What's it Like to Study Accounting Online?
Accounting is a popular, fast-growing career field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting positions are expected to increase 22 percent through 2018—much faster than the average job growth rate. On average, accountants make more than $50,000 per year. With statistics like that, it's hard not to find this career option appealing. So how hard is it to become an accountant? And what's it like to study accounting online? Read on to find out the answers to these questions and more as we interview an online accounting graduate.
A Student's Perspective
Cherie Ergle is currently an audit supervisor for the Internal Audit Division at the South Carolina Department of Social Services, where she has worked since 1999. Cherie is a two-time graduate of Strayer University, an online school where she earned her bachelor's in accounting in 2005, and her master's in accounting in 2008. It took her six years to earn these two degrees.
One of the major concerns prospective online students have is whether or not online classes teach you as much as classes that are based on traditional college campuses. “I learned the same courses one would take in a classroom,” Cherie says. “I used the same textbooks and curriculum.”
In some cases, online schooling is the best choice because of its inherent flexibility. Many non-traditional students choose to attend online classes because it allows them to set their own schedules and fit in classes whenever they have time. Non-traditional students often have children, full-time jobs, or other demands on their time. This was the case for Cherie. “It worked well for me because I had kids at home at the time,” she says. “I could work around them and my work schedule.”
Online Challenges
Even with a flexible schedule, online schooling is still quite a challenge. “It takes up a lot of time, so I had to give up a lot of other things to accommodate that,” Cherie says. “It takes discipline. No one pushes you to log on, or do the classwork [or] homework.”
Taking accounting classes online can also be difficult if you have questions. Unlike traditional classroom settings, online classes don't offer opportunities for face-to-face interaction with professors. In the end, online schooling works best for people who are motivated and have a lot of self discipline. But don't worry about not getting the support you need from an online school. More and more, online schools are taking advantage of new technology and incorporating web chats and other real-time communication tools.
Some people might think that attending accounting school online is akin to playing on the computer all day, and that graduates are left with no real world preparation. Cherie disagrees: “You get the same preparation that you would get in a classroom. It is up to the individual what they do with the education. The instructors I had were real people who worked and taught classes. They had much wisdom about the working world and what to expect.” As with a traditional campus, what you do with your degree after graduation is up to you!
Getting Hired
After graduation, what does it take to get an accounting position in the real world? Cherie says that accounting graduates should become certified in a specific field, and there are many to choose from. These certifications include Internal Auditor; Certified Management Accountant; Certified Fraud Examiner; or the most respected certification, Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Certification for any type of accountant requires passing an exam that consists of four parts, and in many states you must pass all four sections within an 18 month period.
Following her own graduation, Cherie received a promotion and is now in a supervisor role. Because of her advanced degrees, she was able to advance her career with her current employer. She is also an accountant for Jackson Hewitt, where accountants can earn extra money during tax season preparing personal tax returns. Additionally, Cherie teaches accounting classes at a technical college as an adjunct instructor. If her story is any indication, clearly there are many options available to graduates of online accounting schools.
Cherie has these words of advice for aspiring accountants: “If you plan to be a CPA, know that you will have to have 150 semester hours, equivalent to a master's degree. With perseverance and hard work, you can go as far in your career as you want to go. It is up to you.”