Lets play Pick my Major: Accounting or Finance???
05-31-2007, 11:03 AM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lets play Pick my Major: Accounting or Finance???
<center><img src="http://www.lightingdesignlab.com/locations/oregon/big_pix/02lillis_north.jpg"></center><p>*Pics of the Lillis Business complex for views!
I currently finished up all the pre-business core at the University of Oregon and have to decide what I'm going to concentrate in next year.
Accounting is looking pretty good, since UofO has a pretty good program and your almost guaranteed a job right out the door. I don't mind crunching numbers but it might get old after awhile.
Finance is a little more exciting but with that comes uncertainty. I could finish the Finance degree a year faster than the Accounting. I'm pretty good with money and investing (10% return in the last 2 weeks on the AW virtual exchange thing).
Does anyone here have experience in either field? I'd love to hear some feedback from you guys. Thanks,
I currently finished up all the pre-business core at the University of Oregon and have to decide what I'm going to concentrate in next year.
Accounting is looking pretty good, since UofO has a pretty good program and your almost guaranteed a job right out the door. I don't mind crunching numbers but it might get old after awhile.
Finance is a little more exciting but with that comes uncertainty. I could finish the Finance degree a year faster than the Accounting. I'm pretty good with money and investing (10% return in the last 2 weeks on the AW virtual exchange thing).
Does anyone here have experience in either field? I'd love to hear some feedback from you guys. Thanks,
05-31-2007, 11:17 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Finance
I thought about accounting and its the same thing over and over. Did finance and work for WaMu now and get to mix it up prety good. that and finance encompases so much.
05-31-2007, 11:33 AM
#4
Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great part is with finance you can do either.
My girl is just finishing up her MS Financial Analysis at PSU. The classes required for the program also meet the requirements to sit for the CPA exams, which she will take this fall.
Of course as she says, your mind either works one way or the other.
Anyway, she leaves in two weeks to conduct her last term in Marseilles, France. I head over there for the entire month of July to kick back for my 30th birthday. My present to me? Lapping the ring in a race prepped <a href="http://www.ringhaus.com/hotel_en/public/e30.php">E30 BMW</a>
Of course as she says, your mind either works one way or the other.
Anyway, she leaves in two weeks to conduct her last term in Marseilles, France. I head over there for the entire month of July to kick back for my 30th birthday. My present to me? Lapping the ring in a race prepped <a href="http://www.ringhaus.com/hotel_en/public/e30.php">E30 BMW</a>
05-31-2007, 12:22 PM
#8
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Highly biased opinion: Accounting
I had a similar decision to make many years ago. I'm currently 5 years in public accounting with a firm in Bellevue. I majored in accounting, all but had a minor in finance, and got a masters in accounting as well.
The demand for accounting students right now is astronomical. My firm constantly battles to attract talent...the competition among firms for the top candidates is pretty fierce.
Either degree will take you places, but I've always felt that a finance degree required a person to be more sales-oriented. Assuming you're a top candidate and can get a job at a financial services firm, you will have a good job and make a good living, assuming you've got that sales ability. On the other hand, if you're not a top candidate, there's a good chance you may have to start elsewhere. A lot of my finance major friends started in banking...and that can be a tough career path. The bottom rung in banking isn't much fun.
I like accounting because you can get a lot of experience in a big damn hurry. You see the inner-workings of many different companies (assuming you go audit, rather than tax) and you learn A LOT. After 2 years you can go just about anywhere and do just about anything. Or you can stay with a firm and work your way up, as I've done. It's challenging, but pretty rewarding financially and personally.
Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post, but good luck with your decision.
Oh, by the way, if you're ever up in the Seattle area and want to check out a CPA firm, just to see what it's like, look me up. You can come have lunch, take a tour, and meet a bunch of my co-workers. I think doing things like that provide invaluable information when making decisions like yours.
The demand for accounting students right now is astronomical. My firm constantly battles to attract talent...the competition among firms for the top candidates is pretty fierce.
Either degree will take you places, but I've always felt that a finance degree required a person to be more sales-oriented. Assuming you're a top candidate and can get a job at a financial services firm, you will have a good job and make a good living, assuming you've got that sales ability. On the other hand, if you're not a top candidate, there's a good chance you may have to start elsewhere. A lot of my finance major friends started in banking...and that can be a tough career path. The bottom rung in banking isn't much fun.
I like accounting because you can get a lot of experience in a big damn hurry. You see the inner-workings of many different companies (assuming you go audit, rather than tax) and you learn A LOT. After 2 years you can go just about anywhere and do just about anything. Or you can stay with a firm and work your way up, as I've done. It's challenging, but pretty rewarding financially and personally.
Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post, but good luck with your decision.
Oh, by the way, if you're ever up in the Seattle area and want to check out a CPA firm, just to see what it's like, look me up. You can come have lunch, take a tour, and meet a bunch of my co-workers. I think doing things like that provide invaluable information when making decisions like yours.
05-31-2007, 12:25 PM
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 640
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
was in the same boat, went finance
real estate finance anyway, which is a little less accounting than regular finance and a lot more real estate =p
not the boring residential crap either, valuation of commercial / industrial / multi-unit residential
Portland State University =D
not the boring residential crap either, valuation of commercial / industrial / multi-unit residential
Portland State University =D
05-31-2007, 12:30 PM
#10
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for your Opinion
Thats kinda what I was thinking. UofO has an accelerated Masters program so it only takes 5 years, I'd also want to get my CPA afterwards. How's the pay?
Everyone is allways telling me Finance is where the money is at. I just don't think I'm ambitous enough to be one of those top candadites, I'd rather have fun in College than constantly work my *** off to be in the top of the class.
Everyone is allways telling me Finance is where the money is at. I just don't think I'm ambitous enough to be one of those top candadites, I'd rather have fun in College than constantly work my *** off to be in the top of the class.