The class schedule for Summer I and Summer II opened up for review on Monday. I wrote down the list of classes that I was interested in and still needed for my Masters and emailed the graduate advisor at Western. The information she sent back today has up-ended everything in my original plan for 2015.
Thing 1: The only two graduate-level Accounting classes offered this coming Fall I have already taken and not eligible for.
Thing 2: There are graduate-level Accounting classes that I need being offered during the summer, but they are all during the day.
Thing 3: I have to take two classes each summer semester in order to be considered full-time.
Thing 4: If I take one Accounting class and one MBA class each of the two summer semesters, I can be done by the end of Summer II (8/21/15).
Thing 5: If I want to graduate at the end of Summer II, the deadline to apply for graduation is Sunday, February 1, 2015. Which is in four days!
So… that happened.
The New Plan for 2015
Spring – Take ACTY 6440 (Special Topics III) and ACTY 7120 (Professional Field Experience — This basically means I get to have my internship count as a class). Four classes left.
Summer I – Take ACTY 6240 (Business Tax Planning) and either BUS 6150 (Global Business) or BUS 6160 (Law, Ethics, and CSR). Two classes left.
Summer II – Take ACTY 6100 (Financial Accounting And Reporting) and BUS 6180 (IT Management). No classes left. Done. Graduate!
Then in September I can study for the FAR (Financial Accounting and Reporting) section of the CPA exam and take that while the information is still fresh in my mind from my class.
The biggest downside to this plan is that I won’t be able to work during Summers I & II, so I’ll either have to use student loan funds (so far from what I want to do, but needs must…) or apply for unemployment. We’ll see how it goes.
There’s also the fact that it means taking four graduate level classes in 16 weeks. That might be insane, but if I’m not working, I should be able to do it.
I am really excited about the prospect of being done in August. It’ll be the best birthday present to myself in the history of ever. And if I can sit for the FAR section of the CPA exam and pass it during recruiting season, I can only imagine that will make me look that much more attractive to potential employers. *fingers crossed*
