[Anonymous]

I want to joing in masters in taxation in GGU at SFO. Could anyone share their experience with me? Please advice me is it worth or not?

[Anonymous]

@ jsh1177,

How many classes do you have to take per semester in order to graduate in 9 months? Do you feel stressfull in the program?

[jsh1177]

@ CPA Genie

A traditional semester (16 weeks) is split into two and you take three classes at a time. After the first six which is in the fall, in spring you take two more (at a slower pace) and complete an internship during tax season for two classes worth of credit. Total 10 classes but the bulk of it is completed in fall.

Stressful, yes! We had a few who quit the program or moved to the part-time program which is at a slower pace. After the first 3 classes if you can't maintain a 3.0 the school usually will nudge you to the part-time program. You go to school four days a week, class are about 20 hours per week but during the first three classes our study group was averaging 50 hours per week of outside studying. But now its settled down to about 30-35 hours per week on average.

You really can't work in the full-time program, there's just not enough time in the day. It's extremely stressful but worth it. Our group of 30 that started 26 remain and 23 have offers.

REG - Feb 2012 Planned
BEC - TBD
FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD

[jsh1177]

@ CPA Genie

A traditional semester (16 weeks) is split into two and you take three classes at a time. After the first six which is in the fall, in spring you take two more (at a slower pace) and complete an internship during tax season for two classes worth of credit. Total 10 classes but the bulk of it is completed in fall.

Stressful, yes! We had a few who quit the program or moved to the part-time program which is at a slower pace. After the first 3 classes if you can't maintain a 3.0 the school usually will nudge you to the part-time program. You go to school four days a week, class are about 20 hours per week but during the first three classes our study group was averaging 50 hours per week of outside studying. But now its settled down to about 30-35 hours per week on average.

You really can't work in the full-time program, there's just not enough time in the day. It's extremely stressful but worth it. Our group of 30 that started 26 remain and 23 have offers.

REG - Feb 2012 Planned
BEC - TBD
FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD

[Anonymous]

hi jsh1177,

Thanks for your reply. I want to study as a full time student that is Cohort program which is offered in August.

I got another review from one of the GGU alumni saying that it will be very hard to find sponsorships for the fulltime placement(I'm on H4-dependant visa, will get shifted to F1-student visa).

If that is the case I feel that the whole point of doing a Master's will go wasted for me.

could you let me know if you have seen any of these scenarios.

Which is good program: Does SJSU MST or GGU MST? Where we can get more offers?

[Anonymous]

hi jsh1177,

Thanks for your reply. I want to study as a full time student that is Cohort program which is offered in August.

I got another review from one of the GGU alumni saying that it will be very hard to find sponsorships for the fulltime placement(I'm on H4-dependant visa, will get shifted to F1-student visa).

If that is the case I feel that the whole point of doing a Master's will go wasted for me.

could you let me know if you have seen any of these scenarios.

Which is good program: Does SJSU MST or GGU MST? Where we can get more offers?

[jsh1177]

@colaradocpa

I really can't comment on the SJSU MST program but I did research it and the reason why I chose GGU was the condensed full-time program (9 months vs. >1 year). Both schools are heavily recruited by Big 4, global 6 and many regionals. As far as visas, two in our study group that needed sponsorship and got it. I know that many firms were offering sponsorships and having your CPA will be a big plus.

Full-time is very different from part-time program and online-program so alumni from those programs seem to have very different experiences. The school has a really solid reputation for MST so firms come to recruit and the school focuses most of its efforts for the full-time MST students. I know that MaC students are having a hard time getting employed.

REG - Feb 2012 Planned
BEC - TBD
FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD

[jsh1177]

@colaradocpa

I really can't comment on the SJSU MST program but I did research it and the reason why I chose GGU was the condensed full-time program (9 months vs. >1 year). Both schools are heavily recruited by Big 4, global 6 and many regionals. As far as visas, two in our study group that needed sponsorship and got it. I know that many firms were offering sponsorships and having your CPA will be a big plus.

Full-time is very different from part-time program and online-program so alumni from those programs seem to have very different experiences. The school has a really solid reputation for MST so firms come to recruit and the school focuses most of its efforts for the full-time MST students. I know that MaC students are having a hard time getting employed.

REG - Feb 2012 Planned
BEC - TBD
FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for the information. Now i am researching both Program SJSU Vs GGU.

I am great dilema which one to consider and prospects of my career.

Anyway thanks, your information helped me lot.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for the information. Now i am researching both Program SJSU Vs GGU.

I am great dilema which one to consider and prospects of my career.

Anyway thanks, your information helped me lot.

[Anonymous]

@ jsh1177

Just one quick question. What's the average starting salary like if you have a master degree in tax? B4 v.s. mid-size regional firms?

[Anonymous]

@ jsh1177

Just one quick question. What's the average starting salary like if you have a master degree in tax? B4 v.s. mid-size regional firms?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know about the salary? i am also curious to know about this. big 4 and mid size regional firms.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know about the salary? i am also curious to know about this. big 4 and mid size regional firms.

[jsh1177]

It seems the average is $56-58K this year for Big 4 from the offers our class has gotten (MST with/without CPA). From people who I've spoken to JD's start in the mid to high-$60's and undergrads in the low $50's but everyone seems to get averaged out by year 4 or 5 (people who started with higher salaries get smaller raises compared to those who started at the bottom). I've also heard it changes year to year but that's what our class of 2012 is getting. Not sure how it compares to previous years. Also I did not interview with mid-size regionals so not sure what they're offering but I've heard its about the same. Some firms offer a lower salary BUT with overtime (which seem to average out the same).

REG - Feb 2012 Planned
BEC - TBD
FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD

[jsh1177]

It seems the average is $56-58K this year for Big 4 from the offers our class has gotten (MST with/without CPA). From people who I've spoken to JD's start in the mid to high-$60's and undergrads in the low $50's but everyone seems to get averaged out by year 4 or 5 (people who started with higher salaries get smaller raises compared to those who started at the bottom). I've also heard it changes year to year but that's what our class of 2012 is getting. Not sure how it compares to previous years. Also I did not interview with mid-size regionals so not sure what they're offering but I've heard its about the same. Some firms offer a lower salary BUT with overtime (which seem to average out the same).

REG - Feb 2012 Planned
BEC - TBD
FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD

[Author]

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