[MrCPA2B]

Hello All,

Of course I’m back with another question 🙂 . I was in one of my Gemini moods today and began to think about a lot of things. For the past 5 months, I have been working on my MS in Accounting online while working full time as an accounting clerk for a private company. As stated in a previous post, I am interested in public accounting but unfortunately hadn’t had any luck yet. I am also studying concurrently to take the CPA exam (AUD first up in January 14). I have been back and forward on career blogs reading about the value of a MSA and reading the different opinions. A few blogs made a valid point that the MSA is redundant if you already have a bachelors in accounting. In which case, I do. So I have been toying with the idea of completely stopping my MSA mid-way. I have completed 15 credit hours of the 30 required credit hours needed for the degree. However, I already have my 150 needed for the CPA. Should I stop and focus on the CPA? I am scared that even after my MSA, I still will not find work in public accounting and I’ll be swamped with debt. Feedback please!

AUD- FEB 2014
BEC- APR 2014
FAR- MAY 2014
REG- AUG 2014

Using Wiley CPA Exam Review and Ninja Notes
May the "Force" be with me!

[mla1169]

I'm glad you are reserving judgement on recruiters. Frees you up to use it on your neighbors in San Fran and people who get their additional credits at community college.

And what exactly do you know of what will or will not pass at a large accounting firm? Or is that also based on your landlords hairdressers uncles brother?

You're just coming off as racist now.

.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

i did my masters in tax and there was minimal if any writing or term papers. it was mainly exam based, not sure about ms in accounting but i'd reckon it would be similar. i don't see how getting a master's proves one's english is better, it is way easier to slack off in school and pass, even get good grades. as opposed to the cpa, where you need to really know you stuff…

[Anonymous]

i did my masters in tax and there was minimal if any writing or term papers. it was mainly exam based, not sure about ms in accounting but i'd reckon it would be similar. i don't see how getting a master's proves one's english is better, it is way easier to slack off in school and pass, even get good grades. as opposed to the cpa, where you need to really know you stuff…

[Anonymous]

in regards to OP, i do think getting an ms in accounting after a bachelors is kinda repetitive. an mba or masters in finance would be helpful tho even after attaining the 150 credits

[Anonymous]

in regards to OP, i do think getting an ms in accounting after a bachelors is kinda repetitive. an mba or masters in finance would be helpful tho even after attaining the 150 credits

[jrosen92770]

I am a native English speaker (I also speak Spanish). In addition to the materials being complex, the play on words they do on the exam can be difficult, so in my opinion you really have to have a pretty good command of the English language to pass the CPA exam. That does not mean an MS is any less difficult, but with the CPA you have a lot more obstacles: exam time, you never know what the test will consist of, etc. Furthermore, if you analyze the pass rates, with the exception of BEC, less than 50%.

Regarding a recruiter, given my 15+ years of being in the work force, I would consider advice from a recruiter as a material scope limitation.

Great topic for discussion.

BEC - 5/26/2013 75
REG - 8/31/2013 82
AUD - 11/24/2013 74, 2/9/2014 92
FAR - 5/25/2014 85

NY CPA

[jrosen92770]

I am a native English speaker (I also speak Spanish). In addition to the materials being complex, the play on words they do on the exam can be difficult, so in my opinion you really have to have a pretty good command of the English language to pass the CPA exam. That does not mean an MS is any less difficult, but with the CPA you have a lot more obstacles: exam time, you never know what the test will consist of, etc. Furthermore, if you analyze the pass rates, with the exception of BEC, less than 50%.

Regarding a recruiter, given my 15+ years of being in the work force, I would consider advice from a recruiter as a material scope limitation.

Great topic for discussion.

BEC - 5/26/2013 75
REG - 8/31/2013 82
AUD - 11/24/2013 74, 2/9/2014 92
FAR - 5/25/2014 85

NY CPA

[Anonymous]

I don't think that he said that Graduate level courses are harder than the CPA.

In my experience, CPA is seen as more valuable than a masters on the resume… at my job in corporate accounting for entry level positions, we don't put any more weight for someone who has a graduate degree over someone who has a undergraduate degree.

That said, if someone has a foreign name or foreign school's degree it may help alleviate the discrimination against that. As much as I hate it, people will discriminate against foreign schools or foreign names and it effects me too since I have a very foreign name even though I was born in this country and people just assume that I wasn't.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that he said that Graduate level courses are harder than the CPA.

In my experience, CPA is seen as more valuable than a masters on the resume… at my job in corporate accounting for entry level positions, we don't put any more weight for someone who has a graduate degree over someone who has a undergraduate degree.

That said, if someone has a foreign name or foreign school's degree it may help alleviate the discrimination against that. As much as I hate it, people will discriminate against foreign schools or foreign names and it effects me too since I have a very foreign name even though I was born in this country and people just assume that I wasn't.

[MrCPA2B]

LOL!! This is hilarious! Thanks for the feedback. I think that I am just gonna focus on the CPA exam for now and afterwards if I feel that it is necessary I will finish the last 5 classes. Honestly, the degree is kind of worthless not only because of the school that its coming from but in the fact that it is redundant. I will take your advice and get an MBA.

AUD- FEB 2014
BEC- APR 2014
FAR- MAY 2014
REG- AUG 2014

Using Wiley CPA Exam Review and Ninja Notes
May the "Force" be with me!

[MrCPA2B]

LOL!! This is hilarious! Thanks for the feedback. I think that I am just gonna focus on the CPA exam for now and afterwards if I feel that it is necessary I will finish the last 5 classes. Honestly, the degree is kind of worthless not only because of the school that its coming from but in the fact that it is redundant. I will take your advice and get an MBA.

AUD- FEB 2014
BEC- APR 2014
FAR- MAY 2014
REG- AUG 2014

Using Wiley CPA Exam Review and Ninja Notes
May the "Force" be with me!

[kmaahs]

I'm gonna sidestep the whole language proficiency discussion and get back to the OP a bit.

I think the MSA is mostly used as a tool to attain the 150 credits. If you have them, it's worth becomes questionable.

What you might consider now, is your path for landing in public accounting. For those in a traditional program or an online program that is offered at a traditional college, this MSA program opens doors for campus recruiting, which is where a huge percentage (I'd say darn near 100% in my market) of entry level full times get in. I don't know if your online program offers much in the way of recruiting, but it is a consideration.

Also, if your undergrad accounting GPA was not stellar, the MSA offers a chance at redemption. As an example, my undergrad GPA was 2.7 but my MSA GPA was 3.8. I left the undergrad off my resume, and though it was brought up during interviews, I was able to show my conviction to improve myself with my MSA GPA.

Lastly, an MSA may fill in holes in your education that may have been left over during your undergrad. This point, of course, has more to do with your own undergrad experience. I didn't have an accounting undergrad, but my MSA was extremely thorough. I honestly didn't run into any new material when studying for the exam, and it really helped me get through the tests. I.e. Finishing the MSA may be a sort of extended study session for the CPA exams.

Having an MSA will not hurt your chances at public. But if the program offers nothing to you other than the line item on your resume, you should consider skipping it, in my opinion.

C.P.A.

[kmaahs]

I'm gonna sidestep the whole language proficiency discussion and get back to the OP a bit.

I think the MSA is mostly used as a tool to attain the 150 credits. If you have them, it's worth becomes questionable.

What you might consider now, is your path for landing in public accounting. For those in a traditional program or an online program that is offered at a traditional college, this MSA program opens doors for campus recruiting, which is where a huge percentage (I'd say darn near 100% in my market) of entry level full times get in. I don't know if your online program offers much in the way of recruiting, but it is a consideration.

Also, if your undergrad accounting GPA was not stellar, the MSA offers a chance at redemption. As an example, my undergrad GPA was 2.7 but my MSA GPA was 3.8. I left the undergrad off my resume, and though it was brought up during interviews, I was able to show my conviction to improve myself with my MSA GPA.

Lastly, an MSA may fill in holes in your education that may have been left over during your undergrad. This point, of course, has more to do with your own undergrad experience. I didn't have an accounting undergrad, but my MSA was extremely thorough. I honestly didn't run into any new material when studying for the exam, and it really helped me get through the tests. I.e. Finishing the MSA may be a sort of extended study session for the CPA exams.

Having an MSA will not hurt your chances at public. But if the program offers nothing to you other than the line item on your resume, you should consider skipping it, in my opinion.

C.P.A.

[MrCPA2B]

@kmaahs Thank you for your feedback. I am doing an MSA at a traditional school online (Liberty University). But I like your advice and believe that it will show my redemption if I can get good grades.

AUD- FEB 2014
BEC- APR 2014
FAR- MAY 2014
REG- AUG 2014

Using Wiley CPA Exam Review and Ninja Notes
May the "Force" be with me!

[MrCPA2B]

@kmaahs Thank you for your feedback. I am doing an MSA at a traditional school online (Liberty University). But I like your advice and believe that it will show my redemption if I can get good grades.

AUD- FEB 2014
BEC- APR 2014
FAR- MAY 2014
REG- AUG 2014

Using Wiley CPA Exam Review and Ninja Notes
May the "Force" be with me!

[Author]

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