Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Accountants And Auditors
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at East Los Angeles College, De Anza, Cal State Fullerton, and Los Angeles Pierce College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider San Diego State, Cal State L.A., MTI College, and Cal State Fullerton.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Scripps College, Cambridge Junior College, Advanced, and Humphreys.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider ICDC, Los Angeles ORT College, Cal State L.A., and Cal State East Bay.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Foothill, National University, Columbia College, and College of San Mateo.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Claremont McKenna, Scripps College, Pepperdine University, and University of San Diego.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Claremont McKenna, Scripps College, Simpson University, and Point Loma Nazarene University.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Claremont McKenna, Southern Cal, Scripps College, and Pepperdine University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Claremont McKenna, Southern Cal, San Diego State, and Scripps College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Claremont McKenna, Scripps College, Saint Marys College of California, and Loyola Marymount.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight California Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Fremont, Pomona
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
- Locations: Bakersfield, Beale AFB, Chula Vista, Costa Mesa, Culver City, Diamond Bar, El Centro, Elk Grove, Fairfield, Fresno, Gardena, Lancaster, Lathrop, Livermore, Los Angeles, Murrieta, Oakland, Ontario, Palm Desert, Pasadena, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Sacramento, Salida, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Visalia, Woodland Hills
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Master
DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management
- Locations: Alhambra, Anaheim, Colton, Daly City, Elk Grove, Fremont, Irvine, Long Beach, Oakland, Palmdale, Pomona, San Diego, San Jose, Sherman Oaks
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate
- Locations: Ontario, Reseda
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Diploma
- Locations: Oxnard
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
- Locations: Alameda, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Monica
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master
- Locations: Concord, Fresno, Hayward, Milpitas, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Salinas, San Francisco, Stockton
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate
- Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Certificate, Certificate of Advanced Studies, Master
- Locations: National City, San Diego, San Marcos
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
- Locations: Salinas
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
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Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Master
- Programs: 9 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Master
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Point Loma Nazarene College • San Diego, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 1988)
• 4/29/2011
"It provided a good education for me. I was able to get a good job because of my education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you want to be in San Diego or if you would like to attend a Christian liberal arts school, I would recommend it. If you want to go as far as you can in accounting, I would recommend a more hard-core business school. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Everyone in San Diego has respect for graduates of Point Loma Nazarene College. Graduates are known to do well. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The business school was small, but fine. It would have been great to have had some real-life experiences in a real company. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 5 | I was able to work easily while taking my business classes. I did not have to pull all-nighters like the science majors did. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The sciences are very hands on learning. However, the business side has a lot of book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Because the business school is small, there are no time slot choices for some of the classes. However, there are a lot of night, summer and online options. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | They are always improving facilities and resources on the campus. The professors are always available as well. |
| Social Life | 8 | Between life in the dorm and the class functions, there is always something to do. People just enjoy hanging out with each other. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They have a job fair every year. They post jobs in the career center. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They have a quarterly magazine sent out with current news about the university and a place to catch up with alumni. Plus, they have a homecoming and class reunions every fall. |
Valley Christian High School • Cerritos, CA
Studying Business (completion in 2003)
• 4/30/2011
"I was very satisfied with the training I received from this school. I would recommend this school to anyone!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I was very satisfied with the training I received from this school. I would recommended this school to anyone! |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Since it's an online school it doesn't have a high reputation. I believe this is one of the BEST online certificate programs available to this day! |
| Program Quality | 7 | This school was a very good at home school that provided me with the tools I needed to succeed. I completed the course in about 9 months when generally it takes 2 years to complete. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 3 | It was very easy to read through the books and take the online course. The tests were a breeze since you were able to look through your books while taking the exam. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Since this was an online course it was all book training. I had hands on experience because I was an accountant in training at the time so I was able to apply what I learned. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | This was a very flexible school. If you finished early and returned your items they would send the next batch out sooner. If you were running behind they would just send you reminders to send in your items asap. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They really didn't have any of these. They are an online course so the internet is the online resource they had |
| Social Life | 4 | Although I spoke with some fellow students we really didn't interact like most people would at a normal college. This was a fun experience and I would recommend it to anyone! |
| Placement Services | 5 | I can't actually give you the numbers of their job placement but I would imagine it's relatively good. Anyone that pursues a certificate program is motivated enough to find themselves a Job |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I didn't really see any Alumni since this was an online course. I would imagine that this school does not rely on their Alumni for anything but recommendations for this school |
CSUF • Fullerton, CA
Studying Business Finance (completion in 2009)
• 4/30/2011
"I am very satisfied with Mihaylo school. It has solid teachers, they took you seriously, and the financial aid is awesome!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | CSUF provided me with the tools I need in my current job. I have also made many friends that I keep in touch with today. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The school of business is a great school! It is nationally accredited with professors coming from USC, Harvard, Yale, etc. |
| Program Quality | 9 | CSUF is a very qualified business school. I had good teachers that provided real life scenarios with which to teach us and provided solid formulas that I use to this today. |
| Instruction | 8 | teachers are more apt to provide real life scenarios. Using a real world teaching technique, I can actually apply their teachings to my current job. whereas a few years ago the teaching was very book-focused which provided good foundation, but the skills I used were acquired in my last year's finance classes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The homework is always difficult, but with the professor's assistance, it was easy to learn. The exams were easy based on their teaching of the homework. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | there's actually a good mix of hands on versus book learning. for finance, you need the books of formulas, definitions, etc that dont ever change. but the hands on assignments put real situations in our hands to try out. so it helped to have both in order to understand the concepts and apply them to today's careers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | the night classes offered are great! I began school when I was single, but 3/4 of the way through I got married and I was working full time. so the only way I could keep going to school was either online or night classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | there's only 1 library that I went to maybe 3 times. since I went to school at night I would get out at 10pm and go straight home. I didn't want to spend all night at school! |
| Social Life | 4 | There's not much school stuff to do at night. So I made some very good friends, but I didn't go to any sport events, etc. I got married while attending school so my priority was getting my degree and getting home. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I believe CSUF provides job placement assistance because I have seen posters and email about it. I haven't used their program though, so I'm not sure. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I guess it's pretty good from what I've heard from my classmates. they provide help to small businesses and even help you find a job. but I haven't enrolled in the alumni program so I don't know. |
University Of California At Berkeley • Berkeley, CA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2006)
• 5/1/2011
"Extremely satisfied, don't regret it for a second. The education, friends, and experiences I attained at Berkeley had a profound impact on my life."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The reputation, job opportunities, networks, and overall education are considered in the top of the country. Add on that Berkeley is in close proximity to San Francisco which has great opportunities for more culture to experience just adds to why I would recommend this school. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | It's UC Berkeley, almost everyone knows the school and it has the reputation of being the number 1 public school in the US. That said, Haas is always listed as a top tier business school year in and year out and has a great reputation. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The business school was amazing, the professors at Haas School of Business were great and really prepared me for my career. The students were also amazing and the business frat I was a part of really taught me a lot; almost as much as class itself. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 9 | The load at Berkeley was extremely difficult since everyone there was incredibly smart. The competition to do well and get good grades was more intense than I had anticipated because everyone wanted to be number 1. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A little bit more book learning and not as much hands on as I would have liked. But a lot depended on which professor you got for each class since each had different styles of teaching. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Fair amount of summer class offerings to get you ahead or let you catch up on. Evening and weekend classes were harder to come by unless you were enrolled in a special program. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The UC system had great resources since they can all tap into each others libraries, etc. The on campus resources were also good with computer labs available 24 hours a day. |
| Social Life | 10 | The school spirit is amazing at Cal. Every football game day was always a high spirited day with tail gating and parties. The business frat I was in also had a big influence on my social life outside of class. |
| Placement Services | 7 | This goes back to the networking question. The Bay Area has a lot of talent to pick from the top universities in the area, so it was difficult to land a job right away. The university did a good job of lining up job opportunities which lead to interviews but there were just so many candidates. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The network is pretty good at Berkeley with many business contacts in the Bay Area to tap into. Sometimes it was difficult to get an interview or make a connection since everyone in the business world seemed to busy all the time. |
Claremont McKenna College • Claremont, CA
Studying Economics-Accounting (completion in 2010)
• 5/1/2011
"Amazing reputation and low cost made me a very satisfied student. Furthermore, the weather in So Cal is unbeatable"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The Claremont colleges will definitely prepare your if you take the appropriate classes. Furthermore, there are a bunch of alumni willing and most importantly able to assist you with placement upon graduation |
| Program Reputation | 9 | A good percentage of CMC graduates go into the finance, consulting, or accounting industries. Because of this we have a fairly strong reputation in these fields. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I came into work with a full beginner's knowledge of what I needed. I didn't feel as overwhelmed as other new associates |
| Instruction | 9 | Claremont definitely had a top-notch instruction in accounting. The new Robert Day School of Finance provided with numerous accounting career preparation opportunities. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Econ-Accounting is known as one of the more difficult majors at Claremont. I always had something to do and the work load was consistently significant. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The professors try to use a lot of real-life simulation but overall accounting is somethng that has to be learned through books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Classes aren't that flexible because they are usually only offered in the morning or mid-day. There were rarely any night classes which I would have preferred. And there were never any online options, or weekend, or summer offerings. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The Accounting major academic facilities and resources are relatively good. There is a decent amount of classroom space, many academic advisors, and a decent number of available tutors. Professors are always accessible given the small classroom size. |
| Social Life | 10 | By far the most enjoyable 4 years of my life. It is a party school that works hard. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I received a lot of support from the career services center at Claremont. They hosted numerous events which made the arduous interview process a lot easier. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | In California, we have many alumni working in the Top 4 firms which made it easy to connect and receive help from alumni. Our school hosts numerous events to assure an interaction between alumni, faculty, and students |
USC • La, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 7/18/2011
"Amazing school. Beautiful location (yes, despite the rumors), great campus, wonderful social scene, and a prestigious academic university to boot. Plenty of stuff to do outside the classroom."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I personally love accounting, auditing specifically. So I only have good things to say, but you have to love numbers, like they say. It isn't for everyone. I've seen it as you either love it or hate it. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Like I said before, I believe we are the #4 accounting program in the country, which is amazing. Tons of kids come internationally to study here. |
| Program Quality | 9 | USC was an amazing school with an amazing program. I believe it is the #4 rated accounting program. |
| Instruction | 8 | Mostly taught by great tenured professors. One accounting class was taught by a Korean grad student and it was hard to hear and understand her. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Very challenging work, which you would expect from such a school and program, though. It was a lot of work, and with classes being only a quarter long, we had to deal with a lot of midterms and finals. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is a lot of book learning, but it is combined with hands-on, real world, useful learning that Ii have actually benefited from, as opposed to learning theories and definitions we will never use. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | A few courses we could take online, only the more basic accounting classes 250A and 250B. But classes were offered throughout the day starting from 8 AM to 6 PM, so there was tons of flexibility. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Plenty of facilities with a lot of rooms. We had our own library in the main accounting building which not many people knew about, so there was always room for us. There was plenty of staff and classrooms were not crowded. We almost had too much space, except in the lecture halls which were theater seating. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was in a fraternity and definitely did my share of socializing. I went to football games, basketball games, everything. |
| Placement Services | 10 | After junior year we get placed in internships which most of the time lead to full time job offers. USC does a great job of getting us all interviews and on track to great careers. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | USC has the best network. There are tons of events in which alumni come and talk about their companies, get to know us, give us tips, and help us with connections. |
University Of California, Los Angeles • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2003)
• 7/14/2011
"UCLA provided a great basis for accounting knowledge. I also obtained all the coursework needed to take the CPA exam."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | UCLA can provide great accounting courses and training. You can also obtain all the knowledge required to take and pass the CPA exam. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | UCLA has a great reputation for all programs in the business school. The Anderson School of Accounting is especially noteworthy among top universities. |
| Program Quality | 9 | UCLA provided a perfect plan of coursework for obtaining requirements needed to apply for CPA certification. It also gave me an intense and thorough education in the subject. |
| Instruction | 7 | Because this was a Masters program, career segue was not big priority. Job requirements were taught, but entry into the workforce was never addressed. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Workload was intense and rigorous. This program was for working professionals, therefore class time was minimal and the workload was large. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Accounting is all book learning. Real world examples were implemented in each course. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The options for each course per term are minimal. Each course is usually offered each term in either weekly sessions or weekend sessions. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Most of my work was done via satellite and therefore I did not utilize on-campus resources as much as others. Non-facility related resources were great. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not have any social interaction during this program. Most courses involved long periods of times with no classmate interaction. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I was not provided with any job placement assistance. Nor were any career services provided to me. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not had any interaction with the alumni network for Master's graduates. I utilize undergraduate alumni more often. |
California State University • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 7/30/2011
"Very satisfied. As I said before, it was a good academic environment with a diversified cultural background."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I enjoyed my time at the school. I believe I came out really well prepared to do my job. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It has a good reputation with students. Students are able to find work shortly after graduation as there is demand for the profession. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The faculty is qualified and well prepared. The courses you take prepare you for the CPA exam. |
| Instruction | 9 | Again, the professors have the necessary qualifications. The courses really prepare you for the CPA exam. |
| How Difficult | 8 | In accounting, you have to study a lot to know the standards that govern the accounting profession. Some of these standards are really difficult to understand. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Given the nature of the profession, it is very book oriented. You need to read the books and standards and principles of accounting to really understand them. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There's not much flexibility. Sometimes a class was available only at a single time making it difficult, but this was few and far between. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | On all of these categories the school was well prepared. Professors were available, there were study groups and tutoring, etc. |
| Social Life | 9 | There were many social activities at the school. What I liked the most was that there was a diversified cultural background. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The job placement program, along with the internship program, are both efficient. They have many opportunities for students to choose where to start their career paths. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Students were really supportive. Many study groups were created to share knowledge. |
Santa Clara University • Santa Clara, CA
Studying Finance (completion in 1996)
• 8/4/2011
"I am very satisfied with SCU. It gave me the friends I have today and the job I have today."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I recommend SCU to everyone. The school is amazing and gives you a great jumping off point for your career. People with SCU on their resumes always land at the top of the stack when I am recruiting. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | SCU is a top rated Finance school. It was recently rated #2 in the West for small schools. |
| Program Quality | 10 | SCU was a great jumping off point for my career. I made contacts in college that I still use in business today. |
| Instruction | 10 | My professors were brilliant. SCU was recently rated as a top school to make you rich. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I think that the work load was manageable. I was challenged, but it made me a better student as a result. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | SCU offers a mix of classroom and book learning. It is a very good balance. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Classes are offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 65 minutes each day. Classes are also offered for 2 hour periods every Tuesday and Thursday. They also offer night classes and weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | SCU's library is second to none. The computer labs are completely up to date technologically. |
| Social Life | 8 | SCU is a very social school with a great Greek program. However, they are missing some sports, like football, which was eliminated in 1993. |
| Placement Services | 7 | SCU offers a career services program. However, I did not utilize it when looking for a job after college. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | SCU continues to have alumni events. My college contacts are still business acquaintances of mine today. |
San Diego Mesa College • San Diego, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2007)
• 7/31/2011
"I am very satisfied and very proud of having belonged to the San Diego Community College district. Saying that I obtained my AS in Accounting from them always makes me look good."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The San Diego Community College District, which is what San Diego Mesa College belongs to, is one of the most recognized districts. Because of that, I would have no doubt in recommending it. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I base my opinions on getting an Associate's Degree in Accounting, and I think the reputation of this program of study is very complete for the knowledge that will be needed when already in the working field. |
| Program Quality | 10 | San Diego Mesa College takes pride in its high standards. In the San Diego area, it has a very good reputation. |
| Instruction | 10 | It's curriculum for every field of study is very complete. I believe I was very well prepared to develop myself in the field of Accounting. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Well, for many, Accounting is not a very attractive field to study. For me, even though I am very attracted to it, at some point it became very challenging because of the work load. By the end it was very satisfying to to go through all of the work load required to get my Associate's Degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Instructors are always willing to help the students when they need it. The material required for classes is constantly changing to make sure that the student gets an education that is as updated as possible. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | It's class schedule flexibility is excellent. It adapts to everybody's necessities. I was able to achieve my Associate's Degree as a full time worker and a full time parent. Most of my classes I took at night, and I took some of them online as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Facilities are excellent, as are the resources available for the student. Libraries are very complete, internet access for students is always available, the number of students per class is appropriate, etc. |
| Social Life | 10 | In general, my social experience was good. The school spirit is always trying to get students to participate in the different events available. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Well, as far as job placement, I think that's really on the person himself or herself. Even though the school does offer help. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The network of support is really good. There is a lot of help for those that require it, and the staff is always willing to help. |
California State University, East Bay • Hayward, CA
Studying Business Administration With Option In Accounting & Finance (completion in 2006)
• 8/4/2011
"CSUEB had a good accounting curriculum as well as an accounting fraternity. I think that they do a great job teaching students accounting as well as providing opportunities for students to meet prospective employers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend CSUEB to others pursuing accounting/auditing because the school prepares you for both the workforce and the CPA exam. The school also has events that enable students to meet people from the Big Four and smaller firms in the area. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It seems that the reputation of CSUEB is currently still high. I am part of the Scholarship committee of an accounting organization and find that the students from this school are very motivated and both intern and get offers from Big Four companies. |
| Program Quality | 8 | CSUEB was a very good school to graduate with an accounting degree from because they provided a lot of resources that gave students opportunities to find jobs before they graduated. The biggest example is the college's accounting fraternity called Beta Alpha Psi that set up recruiting events with the Big Four and other smaller firms in the area. |
| Instruction | 9 | I think that CSUEB was able to give me a good foundation in accounting and it seemed like most of the more advanced classes were geared towards helping students pass the CPA test. The classes I took really helped me to understand the basics of auditing, bookkeeping, and taxes, which prepared me for both the CPA test and my first accounting job. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Since the school had really good professors that taught the basic accounting classes, it helped me get a good understanding of the subject early on which made a difference in the more advanced classes. Also, having companions in Beta Alpha Psi gave me the resources to ask for help when I needed it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I think that CSUEB had a good mixture of both hands-on and book learning. We were assigned a lot of homework that made us work through accounting problems encountered in the workforce. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Before I graduated in 2006 the classes were very flexible and I was able to get the maximum amount of classes. However, I've heard from current students that classes are really hard to sign up for since there have been fewer classes offered due to budget cuts. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The professors and advisors I've worked with had an open door policy. They were always willing to stay after class if I had any questions. The library had all the resources I needed for homework or projects. |
| Social Life | 8 | I was part of Beta Alpha Psi and enjoyed both the social and professional part of the fraternity. I also attended other fraternity/sorority events on campus. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The school's accounting fraternity hosts many recruiting events during the year. The Big Four accounting firms as well as other firms in the area come to the events and hire or provide internships for the students. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Besides going to recruiting events for my firm, I've not had any contact with CSUEB as an alum. Since I was hired only a month after graduating, I did not use their website after I left. |
San Jose State • San Jose, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2010)
• 8/9/2011
"This is a good value for money. The school and program does have potential to get better, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think accounting is a good career field and this is a good school to become accountant. There are many companies in the area with which students can get internships and jobs. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school has good reputation and advertises a lot. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Teachers and students were great. |
| Instruction | 8 | There were projects and lots of homework assignments. There was good library and instruction was excellent. |
| How Difficult | 8 | This was new for me, so it was difficult. I thought there was a lack of support. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's a mix. They should give more hands on work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There are evening classes. The program is generally very flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The facilities, such as labs and gyms, are excellent. The school is in the middle of a great city. |
| Social Life | 7 | There was great food and great social programs. There were a lot of foreign students who I hung out with. |
| Placement Services | 6 | This was a tough year to graduate. The career office could not help much. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | It is not really helpful. I did not find many alums who were willing to help. |
Golden Gate University • San Francisco, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 1995)
• 8/7/2011
"The school has an excellent reputation due to the caliber of professors they employ. The administrative staff is overworked and not very helpful."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The potential student will get a well-rounded education with hands on experience if he/she went to GGU. The employers will look favorably on GGU graduates because of this mix of book and hands on experience in their fields of study. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Very good, as they are an academic university and are not sports focused. Since there aren't dorms, the school doesn't lend itself to a lot of partying situations. It's mostly hardcore students looking to get the best education possible. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Golden Gate is an academic university (i.e. no sports). The professors are extremely knowledgeable in their given fields. The professors also work in their fields of study, so you end up with real world experiences instead of just book learning. |
| Instruction | 10 | Like I said, the professors also work in their fields of study. The changes to the accounting rules within GAAP and FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) were all addressed during my time at GGU. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Average, because I was working in that field while taking classes. So I had experience with much of the subject matter, or someone in my office had the experience if I had questions of the curriculum. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As stated above, the professors work in their field of study, so we had a great combination of book and hands on learning which gave a better understanding to what we were reading in the textbooks. Also, we had real hands on practice sets (mock sets of books for a business) where we had to go through a year of the business manually and close the books (transactions, closing entries, and financial statement preparation). | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There are many options with GGU. There were morning, afternoon and evening classes at the San Francisco campus, plus satellite campuses around the Bay Area. Lastly, they were instituting some online classes as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Large, clean classrooms. Very large library with plenty of room to study and research without noise or interruptions. The professors had offices on campus, plus we were able to email our professors if outside office hours. The professors were very prompt in their responses to students' questions/issues. |
| Social Life | 4 | There wasn't much in the way of a social experience. We were there to learn. There weren't too many social clubs around. Plus, since I was a night student, many of the social club meetings were held when I was in class. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The School of Accounting has a bulletin board of job listings. This goes hand-in-hand with the social mixers listed above where students, faculty, and potential employers get together to discuss possibilities in a social setting. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | There is a wide network within GGU for the School of Accounting. There are also social mixers with alumni and employers seeking possible employees. |
University Of California, Berkeley • Berkeley, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2008)
• 8/8/2011
"I learned a great deal in the accounting program and was well prepared for all my tests related to the CPA. Also, having a job in hand by the beginning of senior year was very helpful."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Absolutely. I believe the accounting track of the business degree at California is very strong if you want a career in accounting. It is competitive, but if you are able to get into the program, you will be rewarded. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | California is known to have a very good program in accounting, and over a third of the graduating class in business have jobs in accounting. The accounting major has a 100% placement rate at graduation. |
| Program Quality | 7 | It is a very versatile degree as it can be used for jobs in accounting, finance, government, or corporate accounting. Also, the job does pay well and the CPA certification is very good to have. |
| Instruction | 5 | The instruction is very boring since the topics are not intrinsically interesting. As such, the quality will suffer. |
| How Difficult | 10 | To get the CPA designation you need to complete 22 semester units, which also includes advanced accounting, auditing, and transfer pricing courses. As such, it is much more difficult than liberal arts majors. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the core courses in the business program require group projects and case studies. However, with the accounting courses, it is very focused on memorization and book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | While certain courses are required, the program is flexible overall. The school ensures that you are able to get into your classes to complete your degree in 2 years. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The average class size for advanced accounting courses is about 20 students, and there is an extremely strong faculty with real-world experience. Also, the library has all the textbooks on reserve for you to review. |
| Social Life | 5 | Being a large public school, the overall atmosphere is not very close. Also, most students are focused on academics, and as such, parties, athletics, and school spirit are secondary to career development. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The alumni network for the accounting major is very strong, as a lot of graduates are in the accounting industry. As such, the school has a 100% placement rate for CPA-ready accountants. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | There are a lot of alumni placed in the Big 4. Also, the alumni network helps graduates get jobs at these accounting firms. |
Rio Hondo College • Whittier, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2007)
• 8/16/2011
"I felt that the school provided a good value for my money. My tuition cost was only $26/unit (and even most of that was covered by financial aid) and many teachers who taught were very experienced. Classes were offered at various times (making it easy to balance school and work)."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | In my opinion, the teachers teach well and are very experienced. As the class offerings are very flexible, people can easily balance school and work/internships. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | My school wasn't known for their Accounting program. However, my school offers quite a decent selection of Accounting courses. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Even though I felt that most teachers/professors taught well, some of the classes weren't challenging enough for me. The selection of accounting courses at Rio Hondo is quite good. |
| Instruction | 8 | In my accounting classes, we learned how to read financial statements, write journal entries, create balance sheets, create profit and loss statements, how to account for bad debts, how to handle petty cash, do payroll, etc. These skills are necessary for the position I am currently holding. |
| How Difficult | 2 | Since I studied basic Accounting in high school, I found most of the Accounting classes I took in Rio Hondo College to be quite straight-forward. Homework was minimal and the material was quite easy to master after some practice. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Aside from computer-based accounting classes such as Quickbook, classes involved book-based learning. We mostly practiced how to solve Accounting problems with and from the Accounting textbooks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There are classes as early as 7am and as late as 11pm. Rio Hondo College offers many online classes, weekend classes, summer sessions (2 summer sessions every summer) and short-term classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library, media, computer room, labs, and classroom size are quite standard compared to other community colleges I have visited. Professors are very helpful (they are often willing to stay after class time to answer my questions). As I didn't really need extra academic help, I have never inquired about tutors or study group support. |
| Social Life | 5 | While attending Rio Hondo college, I was also working about 30 hours per week. Therefore, I didn't immerse myself into school spirit, athletics and parties. I have occasionally attended organized social events when invited by my close friends. Overall, I felt that the social events were nothing special, but there were memorable times spent with my close friends. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I once sought a counselor's advice regarding job opportunities. She gave me some suggestions and taught me how to search for jobs online. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | To be honest, I have never looked into the alumni network. I didn't need much support academically, but when I once made an appointment with a counselor to talk about job prospects, she was quite helpful. |
University Of California, Irvine • Irvine, CA
Studying Criminology (completion in 2008)
• 8/21/2011
"I enjoyed my years at Irvine. I learned a lot about the world around me and grew as a person there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There is not an actual Accounting degree offered at UCI, so if that's what you want to pursue, there are more direct programs to go through. Entering UCI, I didn't know this is where I would end up. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I think it has an excellent reputation for the reasons listed above. The faculty consists of many well known researchers in their specific areas of criminology. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The criminology department at UCI was top notch with some of the most renowned researchers in the departments of forensics, white collar crime, and social deviance. |
| Instruction | 8 | Criminology is what led me into accounting. My White Collar crime professor wrote a number of textbooks on the subject, which got me interested in investigating financial fraud, which led me into the accounting field. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I was very much interested in the field, therefore most of the subject matter came easily to me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most courses were taught straight from the text with only minimal research opportunities during senior year. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I never had any issue getting into a class as long as I registered on time. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Irvine was constantly being renovated with new facilities, two huge libraries, plus the UC state-wide electronic reference library. Professors were never difficult to contact and always available. |
| Social Life | 5 | While I feel my school did its best to promote "school spirit," it was very much a commuter school and lacked the cohesiveness of a "college town." |
| Placement Services | 5 | I've never really used the career services. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I honestly don't know much about my alumni network as I've never actively participated in it. |
Cal State Long Beach • Long Beach, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 9/12/2011
"They did everything I paid them to do. I have a degree and a job, I have absolutely no complaints about the opportunities they gave me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | Maybe | Accounting is a very dry field, it is not for everybody, but for those who want it CSULB is a great place to start. The location alone is worth pursuing any degree. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Cal State Long Beach has a great reputation in general though I think accounting is not particularly highly touted among their popular majors. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Given the economy, it was the best choice I could make. My major has kept me employed when so many people are not. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned everything I needed to be able to succeed in this field. I was able to acquire a job relatively easily. |
| How Difficult | 3 | There is not a lot of work to be done with this major. You really do not need any particularly special skills to succeed with accounting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Accounting is very much book work. Even in the workplace, accountants don't do much outside of books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | With a full-time school program, it is difficult to manage doing anything else. They have a decent amount of night classes, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There are always resources available to assist with student needs. They are very well-staffed and capable of helping students at every turn. |
| Social Life | 10 | Long Beach always has something to do. This gives CSULB a very active social experience. |
| Placement Services | 8 | They were very helpful in assisting with finding work. That was an incredible feat given the 10% unemployment rate in California. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They provide a great deal of support for all students. This includes help with finding internships for even the most obscure majors, which includes accounting. |
Sonoma State University • Cotati, CA
Studying Business Management, Accounting Emphasis (completion in 1992)
• 10/4/2011
"I feel I was well prepared for the work world and to take the CPA exam. I felt supported by the teaching staff and alumni."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Sonoma State has a high-quality accounting program. The staff is diligent and highly qualified. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Sonoma State is known for preparing students for a career in accounting. Graduates have done very well at large firms. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Small class sizes allowed for maximum interaction with professors. The instructors had all worked in the field. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors had all had careers as accountants (CPAs). They concentrated on preparing the students for the exam, as well as for a career. |
| How Difficult | 9 | This is a specialized course of study. There are many courses required in order to be prepared to take the CPA exam that are in addition to the courses required for the BA degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Accounting at this level is more book oriented. The hands-on work was more theoretical work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There are many accounting courses offered. The classes are offered both day and night. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Professors were always available outside of class. There were many study groups to join. |
| Social Life | 10 | There are always things to do at the school. It is well known for its athletic teams and school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Sonoma State has an Accounting Forum that has many functions where students meet employers. I met my first employer at a function and was offered a job before I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Graduates in the field recruit at their school. Graduates also support and network with each other in the working world. |
California State University, Fullerton • Fullerton, CA
Studying Communications (completion in 2005)
• 10/14/2011
"I enjoyed the hands on approach and all of the career guidance I received. I would have rated the school higher if more help would have been given to finding internships and jobs."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the school to anyone who wants to go into the communications field. The school gave me many tools that help me succeed in my current position. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school I attended is widely know for its communication degree and also for its teaching certification. Even though I do not live in California anymore, when I mention the school it is recognized. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school I attended focused on projects and real word experience. To complete projects we had to get involved with the community, budget expenses, and achieve our goal. We did not just write a report about how we would have done it, but we instead took action. |
| Instruction | 9 | We were given good direction and guidance from our instructors. Many instructors became teachers later in life, after achieving good standing in their field and were able to share real world experiences on their career. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The program was demanding, but rewarding. I do not feel that it was a struggle if you applied yourself. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | CSUF was very focused on hands on work. I believe this gave me an advantage after graduation. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The school has multiple locations and online choices. There were also night options, which helped me complete school. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The classroom spaces were perfect for the class sizes. The media resources were also very good for the film classes that I took. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not spend much time at school for social events, as many of my classes were at evenings class or at alternative campus locations. I think the school could have reached out more to evening class students. |
| Placement Services | 4 | There were not many options available for job placement. There was also not much help with internships. I ended up interning at a financial service company. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | There is very little networking among alumni. The magazine that is sent out quarterly is a joke, as it's about what is currently going on at the college (such as music events we can get a discount to). |
University Of Phoenix • Pasadena, CA
Studying Business - Finance (completion in 1998)
• 10/24/2011
"University of Phoenix was excellent for me. I learned a lot. My career benefitted directly during and after I finished the program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, it is an excellent school for working adults. The real world learning environment gave us a lot of practical experience both in the classroom and in our jobs. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | This is not an ivy league school. This is a working school to help us advance and proceed in our current career. It is really good for its market niche. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Excellent program for working professionals who want a master's degree. The items I learned had a direct positive impact on my job. |
| Instruction | 9 | The teachers were passionate and had a lot of real world experience. The assignments often were directly connected to my position. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Part of what made it easy was that it was very interesting and very relevant. I had started an MBA program elsewhere, but it was too theoretical to apply to the work I was actually doing in my career. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | An excellent mix of hands-on and book learning. We had to do proposals, research, papers, and presentations. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Weekend and evening options were very helpful to us working adults. Also, the shorter quarters were very helpful. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Excellent resources. We had everything we needed. Study group support was our main usage of resources. |
| Social Life | I didn't attend social events. Both my husband and I were working full time and attending the same MBA program at U of Phx at the same time. | |
| Placement Services | 5 | Didn't use it. I was already employed and stayed for 8 years at that employer. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | This is a school for working adults, most with family. Not a real strong alumni network. But I wasn't looking for that. |
San Jose State • San Jose, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 11/19/2011
"I was satisfied with my school. I got a job from the campus recruiting. The school has a great mix of different students and fun events."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my school to others that live in the Bay Area. SJSU has the top financial and tech companies that recruit on campus, and it is highly regarded as one of the best CSUs. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | SJSU has all the top tech and accounting firms recruit on campus. Compared to other schools, SJSU has a lot more companies that come to our school. |
| Program Quality | 8 | There were too many general education requirements, and at times, it felt like it was a waste of time to take those classes. Otherwise, I really enjoyed SJSU. |
| Instruction | 9 | The quality of instruction was good, in my opinion. They had people who worked in the accounting field for many years and have CPA licenses. They teach from what they have seen in their experience. |
| How Difficult | 5 | There were a few classes that were difficult, but the majority were not that hard. I'd say if you study, then you will be fine with most classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The courses were mostly book learning. Only a few classes had hands-on learning, like the accounting information systems course and financial accounting. Most subjects were just book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There is decent flexibility in scheduling. Many courses get filled way too fast because of the popular business program. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The engineering and business buildings are the nicest on campus. The other buildings are rather old and have old furniture. |
| Social Life | 8 | It was a great social experience at my school. Great school spirit, and the athletic games were always filled with fans. There are many clubs to join on campus. |
| Placement Services | 8 | SJSU provides good job placement and career services assistance. They have "Meet the Firm" career fairs, as well as fall and winter career fairs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not seen a good school alumni network. I have only seen alumni support through LinkedIn. |
California State University - Chico • Chico, CA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2007)
• 12/6/2011
"I have mixed feelings. It could have been better if poor professors weren't tenured."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | A recommendation would largely depend on what they are studying. Also if they need to work through school there's not much else out there. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | All the recruiters I interviewed with thought highly of the program. However after working for a few years I know that the social reputation of the university was detrimental. |
| Program Quality | 6 | My school was good at teaching accounting theory, however they lacked the ability to teach you how to be an accountant. The accounting professors put too much emphasis on testing. |
| Instruction | 6 | They have some great professors, but the school is so small there was no way to escape the bad professors. In some cases you would have to teach yourself the material. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The workload is extremely heavy. I came away with a good knowledge of accounting principles. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | You have to learn accounting from the book first. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | They do not have weekend and evening options, being the college is so small. At the most there are two upper level accounting course offered per semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Accessibility to professors was always available. I never used tutors or academic advisors, so I wouldn't know about them. |
| Social Life | CSU, Chico is the number one party school in the country. I had a great social experience will there, so much so I did not want to leave. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | They provided nothing more than what can be found online. The director of the career center twice gave me bad advice on my resume twice. |
| Alumni Network | I have not been involved with the alumni association. I know that they call me at least once every month asking for money. |
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