[naz2k57]

Hey everybody.

So I major in accounting and doing a double major so I can sit for the CPA. Every semester I say I will do good but fail to.

Currently my GPA is below a 3.0. I have 2 semesters left.

My question is, is there any point in continuing this degree?

With such a GPA, who would even give me a chance. I can get up to a 3.2 but that is only if I get all A’s.

I honestly did want to work for the BIG 4 but I think that boat already is long gone.

Can I get some advice on what to do. Please share your knowledge and advice.

Thank You

[acamp]

Do work.

Getting it up to a 3.2 with the caption “4.0 GPA during my final two semesters” might help you out. What's the deal? Have you identified what holds you back from getting good grades? Lazy? Like to party? Not motivated? Don't understand the material? We need more info.

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[naz2k57]

The reason I am doing bad is because my time management skills are bad.]

I try everytime but always mess up

[Never_Give_Up1]

Honestly, about a 3.0-3.2 is the cutoff for most CPA firms. If you can get above a 3.0 you have a shot. But you wont last long in public accounting if you already know you have a time management problem. Public accounting is all about time management. You have X amount of hours to get this job done… manage your time according. If you are set on public accounting (which I was an auditor for 2 years and know that experience was the best experience of my career) you need to learn how to manage your time. Being a CPA is all about how bad do you want it. This video right here puts together much better than I could explain it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsSC2vx7zFQ go there and watch it. If you want something… you are going to have to make sacrifices to do it… I ended up retaking classes my senior year so I could get a 3.2 and prove I was just flaking around in my first couple of years. I also rocked out a 3.8 in my Masters. What is holding you back from doing it? If you want it only you can go get it… Why the double major? Unless it is something like engineering… you are wasting your $$$. Some of the best CFO's have accounting backgrounds. Quit making excuses… be like Mike… just do it!

FAR - 81
REG - 81
AUD - 82
BEC - 81

Ethics - Done
State License Exam - Done

License - Licensed CPA in Utah

[naz2k57]

I see. So this is the cut off.

I know this is a silly question but is it possible to work my way up to the Big 4?

I actually met Roger from Roger CPA. He was telling me how his friend has got into the Big 4 with a 2.8 GPA.

I didn;t have the time to ask him how his friend did it though.

[pkd1982]

Sometimes college student centers will offer time management classes for free. Take one if you can, regardless of whether you think you'll end up at one of the Big 4, because you will be using those skills later in basically any career. Bring your GPA up in the final two semesters and don't fret.

REG: Pass
BEC: Pass
AUD: Pass
FAR: August 2013

[naz2k57]

Okay I will.

Thank You

[Anonymous]

If you start out in the smaller firms, your GPA won't matter. My boss never asked me my GPA before hiring me…which is kinda good, because my school was weird and had so many pass/fail things that I knew my GPA would be a poor reflection of anything real!! I did have one interviewer that asked my GPA, and I told him what it was (and my official one was pretty high…), but they didn't hire me even though my GPA was OK. The guy who did hire me never asked. So, my advice is, don't quit the career because of the GPA, but don't expect to have The Big 4 right off the bat either! Start out somewhere smaller, see how it goes, and then if you are still interested in the Big 4, apply there with a solid track record of work. At that point, your GPA won't matter as much, because it will be old history, and your work will be more current history.

[naz2k57]

It seems that a CPA is able to move around through companies relatively easy.

As far as the Big 4 goes, it is possible to work myself up the chain. Right?

[naz2k57]

Also, I have a personal meeting with a PWC recruiter on her own time.

She said we she would tell me more about the process and help in whatever way she can.

Should I go?

[Mayo]

Yes, go to any meeting or event where you can get face time. If you're lucky, your personality can maybe make up for your bad grades. But like someone said, if you're struggling now, you might struggle once you graduate. Just make sure you work on that.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[StephAV]

When I was going through the recruiting process… Many years ago… Public accounting was almost as much about networking as it was about grades. The firms want someone who is going to be a good fit personality wise. My experience was the the Big 4 were looking for the work hard/play hard types. And if you had great extra curriculars and really wanted to work for them they were willing to give some people shots to prove themselves. I'm thinking of this one guy in particular that went to PWC and I know he had below a 3.0. He was super cool though, wakeboarder, snowboarder, lots of fun… I wouldn't count yourself out. I'd just network and get yourself motivated.

FAR - 7/13 - 72, 11/13- 74, 2/14- 82!!! Best score ever (for me)!!!
BEC - 1/14 - 75!!! Perfect score! First Pass! YAY!!!
AUD - 8/14 - 80!!!
REG - 5/14 - 72, 10/14 - 66, 1/15 - 78 - DONE FOREVER!!!
I did 5 of the UNA and CPAExcel classes to earn units.

[naz2k57]

How do I play my cards right with the PWC recruiter?

Thank You

[KeepUPosted]

Are you involved in other things on campus? If so, bring that up (shows you're more than just a student, and that other meaningful things could just be getting in the way of time studying).

The fact that you get facetime with a PWC recruiter is awesome. Just show interest in PWC, and ask lots of questions about the firm, work life, etc. Many (if not most) top students don't take the initiative to have face time with a recruiter….they just wait to be courted by the firms.

I had a 2.95 in undergrad. My accounting GPA was even worse. I just stretched myself too thin with extracurriculars, and was not under treatment at the time for ADD. However, I applied for a MAcc program, and used that as an opportunity to focus on school and redeem myself (3.4 GPA there). Still no ADD treatment though until 1.5 years of work….sad to think about how much better my grades could have been.

Did not get a job with Big 4, but did get a job with a great mid-sized firm, and eventually got my CPA license. My work ethic and ability to take initiative helped me succeed as an accountant….contrary to what my undergrad GPA would have made you think.

There is hope!

[tomq04]

My friends and myself included can honestly say we felt lied to and cheated when we went for our accounting degrees. The stories the professors weaved were basically falst. The amount of time required by work will eat you alive, took a friend to turn suicidal for the rest of us to wake up.

I am lucky, I skipped public accounting outright and ended up with an awesome software company (we do the ERP for the Sunkist Packing Houses) where I work hand in hand with the office staff ensuring their accounting is done correctly and accurately. There is no way in hades I would have ever made it in public accounting, but I did end up using my accounting degree in a way I never would have had the opportunity for with anything else.

THAT BEING SAID, I would go back and beyond any shadow of a doubt gotten an engineering or computer science degree, I would also tell everyone I meet that is in college to do the same. That is assuming you want money out of college ($70k+ starting), no accounting firm will offer you that until you have 7+ years experience.

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Author]

Replies