WARNING: LONG post>Hi, I'm new and need some advice!

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  • #172681
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hello,

    I am new to this forum but I really wanted to read about “real life” experiences involving the field that I plan to dedicate a GOOD portion of my life being committed to.

    Some Background Info about me:

    -I was academically dismissed from University of South Florida this past Spring(due to new withdrawal policies). I needed to withdraw due to losing my grandmother,being pregnant and going through some mania[Yes, I am bipolar] Crazy, I know.After speaking with my therapist of 2+years and just doing some soul searching, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in accounting. I wanted to work in a field that would give me an overall “great” job satisfaction than compared to me pursuing my Mathematics degree at USF[possibly continuing into the teaching field]

    My fiance encouraged me to take online classes due to having two children, a nine year old and a 2 1/2 month old, we agreed that it would be best.

    I am currently pursuing a BA in Accounting online at St Leo University and may take their graduate course to obtain a MA Acc [not sure if that one in particular] I want to get a Masters in something that will give me MORE of an edge.

    WhooOOooOOoooo that was a lot to take in, im sure lol But it is necessary so you all can understand what I am asking a little bit more. I know I am no where close to being a CPA candidate but I know this is what I want to do. Since I have children, I have a lot to consider. Especially since taking the exam is so “state specific” I really need to be sure where I and my family plan to reside.[something I have already started discussing with my fiance].

    Now, like many of you, I have to keep my student loans in mind. I will have about 75K in student loans(Rounded up and includes interest amount)after attaining my AA, BA, and MA.. I DEFINITELY strive to be a CPA but I am afraid that my limited experience in accounting will not get me a great starting pay as an entry level accountant/or CPA. My loans will be about 1000every month[pretty much mortgage] which doesn’t even include rent and utilities, etc.AHHHHH! lol like seriously aHHHHHH!!! I have poor credit due to helping my family financially while in high school(Im the one biting the bullet)Thats another LONG story….so now I have piss poor credit that I am currently trying to build which is freaking hard to do since the economy is shot, I cant get a decent paying job to pay worth a damn. I have a question below about this as well.

    There’s more>>>>

    I start my upper level courses this upcoming Fall and I am already starting to study for the CPA exam.

    One other problem is knowing which accounting job to pursue. I have tried to look EVERYWHERE to see what type of person pursues one career over the other. For example, specializing in internal auditing over being a controller.

    Now that you have some insight about myself, I can ask some questions lol

    1. For those who are in the field, how do you manage your job salary and paying bills(more specifically student loans, IF any)?

    2. Does poor credit affect you getting a job? Has it affected you?

    3. Are accounting/or CPA salaries parallel to the amount of work you have to commit?i.e is getting paid 38-45k worth the 70hr work weeks of hell during tax season) This is based off of some comps. ive seen on indeed, monster,careerbuilder and craigslist(ok, well that speaks for itself lol)

    4. Can you ever start studying too soon for the CPA exam?

    5. How do those of you with a family(whether you have children or not) manage the stresses of studying, working and/or going to school?

    6. How did you get started in your “specialty” or what do you plan to specialize in and why?

    7. How to stay motivated?

    8.Can you negotiate your salary as an entry level accountant/CPA if you feel employer is asking alot? will you know the thin line of general required work or slave labor when applying for a job?

    9. One more OT question……I look fairly young for my age….do people take you seriously if you look like you’re 16?If not, how to get people to take you seriously?

    ANY extra advice or feedback is MUCH appreciated and you do not have to answer all of the above questions. Just some stories about your life into or in the field would be great.

    My name speaks for itself and I just want to sponge up as much as possible!!!

    Thank all of you for taking the time to read through my narrative πŸ™‚ Cant thank you enough!

Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
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  • #357174
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    what??? you got academically dismissed from Bull nation? hmmmmmmmmmmmm. After you're done with you BA I would recommend enrolling at USF's Macc Program, which is very good. Accounting is an excellent career, but like with everything you have to start from scratch. After 10-20 years of experience you should be able to get a >$100,000 job. At least that's what I was taught..You should begin to study for the CPAExam about 1.5-2 months before your first exam unless it's FAR (3 mos).. πŸ™‚

    #357175
    jenuno01
    Member

    “For example, specializing in internal auditing over being a controller” <<<— This made me ‘LOL', there is quite a difference between Internal Audit and being a Controller, really no comparison.

    I will answer your questions though πŸ™‚

    1. For those who are in the field, how do you manage your job salary and paying bills(more specifically student loans, IF any)? I have no student loans, had a full-ride scholarship. If I had any, I would do some hardcore budgeting and not got HAM on shopping like I do now… I would definitely try to limit myself more (Ramen noodles, mac n cheese, water, McD's, RedBox rentals, Wal-Mart clothes, that type of stuff)

    2. Does poor credit affect you getting a job? Has it affected you?

    Unless you're applying at a bank, I am not sure if employers actually check your credit history…. I guess it depends on the employer? I would think that since you'll be applying for lower level positions, they won't care.

    3. Are accounting/or CPA salaries parallel to the amount of work you have to commit?i.e is getting paid 38-45k worth the 70hr work weeks of hell during tax season) This is based off of some comps. ive seen on indeed, monster,careerbuilder and craigslist(ok, well that speaks for itself lol)

    During busy season, if you calc your salary against your actual hours worked, you'll probably be making minimum wage, sad but true… it also depends if you're in Public or not, I am in Industry… so I don't work much overtime… but the level of stress is sometimes overbearing… to me, it's worth it.

    4. Can you ever start studying too soon for the CPA exam?

    Yes, there is such thing as starting to study too soon. I think there is huge short-term memory factor to the CPA exams. You obviously want to give yourself ample time to prepare, but don't exaggerate either… It all depends on if you're working while studying…but I think a good rule of thumb is about 1 month per section and maybe 2-3 months for FAR?

    5. How do those of you with a family(whether you have children or not) manage the stresses of studying, working and/or going to school? – I'll pass on this, I have no kids.

    6. How did you get started in your “specialty” or what do you plan to specialize in and why?

    I am an Internal Auditor. Had a bunch of audit internships during college, so I just applied for my current job and was hired.

    7. How to stay motivated?

    Coffee.

    8.Can you negotiate your salary as an entry level accountant/CPA if you feel employer is asking alot? will you know the thin line of general required work or slave labor when applying for a job?

    Yes.

    9. One more OT question……I look fairly young for my age….do people take you seriously if you look like you're 16?If not, how to get people to take you seriously?

    YES. Your appearence has an impact on your credibility. You will have to prove yourself to others with your work. Create your own luck: prepare for meetings, ask questions, keep your word, respect people's time, demonstrate your knowledge in a humble manner, smile, look cute.

    Class of 2012

    #357176
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @jenuno01..you have no life…haha

    #357177
    Marivy22
    Participant

    I am not an expert, but will try to assist….

    Q#1 – Create an excel spreadsheet with all your debt balances (with due dates on the side) and your monthly recurring expenses (utilities, telephone, cable, etc) put your monthly/weekly/bi-weekly income and start spreading your payments based on due dates. You should tackle the higher interest debts first and keep doing the minimum payment for the others.

    Q#2 – No idea, I guess that if you are trying for a government or baking industry employment bad credit might affect.

    Q#3 – No, we are underpaid πŸ˜‰ unless you have 200% supports from your fiancΓ© and your family you should avoid public accounting. Specifically because of your 2 kids, considering that one of them is just a baby…..this is just my recommendation.

    Q#4 – Yes, for the purpose of this exam short term memory will do the magic for you.

    Q#5 – Online classes and the support of my husband. I just have one 3 yrs old boy, but no family around. I work for a private company with minor supervision, which means that I don't have to work long hours unless I spend the day doing nothing.

    Q#6 – Life brought me to the accounting world. I wanted to be a pediatrician πŸ˜‰

    Q#7 – your desire

    Q#8 – go to salary.com and get some info before accepting a job. Once you are in you are stuck with the salary.

    Q#9 – Yes, you just have to dress accordingly; wear a suite for an interview, straighten your hair, and answer the questions in a professional manner.

    Good Luck!!!

    Done πŸ˜‰
    Class of 2012!!!!
    Lots of prayers and hard work....

    #357178
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Thank you everyone for all of the insightful posts! I do mean that wholeheartedly! I know the questions seems dumb and whoever said there is no such thing as a dumb question was a liar LOL But this is fairly new to me. My last math class was lin alg and adv math, stuff like that….so i guess i am trying to figure out what type of job to go into.

    There are so many different areas of accounting that its hard to pick one that i truly want to do. In a sense its alot like being a doctor when it comes to specializing in something.

    @CPATerminator Yes, I was dismissed. They have this new policy at USF where you cannot withdraw from more than 3 classes for you ENTIRE academic career bc of erks who would withdraw from literally 25-30 classes in their academic careers there[well this is the “rationale” they fed us] Lol I got screwed for NEEDING to wthdraw due to dire circumstances[mind you i never withdrew ever before]

    @jen I am not good with giving examples….one of my downfalls as a tutor. I rally need to work on it…I was trying to ask how can you help yourself figure out what career you want to pursue,like whether you'd be better at forensic accounting over being an auditor…i think i will choose public over private after doing some research but there are sub sections within these two main sections. Which is why i am having difficulty choosing one.

    I asked about the salaries because I was doing some spreadsheets actually lol @Marivy πŸ™‚ and I was like holy crap, we wont be able to buy a house “comfortably” until we are like 32/33 yrs old[my fiance is pursuing pharmacy] so we pretty much wont be able to “live” the life we want until we are like 35 lol Trying to stay motivated lol

    I did not want to do private school but USF is not parent friendly[if you want to finish within reason] I have some friends who are parents that have been going part time for like 6 years just to get their Bachelors…and I KNOW i dont want to do that.

    #357179
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Wow @AccNewbieMom . First thing is I would encourage you to take each step one at a time.

    1. Student loans can certainly be a burden. I lived cheaply and had roommates. I paid my tuition as I went along but borrowed once I got to grad school. Having kids makes it more difficult to budget, but do your best. Cut out stuff like cable TV (kids like hulu & netflix too), expensive cell phone bills, etc. Apply for every scholarship you can find. There are some that benefit single parents, the state accountancy society gives some, certain ethnic groups/religious groups, etc. I received some simply because I applied and many other students were too busy to do so. I sent thank you notes to the donors and managed to get them a second year as well. Some jobs offer tuition assistance, I know of one major technology company in my area and some state jobs that will help.

    2. Generally, I have not heard of poor credit affecting anyone. Its hit and miss. One friend of mine applied to a small company (she is an experienced staff accountant). She was nearly offered the job until they found out her home was in foreclosure. I wouldn't worry about it, you can't change it. Just work toward keeping your credit clean in the next few years.

    3. Salaries vs hours worked sucks. Smaller firms will often give PTO. Which is great for studying for the CPA exam during off season or spending time with your kids. Always ask what the overtime expectation will be, it can vary greatly. If you are not able to negotiate salary, try to negotiate paid time off.

    4. Yes you can study too soon for the exam. I would say for any exam, even FAR max 8 to 10 weeks from exam day. Don't worry about the exam too much until you are closer to graduating and meeting 150 hours. Until then, concentrate on school. If you feel that you have extra time, start networking. Look for volunteer opportunities, intern opportunities or part-time jobs that might use some accounting skills. I don't know anything about your university, but find out if they have a Beta Alpha Psi Chapter. Many recruits to firms come from BAP, I know many people from firms on a first name basis because of my involvement in BAP.

    5. I don't have a family. But I have friend who is in accounting and does. Ask your older kids to help. She gave them a few bucks to do chores (cheaper than a housekeeper). I found that exercising and yoga help. Even a walk around the block can do wonders. Many communities/universities have free/cheap yoga and massage services.

    6. Specialties sometimes happen by chance. I would encourage you to get into a position where both tax and audit are required. Thinking about being a controller (most companies require 5-10 years of experience) may be thinking unnecessarily far ahead. But DO look everywhere for opportunities, government, hospitals, industry, education are all good alternatives to Big 4.

    7. Motivation is hard. Everyone has a different and personal reason.

    8. Salary negotiation is tricky. Benefits and PTO are important. What YOU can bring to the table will be important as well (internships, volunteer projects, job experience)

    9.Yes. Look professional. Get some grown up interview clothes. Nice khakis and T-shirt fabric shirts won't cut it. For women, black or grey slacks or pencil skirt, “nonfluffy” blouse, in a neutral color, white goes with everything, a blazer (maybe, depends). Although, I buy some of my clothing at nice second hand stores, JC Penney or Ann Taylor closeouts, remember the details. Conservative but nice earrings (pearl studs match everything), a simple statement necklace or silk scarf that looks classy, nice professional closed toed shoes with a small heel and a reasonably sized business purse. Makeup should be minimal, hairstyle simple and classy. You want to look trusted, smart. and well off but not flashy. I used to interview people and saw it all. Huge ugly purses that looked like a diaper bag, open toed shoes with nasty “pedicures,” perfume to the point of gagging, enormous earrings, “nice” T-shirts with not so nice slacks, low cut shirts. I couldn't risk the firms rep with that sort of thing.

    I hope that helps. Just stay focused on the next step and look for other opportunities along the way. Internships are important. Networking is important. As you get closer to graduation, contact the firms in your area to see when they might be having recruiting events. Lean on your university, many have career centers that can be very helpful.

    Good luck πŸ™‚

    #357180
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    7. How to stay motivated?

    Drive around on an expressway. Get off on an exit ramp. Look at the guy holding a “will work for food” sign. Say to yourself “I don't want to join him on this exit ramp.”

    That's motivation enough πŸ™‚

    #357181
    Keely
    Member

    I'm up to answering the questions as well. A little about me, I'm 27 and just accepted my first public accounting job with a 75 person firm. Just graduated undergrad, by the way.

    1. I am of the opinion that the starting pay is shitty for entry-level accounting positions. People will argue with me on this, but I still think what I think. However, someone over on another thread was talking about the dramatic pay increase after you've learned what you're doing (after two or three years) and have gotten promoted a bit. My job doesn't start until September, but I've already calculated my take home pay and made a detailed budget. I included $500 per paycheck directly to savings. This adds up to $13,000 a year. Be sure to budget in an amount to save, whatever you can afford. I don't have student loans or any debt, so I can save more. Dave Ramsey always says to save $1000 first. Then start knocking out your debt, as much as you can. After you are debt free, with the exception of your house/car, start saving again. I don't know what he says about student loans, but this seems like a good idea to follow.

    2. I have shitty credit from past stupidity. I paid it all off though, but my credit score still isn't great. No one checked it at my firm.

    3. My firm seems laid back as opposed to big 4. I was told busy season is 60-65 hours a week. Other times are usually 40 hour weeks. Again, yes I think the pay is crap. However, I think it's pretty standard to be offered overtime in addition to your salary, just not at time and a half. Two of my friends who just started at other firms and myself are all paid overtime at our regular rate. I would DEFINITELY make sure you get this perk.

    4. Definitely, yes. Don't waste your time. The best advice I can give you is pay attention in your classes. This will help you the most. Especially cost accounting! I did really well in cost accounting and it made BEC a billion times easier. I am dreading FAR because I didn't pay attention in intermediate.

    5. I don't have kids or a husband, but it's still stressful. I do the self-study from Becker. Invest in a day planner. DON'T GET BEHIND. You'll never catch up, trust me.

    6. I was offered an audit position and took it. I try to steer away from Tax because I hear you are pigeon-holed if you do Tax. I don't want to stay in public accounting very long, so I have a better chance of meeting more people by being on the audit side.

    7. My motivation is the fact that people have known me as a college dropout (several times over) and I'm pretty sure they did not think I was smart enough or dedicated enough to become ‘something.' Every time I pass a section, they all seem surprised. Especially with my high scores. It's fun, really.

    8. No, I really don't think so. If you don't have any experience, you are a liability. They are going to have to teach you everything. You can negotiate a raise after you've been there, but as a person with no experience, I doubt they are going to give you more than they gave the next person. My advice is find a firm with people who seem caring. They will have the better perks. For example, I was given 3 1/2 weeks vacation, 2 weeks sick time, and up to 2 weeks overtime rolled into extra vacation if I choose.

    9. In public accounting, you see a lot of the, well, public. I would invest in a nice ‘interview outfit.' I bought a dress that looks super expensive and well-made (though it was less than 70 bucks). I wore that, modest heels, small earrings, and glasses. Get some glasses! They always make you look professional, haha πŸ™‚ I had a blazer to wear but I thought twice and decided not to for fear of being overdressed. I'm glad I didn't wear it, because everyone else was in khakis.

    Hope that helps!

    BEC: (4/2012) 88
    AUD: (5/2012) 91
    REG: (8/2012) 82
    FAR: (1/2013) 78 πŸ™‚

    VA CPA #42010

    #357182
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @Bluegirl Thank you for the great advice, especially about dress attire because I SWEAR I was going to go for the khaki slacks and a nice tucked in button blouse look with a belt and some nice flats. Lol But I guess I need to graduate from that “college look” πŸ™‚

    @Bob You're too funny! I think you are right about that though! When I see some people working in a supermarket for 20+years and all that get is a cheapy pen and some plastic pendant…..I think to myself at least pursuing this would be much rewarding than to be stuck at a dead end job my entire lifesome people put 10 years on the job and their pay FINALLY goes up to $13-14 as an “assistant manager” and then you make dept head and make $18-22 and that's after about 15+years and some people are stuck at $13 after dedicating 20 years. I used to work at Wal-mart and they let a guy go because he was not “fit” for the job demands anymore…he was a guy in his 60s who worked there his entire life[they could have let him be a door greeter or let him fold clothes] but nope they discarded him like he was just a number, like some bad lottery ticket.

    @Keely I am VERY proud of you! That's awesome! I love making people annoyed by doing what they expect me not to do! I have a family so it makes things “difficult”….I am afraid that I wont be able to hack doing internships, finishing my Masters and trying to sit for the exam while taking care of the family. Because at the end of the day I will ALWAYS be a mom and well future wife. I haven't even start scratching the surface yet but i am fretting lol

    I swear IF and I AM determined to do so[finish attaining my BA and get my MA and CPA license] I am FIRST going to cry for like an HOUR! And then I am going to put in for my vacation time[hopefully it wont be tax season] and go on a cruise. Always been too poor to go on one.

    -And for all those who mentioned stay away from tax or you will get sucked in, how to get out IF you do. And why to stay away from tax specifically?

    -And okay I guess my dorky Brother in law was right about the crap pay….he just thinks because he goes to UF he knows everything[fuck he does lol]

    And thank you guys and gals for the advice about negotiating PTO….I will DEFINITELY keep that in mind.

    And my debt, I am going to have to slowly chip away at it. I had the same plan about saving Keely too lol That monthly student loan is scaring the eff out of me BUT I will at least be in debt for trying to get a degree and advance my career than some who get in debt and do not really have much to show for it. I know some people that are in debt and have no degree, no good paying job and I feel bad for them.

    I guess I am learning what NOT to do right now.

    Thank you ALL again! πŸ˜‰

    #357183
    gettingthere
    Member

    I am far from an expert, but I can give you my impressions based on my experience. I just finished my master's degree. I had an internship at a middle market firm and will start there full time this fall. I am 22.

    1. I don't have any student loans, but my husband does. Our first payment on them is next month. We have rearranged our budget to accommodate them, but I think you treat it like any other expense. You have to pay, so that amount comes from what you would be spending on the nonnecessities. We are fortunate that for us that means our “going out/entertainment” budget. And when I start full time that will actually be easier because we be DINKs (dual-income, no kids) which makes budgeting pretty easy. For you the nonnecessities might feel a little more like necessities: cable, fast food on busy days, name brand groceries. My budget was unbelievably tight during college because I lived completely off of $7000 in stipends plus a very inconsistent income as a nanny a year. That was rent, food, electricity (no other utilities, though), internet, and a very small amount of fun, but it was also just me.

    2. I've heard this, but I don't know if it is true. I have ordered my credit reports which are supposed to show you when someone requests your information. There is nothing showing that my firm checked my credit before my internship or now. It was checked several years ago when I interned with a bank.

    3. Busy season sucks. Period. Whether or not it is worth it is a matter of opinion and also how many hours you, as an individual, are putting in (and whether or not your busy season gets extended by say, governmental year ends being September 30, or some other industry fiscal year end that impacts you specifically). That pay range seems a bit low to me, but you might be in a lower cost of living area. My friends in New York have started at about 65k. While my friends in Texas have started at about 50k.

    4. Yes. Pay attention to your accounting classes. And maybe keep some of you notes on particularly difficult areas that you know will be covered (I wish I still had the pension examples from my intermediate class), but focus on getting the degrees first.

    5. My husband is a huge blessing. He helps out a lot around the house. He is super supportive, and even goes through notecards with me. I kinda hit the jackpot in that department.

    6. I am starting in audit. I picked it for the same reason I picked accounting as a major. I get bored easily. I don't like going to the same place every day. I like for my tasks to change. I enjoy learning about other companies and industries.

    7. Before you start, figure out why you want to do this. Sit down and write about it. Set some short term and long term goals. Keep those goals and reasons around. Take a look when your motivation starts to waiver.

    8. I got my job as a result of an internship. Eighteen of us got hired. We all got the same starting salary. I don't think it was negotiated by anyone. But there might be more room for that if you get hired on a one on one basis. I genuinely don't know about this topic, but I personally would wait until I had some experience. Remember that the firm you are starting with is also investing their training resources in you. And it's not like there's a shortage of entry-level accountants.

    9. Not only am I actually young, I look even younger. I was recruited at my university, so I think my interviewers knew what to expect. I also try to make myself look older with my makeup and clothing. I wear glasses, pull my hair back, wear a well-fitting suit, etc.

    AUD-April 2012-CPAExcel only-86
    BEC-April 2012-CPAExcel w/ additional practice questions from Becker-91
    REG-May 2012-Becker primarily w/ practice questions from CPAExcel-78
    FAR-July 2012-CPAExcel primarily w/ Becker supplements-81

    #357184
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    #357185
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @gettingthere Thank you! I am glad you were able to understand where I am coming from when it comes to budgeting. I try to cut costs as much as possible but its VERY difficult when you have children. I know “I” can make the sacrifice and can live off of Ramen noodles, frozen broccoli(I can purchase a HUGE bag for like $2), tuna, pancakes and eggs lol BUT I have a fiance who eats like an effing bear[grocery spending is ONE thing he will NOT compromise cutting back on] and two little kids. So like I said I know I could live off of your budge but its not just me. I want to just focus on school but in a sense I do not have that option. I need to get a career going. I plan to start “working” again this upcoming summer 13′ [that way i can go straight for my license after taking the CPA exam] and continue into my masters program….still not sure if I should get my MBA in Accounting or just my MA Acc. In the long run I think the MBA is better….dont know why per se b/c technically speaking I think a MA Acc prepares you better for becoming a CPA.

    I used to be a Math major and I wanted to be a Mathematician but they do not make a lot of money. The only way they make a decent wage is by pursuing academia or taking more business courses and its like why do that when you have accounting. Well I could have become an actuary but I HATE INSURANCE CORPORATIONS and how the screw people everyday. Always determining “RISKS”….well, to me people are just a tad BIT more than risks[just my personal beliefs].

    As much as I would love to a job JUST because I love it, I had to pick something that I love and that pays somewhat. Even though I personally I think accountants are grossly underpaid, I also feel like you gain management positions a lot faster than a lot of other jobs. I like having leadership positions πŸ™‚ So this is why I am choosing to do this…I cannot just choose any field because at the end f the day I need to be able to provide for my children and i honestly could not imagine doing that and paying off my loan off of a HS Math Teacher's salary[ 40K is just not going to cut it ] even after putting 10 years on the job,the salary increase is marginal which is why i left that Ed. dept. At least with accounting it is something I ENJOY A LOT surprisingly SINCE I HATE corporations but however they are the ones that pay lol With a BA Acc, MA Acc, CPA license and CIA plus 10 years experience, I could easily make 70k+,,,,i could NOT do this as a math teacher(its the sad truth).Public sector jobs demand a lot for little pay,that didn't go over too well for me personally lol

    Its great a lot of you do not have loans,unfortunately I have them. I do not have family in college besides myself and my fiance. When I was in HS, I pretty much did the whole school thing on my own. I graduated with Honors while having my son[the background behind that is a WHOLE different story] and I applied to colleges by myself…I had no one helping decide hey try this or look into that. If I could go back and change some decisions,heck I WOULD! This is why I am working hard in college because I want to do for my children what was not done for me. I want to be able to help them succeed. Loans were not something I wanted but without them i will not have the chance to better myself to better my children.

    Not making excuses but I feel that a lot of times those students who take out student loans have no means of pursuing higher education. A lot of times people do not pursue a degree to avoid loans and its a sad vicious cycle. Especially when statistically you need a degree JUST to be in the middle class.I could not possibly imagine providing for my family only making $8/hr for the rest of my life. (No thank you Sweetbay!) I worked my butt off there for 2 years and my manager refused to give me a raise I was in HS at the time[now that I think of it, I think she had to be violating some form of child labor laws or something]. One of my reasons why I secretly hate corporations….my own personal angst lol

    #357186
    mla1169
    Participant

    I did my BS,MS and CPA while working full time and raising 2 kids. I actually was in my MS program while taking the exams. It is overwhelming, to say the least. My advice is to focus on your BS for now, it may help you to make the rest of the decisions you are contemplating.

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

    Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

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