[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.

[lynseyklly]

Love these stories!

In high school I didn't have a clue what I wanted to be. Someone I should have never listened to kept suggesting being a doctor of some sort, so I decided on occupational therapy. Then during my first semester of college found out science was not a field I wanted anything to do with. Dropped out after that first semester. I was working a job I'd had since age 15, now I suppose I was 19 (in Pennsylvania). The place I worked was a family entertainment facility (gokarts, arcade, mini golf, etc…). I had made it to a management position, but one day the owner came to me and said “would you be interested in doing our bookkeeping?”. I can remember that moment like it was yesterday (and my memory sucks!). I was just excited to be offered a new position and more money (though not much, maybe $9/hr?). As I started the job requirements I discovered I loved it! Started college out slow, first semester back I only took the first accounting course, next semester the next accounting course. Then decided it was for sure what I wanted to do.

This meant it took me 8+ years to complete my 4 year degree, finally graduated in May 2011. I was thrilled to be done, fully expected to take the CPA exam afterwards. Wish my professors would have better prepared us for what to expect, these exams are much harder than I ever anticipated. But I know this will be behind me one day as well.

I am currently at an accounting job I've had for about 5 years (now in Ohio), but it really doesn't require accounting knowledge (certainly no more than very basic). I look VERY forward to finding a job that will utilize my degree and license in the near future. I will say the only time I ever considered another major was when I took criminal justice. LOVED that class, so I'm going to look into maybe fraud accounting and getting my CFE after this. My biggest issue with figuring out what I want to do is I think I would prefer a small company, where I handle the majority of the accounting, versus a large corporation where I can barely tell how my work is affecting the big picture. But I don't want to pay cut of the small company…I just want it all! lol

AUD 85 (2/22/12)
FAR 81 (5/10/12)
BEC 7/13/12
REG 10/1/12

using Becker

[LittleMoe]

I wanted to be a vet growing up. That lasted until my 1st college biology class.

Moved home and went to the juco where I took my first accounting classes. Absolutely loved them.

Transferred to a 4 year and REALLY struggled as an accounting major. Was on an academic scholarship and made C's most of the upper accounting classes I took. I would rearrange my schedule so that I knew I had at least one class that I would ace to keep my GPA up. Changed my major to marketing in my senior year and graduated. Realized very quickly that although I am a pretty good salesperson, it makes me miserable.

Went back a couple years later and got my MBA in general business, still not really sure what I wanted to do. Quit work to help my (now ex) husband manage his business. Figured out I really was pretty good at accounting even if that didn't translate into the grades I had been getting. The business was going down hill so I lucked up and got a position in accounting (my current job).

Went back to school and finished the accounting classes (or at least I thought I finished) I would need to sit for the exam. Waited 4 more years and am finally sitting for the exam. Sittting under a different state because apparently I either missed a class I needed back then or the requirements for my state changed in the last 4 years. Taking the last class this summer.

Long story short, it's more like I fell into being an accountant than ever really decided that's what I wanted to do. But, I am happy nonetheless and glad I got here!!!

AUD 4/12/12 79
FAR 5/29/12 76
REG 8/2/12 82
BEC 8/30/12 72 Retake 10/18/12 76!!! DONE!!!!
ExamMatrix, Wiley Books, NINJA notes and audio
LICENSED ALABAMA CPA 11/30/12

[kandisjoy]

I wanted to be a surgeon because I really enjoyed cutting open things in a high school biology class. Then I went and watched real surgery on Bring your daughter to work day (my mom is an RN) and decided that it definitely wasn't for me! Then I was planning on majoring in Marketing, but then I took an accounting class and absolutely loved it… So I chose accounting. I wish that accounting in the real world was more like class – that was a lot more fun! But accounting is OK, I don't hate it or anything. I'm just not super passionate about it like I wish I was.

My dream job is being a stay at home mom, but I don't think that we will be able to afford that (at least not with our first child). But if I could, maybe I'd go to some night classes and get my teaching credential. I want to teach either math (Algebra or Geometry) or accounting. English would be cool too. 🙂

FAR: 71, 77
BEC: 70, 82
AUD: 62, 78
REG: 71, 68, 85

CA Licensed 11/2011

[misanthrope87]

Studying accounting was tolerable, which is why I did it. I didn't really care for any subjects in general. Now that I'm doing public accounting, I think I hate accounting. But who knows, maybe it will be actually tolerable when I jump into private. And no I'm not going back to school to be something else. I don't even like anything and I would hate to be in school again. My dream job is a stay at home person! But not a broke one. 🙂

B 2/12 87
A 11/11 90
R 8/11 86
F 5/12 88

[kandisjoy]

@misanthrope87 – LOL you sound like me. Public accounting is terrible – maybe you'll like private accounting better (I do).

FAR: 71, 77
BEC: 70, 82
AUD: 62, 78
REG: 71, 68, 85

CA Licensed 11/2011

[Anonymous]

What other fields are there that I can consider?? To be honest, I would loved to major in IT since I like working with computers, but unfortunately, it's almost impossible to get a job in that field. So, Accounting was my only option.

[Marivy22]

Growing up I wanted to be a pediatrician, but after reviewing the program schedule, the classes, etc and with no guidance whatsoever…. I decided that so many years of studying were not for me…

Then when finishing high school I wanted to join the Army, but my mom refused to let her little girl go LOL. I signed up for the Hospitality and Restaurant Administration program….my dream of working at a hotel as a manager ended up after a visit to a Westin hotel (as part of our program) and after knowing that on my 4th trimester I had to take a cooking class that required a lab on Fridays from 8 AM – 5PM.

That's when I decided to change to the Finance “team”. My reasoning behind the move to the Finance degree: I can be and administrator with this degree not only at a hotel, but in any other industry……Thanks GOD that I made that decision!!! I am not willing to sacrifice my weekends, nights and holidays for crazy tourists 😉

After completing my bachelor, I realized that the Finance career by itself was not enough, so I enrolled on a Master in Accountancy degree………..During all the years of studying, I was not serious about the CPA, but after some professional experiences and knowing that a bachelor and a master in the accounting field are not enough…….here I am!!!

Done 😉
Class of 2012!!!!
Lots of prayers and hard work....

[Mrs 300]

@misanthrope87 it's scary how I could have typed those exact words! I basically do accounting because I can tolerate it. Hahaha.

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 🙂

[Author]

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