[waterzooi]

Hey All,

Hear me out. I’m 22. I got an associates in math and science, 3.8GPA. I tried out film school for 2 years I thought I’d like it but it wasn’t for me and I’m about to graduate. I want to continuing schooling in (public) accounting, it really is the right career path for me. My degree would be from Brooklyn College. The thing is that I have to pay back my last 2 years of school which would take me working for a year in my field that is unrelated to accounting while taking classes part time for the time being. The degree is 69 credits. That will take more than a few years to do part time, and I will have to start interning at smaller firms for either free or really low pay. I really should have been doing this the last 2 years but its too late.

All this said, is it worth it? As crazy as this sounds, I just feel old to start. So even if I graduate in 5 years part time at 27 taking part time classes with a second bachelors, I will have the degree with a little experience in the field. I wont be the president of the accounting team or anything because I just wont have the time. There is a PwC recruiter at my school and I do have friends that are starting there now; not sure if that matters. It’s crazy how 2 years can have so much effect.

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

My thought is look for alternatives that won't take 5 years to complete and/or consider a Master's instead of a 2nd Bachelor's (due to cost, I'd do the 2nd Bachelor's, but just throwing out the idea of a Master's). You might have to work with a different college but something which is primarily online (aka easier to work around a work schedule) should be able to complete 69 credits in far less than 5 years! More importantly, though, I think that you should be able to get an accounting degree for less than 69 additional credits. Have you had any accounting- or business-related credits yet? Just to show another option, here's the degree that I got: https://www.tesc.edu/business/bsba/Accounting.cfm 60 credits Gen Eds, 54 Business and Accounting, and 6 free/open…so I would anticipate you wouldn't need more than 54 credits this way, which is about 20% less than what you were anticipating with your current college!

That being said, though, the average age for getting the CPA is 28 last I saw the stats, so getting out of school at 27 would still put you in a good spot to be crossing that milestone at the same time as your peers with various different original educational and career goals, so you won't be as far behind as you think.

All in all, 5 or less rough years now are very worth it if you believe that this is the career you really want to be in. At 27 you probably still would have more than 40 years before you retired, so 40 years to enjoy being in the career you want or 45 years starting now to work in a career that you (from the sounds of it) don't enjoy.

[Anonymous]

My thought is look for alternatives that won't take 5 years to complete and/or consider a Master's instead of a 2nd Bachelor's (due to cost, I'd do the 2nd Bachelor's, but just throwing out the idea of a Master's). You might have to work with a different college but something which is primarily online (aka easier to work around a work schedule) should be able to complete 69 credits in far less than 5 years! More importantly, though, I think that you should be able to get an accounting degree for less than 69 additional credits. Have you had any accounting- or business-related credits yet? Just to show another option, here's the degree that I got: https://www.tesc.edu/business/bsba/Accounting.cfm 60 credits Gen Eds, 54 Business and Accounting, and 6 free/open…so I would anticipate you wouldn't need more than 54 credits this way, which is about 20% less than what you were anticipating with your current college!

That being said, though, the average age for getting the CPA is 28 last I saw the stats, so getting out of school at 27 would still put you in a good spot to be crossing that milestone at the same time as your peers with various different original educational and career goals, so you won't be as far behind as you think.

All in all, 5 or less rough years now are very worth it if you believe that this is the career you really want to be in. At 27 you probably still would have more than 40 years before you retired, so 40 years to enjoy being in the career you want or 45 years starting now to work in a career that you (from the sounds of it) don't enjoy.

[waterzooi]

Hi,

Added you on LinkedIn! Yeah a Master's will be costly especially because I would still have to take the core accounting required courses first. The only reason I'd try to stay with Brooklyn College is because they do offer some classes online/weekend. Also, they do have recruiters there (I guess I'd have to take days off for meetings and what not) from PwC. Forgot to mention Brooklyn College is about a 2 hour commute from my house (currently living in an apartment nearby but moving out at graduation). Also it is a city school so it has cheaper tuition (~800 for 3 credit class). The only other city school nearby is Barcuh, but they don't accept Second Degree Accounting majors, just my luck. The only nearby State school is a community college that I graduated from so those credits wont count. As for business courses I did have a marketing minor so it would only really knock out Introduction to Marketing, and I took Calc I at my last college (which doesn't seem to be relevant anyways). For the fall I was looking at doing Micro/Macro on Sundays in Brooklyn and Accounting 101 online. Maybe I am in over my head, I don't know. Maybe I am in over my head about everything. It is a lot of money too. And I don't hate production stuff, it just not fulfilling or really that stable. I feel like I wasted my time and my brains on something that I was just having fun doing but its too late now, I tried it.Below is the degree program at Brooklyn

https://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/courses/acad/program_info.jsp?major=003&div=U&dept_code=25&dept_id=81

Let me know what you think!

Thanks

[waterzooi]

Hi,

Added you on LinkedIn! Yeah a Master's will be costly especially because I would still have to take the core accounting required courses first. The only reason I'd try to stay with Brooklyn College is because they do offer some classes online/weekend. Also, they do have recruiters there (I guess I'd have to take days off for meetings and what not) from PwC. Forgot to mention Brooklyn College is about a 2 hour commute from my house (currently living in an apartment nearby but moving out at graduation). Also it is a city school so it has cheaper tuition (~800 for 3 credit class). The only other city school nearby is Barcuh, but they don't accept Second Degree Accounting majors, just my luck. The only nearby State school is a community college that I graduated from so those credits wont count. As for business courses I did have a marketing minor so it would only really knock out Introduction to Marketing, and I took Calc I at my last college (which doesn't seem to be relevant anyways). For the fall I was looking at doing Micro/Macro on Sundays in Brooklyn and Accounting 101 online. Maybe I am in over my head, I don't know. Maybe I am in over my head about everything. It is a lot of money too. And I don't hate production stuff, it just not fulfilling or really that stable. I feel like I wasted my time and my brains on something that I was just having fun doing but its too late now, I tried it.Below is the degree program at Brooklyn

https://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/courses/acad/program_info.jsp?major=003&div=U&dept_code=25&dept_id=81

Let me know what you think!

Thanks

[waterzooi]

I know companies have tuition reimbursement programs but the last thing I ever wanted to do was have a crappy retail job when I finished college but if it can pay for my school continuation I may just have to do it. There are companies that do “Production accounting” for films but I don't think that experience will carry over well if I ever tried to get into a Big 4. It seems to me like it is its own niche of accounting. One with not the most steady future ahead in it. I did some video production work at Morgan Stanley which is more finance which I might like… or have to settle for. I could get a Business Management Finance degree much quicker, but who knows if that will even do anything. I may be able to connect there (no guarantee) but I know I would want to do accounting more… It would suck if all of this is for nothing in the end.

[waterzooi]

I know companies have tuition reimbursement programs but the last thing I ever wanted to do was have a crappy retail job when I finished college but if it can pay for my school continuation I may just have to do it. There are companies that do “Production accounting” for films but I don't think that experience will carry over well if I ever tried to get into a Big 4. It seems to me like it is its own niche of accounting. One with not the most steady future ahead in it. I did some video production work at Morgan Stanley which is more finance which I might like… or have to settle for. I could get a Business Management Finance degree much quicker, but who knows if that will even do anything. I may be able to connect there (no guarantee) but I know I would want to do accounting more… It would suck if all of this is for nothing in the end.

[waterzooi]

[waterzooi]

[nicole2035]

How many credits are you graduating with? Try petitioning the board to see if they will let you sit. I've known people with math degrees that petitioned the board, and got accepted, however they also had their 150 credits. It's worth a shot

[nicole2035]

How many credits are you graduating with? Try petitioning the board to see if they will let you sit. I've known people with math degrees that petitioned the board, and got accepted, however they also had their 150 credits. It's worth a shot

[Anonymous]

I know for some states, you just need 150 total hours, 36 accounting hours, 36 business hours, and a bachelor's degree. It doesn't have to be in accounting, it could be in engineering or history or whatever. So that is something to look into, your state's CPA requirements. If you can just take the accounting classes without getting a second degree, that would save you a lot of time.

[Anonymous]

I know for some states, you just need 150 total hours, 36 accounting hours, 36 business hours, and a bachelor's degree. It doesn't have to be in accounting, it could be in engineering or history or whatever. So that is something to look into, your state's CPA requirements. If you can just take the accounting classes without getting a second degree, that would save you a lot of time.

[Mayo]

“I just feel old to start. So even if I graduate in 5 years part time at 27 taking part time classes with a second bachelors, I will have the degree with a little experience in the field.”

Age aint nothing but a number OP. Graduated and started my career with my firm at age 28. So glad I did too. Plus, I'm fortunate to have a baby face, so no one really knows unless I tell them. I don't try to hide it, but it never comes up.

It'll be tough to get there, but it can be worth it in the end if you work hard and bust your butt.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Mayo]

“I just feel old to start. So even if I graduate in 5 years part time at 27 taking part time classes with a second bachelors, I will have the degree with a little experience in the field.”

Age aint nothing but a number OP. Graduated and started my career with my firm at age 28. So glad I did too. Plus, I'm fortunate to have a baby face, so no one really knows unless I tell them. I don't try to hide it, but it never comes up.

It'll be tough to get there, but it can be worth it in the end if you work hard and bust your butt.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[fuzyfro89]

Too late? You're almost graduating. So many people spent years after their first pass at college before changing paths. It's always better to make a change earlier rather than later. Be thankful you learned your lesson (or what you really want to do) so soon.

I'd say go for the second major at your current school, unless you find another place that works better for you.

[Author]

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