Exploratory Essay

Introduction

According to Christie Garton “80 percent of college students change their major at least once before graduating”. Garton also claims that one of the reasons for this, is that students do not do enough research when trying to declare their majors. This report will show how proper research is beneficial when declaring a major. It will explain how accomplishing this task requires researching facts and statistics relatable to current time and future changes. This report is being written to inform students of what a career path in accounting will consist of. Subjects such as: job description, education requirements, salary, job outlook and similar fields will be explained throughout this report. The information will be obtained from

“An accountant utilizes education or experience in the realm of business, finance or accounting to examine the accuracy of financial statements” (Horton). Accountants must have the ability to pay attention to detail using analytical skills to ensure accuracy in all tasks. Calculating what a client owes in taxes and preparing their statements and making sure they are paid timely and accurately. Accountants are responsible for maintaining company financial records to confirm that they are bringing in more profit than loss and that all their actions are legal.

Accountants must also explain their findings this includes written reports, meetings with internal and external managers and clients. Some accountants will deal with specialized organizations such as: healthcare, banking branches, insurances, and tax filing.

Education

Surprising research conducted by Angelique Peltier shows that 73% of people are not properly informed as to what the education requirements are to be an entry level accountant, this information is displayed in the graph to the left. Certifications such as a certified public accountant (CPA) are also ways to improve job forecast. A CPA is an accountant that is licensed by the states Board of Accountancy by passing a national exam and meeting other states certification requirements. Generally, candidates must complete 150 college credit hours, which is 50 more than is required to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in accounting usually takes about 4 years to complete. Walsh claims that attending a four-year public school can cost as much as $59,182. ** although if you attend Walsh to obtain a bachelor’s degree it will cost $28,246. **. Walsh college is also home to the highest scores achieved on the CPA in the metro Detroit area, making Walsh a reputable college to attend to acquire an accounting degree. Courses that would be required in acquiring an accounting degree may be various business, business law, and accounting classes.

As the world of technology continues to evolve it will change the way accounting is done. It is evolving the demand for computer literate workers in the work place, since most of the work and record keeping is being completed