[cantpassagain1]

Hey guys, I am a relatively recent grad (2016 undergrad, 2017 grad) from a o.k. college. I began my career in big four after graduation in a small tax group. It was not challenging at all so I left after 5 months for a mid tier firm in audit. I really love it. Audit is great and I love looking at financials.

However, academia is where my heart is at. Ever since I got out of school I have felt like there is a piece of me missing. To be quite honest, I am not sure how great I am at working in the real world. Keeping within budgeted hours, selling myself to partners and managers to get on engagements, and fitting into company cultures (often too proud to admit that, but I must be honest) are incredibly difficult for me.

With all of that being said, I graduated the top of my class in college, passed (84,86,89,92) the CPA exam in a total of four months and often tutored other classmates and those in lower level classes while in school.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but I really dont see myself making it long in public accounting (maybe industry a tad longer) let alone being successful (making senior manager/partner/CFO ect). However, I am practical about life. I realize going back to school for my PHD is going to be an incredible financial burden on me as I already have my loans from undergrad and grad school. I just dont know what to do. I want to get back to what I am good at.

With all of that being said. What are your complete and unfiltered thoughts? Can someone get into academia without much experience at all? Have you ever heard of someone pursuing this career path? If so, what is their story?

[jdub]

Decide if you like research. I thought about the same thing you are for a hot minute and decided I didn't think I would like the constant research and political aspect of college faculty.

My advice would be to look on the job boards or at your alma maters for adjunct positions. I have an MBA and taught adjunct accounting classes for a year at a small, private, university. This was when I was thinking about getting my PhD in an undecided business subject and before I started my CPA trek. I can tell you that I was shocked that I hated it. I might have liked it better if that was my only job – but it was my 2nd job.

In a nutshell, I couldn't deal with the student entitlement.

I had a mix of traditional and returning adult students and they were equally as bad. I can't tell you how many “well I should just get an A because I showed up and turned in my work” emails I got.

Because I taught essentially financial and cost accounting 101 that all business majors need the “I'm not an accounting major, so why do I need this class” emails I got.

And to top it off 1 student had the tenacity to cuss me out via email so I had all the proof I needed and the Dean for the School of Business wanted me to keep her in the class because of $$$ and enrollment number purposes.

I could go on for quite awhile so I'll spare you 😉 but that's my advice, try it as an adjunct if you can find an opportunity before you take the financial plunge! Most (if not all) community colleges will also let you teach without a doctorate as well.

[cantpassagain1]

Hey guys, yes most people in my program completed in a year and a half or 2 depending on their goals and undergrad degree. However, there were a few that just studied and took the exam and knocked everything out in a year.

My logic goes like this. I am 24 and was recently diagnosed with mild to moderate Asperger's. Looking back, I struggled with it for the past decade but never thought it affected anything serious until I got into the workforce. Thus, my current compromise is dealing with ‘real world' realities such as office politics and keeping within budgeted hours (I suppose I don't like ticking things immaterial). I even hear partners laughing about me in their offices on a regular basis.

So the question becomes, is this something I can compromise with? Well, I love what I do and make a decent wage. However, it is hard for me to believe that people think I am even good at what I do. Just one example: I find work papers from prior years that have entire tick marks and recalculations, labeling an account as expense when it is actually revenue (signed off on at two levels). I bring it to my managers attention because I am doing the current year, and I get, “I wonder who did that”. However, I still don't get assigned to full scope audits because my first work paper I ever did took me longer than the budgeted hours (I have ‘ate hours' ever since).

Since I am starting to believe that the crux of these issues I will have to compromise with are somewhat evident in every facet of non-academia, and that it is clear that I am the issue, I am just trying to seek another path.

Can you guys elaborate on the “politics” of academia?

Note: sorry for the forwardness and detail but I just wanted to explain the reality of the situation.

[aaronmo]

My gut tells me that anywhere you go, there you are. People are people, regardless of industry. Some are petty…stupid…mean. I think tone and politics are going to be a problem at a lot of universities too. That's my hunch anyway. They'll probably be more respectful about it, I'd hope. For sure you're going to hear crap from students…and teaching accounting means failing a lot of kids. The kids you're going to be failing are going to be angry about it and blaming anyone but themselves, so I suspect you'd get a lot of push back and heat.

Have you thought about civil service/government? The pay would be tougher, but my gut says there would be less pressure and BS. Hopefully more sensitivity?

I'm sorry you're having that challenge…it must be difficult.

[cantpassagain1]

I appreciate that insight. I wouldnt imagine failing students is easy. Ive thought about governmental, and I actually really want to get into non profits such as hospitals. I could see it being a little more easy going.

But one more question – should I tell my coach or someone within my firm about my Asperger's? How do you think they will react?

[aaronmo]

I think from an HR perspective, they're going to be nervous. It basically says hey, watch your butts…ADA suit. I don't know how it would impact what you're already facing at work, but it doesn't sound like there's much downside from where you are either. Maybe it would help? It's tough for me to say because I'm not there, I don't know how things stand, or what they think.

I managed an HR department…I can tell you that I would have immediately gotten the managers you interact with together to discuss reasonable accommodations, but…I can also tell you…I think some would be looking for an excuse/reason to get rid of you. Managers might try to dial up pressure to make it your choice. I didn't manage an accounting firm either…it's tough for me to say. Generally…it all comes down to the work/profit. If you're driving profit, they find a reason to want you. If not, they want you gone.

You have tough decisions here. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better answer, but I don't know what the culture you work in is like. For SURE if you tell someone, it will get people thinking about how they're going to accommodate you, or try to get rid of you. Or some of both…but it sounds like you think that's happening anyway.

I think my best advice might be to say talk to an Asperbergers therapist/support group and try to find someone else who has been in this position. See if you can find another accountant in a similar situation to talk to. Given the little that I know about the condition, I'd think there are others in your shoes.

[DoubleBogey]

@cantpassagain1

If you think the Acedemia setting is for you, the PhD is your best bet. But it would be in your best interest to look into all that goes into it. See where you would want to do the program at (any near where you live), score an outrageous score on the GMAT, around a 700, and have a research topic you would like to pursue. That topic will be your Dissertation, and the topic must be approved by the PhD program's admissions board before admittance will be considered. Then, there's the financial side of being in a PhD Program full-time with not much in the way of pay. But honestly, if that's what you want to do, go for it. Just make sure you do your homework first.

[DoubleBogey]

Sorry for the double post, GMAT scores are good for PhD programs for 5 years. had a professor have to retake her GMAT because her score expired and wasn't valid for her application to PhD. So, I recommend that be your first step post-CPA exam.

[cantpassagain1]

Thank you @aaronmo and @jsdailey.

I think I will have to put in some thought of the next couple of weeks to determine if I am going to tell my current firm about things. I hope that it wont create any changes in the work that I get or how I am assessed. Simply put, I just dont want to be able to hear what they say about me. It makes concentrating almost impossible.

As far as the GMAT goes, I think I will start preparing soon. I dont think around a 700 is unattainable, but I will probably have to take it a few times. Thanks for the heads up on what they typically look for in admissions. I think I will apply to broad array of schools. I notice that the acceptance rate is around 1% for the top schools, at least based on the figures from their website (which might inflate how many applicants they get). I cant imagine many people want to go down the academia route. The average pay is a lot less than what you could make if you stayed in public for just 5-7 years and took a controller position, not to mention the forfeited salary while in school. But who knows.

Anybody else have any insight on how I should go about putting myself in the best position for acceptance into a program?

[Recked]

I saw this article in my email this morning and remembered this thread, so I figured I would share.
https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/thinking-about-becoming-an-accounting-professor

[cantpassagain1]

Thanks @recked, that seems to be the dynamic as I research this more.

I think one of the driving forces that is often overlooked for why there is a shortage of accounting academics is because of the acceptance rate to get into Ph.D programs. I dont know what types of backgrounds a lot of applicants have, but a lot of schools I see have 1% acceptance rates. Id imagine this makes it difficult for someone like myself, with little experience and normal above average academic track record to pursue this arena.

[Author]

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