Does it matter which college I attend to get my accounting diploma?
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Answer:
The first thing that you need to check is the accreditation (both the college and the individual accounting program). Make sure that the school and the program are accredited. Then see if the school is a good fit for you. Meet with the chair of the department and some of the professors to see if it is someplace that you will be comfortable and enjoy. It is your education, so you alone have to like the school.
You can get a good job in accounting anywhere, as long as it is an accredited program, so don't worry to much about the size of the college just study hard and enjoy the journey.
No, as long as you get one.
For the most part, the textbook education is all the same. What may be different is the professors. Most colleges have profs who have done nothing but teach accounting, and maybe do taxes on the side. The good ones have had real work experience in companies, large or small, and actually do more teaching than just spouting off what is in the books.
When you visit or talk to the colleges, ask to speak to Accounting students, and find out if the profs are really teaching practical stuff or not.
I'm not an accountant, but it seems to me that the answer to your question depends on what you intend to do with the degree.
If you intend, for example, to seek employment with one of the Big Four international accounting firms (what's left of the former Big Eight), or one of the highly-regarded regional firms, you'll want to seek out a college with the highest-rated accounting program with a definite academic orientation.
At the other end of the spectrum, if you intend to use your education to seek employment as an in-house accountant with a relatively small or mid-size company, or one of the tax preparation firms, a degree from a college with a more practical and less academic accounting program might be more suitable.
It really doesn't matter from what school you get your degree from. Especially for accounting.
Try this school. www.pennfoster.edu
It's a distance learning school. Much cheaper than most schools.
According to the link source, its seems Austin (TX), Pennsylvania, and Illinois have the best. I personally don't think it should matter, however, try not to do everything online
because
1. Its harder unless you actually like reading the book and not having a teacher to ask for help. (Tutor is an option)
2. Some employers worry about people who took their degree online (esp Univ of Phoenix).
I know some people who switched to nursing, comp sci, etc after trying accounting. I know a guy who loves it and is getting a degree in it for the money it pays - which is a good thing.
I hated accounting AND finance when I took them in college.
You would still want to get a CPA exam/certificate after college. That ensures that you actually know yours stuff.
Good luck with your major!!
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