[uafan88]

I just wanted to hear some opinions from you guys. I am trying to determine if it’s an investment to get a MS in accounting or just a waste of cash.

I graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in 2010 and then a MS in Operations Management in 2011. I only stayed for a masters because at 21 I wasn’t ready to give up Alabama football and partying but anyways that’s a different story. Fast forward to 2016 and I had been on the road for 5 years and was tired of working with unprofessional construction folks.

So in April 2016 I took my first accounting class ever. To be honest I wouldn’t have known what a debit or credit was if you had asked me in March 2016. Anyways I managed to compile 36 upper level credits at UNA and LSU and then I passed all 4 sections of cpa exam in August of 2016, while I was working full time.

If you saw my resume would my uniqueness hold me back from job opportunities? Would it be worth if for me to get a MAcc?

BTW, I am currently employed at a small CPA firm and I’m 28 years old if that impacts the decision.

[Missy]

If you have experience and a CPA license there's no need to even list what your degree is in. Just put bachelor's degree name of college and master's degree name of college.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[M123]

This type of post could easily be a troll because of accumulating accounting and passing the CPA in such a short timeframe. I don't even see how that's possible. Are any of those dates typos?

If all is true, this is what I like about this board – some of the people newer in their career have no idea of their potential. If you have a BS in engineering, then you immediately have exceptional problem solving and math skills. You have an Master in Operations Management – I don't know what all that entails, but when you combine it with accounting you now have a potentially valuable combination. I think employers would see great promise in that but you have to tell them how.

I would not get another degree. I'd put it to use. That 10,000 hour rule is legit.

[uafan88]

I've thought about cost segregation studies. Outside of eventually being a controller or cfo of a manufacturing or engineering company, I don't see how my background could be to my benefit.

No typos. My fiancée told me it was time for me to come home so I did what I had to do. Engineering is kind of a crappy career to be honest. The job market gets extremely tight especially with oil being so cheap. The money is great but when a project ends, you never know what else is on horizon.

I enrolled in 4 classes at UNA, 2 at LSU and 1 at SIU in April of 2016. That got me 20 hours of upper level which is enough to sit for the exam in Georgia. I sent all my crap to NASBA at the end of May and waited on that slow process. As I waited for them to process my application, I completed 4 more courses at UNA and 2 at LSU during the summer. Then I took BEC on 8/5, REG on 8/12, AUD on 8/13 and then FAR at the end of August. Then I transferred my scores to my own state.

[Mike J]

(deleted, duplicate post by mistake)

[Mike J]

This is a good question!

I don't have an Accounting degree. Since I only have a Print Journalism degree, I returned to school to acquire the prerequisites to sit for the CPA exams. I have 3.6 in those classes.

As a potential Accountant, I performed incremental analysis. Should I incur more debt to return to my alma mater, a private school on Long Island to obtain a second bachelor's degree–this time in Accounting–before studying for the CPA exam? Tuition per year for my graduation class when I started at my school was $24G. If I have returned to the private school, it would've cost me $48K in tuition and taken me a calendar year.

Note. I left the IRS to care for my dad because suffered a stroke. He's up and around now. But someone needed to be home with him. My parents get insurance through my mom. At night, tho, I was able to finish my prerequisites.

Since I was (am) living my parents I had to fall back on my degree to pay for the prerequisites.

Should I have matriculated at the state school I enrolled in to obtain said prerequisites, for much cheaper? I would've also had to take more business and Accounting classes instead of the minimum classes outlined on NY State's website for license. Also, I had to retake Physics and Philosophy, among other “core courses.”

I strongly believe that lacking the piece of paper has cost me consideration.

I do have transferrable skills–I have compiled Financial Statements as part of my duties in collections for the IRS; put together various schedules for taxpayers as an Advanced-Track VITA preparer (multiple years); and recommended and implemented changes to major business processes as a paralegal and other jobs (re: internal audit function); I have reconciled bills and other financial documents at several jobs to help clients meet various reporting reporting standards.

However, I also do not have direct Accounting experience to go with my lack of Accounting sheep skin.

It has been tougher than I thought to at least get interviews EVEN AFTER passing the CPA exams.

Maybe I should have incurred more debt to get a second bachelor's. I'm not a strong testtaker so the GMAT I for grad school is out. But, there is still no guarantee an Accounting degree would have resulted in a job–merely a better chance to land one.

So, it has been frustrating.

Sorry to howl at the moon here. But this particular (original) post hit a little close to home.

I'd welcome any suggestions anyone has to get my foot in the door.

I've already been using my alma mater's career center for advice, career documents edits, recruiting. Ironically the University has a pretty good business school–who knew?

[SaveBandit]

You already know the answer to this question. If you are working at a small CPA firm, then you already have been hired into the accounting field without a degree in it…

The only purpose of a MAcc is to get hours to sit for the exam, which you have already done. At this point a MAcc would be a huge waste of time. If anything your seamless transition from Engineering into Accounting makes you a more interesting candidate since Engineering is more difficult than Accounting.

4 for 4

FAR 85
AUD 94
BEC 86
REG 90

[MasterOfTaxation]

People without accounting degrees get hired by CPA firms all the time. Almost all of my friends my age had b.a.'s in all kinds of foolishness. They took the minimum required classes and passed the CPA exam. It really doesn't matter. Firms care about the CPA license. In many ways, school is just training to pass the exam. When you start working you'll realize most of what you learned in school will never be seen again.

[tg7174]

Had a BA in literature. Got hired into an internal audit position…CPA exam passing opened more doors. Nobody cares about the undergrad if you passed the CPA and then get licensed.

[Matt]

If you pass the CPA your in good shape.

I'm only mentioning this there for anyone on this forum who's struggling and reading this and might feel bad.

Whoever is posting this is messing with everyone, 36 accounting credits and four parts of the CPA while working full-time in 5 months not a chance. You can't get into higher level accounting classes without 101 and 102.

He clearly made a fake profile and one post.

Everyone just keep pushing pass the CPA, do well and carry on.

FAR 74

[uafan88]

I'm not trolling nor am I bragging. I would post screenshots of my transcripts and exam scores if there was a way to post them.

And that's correct I never took any foundations classes or anything. Distance learning programs are money hungry so if you have a bachelors degree and are not pursuing a degree at their university, then they could care less if you meet the prerequisites.

And yes, I was working a full time job. Full disclosure, I was living in a hotel 600 miles from home and I worked 4 tens which provided me with 3 full days to take courses and study all day. As a result, I was fortunate to not have any distractions outside of my monthly trip home. I did work 28 days straight for 12 hours a day during a shutdown at the chemical plant I worked at during May though which lead to 4 hours a sleep or less in order to stay current on my studies.

Again I'm not trying to troll or brag. I just wanted to hear some opinions about whether my future career opportunities will be limited due to the lack of an accounting degree. It's a legitimate concern of mine.

[Anonymous]

At my big four firm, that would be a resounding yes. If you have a CPA (which means you will have the key accounting classes under you), we will not care what degree/degrees you do/don't have.

I recall asking a partner if he wanted me to get a masters before starting after my internship (obviously the CPA was a given). He thought I didn't want to leave school and was just trying to make the most of a “super senior” year. He then started advocating that I study something other than accounting since little to no accounting from courses beyond intermediate is used.

Nobody should care what degrees you have. That was the reaction of a big four partner on masters degrees…

Truth is there are plenty of masters students who fail the CPA exam and never become CPAs. The CPA exam is what gives you legal professional abilities/opportunities. It goes CPA > Masters > Bachelors. Once you have the CPA, nobody talks about degrees anymore.

[smk168]

Well I would say depends on the school you'd consider for your MAC/MAcc/MSA because by going back to school and depending on which you'd choose, the networking opportunities would be HUGE.

That being said – do you want to have a small or large network?

[CPA2BEE]

You're smart and ambitious enough to obtain all the education hours and pass the exams all within 5 months, but you're not smart enough to know if you can get an accounting job without an accounting degree when you already have an accounting job without an accounting degree?

I don't know if I want to call you a troll (even though I kind of believe your story) or if I just want to be bitter that you just switched over and crushed what so many people spend months and years trying to achieve.

Either way, get a grip you already have a job in public dude and if you wanted to MAcc it would probably only take you like a week anyway with your track record

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[Missy]

I'm always amused at the disbelief when someone gets through the exams or credits in lightening speed but nobody ever doubts someone who says they took 8 years to pass. It's completely possible to do what op claims, not many people take on that much at once but I don't doubt a word of it. Some people positively thrive on filling 18 hours a day with productivity.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[CPA2BEE]

To be honest I actually believe OP's story as I hinted in my post. I have a few engineers in my family and I believe they all could probably smoke the CPA exam in a few months or just weeks of studying, whereas it took me about 14 months while working full time. I know a guy who got a 91 on BEC without studying for it, and he was able to prove it. Anything can happen, but something as stellar as what OP is posting is going to be questioned especially from the people who had to lay some time down to get this thing done.

Re-reading my comment it seems a bit snoody haha. Its all in the name of sarcasm and admiration OP!

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[Author]

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