[Anonymous]

I took quite a few years off from college and I’ve recently gone back. If I finish on this track, I will get my B.S. in December of 2016. I’ll be 30 years old.. Is it going to be very difficult? Should I even bother? Please, I need some advice..

[umkcfuturecpa]

I know this original post is from 2 months ago, but I wanted to add my two cents for anyone who see this pop up. I feel like this is a frequent question on a variety of CPA message boards…

#1) The only people who will tell you that being older is a disadvantage is yourself and 21 year olds who don't know any better

#2) Don't make your age “a thing,” either in school or around the office. Some older students/entry levels are self deprecating about their age and it is quite frankly obnoxious because literally no one cares; on the flip side, don't act like you're better because you're older.

#3) (ok, 3 cents!) Turn everything you have going for you into a strength. If you've been in the job market, play that up. Took time off to manage a home/family, talk about the scheduling/running of a busy household and how you handled that.

I graduated in May at the age of 29, will start at the end of this month in a mid-tier public firm, turn 30 at the end of the year. No one stood in my way, and no one has ever mentioned my age. And yes, even though I'm going to a mid-tier, I chose it over the Big 4 offer I received (among other offers), so even that is not out of reach.

REG - 87 (Becker)
AUD - 96 (Becker & Ninja MCQs)
FAR - 85 (Becker, Ninja MCQs, Audio and Blitz)
BEC - Last one! Waiting on score release 11/24!

Remember: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

[juuustin]

I will be nearly 27 when I start at a Big 4 next year. I think my 4+ years real life, full time experience was viewed as a VERY big plus compared to the typical campus hire. So much so that during my office interview, the partner and I discussed the exact client I would be working for when I started. They had already had the Fall training, but he seriously considered bringing me on immediately and then sending me to training after 3 months. I attribute all of that to having already had a proven track record as a full-time professional. FWIW, my current FT position is not even remotely related to accounting, either.

MD Candidate: 10/1/14

FAR - 87 (11/23/14)
REG - 87 (1/30/15)
BEC - 89 (4/19/15)
AUD - 98 (5/30/15)

Ethics - 100

Experience - In Progress!

[VR]

@umkcfuturecpa . I think experience and age brings a lot of advantages into a work place, but….it is not advantage for Big 4 especially if you already out of school for some time. My question is how even to get an interview with Deloitte or Earnton & Young at 39 and out of school for 7 years?

[Iggy1985]

I turn 29 this month, and had 3 interviews so far this week.. one on the phone with big4.. and a fourth interview on Friday for a firm I interviewed with Monday.. they don't know my age, all they know is that I already passed far and have a 4.0 GPA.. and that's all they care about haha.. age is just a number, and a number I don't like to think about 😀

FAR - 89 (8/19/14) Wiley TB, Wiley Book, Books from School, Ninja Audio/Notes
AUD - 92 (10/14/14) Wiley TB, Wiley Book, Ninja Audio
BEC - 82 (5/8/15) Mostly Ninja MCQ, sprinkles of Becker lectures and Ninja Audio
REG - (8/14/15)

[umkcfuturecpa]

@VR – what are you basing the “not an advantage at Big 4” off of? Like I said, I received an offer from Big 4 and I'm turning 30. I went to school with people in their 40s who received offers from Big 4. You're perpetuating a stereotype that just isn't true, and I'm not sure where you're getting your information from.

As far as where you're coming from, yes it is harder to go from industry into Big 4, and I think that is more of the issue than the age thing. That being said, the Big 4 isn't the end all be all of public accounting either. Keep at it, pass your CPA, and keep applying. You probably won't enter at the same level as someone with 8 years of public accounting, however.

REG - 87 (Becker)
AUD - 96 (Becker & Ninja MCQs)
FAR - 85 (Becker, Ninja MCQs, Audio and Blitz)
BEC - Last one! Waiting on score release 11/24!

Remember: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

[Author]

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