Hello out there!
I just want to remind everyone that this is YOUR Blog! I am here to meet your information needs, to the extent possible, on all things Accounting and Accounting-related. This Blog works best when you ask question after question. So fire away!
So, what's doing in the world of Accounting? There was a major, major Article in the latest edition of The CPA Journal, the well-respected monthly magazine of the New York State Society of CPAs. It was the lead article and it was 6 pages long. And it was all about whether students are prepared to put in the effort needed to achieve a degree in Accounting. Accounting itself as a profession was always considered respectable because it did in fact take a lot of work to get through the many preparatory courses, and then to put in the apprenticeship associated with the profession. Again, Accounting is and always has been a profession, and that is what makes it so worthwhile, both in terms of pride and accomplishment, as well as compensation.
What the article seemed to indicate, based on research, is that today's students expect to be handed their course credits - their diploma, if you will - just for showing up. And while showing up is in fact a major part of all courses - one learns better by hearing the discussion of, the repetition of, the materials to be learned - it is still necessary for students to master the knowledge of each subject. And let's just say it right out - not every student has the desire nor the ability to master each subject. And teachers must make the work sufficiently challenging so that a student who passes a course has in fact mastered the subject of the course.
There is a bit of "tough-love" to the Article, in that it's conclusion encourages academia to not drop standards to meet this generation's expectation of entitlement; that to do so would dilute the profession and what the public has come to expect of Accountants and what the public does in fact usually get from Accountants: hard work and quality work.
Interestingly enough, the topic of a prior posting on this Blog was all about internships, and how important they are for the student to arrive at a better understanding of all things Accounting. Perhaps that is the way for the issues raised by the Article to be addressed. Students should sublement their course work and grades with a fine showing of accounting internships and accounting-related jobs, be they bookkeeping in nature or otherwise. This will enable future employers to see that there really is a work ethic and quality of work behind the student, and not just grades and the diploma.
What do you think? Please let me know.
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3 comments:
I'm not an accounting major but from the accounting classes i have taken most students do feel like the credit should just be given to them. My first accounting class was hard for me and I think it was because of coming back to school after being out for so long and trying to catch up with what's going on in the world. Thank goodness Berkeley College has tutoring for accounting. I understood it better and am doing great in my accounting class. The other students who just want the credit handed to them and don't know what's going on should rethink if accounting is where they want to be. We don't need anymore Bernie Madoff's.
Very mature observation! Thank you.
At the same time, I recognize that most students taking Accounting are non-majors, and are taking it because it is required of their major. Regretfully, they do not appreciate how important a basic knowledge of Accounting is to EVERY business major and I would go so far as to say even non-business majors (since it is so important in one's personal life). Also, many do not appreciate that, as you said so well, that Berkeley College has excellent tutoring for Accounting.
Perhaps the real issue is that many students don't realize the importance of their addressing any weaknesses that they might have. Accounting does reveal which students lack a math "facility" for the basics; as well as a full understanding of the language - of english as well as of Accounting. By recognizing such weaknesses while in college - and then having the maturity to take advantage of services at BC such as the tutoring, then students can help themselves for the rest of their lives.
Again, thank you for your comments.
I received my associate Degree at Berkeley in 1999 - Business management. I worked in an Accounting office and liked the work. I did the payroll for small businesses but was always interested in how to maintain and help businesses financially. So this is the reason after about 10 years I decided to return to Berkeley to get my degree in Accounting. Well What I big surprise I received.. It is very hard as an evening student. There is not much accedemic help for evening students. I would love to recommend a Chat Room for accounting majors. As a full time worker, parent I would like to sugguest a CHAT ROOM or even a Discussion Board for Accounting Majors that are struggling to achieve their degree. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because after 10 years my study skills went down the drain and I came as far as getting myself to College and Agree with Mr. Levine I want to learn the subject skillfully to be prepared for the outside carreer. I don't want it given to me.
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