So You Want to be An Accountant
The path to becoming an accountant is long, but well worth the effort. You’ll need a 4- year college degree in accounting to enter the field as an accountant, rather than as a bookkeeper who can begin with a two year AA. To go farther and be licensed as a CPA in most states and territories you can apply to sit for the exam after you achieve your bachelor’s. Most people, however, will need further graduate level coursework aimed specifically at preparation for licensed work. You’ll also need to pass the universal CPA exam, and obtain the work experience necessary. By meeting the specific requirements of your state and by following through over the years with mandatory relicensing and continuing education, you can gain a career that is stable, respectable, well paid and secure. There are few professions as clearly and constantly useful as that of the CPA.
The requirements for an accounting position are met by obtaining a four year degree. There are many routes you can take to gain the degree. Local colleges and universities will offer training, as will business colleges and online accounting degree programs. Be sure that you choose an accredited institution, and take time to compare the various offerings. To serve well as an accountant you will need a clear understanding of the common best practices of the profession, the local and federal tax structure, and the varieties of business classifications. You will also want to be trained in a range of standard professional software tools, such as Peachtree and Quicken.
Take your time finding the perfect source of CPA graduate program for you. This program is intended to prepare you for the universal CPA exam, which so many fail even after careful preparation. You want a program that extends your knowledge and demands your intellectual understanding of not only process but underlying principles. The universal CPA exam, much like the bar exam for lawyers, is designed to establish your ability as a complete, well rounded professional with the ability to go well beyond rote skills. You’ll need the background to come up with creative solutions to complex problems. Triple check credentials, and compare programs before committing to one institution.
To choose the very best grad program, and to structure your best approach to the universal CPA exam, you should familiarize yourself with the exam. Fortunately the official website for the CPA exam is a superb resource. This site offers overviews of the entire test, detailed considerations of the goals and intent of the various sections, plus regulatory information establishing what you need to do to qualify to sit for the exam. By learning the nature of the test in advance you can help yourself choose a program and reinforce areas of knowledge you know will come up in testing. The site can be found at http://www.cpa-exam.org/.
The final thing you need to get a CPA license is the job experience required by your state or territory. The specifics can be looked up in a number of places. You can contact your state licensing board, or check online at sites like http://www.becker.com/accounting/cpaexamreview/state/index.cfm. Don’t try to skimp on this final phase of necessary requirements for accreditation. Doctors serve internships, and CPAs gain work experience. Failing to meet the final obligation wastes the time and effort that came before.
To retain your license you will be required to renew on a schedule determined by your regional authorities, and will also have to present proof of continuing accounting education. Without both of these ongoing obligations your license will lapse. Therefore when you have accomplished your goal and gained your license be sure to meet the obligations that license imposes to avoid professional complications.
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