Hey everyone,
I have been thinking about sitting for the CPA exam in the coming year. I have read around the boards that typically CPA's and auditors don't really apply to an MBA that it's significantly hard for them when it comes to getting into a top school. Does this apply the same for someone in finance trying to attain their CPA?
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Look at Wharton's admissions page. It says it helps.
... no? How will more experience / credentialing hurt you?
It's not the CPA that hurts, but the general profile of someone with a CPA. Most likely they did Audit at a Big 4 or PA firm and now want to go to b-school, but perhaps their experience wasn't in-depth enough or they didn't have a strong enough story for "why b-school" (you really don't need an MBA to advance in accounting...)
Correlation, not causation.
I guess I'm curious as to why you're wanting to take the CPA exam in the first place. If you in finance and want to stay in finance, the CPA designation will probably do you little to no good in your role. Most finance jobs need only a intermediate understanding of financial accounting rules, which is just one part of what the CPA exam covers. If you're in it to become better at accounting, you'd be better off just reading the CFA's Financial Reporting and Analysis study material. In addition it may be hard for you to meet the experience and licensing requirements for your state, since most (if not all) states require at least a year of supervision under another CPA (which would be hard if no one else in your office is a CPA).
The reason why most CPA's don't apply or go to MBA programs is because the CPA designation is normally all you need to stay in an accounting roles. Most candidates who apply to MBA programs with CPA designations are usually trying to switch careers out of accounting.
It won't hurt for sure, but curious to know where (or what kind of jobs) will it give you a leg up.
Overall it is a tough qualification so will definitely define you as a smarter, harder working professional.
I always read bios, profiles of the big names I come across and must confess haven't seen a CPA/MBA combination
I think it's more of a question of self selection.
99% of CPAs are happy with their current career trajectories.
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