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What are the biggest obstacles that a person has to go through to be an accountant in college classes and in a career?
Is there any schedule or timeline with this job? I have been taking dual credits classes in high school which helps to advance further, but what other classes do I have to take?
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Elyse’s Answer
It depends on what kind of career you want as an accountant. If you just want to do bookkeeping, an associates degree is sufficient. On the other end, if you want to get a CPA license, historically states have required 5 years of university level education (they will call it 150 credit hours), generally 4 years undergrad and 1 year masters. Some colleges offer 5 year accounting programs that meet this requirement. Nowadays the requirements for CPAs have been changing and many states are accepting 4 years of university (120 credit hours). Check the rules for the state you plan to work in. If you find the state's website confusing, Becker will usually lay out the requirements in an understandable format.
Generally speaking, people with CPAs earn more than those without (on average, $10,000 more per year), but the exam is difficult, with about a 50% pass rate. My advice would be if you plan to pursue the CPA, take the exam while in college. You are far more likely to pass.
You can still have a good career in accounting without the CPA, but it limits your options. If you are interested in consulting-style work or preparing people's tax returns, the CPA becomes more of a requirement. If you want to be on a team of accountants within a company maintaining the general ledger, the CPA is not necessary, though management positions will prefer you have your CPA.
The biggest challenge for accountants while studying is getting through those first few accounting classes. The language of accounting can be difficult to grasp.
Regarding timeline, if you are aiming to get into the top accounting firms, you need to stay on top of internships while in college. They are often recruiting a year ahead, which is way sooner than students think to look. Ask your college career counselor or accounting teachers for the recruiting timeline. Often people will do two summer internships, one after sophomore year and one after junior year. The junior year internship is the most important as it can end with a full-time job offer, but the sophomore internship is often what gets you the junior year internship.
While in high school, I second Michelle's advice to take classes that will knock out your gen ed requirements. This will leave you with more time in college to take career-relevant classes (or just interesting ones!).
Generally speaking, people with CPAs earn more than those without (on average, $10,000 more per year), but the exam is difficult, with about a 50% pass rate. My advice would be if you plan to pursue the CPA, take the exam while in college. You are far more likely to pass.
You can still have a good career in accounting without the CPA, but it limits your options. If you are interested in consulting-style work or preparing people's tax returns, the CPA becomes more of a requirement. If you want to be on a team of accountants within a company maintaining the general ledger, the CPA is not necessary, though management positions will prefer you have your CPA.
The biggest challenge for accountants while studying is getting through those first few accounting classes. The language of accounting can be difficult to grasp.
Regarding timeline, if you are aiming to get into the top accounting firms, you need to stay on top of internships while in college. They are often recruiting a year ahead, which is way sooner than students think to look. Ask your college career counselor or accounting teachers for the recruiting timeline. Often people will do two summer internships, one after sophomore year and one after junior year. The junior year internship is the most important as it can end with a full-time job offer, but the sophomore internship is often what gets you the junior year internship.
While in high school, I second Michelle's advice to take classes that will knock out your gen ed requirements. This will leave you with more time in college to take career-relevant classes (or just interesting ones!).
Updated
Ayisha’s Answer
Hi Evelyn!
It's wonderful to hear you're interested in a career in accounting. As Michelle mentioned, it's a straightforward path. Like any career, there are education and certification requirements, such as the CPA license, which you can definitely handle.
It's great that you're planning ahead to stay on track. Here are some steps to consider:
1. Check out colleges with an accounting major. See if they'll accept the dual credits you're taking now. Your school advisors can help with this.
2. Look into the admission requirements for an accounting major. This will show you what high school classes to focus on. Again, school or college advisors can guide you.
3. Once in college, explore different accounting classes. This will help you discover which area of accounting interests you most.
4. Start searching for internships early. Some big accounting firms offer programs for freshmen and sophomores. These can give you real-world experience and lead to future internships.
5. In your junior or senior year, look into CPA exam requirements. This will help you plan how to meet the 150-credit requirement, whether through a master's degree or extra classes.
6. There are many resources to help you prepare for the CPA exam. Much of the exam content is covered in your college courses, so consider starting your studies soon after graduation. Some states even let you take the exam before completing the 150 credits.
I hope this gives you a clear path forward. Best of luck on your journey!
It's wonderful to hear you're interested in a career in accounting. As Michelle mentioned, it's a straightforward path. Like any career, there are education and certification requirements, such as the CPA license, which you can definitely handle.
It's great that you're planning ahead to stay on track. Here are some steps to consider:
1. Check out colleges with an accounting major. See if they'll accept the dual credits you're taking now. Your school advisors can help with this.
2. Look into the admission requirements for an accounting major. This will show you what high school classes to focus on. Again, school or college advisors can guide you.
3. Once in college, explore different accounting classes. This will help you discover which area of accounting interests you most.
4. Start searching for internships early. Some big accounting firms offer programs for freshmen and sophomores. These can give you real-world experience and lead to future internships.
5. In your junior or senior year, look into CPA exam requirements. This will help you plan how to meet the 150-credit requirement, whether through a master's degree or extra classes.
6. There are many resources to help you prepare for the CPA exam. Much of the exam content is covered in your college courses, so consider starting your studies soon after graduation. Some states even let you take the exam before completing the 150 credits.
I hope this gives you a clear path forward. Best of luck on your journey!
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Evelyn !
To become a Certified Public Accountant, you would obtain your Bachelors Degree in Accounting and then go for your CPA certification. It's not a very complicated path.
It's best not to approach this career wanting to know the obstacles now and learning this field of work will give you much insight as to what the work is all about. Future personal obstacles cannot be told or known. If you are worried about certain aspects of the academics or work, you will need to speak with your guidance counselor one on one in person and express exactly what you may be concerned about. Try to approach this path with a positive outlook and that will carry you to success as a student.
Since you have been taking dual enrollment courses, you will need to choose a college or university that you plan to attend. The sooner you are able to choose a college, the better. This is because you will need to know if your dual enrollment courses will transfer over to the college you take your Bachelors program at. So start looking into colleges for your Accounting Major now. Ask your dual enrollment college which colleges those class credits transfer over to and that may be a good way to look into specific colleges knowing that they will take your credits from dual enrollment. Dual Enrollment doesn't necessarily "advance further", it just means that you have some classes under your belt already that you don't have to take at the four year college - if they transfer.
If the college you intend to do your Bachelors at doesn't accept the credits from the dual enrollment classes, you'd have to take those subjects over.
It's always best to take the Required General Education courses during dual enrollment and save the Major accounting courses for the university. The only thing dual enrollment possibly does is enable you to get your Bachelors sooner and not have to pay for the courses you took in dual enrollment. Definitely go over all this information directly with both your high school guidance counselor and your dual enrollment college's academic counselor to be sure you are doing what is beneficial for you.
I hope this helps and wish you all the best !
To become a Certified Public Accountant, you would obtain your Bachelors Degree in Accounting and then go for your CPA certification. It's not a very complicated path.
It's best not to approach this career wanting to know the obstacles now and learning this field of work will give you much insight as to what the work is all about. Future personal obstacles cannot be told or known. If you are worried about certain aspects of the academics or work, you will need to speak with your guidance counselor one on one in person and express exactly what you may be concerned about. Try to approach this path with a positive outlook and that will carry you to success as a student.
Since you have been taking dual enrollment courses, you will need to choose a college or university that you plan to attend. The sooner you are able to choose a college, the better. This is because you will need to know if your dual enrollment courses will transfer over to the college you take your Bachelors program at. So start looking into colleges for your Accounting Major now. Ask your dual enrollment college which colleges those class credits transfer over to and that may be a good way to look into specific colleges knowing that they will take your credits from dual enrollment. Dual Enrollment doesn't necessarily "advance further", it just means that you have some classes under your belt already that you don't have to take at the four year college - if they transfer.
If the college you intend to do your Bachelors at doesn't accept the credits from the dual enrollment classes, you'd have to take those subjects over.
It's always best to take the Required General Education courses during dual enrollment and save the Major accounting courses for the university. The only thing dual enrollment possibly does is enable you to get your Bachelors sooner and not have to pay for the courses you took in dual enrollment. Definitely go over all this information directly with both your high school guidance counselor and your dual enrollment college's academic counselor to be sure you are doing what is beneficial for you.
I hope this helps and wish you all the best !
I would note that earning a CPA is a notoriously difficult career path. As it currently stands, to qualify for CPA licensure you must earn 150 education hours (equivalent to a bachelor's and master's degree), work 2,000 ours in public accounting, and pass four CPA exams.
Kevin Greenlees, MAcc
@Kevin Greenlees, MAcc ~ Yes, the study and requirements are demanding - I could never do it, but I stated that the plan for the path is "not very complicated". It is a path that all CPA's do and standard. That's all I meant. In no way do I think or would state that the subjects and study are easy.
Michelle M.