How to Find the Best School for Becoming an Accountant

Finding the best school for becoming an accountant is about finding the best school for you, taking all aspects into consideration. You will want to make sure the school is accredited and that the degree you obtain is recognized by employers. This is normally a bachelor's degree in accounting, or business administration with concentration in accounting.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Evaluate Your Personal Situation

1. Determine whether it is more advantageous for you to start with an associate's degree or go directly for your bachelor's degree.
2. Decide on whether you would prefer to study closer to home or are willing to move away.
3. Think about your general preferences in terms of the size of the college or university, geographical location, university climate and professor to student ratios.
4. Give some thought as to whether it is important to you to follow a tradition in your family in terms of which college or university you attend.
5. Consider how important the prestige of the college or university is to you.
6. Do a realistic assessment of your capacity to finance your education.

Associate's Degree

7. Consult with your high school counselor and ask for information on universities that offer accounting or business degrees.
8. Visit community colleges in your area. Ask about their accounting or business program. See if you can sit in on an accounting class.
9. Use the “Find a College” feature on the College Board Web site.
10. Go to the Web sites of the colleges you are interested in. Read the curricular requirements for an associate's degree in accounting, and browse the course descriptions.
11. Request a catalog from the college.

Bachelor's Degree

12. Refer to college and university ratings and guides in publications like the U.S. News & World Report's “America's Best Colleges” and Business Week's “Undergrad Rankings.”
13. Use the “Find a College” feature on the College Board Web site.
14. Go to the Web sites of the colleges and universities you are interested in and look for general information and admission requirements.
15. Request catalogs from colleges and universities you have selected as possibilities.
16. Read the curricular requirements for a degree in accounting.
17. Review the course descriptions. Ensure that the college or university offers a good range and depth of courses in introductory, intermediate and advanced accounting, auditing, cost accounting, tax, commercial law and finance.
18. Find out if the college or university would provide you with the necessary semester hours to be able to take the CPA exam. This is generally 150 semester hours of coursework.
19. Visit the schools you are most interested in. Talk to an admissions counselor, take a tour and sit in on a class
20. Consult with a financial aid counselor about the scholarships, work-study programs and loans available.
21. Ask whether the college or university has an internship or cooperative program.
22. Consider the possibility of obtaining your degree online. See Web sites listed below for more information.

What to Look For:

• www.adventuresineduation.org
• www.collegeboard.com
• www.usnews.com
• http://bwnt.businessweek.com
• www.directoryofschools.com
• www.elearners.com
• www.collegeanduniversity.net

Tips & Warnings

• Browse Web sites, such as Adventures in Education (see below), that describe some of the different aspects you should take into consideration in selecting a college or university.
• Find out whether all your credits can be transferred to another college or university to pursue a bachelor's degree.
• Find a school that matches what you personally are looking for, in terms of an overall college experience.
• Talk to relatives, friends and acquaintances who are working as accountants. Find out where they got their degree and get their recommendations.
• Make sure the college or university you select is accredited.
• Ensure that the school will qualify you for the next step: sitting for the CPA exam or pursuing an MBA.

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