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Just finished a summer Intermediate Accounting class

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posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 03:45 AM
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So I decided to become an accounting major not too long ago, and I just finished the beast of Intermediate Accounting I.(My university splits Intermediate into 2 courses, while others split it into 3). The last financial accounting class I took was over a year ago at a community college. My academic adviser warned me that this class was pretty dang hard, even in regular spring/fall semesters, and it was advised to definitely not take this class over a 5 week summer session. I did spend a good amount of time using google to see what others on the web thought about this class. Seemed pretty unanimous that this was one of the most difficult and weed-out courses in the major.

Long story short - I was one of the very few to pass with an A!. (there's no +/- for grades at my school, just a straight A,B,C,D, or F). The very first day of class, our professor warned us that if we dont make an A or B in this, we're pretty much doomed with this major and the majority of the class will switch to an easier business major. He did say that those majors in marketing, advertising, etc... were littered with people who dropped from this and also those who left finance.

My previous accounting principles classes had pretty high drop rates (start with about 45 students, end with less than 10), and I made a B in both. Surprisingly, this Intermediate class didn't have as high drop rates, but the averages for tests and the class as a whole was terrible. For example, our 2nd test had only a 30% pass rate. The average on the final was 45. (45/100). Heck, each of our exams took 3 hours each. Longest exams I've ever took. I have no idea how I managed to pull this off (I also work full time), but I think I spent an average of 4 hours a day studying/doing homework. By far the most intensive college course I've ever had.
edit on 13-7-2015 by buni11687 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 04:12 AM
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Good job you deserve a pat on the back. Ive considered doing the same because I've heard accountants were in demand enough to guarantee a job, and I think I have what it takes. It's math, but not calculus right? So, have you also heard or found that accountant jobs are in demand?



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 04:31 AM
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originally posted by: 3n19m470
Good job you deserve a pat on the back. Ive considered doing the same because I've heard accountants were in demand enough to guarantee a job, and I think I have what it takes. It's math, but not calculus right? So, have you also heard or found that accountant jobs are in demand?


I switched from a Biology major to an Accounting major really because of money and job outlook, and atleast for what interests me. When I decided to make the switch, the demand for accountants over the next 5-10 years looked to be on a good, steady rise, and it currently still does. We did take a big slump in the recession, but things are a ton better now....atleast in my state. (btw - I live in TX right now. Im sure things will differ quite a lot state by state). If I go on craigslist, there's a boatload of companies looking for accountants in the area, but with a catch. Most of those require atleast a bit of experience on the job, not just school. However, on my university career center page, the amount of internships have been rising quite a lot in the past couple years. For example, the Big 4 pay per hour for internships from my university starts at $25 an hour, with an almost guarantee to get hired by them right after you internship expires. I think the placement rate for graduates last semester was around 90%.

As for math, it's nothing like calculus.... at least so far IMO, and also from what I heard from both PHD students and professors who have both taken the CPA exam and/or worked in the industry for many years. It's just really basic math. As for my math courses in college so far, I've taken college algebra, elementary statistics, business statistics/data analysis (some schools use different names), and business calculus. I've never have had to use anything above basic multiplication/division and adding/subtracting so far.

It's not the math part that makes accounting one of the harder business majors. (well, if not the hardest. From everyone I've met, it's both finance and accounting that take the top spot, everything else doesn't compare.). It's the concepts and how to apply them. Ask any upper level accounting student or professor and they will say it's more akin to business law. If there's one thing that I would say to someone thinking about going for an accounting degree, it would be ------ The laws were created by politicians and special interests groups. There' s not going to be anything too intuitive/logical when you get to some upper level stuff...like the tax code.
edit on 13-7-2015 by buni11687 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 06:15 AM
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a reply to: buni11687

Outstanding!
All the thoughts here
in my dusty corner of ATS
wish you kind respects.

Treat yourself to
something good.

S&F



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 06:43 AM
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a reply to: buni11687

You have accomplished much...you will succeed!



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 08:15 AM
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Good job, accounting is a good profession.

Just don't look at the way the US government deals with money accounting, you will get depressed if you understand how it is supposed to work.



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 10:39 AM
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a reply to: buni11687

congrats.



posted on Jul, 13 2015 @ 06:04 PM
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a reply to: rickymouse




Just don't look at the way the US government deals with money accounting, you will get depressed if you understand how it is supposed to work.


I've heard the same. People tell me governmental accounting is a terrible mess, because nobody understands how it works, not even the government.



posted on Jul, 14 2015 @ 07:37 AM
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Always remember that accounting is more of an art than a science



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