[Anonymous]

I thought this might be an interesting survey…I like accounting a lot, but if you asked me what wanted to do before I was 20 I probably wouldn’t have said accounting.

My undergrad degree was in jazz piano performance, and I had taken some form of piano instruction from age 5 to 22. I thought that I was going to be a professional jazz musician in NYC as a career…I was encouraged when i got scholarships to well regarded music schools, but very discouraged when I learned at age 23 that, in NYC, good (not great) jazz piano players are a dime a dozen and scraping by playing gigs is kind of a depressing existence.

Now I live in KC, and have a decent job as a management accountant for a corporation, and I still get to play as a semi-professional musician a lot…think weddings, small venues, etc. So, for me, accounting is a means for me to pursue what I am passionate about, it provides security, health insurance, and I can run a household on it.

[Anonymous]

That is amazing Chromatic! I wanted to be a musician too(before college), I played the cello but no longer. Now I understand where you get your username.

The way you feel about accounting is how I feel too. I want to do it because it is something stable and will allow me to pursue the things I love on the side. I don't think I would have enjoyed music as much if I made it into my living. Too much stress you know? But I do like accounting.

Who are some of your favorite musicians? and do you play classical piano as well?

In college, I majored in Chinese language. I wanted to be an interpreter, but my grasp of English and Chinese were below native level. I applied with NASA and they actually flew me in for processing. I bombed the interview and received a rejection a month later(I guess I am not the government type). After, there weren't many jobs available for my skill level. Native proficiency in target and home language in addition to a specialized topic(medicine, science, translation technology etc). I still want to translate and interpret. I feel all warm and gooey when I get a chance to talk to people and read.

I want to ask you, how did you get into accounting? since your undergrad is in music.

For me, my sister pushed me into accounting and my dad was a tax preparer.

I would like to think your high scores are a reflection of your incredible musicianship. haha, but then it would be a bad reflection on my musicianship, though I admit I am no good.

[titine]

chromatic: From musician to accountant? It's really interesting!

Even though I like numbers, I was kind of forced to pick a major to study just because it can provide me a stable job in the future. Deep down in my heart, I always want to have a farmer life, you know, a peaceful life among nature and animals. Unfortunately, after my family moved to the States, bad things happened and now I'm the main supporter. Hopefully after finishing the exam, I can find a better job, fulfill my responsibilities and still have time left to do things I really want to do.

[ReneeNC]

I was pre-med in college at first. There were lots of reasons to switch to accounting, mostly having to do with the 2yo I took to college with me. However, when I decided to further my education and pursue a career now, science and research were my first choices (I live near several major science/pharmaceutical companies.) In the end, though, I stayed with accounting because the other options were going to take too long and take too much time away from my family.

So, I have my MS in Accounting, and I am pursuing the CPA exam.

REG - 89
BEC - 82
FAR - 87
AUD - 81
Used CPAexcel, Wiley Online Practice, and NINJA!

[wickedrentlover]

I actually was going to be a high school math teacher. My whole life all I wanted to do was teach, so I went to school for 3 years to do just that. But then I started my internships and I realized, after a few years, I'd grow to hate it. I didn't want to be that teacher who clearly hated her job–we've all had those and they're not good teachers.

That summer I read “Lucky Man” and “The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist” by Michael J. Fox. I have 3 aunts with Parkinson's disease, so his cause is very close to my heart. That's when I decided that I wanted to commit my life to finding a cure–and after that's done, there are so many other causes I want to work for. I'm can't be a doctor–I'm too squeamish–and between my experience as a math major and working in banking for 6 years, I went with accounting.

REG (2/24/12) - 89
AUD (4/5/12) - 89
FAR (5/31/12) - 91
BEC (7/7/12) - 84

[Mrs 300]

It's kind of weird because I wanted to be an accounting major when I was in high school. My mom was an accounting teacher and when I took the accounting class in high school, I loved it! Little did I know that you learn the entire Accounting I and II class your first WEEK of your accounting class in college!

Other than accounting, I always feel guilty because I don't really know what I want to be when I “grow up.” (Lol – I'm 31). I know I want to help people. I have this dream that I am going to do taxes pro bono for retired folks who have a hard time understanding them. I always feel bad for the older people in my accounting firm that have such a hard time with it and they pay us so much money to figure it out. Someday, when I win the lotto, that's what I'll do.

REG - 80 (Becker only)
BEC - 76 (Becker only)
AUD - 71, 76 (Becker only)
FAR - 65, 74, 81! (Becker, Wiley Test Bank, Ninja notes & Audio)

CPA Class of 2012 🙂

[Anonymous]

When I first started college in 1986, I was a Sociology/Political Science Major. I had every intention of going to law school but things happened to prevent that. One class and one professor stood between me and graduation. I was out of money and patience so I quit. Fast forward about 15 years, I was an accounting clerk and loved it so I went back to school as an accounting major. I had planned to stay in the nice, safe, government job that I had until I realized that local politics were not going to allow me to advance in that position and I was never going to be paid for my degree. Now I have a great job, that I love, a wonderful boss who encourages and supports me, and I don't dread going to work every day.

[sarah210]

I thought I was going to be a teacher. I majored in history, minored in Latin, took some education classes, and taught history and Latin at a private school after I graduated from college.

Turns out I hate teaching.

Worked a “low stress” (restaurant) job for a few years while I took accounting and business classes, and here I am today…. a bookkeeper studying for the CPA exam, looking for a job in public accounting.

REG- 53, 91
BEC- 88
FAR- 62, 85
AUD- 85

Ethics- 93

[MrNormalGuy]

These stories are amazing and inspiring. I wake up everyday crying about the amount of sacrifice and low return I get from studying for the CPA but I keep pushing through. These stories help so much I Don't know if you realize how reading this thread has literally lifted bowling balls off my chest. Thank you.

far:
aud:
reg:
bec:

[nolifecpa]

I only considered other fields after this exam lol

REG-65,71,74,73,70,74,79
BEC-60's,60's,69,71,76*,78
FAR-67,66,65,79
AUD-54,60's,65,83*,69,80
*expired

DONE

[Mrs 300]

Nolifecpa – isn't that the TRUTH?!?! I am the same way! Especially the dreaded 1-2 weeks before the exam. I am constantly questioning what I am doing for a living.

However, even if I win the lottery, I'm still passing this damn thing.

REG - 80 (Becker only)
BEC - 76 (Becker only)
AUD - 71, 76 (Becker only)
FAR - 65, 74, 81! (Becker, Wiley Test Bank, Ninja notes & Audio)

CPA Class of 2012 🙂

[masa_inn]

Master's in education, with concentration in Russian language and literature. Degree earned in Russia. I worked in PR and began working on degree in PR just before I got married and moved to Atlanta.

When I moved to this country, at some point I decided to start making good money, as opposed to odd translating jobs. It was a toss between a nurse and an accountant. Picked accounting because I do not like being spit on/vomited on/yelled on (little did I know…lol). Took some accounting classes in a community college to test the waters; never looked back.

I love accounting and sure that my success is inevitable,once I pass this exam.

FAR
AUD 02/10/14 passed
BEC
REG

Roger, WTB, Ninja materials

[momto5]

I was a late bloomer with regard to accounting. Stayed away from the class in high school because everyone I knew that took it complained about how difficult it was! Went to school for Medical Assisting and got married at 19 (not because I had to but because I wanted to). Helped put my husband through college and grad school while working as a medical assistant and realized I LOVED the accounts payable and receivable I was doing. Took one year of college, majoring in accounting, and loved it! Then decided it was time to start a family. 5 children and 19 years of child rearing and homeschooling later, I went back to college. Just graduated this month with my bachelor's degree in accounting and, because of the extra credits I had from that one year before kids, I was able to take my first CPA exam in April. I am older than most taking these exams, and know I probably won't really get my money's worth out of it, but it has become a personal goal of mine to make it to CPA. I also think about doing taxes pro bono for people in need someday, like Mrs 300 mentioned. My kids are through college and I have a super supportive husband (the same one I helped put through school) who keeps the house going so that I can study. I work full-time at a manufacturing firm corporate office but hope to get into public accounting in a small-town firm after these exams are done.

Sure is nice to have this online forum and connect with others who really know what all this studying is really about. Sure hope I pass my first exam – I don't have enough working years left to let this go on too long!

FAR - 92 (4/27/12)
AUD - 96 (7/17/12)
BEC - 92 (8/30/12)
REG - 91 (11/12/12)

[Anonymous]

@homestretch: I was trained in both classical and jazz theory/performance, but the latter as a high schooler and college student. As far as favorite musicians, it woul be Lizst and Bill Evans.

My first job out of college was driving a box truck (which I fibbed a bit in order to get….i told them I knew how to drive it, when in fact i never really had driven a vehicle with a manual transmission…had a friend teach me how to drive one the week before the job started). While I had that job, I made some extra money helping the accounting department with some clerical tasks…it interestedme enough thy I went back an took th necessary classes to meet the state CPA exam reqs.

[Anonymous]

I have my BS in Exercise Physiology with the intention of getting my Masters in Physical Therapy and be a Physical Therapist. I worked for a year after college as a PT aide and applied to grad school, half-heartedly. I didn't get in to grad school and wasn't really sure if I wanted to be a PT for the rest of my life based on my work experience as a PT aide.

So in mid 2000 I left my PT job and was aimless and jobless for awhile. Now this was during the huge dot com boom and I thought about going into computer programming. My cousin in India convinced me to go there and go through a programming course since it was so much cheaper. And a bunch of Indians were coming to America anyhow because of the demand.

I spent a year living there taking everything from C, C++, SQL and Java. I have to say I enjoyed the SQL the most, perhaps because it so logical, kind of like accounting 😛 Fast forward to December 2001 when I return to the US. The bubble has burst and the after effects of 9/11 mean there are zero jobs out there for someone like me with no real world programming experience.

I join a temp agency and am assigned to software company. I end up helping the Director of Finance migrate records from the old accounting package to the new one. She is a CPA with years of public accounting experience and says to me “You know you are really good at this stuff, you should take Intro to Accounting at UC Berkeley Extension” I think to myself “Yeah, I am enjoying this work!” So I sign up for Intro to Accounting at UCBE and end up being hired as a fully time employee. In the next 5 years, I finished all my accounting units and remaining business admin units and continued to work at the software company under the mentorship of the Director of Finance. By the time I left I was Billing Manager and had a staff of 4 under me.

I had a lot of great mentors at that job including the Controller and CFO who both had years in public accounting and encouraged me to make the move so that I could become licensed. BEST advice I ever got. My four years in public accounting as an auditor were not happy, but the experience I got there will help my in rest of my career. I don't regret my time there but I am SOOOOO happy it's over.

While in public accounting I tried to pass the exams and just couldn't. I decided to leave after 4 years and take time off to pass the CPA exam. After a few months a recruiter had a job offer for me that I couldn't turn down even though I had only passed 1 section of the exam.

For the last 16 months I have been working in the Global Finance group of a professional services firm and I love it! Going back to industry was everything I expected and more. I have passed 2 more exams and am taking REG (my absolute beast) on 5/25!

I know my story is long and meandering, but it's MY story. And through it all I have never given up on my goal of becoming a CPA even though many times I felt defeated and tired.

So my advice to anyone out there who feels like giving up, don't! I took my first CPA exam over FIVE years ago, but with persistence, emotional eating, procrastinating nights of binge drinking and NINJA notes I am almost there. YOU CAN DO IT!

[Anonymous]

@chromatic. Ahh! I love liszt too. But I have to admit, I only know liebestraume. I like some of his pastorale, but not his transcendental etudes. As for Bill Evans, I have no knowledge of jazz. I will check him out though.

[Author]

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