Want to be an accountant but...

happy1
Sun, 03 Apr 2016 03:36:51 +0000

@morrismm A number of schools have an application process to get into the b-school. It is very competitive at some schools.

And there are ways to become an accountant after getting a liberal arts education as an undergraduate but it will take one extra year to complete a MS program. If the OP is very happy at the college he/she is at then there is a decision to be made – transfer or spend two years instead of one at a Master’s in Accounting program. My friend’s son was in the same predicament as the OP (also at a large public college) and ended up majoring in Econ and Spanish and going to an intensive MS in Accounting program afterwards. He is now at KPMG. As they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Also the GPA cutoff for Big 4 firms varies depending on the college one attends (I have done recruiting for a Big 4 firm). It can be lower than you noted at some of the top schools and it would have to be close to 4.0 at some very low ranked schools. And one does not have to pass the CPA exam within 6 months to a year. At some Big 4 firms the exam must be passed before promotion to senior (after second year of work) and at other Big 4 firms the exam must be passed before promotion to manager (after five years of work.) – but obviously everyone is happy if the exam is passed sooner rather than later.