Starstuck

I'll be a senior this September and will be applying to universities during this time. But I'm currently indecisive what should I major in. Both accounting (business school) and dietetics (medical school) are very hard to get in. I think accounting is harder the dietetics because you are required a 3.5 GPA while you're in university. I heard the CPA is intensely difficult! But same with the very competitive unpaid RD internships.

Dietitians
According to Dietitians and Nutritionists The middle 50 percent earned between $38,430 and $57,090. That's not a lot for a profession. (I could get a masters and become a pediatric dietitian who make about $70,000 or go into medicine...but the jobs are more limited than business.)

Accountants
The middle half of the occupation earned between $42,520 and $71,960. Like I previously said the CPA is intensely difficult, but even without a CPA you could get a CMA or whatever that pay a more comfortable salary.
Also an accounting job is versatile. I originally wanted to study fashion design, architecture, and the performing arts for the entertainment industry. With an accounting degree I could be self-employed and I could work at an art gallery or open my own fashion boutique.

My interests both include health and business. But ever since I was young I've been more attracted to health. I'm a health 'nut' and I read a lot of fitness magazines like Runners World, Muscle & Fitness, and sports journals like Sports Coach provides information on training, coaching, exercise physiology and athletic development for sports coaches, athletes and sports science students and Sports Training | Sport Fitness. I have a lot of knowledge in sports physiology and nutrition. I'm a runner and I'm training for a triathlon. I'm taking human anatomy and possibly AP Bio next year.

I think I would be happiest if I was a dietitian, but money $$$ is a major factor. I'm very high maintenance and I next materialistic items. I still would be unhappy with little money.

Where The Jobs Are: Accounting (Forbes)
Margaret Kelly was 55 and had been a registered dietitian for 28 years when she decided it was time for a career change. (I'm guessing that R.D didn't pay enough...)

Should I get a B.A in accounting and then get a degree in dietetics or should I study dietetics and settle with less money?

I plan on going to Michigan State University, but I'm unsure that I'll get accepted if I only have a 22 ACT and 3.6 with only 1 AP Class, and a plethora of extracurricular/volunteer work.

jonahrubin

Someone on this board claimed the CMA and CPA are about equal in terms of difficulty. So if you are scared of big tests the CMA isn't really an alternative career route.

To be self-employed as an accountant would require you to be a CPA and have your own little firm and the ability to attract clients, so that's waaaay down the road for you. Just from the confused looks on most of my peers in Intermediate Accounting and Cost Accounting, I suspect that if you are getting a 22 on your ACT's you are going to have a hard time with accounting. But anyway, if you can try and take the first accounting class at your school when you are able and see if you like it. While an A in that won't necessarily mean you'll be getting A's in the higher classes(far from it), if you are struggling, end up with a C, or just hate it then you can definitely go with the diet thing instead. I think that not everyone who has an easy time in Accounting I will end up to be happy, competent accountants, but on the flip side I think most people who end up as happy, competent accountants probably breezed through Accounting I...

hmom5

You sound like you would enjoy dietetics more. NYC and LA are filled with dieticians/trainers working for themselves who make hundreds of thousands keeping their wealty clients thin and fit.

hawaiigirl888

I think accounting is better. After looking at all the different professions that I was interested in (pharmacist, dietitian, nutritionist, marketing manager, manager, accountant, engineer, graphic designer, teacher), I decided to go with accountant because the job prospects are good. An accounting major can be self-employed or work for a company.

McPucks1357

If you're really interested in the sports/performance aspect of nutrition, you could look into sports nutrition. There's a new accreditation the CSSD on top of the RD.