<p>@taxguy. can u give us a general idea about how salaries work for tax associates? for example, when we start of as an associate/staff the first year, how much will our raises be every year on average? how much more can we expect once we become senior/manager/partner etc…and once we get promoted to senior after 2 years, is it realistic that we would get offers around 100k from industry? thanks for your input. as a starting point, let’s say i’m going to be hypothetically work for KPMG in downtown and start at $54,000. what would my salary progression look like?</p>
<p>Hey taxguy,</p>
<p>I’m sorry if this has already been asked numerous times! Earlier on you talked about the importance of AACSB accreditation, but for undergrad is it really all that important? All the schools I am applying to as a transfer are regionally accredited, but few are accredited for accounting or even business. If it really is that important for undergrad, I want to pick a school that has that accreditation. But I wouldn’t want to base my decision on AACSB just to find out that it doesn’t matter as much as I thought.</p>
<p>On a side note: Given the choice, would you pick a school that has a big name and focuses on Calculus and theory, or a smaller school that focuses more on applications?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>MrHerbert, this has been addressed in post one of the thread, “Everything you wanted to know or should know about accounting.” Yes, I like AACSB accreditation for undergrad. It is better than not having it. However, and I will say it again, IT ISN’T MANDATORY.</p>
<p>As far as big school with big name vs. a smaller school that focuses more on applications, this depends on the schools and the fit for you! For accounting majors, it won’t matter.</p>
<p>Be aware that the requirements for sitting for the CPA are also subject to change. In Illinois, new requirements become effective 7/1/2013. If you do not qualify and sit for the exam for the first time by 6/30/2013, you must qualify under the new rules. </p>
<p>The new rules increase the number of accounting hours required. If you don’t graduate from an accredited accounting program there are very prescriptive course requirements. While a M.Acc/MSA is not required, it automatically qualifies you to sit - they are closing some of the loopholes in the 150 hour requirement. It appears the goal was to stop candidates from using excess AP hours combined with Underwater Basketweaving, Wine Tasting and Gym classes at the Community College from qualifying.</p>
<p>Hey taxguy, I have a few questions, you might have answered them but I can’t go through all 145 pages. I’m an undergraduate student concentrating in accounting and wanted to ask what happens if you have an average/poor gpa overall. I’m not the smartest in accounting, I try hard and study like crazy but I still end up messing up to get average marks which is understandable since usually the classes I"m in are around a 50 something average.</p>
<p>With a low gpa can I get anywhere in accounting? I know the standard response is just work hard, get a 3.5, etc, but what happens if your below a 3, are you basically screwed? </p>
<p>Also one thing I was thinking about due to my less than stellar gpa was maybe to add a double concentration in something like information systems where if i add 7-8 classes I can get a whole other degree. It would take an extra year and I think gpa would relatively be the same but would that give me more oprtions and be beneficial combination.</p>
<p>If I do end up with Accounting & Information systems what kind of career paths can I look into and should I still pursue a CPA or is there a differet/better route (MBA, etc). At this point I’m not too sure what I want to do but I still want a degree in accounting even if i have a poor gpa, I’m just looking at all other options that might be best for me.</p>
<p>So far I’ve taken Financial accounting (A-), Managerial Accounting (B+) and Intermediate accounting 1 (C+) … as you can see each course it’s going less and less so I’m just trying to find a general direction in which i should go and what people who have lower gpa’s in accounting do after undergrad and whether there salary is good at all or not. </p>
<p>Also do accounting classes get much harder after intermediate accounting 1 & 2? I heard those are the weed out classes so how do other classes like Taxation, Auditing, Accounting for business combinations, advance accounting, etc compare to Int 1 & 2 </p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Agent2421, I can’t answer all of your questions as I am a senior undergrad right now, but I can answer your final question. Intermediate is absolutely as tough as it will get. It’s cliche, but I’m surprised at how much simpler Auditing, Tax classes, and Advanced have been compared to intermediate.</p>
<p>Hope that at least helps you feel a little better about what’s coming up.</p>
<p>Thanks for the answer Kim, it makes me feel much better to know that classes after intermediate are better (not to say simpler) but I can get through them. There’s no rush to answer these questions but another one I had for Taxguy or anyone is:</p>
<p>As I said before I was thinking about maybe staying an extra year to do Information Systems as well where I would take classes such as system analysis and design, enterprise architecture, infrastructure, strat man and acquistions, simulation methods, IS practimum, etc…</p>
<p>Now would it be more valuable to go that route to open up some more options for me due to low gpa, etc, etc or would it be better to take courses that focus on particular software’s/skills. I’ve had an introduction of a software like SAP, and heard many companies look for people who have SAP and other software’s like Oracle. Would it be maybe more beneficial to just do my 4 years of study for accounting and then for the 5th year focus on doing a course such as SAP or Oracle to improve employment chances.</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>I’m wondering if anyone can answer this for me:</p>
<p>I have a job offer at a Big 4 (start date is this July) and I’ve got the accounting units covered to sit for the CPA exam. However, with budget cuts and class size limitations, I was only able to take 2 out of the 3 courses in the Intermediate Accounting Series (quarter system so they were split in 3 courses instead of 2). However, I’ve taken audit, govt accounting, individual and corporate taxation, managerial/cost accounting etc. </p>
<p>My question is, can the fact that I don’t have that last part of the intermediate accounting series completed force the firm to rescind their offer? Obviously it seems drastic, but I’m wondering if that’s even a deal breaker. I’ve maintained my solid grades after I received my offer and the fact that I can’t get into this class is out of my hands. I’ve gotten A’s in the first 2 intermediate acct series and since I couldn’t get into this class, I still intend to self study what would be covered in the 3rd part of the series (necessary for the CPA exam anyways).</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Domcobb, if you want to know about how salaries work for all associates, check out post number one, found here, in the thread that you posted. I list a url for your to click on that shows average salaries for accountants by level here in Maryland.</p>
<p>I will be graduating next year with a B.S. in Accounting, and I will have 150 hours. I really have no desire to work in public accounting in the long run. Due to my geographic location, which I really like and wish to maintain, there are no Big 4 offices in the area. There are some regional firms and a couple national firms that have offices, however. </p>
<p>I see myself working for one of several (medium sized) corporations headquartered in the area I live. Do you think it would still be worthwhile to get a few years of public accounting experience? If one of the companies I would like to work for eventually offered me a job right out of school would that be a good option as well? I know one has a fairly impressive financial management training program that looks like it would give me great experience. However, if I need to get the public experience I will do it. I just don’t know what is best.</p>
<p>@taxguy @anyone who knows about accounting</p>
<p>Hi taxguy~</p>
<p>Thanks muuuuuuch for your nice answers! XD Do you know how is Lehigh’s reputation(undergraud) among accounting firms, for example Big 4? I’ve heard Lehigh is fairly strong in accounting education and is heavily recruited by Big 4. Which is better for accounting majors’ job hunting, NYU or Lehigh? I am now choosing schools…</p>
<p>Thanks muuuuuuch again~!</p>
<p>Im planning on being an Accounting major - Financial Analysis Concentration starting next year.
I am wondering what makes intermediate 1 and 2 so tough and what habits, tips, etc can any accounting majors offer for all ACC classes</p>
<p>lyr1027292784, Just curious,where did you get this number found in your screen name?
As for your question, again, I will refer you to post number one in this thread, which will answer your question.</p>
<p>Taxguy, I see that you are from the Maryland area and I’m wondering if Shippensburg University (located in Pennsylvania) is a good school for accounting?</p>
<p>Adamf213, frankly, I think you would be better served going to either Univ of Md or Towson. However, as I noted in post number one, it shouldn’t matter where you go as long as you get good grades in accounting.</p>
<p>Agent2421, I am not going to address all of your questions since they are too numerous for me to address. However, here is an overview to answer some of your questions.</p>
<p>First, everyone encounters each accounting class differently. I can’t tell you if intermediate will be the hardest class for you. Frankly, I personally didn’t find it very hard at all. I thought tax classes were a lot more challenging,which is why I wanted to go into tax. However, you might not have the same experience.</p>
<p>Secondly, you only need a top notch GPA if you want to work for a Big 4 firm. You can get jobs working for other types of firms, corporations and government with a lower GPA.</p>
<p>Third, as to career paths, this is a personal choice. It depends on your skills, work ethic, personal preferences etc. There are many paths though. There is public accounting that consists of tax, auditing, business advisory such as bookkeeping/financial statements and payroll, financial planning, forensic accounting, consulting, which includes setting up internal controls, human resources and more. You can go the corporate route that involves bookkeeping, auditing, tax etc. You can take the government route etc.
You can do what I did: Become a writer and lecturer.
Bottom line: There are many choices.</p>
<p>@taxguy,</p>
<p>LOL~I guess you’re sensitive about numbers…the numbers of my user-name are those of my QQ(a popular online-chatting software in China, like MSN) ID. I use this series of numbers as nearly all my user-names on various forums…</p>
<p>Thanks much for your post No.1! So thorough and detailed…XD</p>
<p>LYr1027292784 Frankly, I don’t know why CC took this thread off of the featured thread. It is still very viable and questions will keep arising in the future that are answered by post number one contained herein.</p>
<p>Forbes Magazine compiles an annual ranking of the best accounting firms to work for. They even have filters on their web site that you can use to prioritize the benefits that are important to you. Check out the following:</p>
<p>[Accounting</a> Firms Rankings: Vault Accounting 50 | Vault.com](<a href=“Firsthand”>Firsthand)</p>
<p>Do big 4 and other accounting firms care about your MAJOR GPA or OVERALL GPA?</p>