Written by Guest Blogger Christine L.
My name is Christine and I am just finishing up my Master’s of Accounting degree at Eastern Michigan University. I’m not your typical accounting student because I’m older and I already have a degree in Physics. I worked for years as a computer programmer–I made mills cut and robots reach, that kind of thing.
I say I’m not typical, but oddly most of the students I spend time with seem to be like me–I know engineers, a history major, and even a yoga teacher. Sure, a life of programming CAD systems to maximize the shine on car hoods gives me useful skills. (I fantasize about someday auditing an engineer. He won’t dazzle me with fancy talk about ramp-up speeds and software libraries.) But a crafty, mature woman isn’t exactly what Big Four recruiters put in their ideal candidate description. Still, I want to do this. Let’s rephrase that. I want this so badly it makes my teeth hurt. I want this the way a little kid wants mint chocolate chip ice cream on a humid August day. I want to be the person who spends hours straining her eyes over the endless columns of numbers.
I am one class away from graduation. I have a plan that I surely hope will help me get that elusive job. I actually think I can do this. I slammed through four classes a semester. My GPA is superb. I actually like studying. After all, no one forced me to go back to school. All I need is a comprehensive program that works.
It was never a question of whether I would take and pass the exams. But who has time to study for the CPA while taking an Advanced Financial Accounting class? Then things happened—my classes didn’t work out and tax season ended right on time, as it does every year. It came down to this: This summer became a good time to take the CPA exam. And I can take all of it, because I have the time. Having time is not the problem, of course. Not giving up the time you have is the problem. Keep that in mind if you’re reading this and contemplating doing it yourself. You really do want to do it, no matter how challenging it may be.
Over the summer, I plan to talk more about how I got to this place and how things work out. In the meantime, I’m really looking forward to a summer of becoming a CPA.
