[samnoah]

Hey guys
I passed the CPA exam 06/2016. I have a foreign bachelor degree in accounting plus certificate in accounting from UCLA Extension with no related experience in the US.I applied to many entry level positions at big, mid-sized and local CPA firms but nothing beside 5 interviews and no job offer. I have been told during my last job interview by a firm partner that it will be hard to get a job because I don’t have a degree from the US, and strongly recommended a MST.
I heard that GGU has a good reputation and has a good hiring. I dont want to get a 20 k debt and back to square 1 with no job..
Does anyone have experience with GGU? Is it worth it?
Much appreciated

[ultrarunner]

startupcfo/ Want2BeCPAsoBad, thank you for your insight. My question is similar to Lost1. I am starting MST in a state university in January. I am currently doing corporate accounting (GL/internal audit) but like to get into taxation. I don't necessarily aim for big 4 after graduation. I want to get a tax job in local regional firms or industry. But I am not in my 20s or 30s, so I am not sure whether it is possible to change a career at this stage. Any advice?

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[rlarivee01]

That's a little pricey at $3,330 per 3 credit course. Other options for online MST are Northeastern, Villanova, which are similarly expensive, then even more expensive programs I don't even commit to memory (NYU Stern, for one)

I'm considering University of Hartford at $2,010 per course, plus whatever fees. Hopefully once I've been working for a while, a company will sponsor me for an eMBA.

[West55]

I am already working in tax, so I don't need a master's degree to land a job. I also don't need a master's degree to get the CPA because I have fulfilled the 150 hours with my undergraduate courses. Is the MST worth it in my case? It's a lot of money and a lot of time that could be spent elsewhere. What is the course load like? How many classes would someone working full-time be expected to take each semester? In terms of time and difficulty, how does working and getting an MST from GGU compare to working and studying for the CPA? I don't live near campus, so I would need to take all classes online. Is the online presentation lacking anything compared to the cohort option?

[ultrarunner]

@West55, I don't know much about the online program at GGU, but I believe their on-site program is very good. If you have questions, you should reach out the program coordinator at the program. In my case, I started an MST program (not GGU nor online) early this year. At least four people in my program receive job offers from big4. So if you don't work in tax or like to get into tax, an MST is a good way to go. When you choose a school, please research how heavily the firms recruit the students from the program. Working and getting an MST is easier than working and studying for the CPA for sure. If you are not looking for a job, then, do CPA first and then MST.

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[West55]

Thanks for the input. It's definitely something I'll think about in the future and certainly something to talk about with my company's management.

I'm still slogging through the CPA, with probably 6 months remaining on it, after which I'll need a break to avoid massive burnout. Good to hear that the MST is not as bad as studying for the CPA. I don't think I would consider it if it were the same type of experience.

[West55]

Any thoughts on the graduate certificate in taxation from GGU? Its requirements are to take five of the classes that go towards the MST. Do employers take a graduate certificate seriously? I'd never heard of such a thing until recently.

TOTAL UNITS — 15
REQUIRED COURSES — 12 UNITS
TA 318
Advanced Federal Income Taxation
TA 329
Tax Research and Decision Making
TA 330
Property Transactions
TA 338
Tax Timing

ELECTIVES — 3 UNITS
Three units of any course(s) with a TA prefix.

https://www.ggu.edu/programs/taxation/graduate-certificate-in-taxation

[Author]

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