiver which basically means my Master's program would be free as long as its a state school (for california its a CSU or UC school)So in my case, would the ROI be worth it? i would just be investing time. I'm 22 years old. thanks.

[Anonymous]

@laserglare – I graduated from college in 2001 and was out of school working in mortgage lending & banking for almost 10 years before I decided to back to school to get the credits needed to sit for the exam. I'm lucky, though, as my employer moved me into an accounting position as soon as I was competent enough to do so. Once I'm a CPA I'll move into a senior accountant position and onward…such a great career change for me. Like I said, I had a psychology degree so zero accounting/business until I went back to school.

[jeff]

Do most companies require an accounting degree AND a CPA designation to get hired?

If you have an econ degree (instead of science background) and pass the CPA Exam – do they care?

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[Anonymous]

Jeff, crockpot, and Mla all have jobs they are content with and see CPA as a way for promotion. ParanoidAndroid does not have a job they are content with. Also experience is a factor. You will not have networking and recruiting for an inexperienced person like college. No toastmaster clubs will equal that for an inexperienced person looking for a job. Also Florida job market is terrible. I got a Macc to sit for CPA but if I had already had a CPA and was looking to go back to college I wouldn't consider Macc but instead mBA at a top school or master in computer sci.

[Jaimcpa]

Mla- I don't see what point you were trying to make with age in that post. Anyway, I am just stating if I need to explain qualitative factors to someone who has already gone through their Macc or advanced degree, they probably didn't take advantage of something.

Also, I was getting ready for a presentation. It wouldn't be difficult to put together a list. But since you don't care why bother anymore lol.

Awkward – Yes, an MBA was what I was recommending with my original post. Thanks for noticing that, at least someone did.

FAR- 73, 10/07/2013
REG- 8/31/2013
AUD- TBD
BEC- TBD

MAcc
Main: Becker Self-Study 2013. Supplements: Ninja / Wiley TB / CPAExcel (Bought before I received an offer).

[mla1169]

Awkward, I spent 3 years searching thousands (literally) of job listings in several states and very few claim to require a Masters and a CPA. Networking and job fairs are nice,but they're no guarantee of a position. A Masters is a lovely thing to have if you're not footing the bill, otherwise it's a gamble at best. Not sure if you follow the news but there are plenty of people who thought they were all but guaranteed a job upon graduation (the kid suing BC because he can't find a job to use his fancy expensive law degree in) who lost that bet.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[ParanoidAndroid]

ok..

CPA for life...

[ParanoidAndroid]

I will appreciate any feedback on my current resume…

Thanks for your help…

CPA for life...

[laserglare]

@jeff , but isn't econ and accounting related? i would prob pick the econ cpa vs the science cpa, wouldn't u???

[2012passtheCPA]

@Paranoid take this for what this is worth, as peeps have said on here I'm just a stranger on the internet.

I could not even get through your resume. The resume itself is so busy, if I'm a recruiter (which I'm not, nor do I have any experience in being one) I look at this resume for about 3.5 seconds and I move onto the next one. Recruiters are looking through hundreds (thousands?) of resumes on a daily (weekly/monthly?) basis so they don't have time to “read” every resume.

You need something that is quick that allows the recruiter to get some high level view of what you might have done and what experience you have and want to pick up the phone and call you after they read your resume to find out if you are who you say you are (according to what you have presented on your resume). They aren't going to have time to read the paragraphs in your resume, that's why you have a cover letter.

I hope this feedback is/was helpful to you. I didn't mean to attack you, I just wanted to provide some feedback based on my experience searching for a job recently.

Happy hunting!!

[jaredo155]

I won't weigh in too much on getting the degree because I think that has been done exaustingly from both sides of the issue. I will say my observation is that in industry a Master's is essential if you want to move up in the long run, however in Public Accounting I would say the majority of Manager's and Partner's don't even have them. With that said I know in my state (KY), that MAcc programs are probably more highly recruited than even the undergrad accounting programs. This is because you are still fresh out of school, yet they expect you will have had time to finish up your CPA so you can devote your full attention to the firm.

As for your resume I am going to agree with 2012passtheCPA, you are trying to convey way too much information. A resume should be like an outline where you are hitting the high points, not a full blown explanation of each point. I mean from what I am seeing it looks like you are a very qualified candidate, but as we all know it is very difficult for non-traditional students (those not using campus recruiting) to break into public accounting directly unless you start out at a very small regional firm. I know a lot of people I have worked with in industry spent a year or two in internal audit, and then were able to make the jump to Public, just food for thought.

I wish you luck, I know straight out of undergrad it took me about 6 months and well over 100 applications to land my first job and it didn't even require a degree. Sometimes you just have to take what you can get to get your foot in the door, and then go from there.

AUD - 2/2013 - Passed!
BEC - 5/2013 - Passed!
FAR - 8/2013 - Passed!
REG - 11/2013 - Passed!
"Do or do not, there is no try." - Yoda

[nashville79]

I would agree with the fact that certifications may be a better use of time/$. There's so many options. Let's be real – business graduate degrees in general rarely really set candidates apart anymore. Don't most folks go on to get the MAcc because it's the natural progression to accumulating enough hours to sit for the exam anyhow? If I had to do it over again (I would have gotten an MBA with enough accounting hours to sit for the exam), MBA + CPA is worth more in my opinion, but I suppose that depends on what you want to do. I look at resumes enough to weigh in. For the purposes of networking, there's more than one way to skin that cat. Gonna be real here, but a lot of true “MAcc” students tend to rely on the academic networks as they tend to lean towards that not-so-social side of things. These contacts are just a starting point. At the end of the day, in my opinion, the most effective networks come from folks that actually want to talk to you, not out of some established organization obligation. Start asking people to grab a cup of coffee (related industry or NOT). You'd be surprised who they might know. Btw, ppl love talking about themselves – give them the opportunity.

[Author]

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