Another useless degree

[25GoingOn40]

I will be graduating in April with a degree in Arts Administration. Great - just a few more months. Problem is I have come to realize that I don't like Arts Admin, and what I should have been going to school for all along is accounting. Wish I would have figured that out about 150CR ago.

I thought it may not be a total loss - perhaps I could just take a few more accounting classes and sit for the CPA. The current requirements are that you must have 150 total credits (no problem there), 24 of which must be in accounting, and 24 of which must be in "business-related" classes. Seeming how Arts Admin is basically a Business Admin degree taylored for the arts I thought surely my masters degree should count toward the "business-related" courses. I just found out that this is not so. Out of 36CR completed, they only took 9. That meants I would still need 15 more business credits on top of the 24 accounting credits.

It took me long enough to come around to the idea that I could handle 24 more credits. 39+ seems too much - thats a whole other masters program.

Now what? Becoming a career student is not exactly what I had in mind.
I feel too burned out to start completely from scratch, but I'm not sure that ignoring what I feel I should really be doing is the best route to take either.

Should I forget the whole thing and hope that I find something with my current degree that will make me happy, or suck it up and persue what I think I was meant to be doing all along?

[dacrunkest]

Do you really want to do accounting? It's a fine and noble profession, but make sure that it is what you really want.

You're degree sounds pretty cool. Do some soul searching. Talk to some accountants. Why accounting? Are you doing this for the right reasons (what you enjoy), or for other reasons...

If it is right for you, go for it! If not, try your hand at arts admin for a while, and if you still hate it, then look into something that suits you better. Oh, and it is never too late to change anything in your life. "Career" students get a bad rap...embrace learning!

[dacrunkest]

BTW...you don't have to stay a "traditional student" if you want to take the CPA path. Many community colleges (which are incredibly undervalued assets IMO), offer CPA prep programs that give you the credits and prep for the exams. And, you can complete it around a normal work schedule if you so desire. Sure, you may not be able to walk into the Big Four and get a job with that, but accountants are in demand all over the place, not just at E&Y, PWC, D&T, and KPMG.

[25GoingOn40]

Accounting is something I just kind of fell into while going to school for what I thought I wanted to be doing. While working for the Red Cross, someone in accounting left with two days notice and they needed someone to fill in asap until they could find a "real" replacement. They thought I did well and just kept me there. I then used that experience to get an accounting job at a museum, and then a community arts organization - both times thinking I would just do the accounting until an arts position opened up.

Well, come to realize that I really like accounting - I see it as a real career path, not just some job anymore.

I really like the nonprofit sector, so I don't see myself becoming an auditor or anything, but it is a field that seems to really require having a degree to move beyond a certain point. I thought getting a CPA certification would be a way to get around getting another degree thinking employers would not care so much if I have a degree in that particular field so long as I am CPA certified.

I think in a dream world, I would someday become a controller at a museum - combining both accounting and the arts. Don't see that happening without a lot more work though.

[dacrunkest]

Go for it, then...

it sounds like you can get to your destination...after all, nonprofits and arts institutions need accountants just as much as big corporations do. Plus, you have some experience in that area already. Work on your CPA...

[cheshrcarol]

My mom has a BA in French, but has been working for like 30 years as an accountant. Like you, she took several accounting classes in college and kind of fell into the profession. She thought about getting a second bachelor's, but it turns out it would only be a few more credits to get a master's in accounting. She ended up getting her master's and her CPA.

So anyways, the point is that it can be done. Are you sure you need the degree to get an entry-level placement in the field? Not all accountants are CPA's. I'd say try applying for job in accounting and see what happens. And you might even be able to get an employer to pay for your master's later, if you still decide you want it.

[Jman06]

Its VERY hard to pass the cpa without taking a becker course ($2000) and people still have to take it multiple times to pass. BUt if you have a high gpa and have the 150 cr hours cpa firms will want to hire you as long as you have a good personality. There are lots of accouing jobs out there. YOu should do it and even if you dont like it most people move on after 1-2 years at a cpa firm to something else.

I always tell people I may not like working in accounting but it sure beats living at home and waiting tables for a living like some of my friends!!

[winneythepooh7]

I am also guessing that since you are still in school, you may have not had a great deal of exposure just yet to the working world. There are many creative ways you can use your degree, without having to go a whole new route. It often involves trial and error, and plenty of networking and researching to see what kinds of jobs are out there. I also knew plenty of accountants who aren't CPA's if you want to go that route. I can also say there are a ton of non-profit jobs out there that degree does not necessarily matter for, especially in entry-level stages. Many people do decide after working for a few years, that they want to get a Master's or degree in something else, and that is perfectly fine as well.