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Accounting Career and School Info in Illinois



  School and Career Overview

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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 Truman College, Daley College, Harold Washington College, and Wilbur Wright 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 Midstate College, Northeastern Illinois University, Judson, and Roosevelt University.
  • Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Hebrew Theological College, Ellis University, Midstate College, and Rasmusssen.
  • Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Olive-Harvey College, Daley College, Morton College, and Truman College.
  • Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Wabash Valley College, John A Logan College, University of St Francis, and Governors State.

School Setting

  • Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Hebrew Theological College, Northwestern University, North Park University, and Loyola University.
  • Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Monmouth College, Augustana, Blackburn, and Illinois College.

Excellence

  • SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Northwestern University, University of Illinois, Illinois Wesleyan, and Loyola University.
  • % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Saint Xavier University, Northwestern University, University of St Francis, and Concordia.
  • Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Augustana, Northwestern University, Illinois College, and Illinois Wesleyan.

 

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Spotlight Illinois Schools Related to This Career

Strayer University

  • Locations: Downers Grove, Schaumburg
  • Programs: 10 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate

University of Phoenix

  • Locations: Chicago, Mokena, Schaumburg, Warrenville
  • Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Master

DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management

  • Locations: Chicago, Downers Grove, Elgin, Gurnee, Lincolnshire, Naperville, Schaumburg, Tinley Park
  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate

Argosy University

  • Locations: Chicago, Schaumburg
  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master

Northwestern College

  • Locations: Bridgeview, Chicago, Naperville
  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate

Sanford-Brown College

  • Locations: Collinsville
  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor

Rasmussen College

  • Locations: Mokena, Rockford, Romeoville
  • Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor

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Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career

University of Phoenix Online

  • Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master

DeVry University Online

  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor

Kaplan University

  • Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Master

Walden University

  • Programs: 9 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master

AIU Online

  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Master

Ashford University

  • 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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DePaul University • Chicago, IL
Studying Accounting (completion in 2010)

• 4/30/2011

"I am reasonably sure that DePaul will be good to have on my resume in the future. I know they could have done some things better, but no school is perfect."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI think it is a highly rated school that will help with their career. If they were willing to spend the money then it is a good school.
Program Reputation8DePaul has a very highly rated commerce program. They graduate program is one of the best in the country and the undergrad program is also very good.
Program Quality8DePaul has a very good accounting program that is well thought of in Chicago. However, they could have done a better job assisting with internship and job placement.
Instruction8DePaul has great teachers and classes and requires an internship from its accounting students. I feel like the classes could have had more real world instructions though. I didn't know much about how a real accounting department worked when I left.
How Difficult7I think the classes were harder than the classes I took at my junior college. However, I think they were all an achievable amount of work.
Hands-On vs. BookishThey do require an internship, which is good for hands on learning. The classroom teaching though is very focused on book learning.
Schedule Flexibility4The gen ed courses were ok with regards to scheduling. The accounting courses are also ok in the beginning. As you get into later courses, however, you only get one class each semester.
Academic Facilities5The classrooms are getting some new technologies and some of them are even wired so you can watch the class online. The rest of the facilities, like libraries, were really not used by me the whole time I was there.
Social Life2DePaul does have a lot of clubs and activities advertised around school. However, as a commuter student I didn't really have a chance to join any of them.
Placement Services4As I mentioned before I feel they could have done a better job at assisting with job placement. They have a jobs website that you can use like careerbuilder, but it is not as user friendly. They also don't do much more than that, aside from resume reviews.
Alumni Network5DePaul pushes its alumni associations quite a bit. They have many ways to help alumni. I personally have never used any of their services so I can't comment on their effectiveness.

DePaul University • Chicago, IL
Studying Commerce (Accounting And Management) (completion in 2010)

• 7/9/2011

"I'm hoping that my school will help my career through my life. Thats why I was willing to invest more than $100,000 in it. I think it is a good school, but only time will tell if it makes a difference in my career path."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI do think that DePaul is a good school. Every program has its flaws, but I believe the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks in the long run.
Program Reputation9DePaul's commerce program is very popular. I know that the graduate program is very highly ranked in the country. It has always been my impression that their undergrad program was well thought of too, especially in Chicago land.
Program Quality7DePaul has a very good rating for its commerce programs. I have found, however, many things that were missing form my education, such as how to use Excel.
Instruction7The professors are all experienced professionals that seem to enjoy their jobs a lot. However, like I mentioned above, the Excel training is terrible. I also feel like I didn't get a look at what real life would be like in an accounting department.
How Difficult9Accounting is usually considered to be a difficult major. I spent many hours doing homework each night because there is no way to learn it all without practice. There is also a lot of accounting classes and material to go through in a very short time period.
Hands-On vs. BookishMy classes were mostly book learning. I'm not sure how accounting classes would be hands on. I do know that I wish I had more real world type experience.
Schedule Flexibility7DePaul has many options available for class scheduling. However, as you get into higher level classes, they often only have 1 section of a class per quarter.
Academic Facilities8DePaul has plenty of computer labs around campus to help students. They also have a library devoted mostly to commerce at their loop campus.
Social Life1Since I was a commuter student I didn't participate in anything. They have a lot of clubs and activities, but I never wanted to be taking a train home in the middle of the night so I could participate.
Placement Services2They do provide a job board that allows you to apply for openings online. However, it is much harder to use than other job boards. Aside from resume reviews and practice interviews, this is the only help you get.
Alumni Network3I haven't had many dealings with the alumni services at DePaul. I did expect a little career help, which is non-existent at the school.

University Of Illinois • Urbana-Champaign, IL
Studying Accountancy (completion in 2011)

• 7/8/2011

"Given the level of success I had in finding full-time employment after graduation, I am overall very satisfied with my school. I made strong friends at the university, took on many opportunities the university offered, and have a recognized degree in the accountancy field. No university can be perfect, so I chose 9/10 in that my university can always address its ongoing, minor issues."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI do not believe there are very many other places worth considering for the best accountancy program experience. Above everything else, accounting employers are definitely interested in graduates from my university. A well-paying job in accounting ought to be the ultimate measure to judge the quality of the program. I also believe that most students genuinely interested in accounting would enjoy the facilities, experiences, and fellow students on the campus.
Program Reputation10Our university's accountancy program has for many years been ranked in the Top 5 accounting programs in the U.S. Given the broad factors which go into rankings, I believe the consistently high rankings illustrate a strong reputation. I also believe many employers think of us as a primary school to target for their best available positions.
Program Quality10My university's accountancy department had excellent professors that were genuinely interested in accounting research as well as teaching students. The program went through a great deal of effort to attract top employers of accountants and ensure I had the best opportunities available to me after graduation. I do not believe there is much room for improvement for my school's accountancy program.
Instruction10The material taught to us was both timely and relevant. Many of the newer topics we learned in class are now beginning to appear on the CPA examination, an important qualification test for auditors. When I previously interned at an accounting firm while attending school, it was very apparent how much I was familiar with accounting as compared to interns from smaller programs.
How Difficult7Though the accountancy program was a great experience and brought me many opportunities, I do not believe the courses were particularly difficult. The majority of students were going to earn either a B or an A in classes. To become a Masters in Accountancy student after being an Undergraduate, you needed to have a B or higher for every undergraduate accounting course. I suspect this may have led to grade inflation across the department. Beyond grading, there was a significant amount of assignments that were group projects. Working in a group relieved the pressure of the volume of tasks to do.
Hands-On vs. BookishIn an accountancy program, it is very difficult to create realistic simulations that could be considered "hands-on" learning. Therefore, the majority of our learning came from books or lecture notes. I chose 8/10 rather than 10/10 because we had occasional class games which simulated principles of accounting, albeit in ways that were more entertaining than productive. We also occasionally gave class presentations that were more interactive than note-taking lectures.
Schedule Flexibility7My school offered most accounting courses over the summer if students took a unique path in their education. However, accountancy courses were never allowed to be transferred from other universities, nor were any accountancy courses taught online or on the weekends. Non-business courses taken as electives were more flexible, however.
Academic Facilities10During my undergraduate education, my university completed and opened a new business facility. This modern building has many technologies and new classrooms that facilitated learning in my accountancy courses. Furthermore, all of my accountancy courses were taught in this building. Professors had their offices in the building, which made it easy to visit them after classes. A lecture hall built into the building enabled many accountancy courses to have guest lecturers from public accounting firms teach our classes. Overall, I was very impressed with this new facility and its benefits to my accountancy education.
Social Life8There are endless opportunities for social experiences at my university. As the university is a flagship school for Illinois, almost every sport imaginable is available to play or watch. Creating and joining campus clubs was also very easy to do. I have put 8/10 rather than 10/10 because I felt that parties and social settings with students over-emphasized binge drinking, and that not much was done by the university to address the dangers of binge drinking on campus.
Placement Services9My university's career services provided many opportunities for all levels of accounting students to either learn about career paths or to interact with employers. We had career fairs, mock interviews, and resume critiques offered to us regularly. I stopped short of giving a 10/10 because some of the career services staff are not always in-sync with the ever-developing business world.
Alumni Network8Our alumni network is very large, but not always active. I felt that many alumni who had graduated 1-4 years ago were most active in connecting with students and offering advice. Beyond that, there are a few very successful alumni who graduated 15-20 years ago. There really did not seem to be any alumni in the middle of their careers that would connect with students and contribute back.

University Of Illinois • Urbana-Champaign, IL
Studying Accountancy (completion in 2011)

• 9/27/2011

"Some areas could be improved. Overall my program was very satisfying and useful."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesThe program is great. They were helpful in all regards and are rated highly by experts.
Program Reputation8The program is highly regarded. There is a lot of potential for your future in it.
Program Quality9UofI has a great accountancy program. I learned a great deal from my time there.
Instruction8UofI does a lot for career preparation. I was able to network easily.
How Difficult7Certain accountancy classes were very difficult. Overall I was happy with the difficulty.
Hands-On vs. BookishMany options were made available to gain hands-on experience. I utilized these options when available.
Schedule Flexibility6There were summer options were open to me. Their flexibility allowed me to earn credit with summer work.
Academic Facilities7Certain facilities are new and very nice. Others need to be renovated.
Social Life8There is a lot of school pride. It is not in my interest but I was very pleased with the social aspect.
Placement Services6They were able to show me several options. I would have liked to see more.
Alumni Network7The school has a large alumni network. Sometimes it is difficult to set yourself apart when networking.

Roosevelt University • Chicago, IL
Studying Accounting (completion in 1977)

• 10/13/2011

"I met a lot of people and learned many things at school. Between my education and the career center, I was able to secure multiple offers for jobs, and had my pick of careers."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI think that the big fish-small pond theory still exists at Roosevelt. Also, small class sizes can only be a plus.
Program ReputationI wish I knew exactly what the rating is these days, but I don't have access to that information. I believe that it is still a good school.
Program Quality10Going to school at Roosevelt University was perfect for me. The small class sizes enabled me to get a personalized education and forced me to work my hardest as there was no getting lost in the crowd.
Instruction9Most of my teachers were wonderful and had active careers in the Chicago business world. I thought they represented the real world.
How Difficult8The work was challenging but not impossible. Since I did not study accounting anywhere else I have no way to know if it could have been more or less difficult.
Hands-On vs. BookishAt the time I went to school, I would say the program was very much about book learning, although we did do "practice sets" which were based on real life situations.
Schedule Flexibility10I think that flexibility was key at Roosevelt. There were many students who worked full time and were still able to fulfill their degrees.
Academic Facilities10The library was amazing. The professors always had office hours.
Social Life10Although the school did not have much going on with athletics and was primarily a commuter school, there were many opportunities to make friends with classmates. Now there is a dorm and sports.
Placement Services10I had access to interviews at all the (at that time) Big Eight accounting firms and all the large corporations in the Chicago area. The center was excellent at preparing us for the process.
Alumni Network8The alumni association is active. I do not currently partake in any of the activities.

Bradley University • Peoria, IL
Studying Accounting (completion in 1990)

• 11/18/2011

"I received a degree from an institution that is very well recognized and accepted in the region, and somewhat well known nationally. I had opportunities outside of the classroom through varsity athletics, intramural sports and other groups, to have a fulfilling social life as well."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesProvided a good base for not only accounting, but for the working world in general. The opportunities for internships prior to graduation give valuable experience to aid in learning, as well as for the resume.
Program Reputation7The school has accounting graduates going on to the largest public accounting firms and fortune 500 companies. The school has expanded to a five-year master's program with preparation for the CPA exam.
Program Quality8Bradley University, at the time I attended, had very good professors of accounting that really cared about all students, and they devoted extra time to those who were accounting majors. The rating would have been higher (9 or 10), but their support for extracurricular activities (i.e., honor societies or clubs) was not as high as I would have liked.
Instruction9Professors and instructors were able to bring real-world examples to make the coursework more interesting. Instructors and professors took the time to make sure we understood the material, rather than forcing through a particular schedule.
How Difficult6The introductory courses were extremely easy, especially for students who had some exposure to accounting/bookkeeping classes in high school. The intermediate and advanced classes were difficult, but that was what was necessary to prepare students for the working world, the CPA exam, and/or graduate school.
Hands-On vs. BookishAccounting theory, by nature, is very book and problem solving oriented. There were, however, classes that emphasized more hands-on learning, such as accounting computer systems.
Schedule Flexibility10As a student-athlete, I often was challenged with selecting the right courses to get me the proper credits to graduate, while keeping the right blocks of time to attend practice and competitions. I rarely had trouble meeting this, with the variety of scheduling options. Evening classes are abundant, allowing nontraditional students the ability to take classes after work.
Academic Facilities10Having attended and also having served as an adjunct instructor, the facilities are excellent, with white boards, multimedia capabilities, and large, comfortable classrooms. The library is first rate, with highly qualified staff and participation in regional systems that allowed sharing of materials not available on campus.
Social Life9Varsity athletic programs provided sufficient opportunity for students to attend competitions in good facilities/locations. Intramural programs were varied and offered all students to participate at different levels of ability.
Placement Services8They work extremely hard to find local and national internships for students. Their career center and online resources are helpful to recent graduates, as well as those who have been searching for work in the latest recession.
Alumni Network5The alumni network seems to be very active, with a lot of mailings, contact and publications. The alumni network, however, seemed geared more to supporting the big sports programs, rather than the university as a whole.

American Intercontinental University Online • Hoffman Estates, IL
Studying Accountant (completion in 2007)

• 12/4/2011

"AIU is a great online school. I learned a lot and ended up graduating with honors."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesA lot of people would rather do the online courses because then they can also still work full time. AIU Online is a great place to further education.
Program Reputation5Their reputation is overall pretty good. When I first enrolled my for associates, they weren't as well known as they are now.
Program Quality6AIU Online was a good school and provided good classes for me. They offered many different types of classes.
Instruction7I learned at lot at the school. All the classes that I took were very helpful for me and my future career.
How Difficult7Since I was in an accelerated course, a lot of information was thrown at me at one time. There were times when the homework was hard.
Hands-On vs. BookishSince I had to study in my own time, I had to use the books to learn the information. It's hard for online classes to have much hands-on learning.
Schedule Flexibility9Since I was in online classes, the flexibility was great. I could do everything on my own time and assignments were only due once a week.
Academic Facilities7They had an online library available which had a lot of information. They also gave us helpful links to places with more information if we needed it.
Social Life5I'm giving this an average because since I was taking classes online, there wasn't much for social experience. I did, however, make some good friends.
Placement Services8I used their career assistance for a while and they were really helpful. They helped me get my resume together and also sent me job leads.
Alumni Network8Support was great. I always got answers to my questions and never had a problem getting a hold of anyone.

University Of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign • Champaign, IL
Studying Accountancy (completion in 2012)

• 1/7/2012

"I'm grateful to have been accepted to my university. I shouldn't complain for not having everything I wanted in school because I have a great job and good memories."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesA very prestigious university with countless opportunities, both internal and external, offers anything a future accountant could want. Patience with the university when things do not turn out as desired/expected will pay off significantly in the end.
Program Reputation10UIUC has been ranked several times as either the number one or two accountancy program in the world. The graduate program has been ranked as the best or second best many times.
Program Quality7The school is prestigious and not far from home. However, I did not feel that the curriculum made me truly understand and master the material.
Instruction6The curriculum and school primarily focuses on auditing. Book keeping and tax services have become an afterthought which does not prepare me well for half the field of accountancy.
How Difficult7Some classes required excessive material to be studied and did not always help to learn the material. This made classes more difficult and detracted from other workloads.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe school's learning was mostly book/reading-based, but some hands-on examples existed. The curriculum was mostly based on book-reading so hands-on proved more difficult.
Schedule Flexibility8The school is very large and therefore has many students to fill classes at different times. Online, evenings, mornings, multiple listings and a variety of other services help to make the schedule mostly flexible.
Academic Facilities8The school was very open to help its students. Many different resources were available, usually free of charge and at all hours.
Social Life6My social experience was fine. I didn't take advantage of all I could, but U of I offered incredible opportunities for nearly anyone who was interested.
Placement Services8The school repeatedly inquires to see if students have found employment. During senior year, they hound their students for their current employment status and do all they can to get students as least some kind of job out of college.
Alumni Network9The University of Illinois has the largest alumni network in the world. This is extremely beneficial and brings incredible relations to a student and alumnus.
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