[laserglare]

Basically, I graduated from UCLA as a Neuroscience major, was pretty much set on the premed route, even took the MCAT (35) but i realize I don’t want to do this as a career. I don’t want to become a doctor, nor go into research. I’ve volunteered at clinics as well as worked in multiple research labs, and I’ve been pretty sure I don’t want to pursue the sciences towards the end of my junior year in college but i thought i would just get my degree since i was already this close.

Graduated in summer 2012.

In Fall 2012, i took accounting 1 at a community college and love it. I’ve always liked math a lot, and been good at it and TBH, it didn’t make sense for me to major in the sciences. I took econ 1 and 2 in college my freshman year just to try it out, and was seriously considering switching into business/econ but it wasn’t enough to sway me.

Anyways, my questions

1) How would employers view me as a 22yr old guy with a degree in neuroscience that took accounting classes at a community college. I realize I would need a way to prove myself, such as pass the cpa or get an MBA, both of which i plan to do.

2) Is my BS degree in Neuroscience good enough to fulfill the Bachelor’s requirement or do I need a BS in accounting/econ/business?

3) Since I probably have to take almost a year’s worth of classes, should i just apply to an MBA program that would start fall 2013, and get my credits there? (At community college, I would dual enroll and take as many classes as possible maximizing my time. I would also quit my research job and be a student full time. I am not worried about cost)

4) Assuming I take ALL of my classes at a community college, and finish the education requirements by december, I would be eligible to sit for the CPA exam, however new changes go into effect by the end of next year, so does that mean i have to finish the new class changes before sitting for my CPA Exam. Or do the educational requirements not change. (I’ve been getting mixed opinions about this)

5) Assuming I go the MBA route, i would probably end up in a not so stellar MBA program, because i have little work experience and i’m applying late, i’m hoping a CSU.

Is it worth getting an MBA then take the CPA or should I take the CPA first, then work, then get an MBA later.

6) What do you think, am i crazy? is this not feasible? I also don’t plan on stopping at cpa, i’m hoping to do other things like CFA or other finance jobs, but that’s way down the line. However Im told CPA is a good start, especially, when starting from scratch. (But correct me if i’m wrong)

BTW I’m californian and these are my requirements. But they change Dec 31st, 2013, and its impossible for me to complete them on time. The changes add 20 units accounting study and more ethics courses, but i’ll worry about that later.

Requirements: before dec 2013

A bachelor’s degree;

24 semester units in accounting-related subjects;

24 semester units in business-related subjects;

150 semester units (or 225 quarter units) of education;

Passing the Uniform CPA Exam; • One year of general accounting experience supervised by a CPA with an active license; and

Passing an ethics course.

[nimmle02]

Hey Laser,

I think it's perfectly feasible. I can give you a brief story about my own experience and hopefully that will help you decide. I was in a similar situation as you, however I ended up graduating from college with a degree in Music (yes…totally useful). As fun as that was, it didn't necessarily make me very attractive to employers. So I decided to go back for my MBA in Accounting at the age of 22.

Why MBA? Because even though I had some business classes from undergrad under my belt, they weren't exactly focused on business as a whole. They were more geared toward the music industry. Also, I decided that if I was going to take the CPA it would be better if I had taken the relevant courses more recently than well in the past. So I ended up at CUNY Baruch (state school) which has a great reputation for accountants.

It is a 2.5 year program if you go full time and I got all the classes I would ever need to create a solid foundation going into the CPA exam. In addition, they have an outstanding career center (another factor to consider) and are a target school for big 4 accounting firms (a VERY big factor to consider). I know that there are several school out there that you can finish the requirements in less time. I don't know if there are 1 year MBA programs out in CA, but I know schools like Northeastern in Boston, MA do.

If this is the route you want to take I say go for it. Take it from me, a girl who has done a complete 180 and currently has a job with a top firm (not big 4 but around 5 or 6). Just research what programs you are interested in. If you don't feel like your business courses gave you a good foundation then I would recommend the MBA. If you feel they did, you can probably get away with an MA program. Just make sure that you have all the classes you need to sit.

Good luck! I hope it works out.

REG - 5/21/2012 - 85
FAR - 7/24/2012 - 86
BEC - 8/27/2012 - 85
AUD - 10/5/2012 - 72....rematch 1/3/13 (waiting)

[Anonymous]

In a nutshell, yes you can do this.

You have a lot of class/major related questions. I'm not familiar with the requirements for your state or degrees. Taking a simpler view I think the most important thing is your CPA. How you achieve your 150 credits is less important. Talk to your state board about the requirements you need to meet the 150 credits and then map out a plan. Are you grandfathered into the old requirements if you have already started your degree path?

As for getting an MBA? It certainly doesn't hurt. A CPA holds more weight than an MBA though. Once you have your CPA, you won't likely want to go back for your MBA. Do you have an accounting master's as an option? MA, MSA, or MSAT? Those will prepare you more for the exam and generally have more connections to firms through the program at most colleges/universities.

My university offers a 1 year full-time 30 credit MSAT program. I had 130 credits in my undergraduate program and did the 30 credit master's in 3 semesters while I worked. I wouldn't focus too much on graduating in record time. As you near graduation you may want to take a lighter semester so you can spend time at an internship (highly recommend, this will help you get a job later.)

As for your “dark past” as a neuroscience major. I don't think its a bad thing at all. If anything, its an interesting story that will set you apart at interviews. (if you had a BS in say poetry I might have a different opinion) Also, it might give you an advantage if you decided to pursue a job at a hospital or a firm that has clients in healthcare.

[Anonymous]

You have already done all of the legwork for a neuroscience degree. I strongly encourage you NOT to pursue accounting/cpa based on an introductory accounting course. That is the equivalent of me deciding to be a science major based on taking environmental biology freshman year of college.

You could get into finance or consulting with your background! You just have to apply, maybe do an MSF, or work for a few years and go to a top 10 MBA.

[laserglare]

Thanks for your encouragement and advice everyone…

@Dmitri could you please elaborate? i'd like to hear reasons why I shouldn't do this, I haven't been hearing enough of the other side. If you want you can email me, laserglare @yahoo

TBH I would love to get into finance or consulting but my GPA is too low, 2.97, so I do not think I have a good chance. I feel like accounting/business would give me a fresh start and a second chance, and that I would not have to go to get an MBA if I didn't need to.

Also, the thought of “passing” a test and being approved by the industry sounds VERY appealing to me, I don't know if finance or consulting will allow me to do that. I know about the CFA, but the four years of experience before you get certified is turning me off, and I would rather pass something in two years and start working rather than work then pass the CFA ~5 years later.

I am not familiar with finance or consulting, if there is some type of forum or someone that can offer advice or if you could point me in the right direction, I'd love to do research on it.

I am working in a lab right now, but I do not like it. I don't like the people, nor the work, and I've been in multiple labs, led different projects, and know the game enough where I am certain I do not want to do this.

[sdgh1826]

@laserglare

Do you have enough accounting and business units? I took live classes in UCLA Extension to qualify and get more exposure to tax, the cost of each class is very reasonable and they have a quarter system. You could take as much classes as you want and only take those that are relevant to the exam.

If you take this route, I could recommend which professors to take and avoid. Check their Accounting & Tax certificates. You might just qualify faster through Extension if you need more units or exposure. Each class is 4 units but it equates to 2.6 under a regular program. They could also help you with your internship.

USC has a MAcc program but I think it is only full-time and cost so much. With Extension, class starts around 6:30pm so it is very doable. Classes are taught in a faster pace so you probably won't get board.

Becker 2012, NINJA notes

[MsCPA544]

Wow MCAT Score of 35 is amazing! Why aren't you going to Med School?? As long as you meet the minimum requirement, you can take the CPA exam! If your passion is in accounting, take more classes and qualify to sit for the test! 🙂

FAR-7/27/13
AUD-5/25/13
REG-NOT SCHEDULED
BEC-NOT SCHEDULED

[Mayo]

My views are strictly concerning big 4 public accounting. But here's my stab at it:

1.) The specific degree doesn't really matter. University recruiters want to see a few things. An accounting degree or credits to pass the CPA, GPA of 3.5 or higher (undergrad carries more weight), professional and interpersonal (i.e. social) skills, and community involvement of some kind (e.g. Work, leadership experience, volunteering, and/or accounting student organizations). Having a non-accounting background will help in setting you apart and giving you an intersting story to tell.

However, at least at big 4, where you go to school matters. Community college won't win you any points, and I'd suggest having a good way to spin why you didn't get your credits at a 4 yr university.

2.) You're most likely going to need 24 upper level accounting courses at a minimum. Check your state board for more info.

3.) Why get an MBA if it's not going to be from a good school? I think getting into a decent Macc is much more doable than getting into a really good MBA program, and more beneficial. Think about it, accounting programs are what recruiters are targeting specifically. That means more face time, which translates to better recruiting chances.

If you're not looking at on campus recruiting as the major avenue for an internship or full time offer, then I really think you'd be doing yourself a disservice. Stay away from posting resumes online or cold calling. It's probably 90% less effective than on-campus recruiting.

4 and 5.) See previous questions.

6.) It's totally doable if you're willing to work hard at it.

I think your biggest pitfalls are: Your undergrad GPA, relative small time frame to make an impression on recruiters (1-1.5 yrs with a Macc), and you accounting pedigree sucks (Comm College).

Look, there's tons of great advice on getting jobs on this board. If you do a little research, you'll find out that getting a good accounting job is pretty formulaic (at least setting yourself up for a good shot is. The rest can vary depending on your personality and the person hiring).

Good luck.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[SonjaBlue]

First, a little background on my CPA journey, and accounting career:

I originally was a biology major planning on a career as a Veterinarian. Somewhere along the way, I realized that a curiosity and passion for science knowledge and a love of animals was leading me towards a lifetime of spaying/neutering pets, pulling foxtails from dogs noses, and cleaning out abscesses caused by cat fights. Yuck! I decided to leave UC Davis and went to community college to explore a variety of intro classes in other majors (CC was cheaper). I also came across an accounting I class and realized I had found my career. So, we're similar. But, for a variety of reasons, it took me 18 years to complete my BS degree.

How would employers view you?

Some are going to be degree snobs and toss your resume in the garbage; orhers will think the neuroscience degree makes you interesting or will allow you to solve problems from a different angle. I've never been out of work and have earned a good salary for most of my positions. Get some work experience and a good head hunter, build your network and you'll be fine.

1) Is your BS in Neuroscience enough to fulfill the education requirement?

NO! You have to get the accounting courses completed.

2) & 3) Apply to an MBA program for credits or community college?

Community College is less expensive. If you think you eventually want a leadership role, get the MBA. If you think you will prefer to “do the work” or focus on technical accounting work. CC or CSU courses will be fine.

4) Does that mean you have to finish the new class changes before sitting for the exam?

To sit for exam now, you have to meet the current requirements; which I don't think you do. To get licensed, you will have to meet the new requirements. As stated on CA CBA website link below (you must meet all three current requirements of education, examination (pass all four parts), AND experience.

https://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/applicants/pathway.shtml

5) CPA or MBA now?

Your going to have to complete the Intermediate Accounting courses before a CSU Masters program will accept you. And there are pre-reqs before those classes. Meet with a CSU advisor for specifics.

6) Are you crazy? No. Is it feasible? Yes, with time, effort, patience, and a plan.

Having said all that, the advice above regarding accounting I is good. Accounting I is closer to bookkeeping work than it is to an accounting career. You might want to explore the CSU education because you'll get exposed to more business related fields with their BusAdmin degree.

Hope this helps!

FAR 02/26/13 78 [05/25/12 67]
AUD 07/07/12 85
REG 05/28/13 80 [08/25/12 72]
BEC 11/26/12 81

[FearTheBeard]

@laserglare

Let me get this straight — you graduated from a university that's widely regarded as one of the best in the country. You majored in neuroscience and scored a 35 on the MCAT (that's in the 95th percentile!!!) and you want to be an accountant? Seriously, dude/dudette, don't sell yourself short. I don't mean to put my profession down, but you're smart as hell and can do something more beneficial for the world than bank reconciliations for an accounting firm. Truth.

Why'd it take you till the end of your college junior year to decide that science wasn't for you? I knew that after taking high school chemistry. Also, don't put your GPA down. That's almost a 3.0, which is great for your major. I went to a good public university, and pinheads with 3.1 GPAs (but in accounting — NOT neuroscience) got the same job as me with the same salary (some even better). All entry-level auditors/tax accountants get paid about the same (within a geographical region, of course).

If you're set on not being a doctor, try consulting/investment banking. Get an MBA after some work experience. Don't waste your time with the CPA based on 1 intro course. Shit, Wall Street is filled with engineers/mathematicians/scientists who wanna get paid some cash money. I know a dude who graduated from my school with an engineering degree and a 3.2 GPA. He works for Citi, making $20,000 more than an entry-level auditor. If you can't get on Wall Street, work on the Consulting/Advisory side of Big 4 Accounting firms. People come from all walks of life in these practices (Finance, Political Science, English, Classics, Biology, etc), not just accounting.

Best of luck to you. If you decide on the CPA, based on what you feel in your heart, I'm sure you'll be fantastic.

[FearTheBeard]

LOL, I just noticed that I told the OP that he can do something “more beneficial for the world” than accounting, then directed him to possible Wall Street opportunities. How ridiculous is that? I'm about to die from laughing so hard. Haha, if the OP is responsible for the next financial crisis, don't blame me!!!

[laserglare]

@FearTheBeard Its not just getting into med school that's deterring me, but its the 8 years or so I have to dedicate to go into that field. That and I don't think I ever wanted to work in health care in the first place.

And yes, I would like to get into consulting and/or ibanking but I just don't know how to get into it or what classes/degrees I would need to get. Accounting seems simple, take classes, get units, take cpa test, work, then get certified, then continue from there.

Is there some type of universal consulting/ibanking test that i can do.

[laserglare]

is finance more difficult to get into than accounting for someone is my position?

[Author]

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