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 Wayne County Community College District, Oakland Community College, Grand Valley State, and Macomb Community 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 Davenport, Wayne State, University of Michigan-Flint, and Lake Superior State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Wayne County Community College District, Andrews, University of Detroit Mercy, and Wayne State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Spring Arbor University, Walsh College, Andrews, and Kirtland Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Andrews, Calvin, Baker College, and University of Michigan.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Adrian College, Hope College, Calvin, and Kuyper.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Michigan, Michigan Technological University, Calvin, and Hope College.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Kuyper, University of Michigan, Ferris State, and Andrews.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Andrews, Calvin, Hope College, and University of Michigan.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studying Masters Of Science In Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 5/1/2011
"The tuition was reasonable and the professors were knowledgeable. The school is fairly well viewed by employers and my career prospects are decent."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The tuition was reasonable and none of the classes seemed to be superfluous. The school also has a strong reputation locally which is very helpful when applying for jobs. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school has an excellent reputation for internal auditing, but is not as highly regard for taxation. It is fairly easy to get into a top 20 firm, but the Big 4 are fairly difficult. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The program was very focused and provided we with the skills I needed for the real world. A far more practical program then several others in the area that focus more on theory. |
| Instruction | 9 | Some of the younger professors provided valuable skills for finding a job. Everything from resume writing to interviewing were addressed in some early classes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The program seemed appropriately difficult. I only had one or two courses that seemed like they were being made more difficult only for the amusement of the professor. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very few classes were too heavily focused on theory. Some great hands on experience with ACL which is rare at most schools. Also had some great exposure to IFRS. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They had a fair number of night classes, but no online classes in accounting. The other problem was that some courses would only be offered once in a semester and two valuable courses might be on the same time of the same night. This meant you may have to wait two semesters to take a course. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | All of the program courses were in the college of business which is about a mile from main campus. The building is about 20 years old and is not being kept up well. |
| Social Life | 4 | For the most part it is a commuter school and there is not a lot of socializing. The athletics at the school are pretty pathetic and no one goes to games. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Part of it is indicative of the way the industry hires, but I found it frustrating that the accounting firms only came to campus in October every year. I did not think it made sense to interview for summer internships in the fall. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | The school's alumni network is not as strong as it should be. This is represented by the extremely low endowment the university has. More effort needs to be placed on alumni relations by the university. |
Northern Michigan University • Marquette, MI
Studying Accounting (completion in 1983)
• 7/22/2011
"The physical location, academics, and social life made for a pleasant experience. Also, when I graduated I felt prepared for the real world."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Based on my experience I would, due to the academics and location. Plus they are currently offering additional help for students, with laptops being provided. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Reputation is neither good or bad. Not a high profile school. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My university prepared me well for the work I do. Employers have been impressed with my skill set. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors were knowledgeable and helpful. I have used much of the information. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Other than our auditing course, most courses were not overly difficult. Workload was well spaced and not overwhelming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Little hands on opportunities when I was there. Unsure of current status. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | It was fairly flexible many years ago. I do not know about current schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Again, when I was there things were current and up to date. I do not know about the current status. |
| Social Life | 8 | Plenty of social activities. Local community involvement was encouraged. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Placement for current graduates may be different than for past graduates. Older former students receive no support that I am aware of. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I receive no alumni support. The only alumni information I receive is a newsletter/magazine. |
Michigan State University • East Lansing, MI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 7/28/2011
"I would recommend my school to anyone and everyone. It gave me a great balance of academics and leisure. The school prepared me well for my career, and I had a lot of fun on the weekends and made friends that I still communicate with nearly every day. I go back and visit the campus for football and basketball games regularly."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The Eli Broad College of Business is very challenging and rewarding. If you have the grades to be accepted, I recommend you to attend. After you complete the program, you will have a degree that is very prestigious and looks attractive to the top companies in the world. Upon completing the accounting program, I was able to land a great position with a Fortune 500 company, and excelled from the start because of my background. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State is nationally-recognized by many respected groups, such as the Princeton Review. The requirements to be accepted into the program are higher than most institutions in the country. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University is one of the better business programs in the country. The school prepared me very well for the everyday tasks and responsibilities I am responsible for at my current job. The instructors I had were very knowledgeable, and often went way out of their way to help. If I had to do it all over again, I would pick MSU! |
| Instruction | 9 | The quality of the teaching was extraordinary. Using everything from lecture, I was more than well-prepared for each exam during my graduate program. Others I have interacted with in the MBA program at MSU have also been satisfied. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Accounting is a very difficult field. Many other majors can be mastered without much knowledge, as anyone can read and memorize concepts, events, etc. Accounting requires a lot of intelligence and a willingness to learn. Many of my graduate courses required a lot of work outside of class time. The work was very demanding, perhaps more demanding than most other 4-year schools. However, my desire and dedication to learn made the program interesting, and a lot of fun. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would classify the learning as a mix of hands-on and book-learning. My major mainly consisted of book learning, as I was in the college of business. Some of my friends with different majors, however, did more hands-on learning. For example, a couple of my friends took a sailing class where they actually spent the night on a boat off the shore of Lake Michigan! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There were always several options when scheduling classes. Whether your preference was morning, afternoon, evening, or even weekend classes, there was always something available. Much of this is due to the fact that MSU is one of the largest universities in the country in terms of enrollment. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I was completely satisfied with the resources available to me as a graduate student. The libraries there are massive and well-maintained. There was also a plethora of computers available. My instructors in the accounting program always seemed to promptly respond to e-mails and phone calls outside of class time. I never requested tutoring, but heard great things from fellow students who did. |
| Social Life | 10 | I could not have asked for a better social experience. While at Michigan State, our basketball team advanced to two Final Fours, and other teams also excelled. I made many lifelong friends; many who were very similar to myself in personality and lifestyle choice. I learned a lot from other people, and this enabled me to better myself. On the weekends, I would visit my favorite bars, all of which were within walking distance of the beautiful campus. No matter what your hobbies were - intramural sports, cricket, fencing, politics, debate - there was a group organized on campus to meet others with the same interest. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I was able to meet with an advisor in Career Services at any time. The advisors were always helpful; they care about each individual student. There were also multiple job fairs organized on campus each school year where you could meet with employers, many of which were representatives of Fortune 500 companies. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Michigan State University Alums are some of the most loyal citizens you will find in the country. This is extremely evident during football season, as during any home game you can observe thousands of alums that make the trip from all over the country to attend the Saturday games. The alums range from recent graduates to the elderly. I moved to New York a couple of years ago for my current job, and had no problem finding an MSU alumni club for Western New York. I have met many Spartan alums, young and old, and we have regular meetings, and are always planning fun events. |
Michigan State • East Lansing, MI
Studying Accounting (completion in 1986)
• 8/4/2011
"I really loved Michigan State and the choice to go there over Michigan, I still believe was a good one. Great atmosphere, but only problem was the carrying on of a reputation when aiming towards graduate school at an Ivy league college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a great school for starting out an early career in accounting. The professors and TAs are there to support you and help you, and there are always internships available, especially in nearby Chicago. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Reputation is good since it is a major university. Not very special though, as it is not Ivy League or rated very significantly right now. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I enjoyed it a lot and it helped me start out. I was not able to get into the masters degree program that was my number one choice, however. |
| Instruction | 7 | Very good instruction and classes were relevant. I liked the professors, but there were a lot of teacher assistants at the time, which caused some problems. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Work load was difficult, but did not seem to be too hard. Lots of help from teacher assistants. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Not many labs for what I did. Most was situational and textbook. We did have the occasional chance to perform labs for volunteering local companies through internships. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They had plenty of available classes, and gave me class choice priority because of my national merit status. There were no online options back when I took the courses, but I was able to be in a study abroad program. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | There were great study groups and the professors were always accessible for questions. Classes were OK and had about 20 people. They were not overly lecture oriented. |
| Social Life | 9 | It was great being a Big Ten school and being able to go and hang out with friends at football games, and especially basketball games. Awesome school spirit and a great time was always had wherever I went. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Did not use the job placement programs. I had a job lined up with my father back home for the family lab supply company. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Not very connected at all to my fellow alumni. Only contact from school nowadays is letters asking for donations. My wife is at least a part of her alumni program at Ohio State and she gets the chance to at least order tickets for the prime game of the season. |
University Of Michigan • Ann Arbor, MI
Studying Double Majored In Accounting And Finance (completion in 1997)
• 9/30/2011
"I'm a proud Michigan alumnus, both for the great academic program/education I received and for the NCAA football team."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's one of the few universities that has these schools in the top ten: Business, Law, Medical, Engineering, Architecture, Nursing, and possibly more. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | One of the top undergraduate business programs in the country. I think Michigan prepares its graduating class better than most of the colleges and universities in the country. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Michigan has a fantastic accounting program. However, the competitive nature of the program resulted in a less cooperative environment. |
| Instruction | 9 | I had some of the best professors. Some are academics, but others were once a part of the top firms in the country (i.e., Boeing, Deloitte). |
| How Difficult | 10 | We had so many case studies and projects that there was very little time for anything else. According to one of my professors, this was done on purpose to simulate real-life scenarios. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of Michigan's courses are more case studies and group-work-based than textbook. When I started working, I realized that the case studies are much more reflective of the real world than textbooks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I was able to take a few electives during the summer session. Rarely do I find myself waitlisted for a class. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I had so many resources at my disposal that I don't have enough time to utilize all of them. It's hard to put it in words - I think it's something you must experience firsthand. |
| Social Life | 9 | Just Michigan's athletic program alone is enough to be proud of the school. While I didn't have enough free time due to schoolwork, Michigan has a rich student body and clubs for whatever interests you may have. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Absolutely fantastic. I already had 7 full-time offers before I graduated from Michigan: PricewaterhouseCoopers (Coopers & Lybrand at the time), Deloitte, E&Y, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns and John Deere. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I have lived in Los Angeles and New York, and the alumni networks at both locations are extremely active. There are plenty of Michigan alumni in various fields. |
Siena Heights University • Adrian, MI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 10/19/2011
"It could have been better. It could have been a lot worse as well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | They don't help you get a job. None of my classmates got a job and ended up going on to their masters' degree! |
| Program Reputation | 3 | It's a private college and a small Catholic university. They are not talked about that much. |
| Program Quality | 7 | A few of the teachers had no clue as to what they were doing. They only passed students to get a good rating for themselves. Since they were less than stellar teachers I didn't learn anything in those classes and the teachers passed me just to pass me. This made it so I didn't have the time nor the resources to take the class again. |
| Instruction | 7 | I only had to go to the university for one year, so I only had a handful of teachers. I do remember the teachers at the university more than the community college teachers. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Almost all of the teachers were easy, except for 2. The two teachers that were hard were the ones that really didn't care much about teaching the students. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the accounting problems have to be hands on, but a lot of it was book. The hands on consisted of problem solving. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They have classes that you can take in four Saturdays. The classes are 8 hours long. This option was beneficial to me. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The university's classrooms were at different colleges. The quality of the facilities depended on the community college you went to take the university classes at. |
| Social Life | 4 | I met one of my best friends there. As for activities or clubs, I didn't join any. I just wanted my degree and to be done. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There isn't a job placement program. And, since no one has heard of the school, good luck getting a job! |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I am always getting things in the mail from them. They ask for money every other week. |
University Of Michigan • Flint, MI
Studying Finance (completion in 2007)
• 11/19/2011
"I am very satisfied with my choice of the U of M Flint for my finance degree. They provided a great deal of knowledge for a fraction of the cost of the Ann Arbor branch. The professors are very knowledgeable and will work with you on making sure you understand what you need to."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would absolutely recommend the U of M Flint for anyone pursuing a business degree. The school has been nationally recognized for the degree, and again, it is a fantastic platform to begin a lifelong career. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The U of M is a worldwide known school. A business degree from the U of M is known all over the world as a fantastic degree. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The U of M is an incredible school for business. I had some of the best teachers in the world teaching me how to think. They also taught me how to use the tools I've learned and how to apply the tools to the real world. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instruction provided was fantastic. Mark Perry, my finance professor, did a fantastic job teaching us about market analysis and finance. He went a step further, though, and pushed us (the students) to show us what we were capable of achieving. |
| How Difficult | 8 | For the most part, the program wasn't too terribly difficult; however, there were classes that did prove to be challenging. For instance, two of my classes were taught at the master's level instead of the senior level, which proved to challenge my capabilities. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | To me, the U of M had a great mix of hands on vs. book learning. I had some classes that were very theoretical, and some that were very hands on, such as my international finance course. We ran a simulated business for the semester, which taught us about money management, marketing, product representation, etc. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The U of M is a very large school with great amounts of resources. As a result, the flexibility was there. The U of M Flint tends to cater toward older people who are going back to school to get a degree while working, so flexibility is a must. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The School of Management had great resources. They have fantastic professors, databases that can help look up case studies, the library, etc. The SOM had relatively small classes (maybe 20-30 students per class), which allowed for more one-on-one training. |
| Social Life | 5 | The U of M had OK athletics. Being mainly a commuter school, and a branch of the main U of M Ann Arbor, we didn't have normal school sports. However, we did have intramurals, and those seemed to be acceptable. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Job placement and career services were ok. The school was helpful if you were finding a job locally. However, from personal experience, they weren't so great if you were planning to move a few hundred miles away. But fair, nonetheless. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't really use the alumni network. However, I have been contacted several times by a branch here in my local city, and it seems to be pretty fair. |
Marygrove College • Detroit, MI
Studying Business Administration (completion in 1998)
• 1/5/2012
"I'm satisfied with my experience at the school. I made a lifetime of connections there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my school because they prepare you for many situations. Also, the school has a small setting to provide students with hands-on attention. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I'm not sure how notable the program is nation wide. The program has a very good reputation the Detroit metro area. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The professors were knowledgeable. The school provide challenging assignments. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors provide real life experiences. The majority of the instructors were from the corporate world. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The work load was heavy and sometimes dependent on the class. Assignments were always challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school provided a mix of both. The majority was book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Most classes were flexible. In the accounting program most of the class schedule was not flexible because there was only one instructor teaching the courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The library at margrave is excellent. The school also provides tutoring in math and other subject needs. Excellent resources. |
| Social Life | 5 | At the time I attended the school there were no Athletics program available. The program would occasionally provide social mixers. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The job placement and career service assistance is excellent. The job placement assists graduating students with mock interviews and leads for the job search. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Marygrove provides an alumni newspaper at least twice a year. There are several gatherings throughout the year. |
Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studying Business (completion in 1993)
• 1/20/2012
"I received the education I needed and have been employed in my field ever since. They helped me get a solid grasp on the concepts required to perform my duties."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The professors were good, the schedule was flexible, and I was able to complete my degree. These make my university experience a success in my book. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I have not heard any reports in recent years about the program. However, when I was attending I was aware that they were viewed favorably in the workplace. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The professors were knowledgeable and helpful. I have been employed in my field since graduation. |
| Instruction | 7 | I felt that most of the teachers were very knowledgeable and caring. There were a few who were not so great, but overall they were very good. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I am a fairly good student. I was able to balance the academics with working a 20 hour per week job all through college and still end up with a GPA of over 3.0. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The education was more geared toward hands on and was potentially lacking in showing us how much computers would be a part of our everyday job. This may be due to the quickly changing role of computers, though. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I was always able to successfully get the classes I needed and on the days that I wanted them. Trying to balance a work schedule and college attendance, I needed some flexibility and always found it. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The college of business was brand new when I started the program. It was well designed and easy to get around. It was close enough to other facilities, even though it was not on the main campus. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not reside on campus in the dorms, so I did miss out on some of the camaraderie that takes place. I still participated in social outings regularly and made casual friends in my classes. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not use career services when I graduated. I was already employed in an accounting position prior to completing my education. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I do currently receive alumni mailings. I do not participate at this time, though. |
Northern Michigan University • Marquette, MI
Studying Accounting And Computer Information Systems (completion in 2005)
• 2/23/2012
"My degree and education did what I needed them to do. I was able to secure a job in public accounting, I passed the CPA exam in one shot, and I felt as academically prepared as one can be for a career in public accounting."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It would depend on their career goals. Big 4 firms do not recruit at NMU. However, if they are interested in a small firm, I think I would recommend NMU. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | NMU has a small accounting program and it is a small state school. Frankly, I don't know if it is well known enough to really have a reputation outside of Upper Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. However, the employer I went to work for was happy with all three of its NMU hires. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I was very satisfied with my program. I thought NMU did a good job of preparing me for both a career in public accounting and for the CPA exam. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instruction at NMU was strong. All of my business courses were taught by professors (never TAs) who had industry experience. I don't think I would want to attend a program where intro courses are taught by TAs or by instructors with no industry background. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I don't think the accounting program at NMU was any more or less difficult than a 4-year accounting degree at a comparable school. The workload was less than that of other programs I've heard about through coworkers, but the program was rigorous enough that I didn't have any problem passing the CPA exam, after some self-study. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The learning environment was very book oriented, but I think that is to be expected in an accounting program. The one class that I wish involved more activities was auditing. The auditing course didn't even have group projects, and of course, audits are conducted in groups. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | I was able to take a basic marketing course online. However, there were almost no summer options in the business school, nor were there many evening offerings. That didn't bother me much at the time, because I was a traditional student. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I'm mainly giving NMU a 9 because of the great access to professors. They also had an excellent tutoring program, which I tutored at for a while. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was in an academic achievement house within a dorm with quiet hours, and I made a lot of great friends there. It was a better social environment than some of the other dorms that had more partying going on. |
| Placement Services | I found my job without the help of NMU's job placement services. My wife, who is also an alum, didn't use them either. | |
| Alumni Network | I don't have any experience with NMU's alumni network and support. It isn't something I ever tried to use. |
University Of Michigan - Dearborn • Dearborn, MI
Studying Accounting- Emphasis On Taxation (completion in 2008)
• 3/22/2012
"I am very happy about how prepared I was to go into the job market. My knowledge and classes were very pertinent to my current job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My school is affordable and the education is thorough. The classes are very flexible and it is easy to adjust your class schedule around your work schedule. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | We are very highly rated for our business programs, especially accounting and the MBA programs. The career fairs are well attended by the best accounting firms, and the internship program is extensive. |
| Program Quality | 9 | My school interacts with public accounting firms regularly to make sure they are teaching pertinent courses. The professors are very knowledgeable and are truly interested in helping their students. |
| Instruction | 9 | My school often changes the curriculum to add skill sets that accounting firms value. My school offers career preparation programs often, etiquette dinners, mock interviews, mentoring programs, and guest lectures. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The work load is challenging, but not overwhelming. The projects and exams are fair but difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We have a mix of lectures and book learning, with lab time, projects, and offsite learning. I think there is a very good mix of hands-on learning and book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The University of Michigan offers classes in the summer, weeknights, weekends, and online. The online classes are well developed, easy to navigate, and the learning experience is as good as class attendance. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The College of Business has a separate library, computer lab facilities, and classroom space than the main campus. It is easy to get assistance, advice, and help from instructors. They are very accommodating to student needs. |
| Social Life | 3 | Because I was a night student at the College of Business Campus, I did not participate in main campus events often. The social events are primarily attended by the undergraduate students. |
| Placement Services | 6 | They could do better. They often do not counsel students on an individualized basis. They preach to the masses, and offer large seminars regularly. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The University of Michigan has an active alumni program that is very active with job postings, mentoring programs, activities, and family events. |
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