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 UW Milwaukee, UW Eau Claire, Cardinal Stritch, and UW Whitewater.
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 Milwaukee Area Technical College, Carroll University, Lakeland, and UW Platteville.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Mount Mary College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider College of Menominee Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Concordia, and Milwaukee Area Technical College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Cardinal Stritch, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Concordia, and College of Menominee Nation.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Maranatha Baptist Bible, Marquette, Northland College, and UW River Falls.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Northland College, Maranatha Baptist Bible, Saint Norbert College, and Carthage College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Wisconsin, Marquette, and Northland College.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Cardinal Stritch, Maranatha Baptist Bible, Mount Mary College, and Milwaukee Area Technical College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Nicolet Area Technical College, Silver Lake College, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, and College of Menominee Nation.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Chippewa Valley Technical College • Eau Claire, WI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 5/8/2011
"I thought I received a good education which helped me to obtain my current job. While there are areas of my educational experience I would change given the chance, overall I had a good experience and would recommend the college to others."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I feel that the program at the college is a good start to a career and further education. Also, this college has a variety of programs and well qualified instructors. I feel that the school does an adequate job of teaching the basic functions of the accounting world and preparing students for a career in the field. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I feel that the college has a great standing in the community and it is a great jump start on future education. I feel that while it is a technical college I was still respected for having completed a degree there. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I liked where I went to school. It was a great program; however, two years does not allow you to go into great depth on topics. Many areas were just skimmed over and you were given a few key points. |
| Instruction | 8 | The teachers were great. They were knowledgeable about the materials that they taught and had a good way of presenting information. All of the instructor have work experience and credentials to back their knowledge of the areas of study. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The workload was very rigorous and time consuming, especially in learning the areas of tax returns and auditing. Also, the first semester is when you really learn all the principles and procedures that all other learning stems from. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was much learning done straight from the text books including questions and work from the text books. While we did have some practice sets most of the hands-on learning came from internships that were independent from the college. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | It was great in the beginning of the program however when it got to the second year the options were very limited. This was mainly due to lack of students still remaining in the program. Often only one slot was available for core program classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Computers and software were always available. However the computers in the library were very slow and there were many complaints as this is a technical college. |
| Social Life | 8 | The social experience was great with many clubs and activities to get students involved. Also, a lot of outside speakers and guests on different topics ranging from comedians to authors. |
| Placement Services | 4 | They suck. I graduated with no leads and no help on where to begin looking for jobs. They need to have a spot on the website where there are job postings relevant to programs that are offered at the college. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | There is an alumni association however it seem as if the only recognition and reward you get from it is when you donate money. The recognition is usually in the form of your name on a newsletter. |
University Of Wisconsin • Madison, WI
Studying International Relation And French Literature (completion in 2002)
• 7/11/2011
"As you can tell by this survey, I am still very satisfied with the University and my experience at the school. It was a great way to move away from home and come into adulthood - the responsibilities of being on my own were well balanced with engaging opportunities and it broadened my perspective of the world."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I didn't study accounting or audit at Madison, so I can't vouch for those course studies... however I learned how to manage time and prioritize goals, analysis, and organizational skills that are essential to my role in audit. UW-Madison and its large size isn't for every student, but I found it to beneficial on many levels. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I am not sure how business publications rate the program. I am rating it based on my own and other's perceptions to my degree, course of study, and the university itself. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I really enjoyed the programs due to the nature of the study and the caliber of professors that I had. I love to learn and UW-Madison was a great place to be for all sorts of different instruction. |
| Instruction | 10 | As a larger university, I had access to very connected and wise professors. The education and instruction provided by the professors was also very well supported by open office hours and a strong set of teaching assistants. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Though there was plenty of work to be done and the assignments challenged my organizational skills, intellect, and ability to prioritize, I never felt overwhelmed. I think that is due to my complete interest in the course of study, the amount of support provided for students to do their very best, and my commitment to achieve and succeed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was the perfect mix of book studies - for some classes that was the only option, i.e. literature - and hands-on experience. There was plenty of opportunity to apply what we'd learned in reading and studying to the real world - from career services internship opportunities, to language hours, to cultural studies and films. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | My university is a brick and mortar establishment, with several options for web-based courses. I find that to be a strength, especially given the perception and quality of purely online degrees. Some people may find that limiting based on a preference for online studies. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Resources range from libraries specific to courses of study (i.e. business, engineering vet sciences, language labs, and agricultural sciences) to amazing media and technology resources. I was always able to find something to suit me and my research/learning needs. |
| Social Life | 9 | You can work hard and play hard at UW-Madison. I enjoyed the balance of both. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I utilized the job placement services upon graduation. I also continue to use the career services department for it's resume guidance and professional networking opportunities. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I sit on the Alumni Board in my town and am an active participant in their activities. Not only do I have access to professional networks, learning opportunities, travel, and fun activities locally, but I also believe the alumni network is strong due to its ability to self-promote and solicit funds without being overbearing. |
University Of Wisconsin • Madison, WI
Studying Accountancy (completion in 2010)
• 9/20/2011
"I couldn't be happier with my education. I'm proud to tell people where I graduated from and I certainly think it helps my credibility in the job market."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | There are world-class professors and a great opportunity to learn tough material. The academics are amazing and the social life is icing on the cake. Madison was the perfect combination for anyone who wants to enjoy their college years as much as possible while still getting a world class education. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The Wisconsin School of Business is consistently ranked in the top 25 business schools in the country. Many times it's up in the top 10. I hear we have more CEOs in Fortune 500 companies than Yale or Harvard. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I had an excellent accounting education. The professors at UW Madison literally wrote the book on accounting. I can't think of a better way to learn than from someone who wrote the textbook you use. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors at UW Madison are top notch. These people are nationally recognized. I was able to learn the broad basics and then choose more specialized classes to learn what I really wanted to. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Being a world class University, this was a very difficult program. I transferred in from a different college where I had a 3.9 GPA and after 4 years at UW Madison graduated with only a 3.3. I would rather have that tough education than skate by easily. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | UW Madison is more of a traditional University. This meant a lot of book learning. There were a few classes that were much more hands-on, but the majority were taught from the book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | UW Madison did not offer many night or online classes. They try to focus on the traditional school setup. I can't complain though, as I was a traditional student who took classes during the day and worked part-time at night. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The Business School at Wisconsin just got a very expensive renovation. I didn't have classes in many other buildings but the business building was top notch. |
| Social Life | 10 | I can't imagine having gone to school anywhere else. Madison provides so many opportunities for social growth. Between football, basketball, hockey, and various community events, there's always something going on. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The program that I did included a guaranteed, paid internship. From that internship, I was able to get a full-time job after graduation with the same firm. I'm sure finding a job would have been much more difficult had I not been through that program. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alumni network is good, and expansive. However, they are a bit annoying as I get a lot of unwanted communication asking me to donate. I've been out of school for less than two years, I don't have a lot of money yet. |
University Of Wisconsin • Madison, WI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2007)
• 9/26/2011
"Overall the experience was great. It has a great academic program and also a great social school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | There are a lot of opportunities available if you make the most out of them. It's hard not to succeed if you go there. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The business school prepares their students well. They also give their students many opportunities to succeed. |
| Program Quality | 7 | It provided me the necessary skills to enter the workplace. It also had a great job center I could use to find work. |
| Instruction | 8 | A lot of the teachers I had actually worked in the fields they were teaching. It wasn't all academics. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There were a lot of projects that were very time-consuming. The business school was very cut-throat. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had a lot of book learning. There are some classes were you run bank/trading simulations etc... but they are the minority. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They offer online classes and summer school, but some classes were hard to get into. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Most lectures also have a discussion. The computer labs are also very current. |
| Social Life | 10 | Even in Chicago, you can't go more than a few blocks without recognizing someone you went to school with at Wisconsin. |
| Placement Services | 8 | A lot of Fortune 500 companies come on campus to do recruiting. The business career center is very accommodating. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | There are alumni events every year. Most alumni are very proud of the Wisconsin tradition. |
University Of Wisconsin • Whitewater, WI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 9/29/2011
"I loved attending UW-Whitewater. The experiences I had there, couldn't have been found anywhere else. I learned so much, and they did so much for me!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Whitewater is known nationally for their accounting program. Companies look to Whitewater for future employees. They can get you great internships that will lead to careers for you. Choose Whitewater if you're going into accounting! |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Whitewater is known nationally for its accounting program. It produces some of the top CPA scores in the country each year. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The program was very challenging and prepared me well for my career. Professors were well-informed and had lots of experience. |
| Instruction | 8 | I learned a lot from my professors. Most had backgrounds in accounting and were very knowledgeable. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Exams were almost always extremely tough. They took hours of studying to pass. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The examples were always very good, but they all came from the books. I wish there could have been some more hands-on things at times. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The classes were at pretty strict, pre-determined times. There wasn't much leeway, but the times offered were pretty good. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The new business building was finished in 2010 and is amazing! There are so many computers and the space was incredible. Everything was so nice. |
| Social Life | 9 | There were many business clubs to get involved in and the parties were pretty good too. |
| Placement Services | 10 | It is the best. They found me the internship that turned into my full time job. The company I work for is great. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The internship that my school got me into ended up turning into a full time job after I graduated. Without the school's connections I would not be where I am today. |
University Of Wisconsin -- Whitewater • Whitewater, WI
Studying MPA (completion in 2009)
• 1/11/2012
"I enjoyed my time at UWW. It was a great experience and it helped me get a job that can provide for my family."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | UWW provides a great social and academic experience. It gives students a great background in the field of accounting. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | In Wisconsin, UWW is most known for their accounting program. The UWW reputation helps their graduating students in their job search and has a very good CPA pass percentage. |
| Program Quality | 9 | UWW is known for their accounting program. Their professors are knowledgeable and friendly. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors at UWW challenge their students to learn more than what the book gives. But the professors' main goal is for students to pass the CPA exam, not career preparation. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Accounting is the most difficult business major that I know of. The breadth and depth of the accounting field trumps all other business majors and the work is very complex. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is a nice mix of hands on and book learning. It depends on the professor, but you get to experience the book learning and the professor's personal and professional experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Undergraduate accounting programs provide multiple class times and professors for most of their classes. If students go for their MPA degree, then class, time, and professor choices diminish. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | UWW just opened a new accounting building (McGraw hall). The building has the newest technology. Other campus facilities, such as libraries, advisors, and tutors, are above average compared to the other campuses that I have been to. |
| Social Life | 5 | Organized social events are few and far between. They are advertised poorly and many times they feature activities that do not appeal to college aged students. |
| Placement Services | 8 | As noted before, UWW provides resume reviews and practice interviews for students and alumni. Many other services are there for students that ask for them. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | They provide alumni letters in the mail. UWW also works with their alumni to help in their job searches. For example, they provide their alumni with resume reviews and practice interviews. |
University Of Wisconsin-Platteville • Platteville, WI
Studying Accounting And Finance (completion in 2014)
• 3/2/2012
"If it were not for my love of the Midwest, I probably would have chosen another school. But for price, location, etc., I enjoyed my school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The price is affordable comparatively, and the experience is always what you make of it. Go to UW-Platteville. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | In our state, the school is rated as above average. In reviews, though, we have a great program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The school definitely has some flaws, but overall it did its job in preparing me for the profession. I am pleased with my experience at UW-Platteville. |
| Instruction | 7 | I know [everything] I need to in order to become a successful auditor, such as programs and formats. I think I definitely could have received better instruction, though. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I struggled every once in awhile, but overall I succeeded. I still enjoy the process. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We studied by the book a LOT. We also had opportunities to become involved hands-on, though. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | The older you become, the more flexible and desirable classes become available. Our online and summer options were always there, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There are several on campus libraries, as well as the Bear's Den. No student teachers were used either--I had face-to-face contact with professors at all times. |
| Social Life | 8 | There was no lack of social formats. I, however, chose not to participate all the time. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Every other weekend it seemed there was a job fair. Instructors as well as advisors were very helpful with the 'job hunt' as well. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | There are tons of great support for alumni. I am looking forward to becoming a part of that network. |
University Of Wisconsin - Milwaukee • Milwaukee, WI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2012)
• 3/9/2012
"I was very happy with my choice to go to UWM. I felt proud and like I was part of something great during my graduation ceremony."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a difficult course, but extremely gratifying once you have your diploma. UWM pushes you to work your hardest. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Many Milwaukee businesses come to UWM career fairs in search of accounting majors. They trust the education that UWM offers their accounting students. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The accounting program at UWM is considered to be among the top 3 in the state. I feel like they taught us everything that any good accounting program should teach. |
| Instruction | 9 | Most, if not all, professors have worked for a big 4 firm at some point, so they knew what should really be taught. They worked hard to make sure the students understood. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Intermediate Accounting was the hardest course and required the most studying. But once you got through that course, all the rest of the accounting courses were slightly easier, but still required studying to get a good grade. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In some classes we were given projects that helped flesh out the ideas that we learned from a book. This was a bit redundant, but it made those concepts stick in our heads better. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Wasn't very flexible, but I was a full time student so I didn't need much flexibility. There weren't very many online options, and most general courses required a 50 minute class on Friday as well 75 minute classes on two other days. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Advisors for the business school were very good, and helped with all my questions. The professors were easy to get in touch with and helped as much as they could. |
| Social Life | 5 | A lot of people around campus wore UWM clothes, including me. But the only sport that students seemed to care about was men's basketball. |
| Placement Services | 10 | They have many career fairs, with a big employer turnout. They assisted in getting internships. They gave my current employer my resume for an internship which turned into my full time position now that I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | I received an email from the UWM Alumni network, but haven't taken part in it yet. So I'm not positive as to how good it is. |
University Of Wisconsin - Whitewater • Whitewater, WI
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2007)
• 3/19/2012
"It has a good program for the accounting degree. The program is focused at times, and at other times isn't so narrowly or overly focused. Overall, it balances out to be a good program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school has high accreditations for the program. Also, it has a good placement rate and is located in close proximity to three major US cities. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school is recognized as having a top accounting program in the midwest. The school is known for many of its majors. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school provides a very focused discipline on this degree. The school offers a 150 credit/5 year program. |
| Instruction | 7 | Some professors were very knowledgeable on the subject matter. Some instructors were not professors but accounting professionals that didn't know how to teach in an effective manner. |
| How Difficult | 8 | There were some courses required that were very specific to certain types of careers that weren't necessary for an accounting degree. Some courses weren't comprehensive enough. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very book oriented, as that is the nature of accountancy. There were some courses that had mock company design to do throughout the semester, but it is mostly book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There weren't many options for classes to be scheduled in a semester such that some days were off days for a student. This makes it difficult to work in order to pay tuition. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | There isn't much need for resources for the accounting specific program. There were many resources for general needs. |
| Social Life | 8 | This school is known for parties and for football. |
| Placement Services | 5 | The school offered career fairs, which were helpful. The career center also had the ability for employers to advertise for potential employees and interview on site. This is very helpful for the initial interviewing. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | There doesn't seem to be much of an alumni network unless they are looking for donations. Not many alumni events take place, yet I always receive calls asking for a donation. |
Lakeland College • Sheboygan, WI
Studying Accounting (completion in 2006)
• 3/25/2012
"I am very satisfied with the school I chose. I think I was well prepared for the workforce with the education I received."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think that Lakeland has a lot to offer prospective students. Although it is a small school, there is flexibility that you can't get anywhere else. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Within the state, Lakeland has a very good reputation. There is large system of state institutions, but Lakeland can easily compete for prospectives. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The instructors for the most part were very helpful and genuinely concerned with my progress. My only problem was the low number of choices for elective courses. |
| Instruction | 10 | I think that the program at Lakeland College did a great job of preparing me for life after schooling. The work that I did there was very reflective of actual responsibilities in the workplace. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program did have a significant amount of work to complete. However, I think there was ample time to submit it and the instructors were very flexible in dealing with students' schedules. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program at Lakeland was very much rooted in textbook activities. Although there were rare opportunities for more hands-on participation, the vast majority was textbook oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Lakeland has an extremely flexible schedule. They offer many of their programs online as well as many weekend and summer courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Although Lakeland has adequate classroom space and professor accessibility, there is a noted lack of other support. The library, laboratories, and other student support are minimal due mostly to Lakeland's small size. |
| Social Life | 7 | There were many opportunities for social interaction during sporting events and other school activities. However, being a nontraditional student, my schedule didn't warrant much participation in school events. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Although it's one of the smaller colleges in the state, the graduation and placement rates are above many of the state institutions. I received a significant amount of assistance in networking leading up to graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Aside from the periodic mailers that I receive, there really isn't any contact from an alumni association. I haven't been invited to any events or been made aware of any activities specifically geared toward alumni. |
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