Accounting PhD Profile Evaluation and Advice

[digfilght]

Hello,

My profile is

Under GPA : 3.46/4.5 (WES version converted to US standard 3.26/4.0) - Korea Top 10 School/Business Major

Grad GPA : Currently 4.0/4.0 (I can maintain around 4.0) - Master of Accountancy at US top 40-50 business school

Work Experience : Accounting Department at one of the global companies in Korea for 5 years

GMAT : 730 (Q50,V38)

No Research experience, but planning on applying for RA at the master program I am currently studying at.

Almost No Math background (Business Math at undergraduate: Grade B)

No Statistics background, but planning on taking SAS class this winter

Letter of Recommendations : Planning on asking 2 from accounting research professors, 1 from accounting lecturer

Research Interest : Financial Accounting, Earning Management

Target Schools : Around Top 20-50 schools

 

1. I would like to apply for some schools this year even though I know I am not that competitive right now.

Will it be an acceptable idea to apply this year without research experience and math/statistics background?

 

2. If I apply next year after adding some research experience and statistics background, as mentioned above, will I get more competitive?

 

3. Please evaluate my profile and feel free to give any suggestion.

 

Thank you very much.

Edited November 26, 2017 by digfilght

[digfilght]

Please help me!

[XanthusARES]

I can't comment on your profile. What I can offer is that this past weekend was Thanksgiving. For a lot of PhD students this is the first chance in the semester they've had to catch their breath and prepare for the final push. I'm sure someone will offer some help now that we're all back.

[YaSvoboden]

Please help me!

I remember being stressed out about applications (I am now much more stressed out about job market). Based on your questions I assume that you are trying to determine whether it is worth submitting applications this year or not and that deadline is fast approaching.

 

1- Your GPA and GMAT scores are pretty good. Assuming you can show a little understanding of accounting research and desire to do it then you would probably get offers at some solid research schools this year. I think that it is worth applying, but you should be ready to take an offer from any school that you apply to. If you have a CPA or CA (or a different Korean equivalent) that would help.

 

2- Yes, you will be more competitive with research experience and more relevant coursework.

 

3- Given your current profile I could see you getting into a T20-50 school now. These schools set you up for a decent career, so it may be worth applying now. Calc 1-3 and Linear Algebra, along with Statistics and Econometrics are very valuable in the first year. Additionally, extra exposure to microeconomics is really useful.

 

If you are spending another year in school then you can take most of these classes and spend some time as an RA and familiarize yourself with accounting research. If your school has a PhD program then you could try to take some of the first year courses that the PhDs take. I would also strongly recommend attending workshops if your department has speakers come in regularly.

 

If all of these things go well then I wouldn't rule out any school for you, but you would probably end up at something like a T20 program. That would set you up for a good research career. Based on what you say here I would probably take the extra year.

[digfilght]

Thank you for your advice.

I will keep your advice in my mind.

And do you have some T20-50 schools you recommend for financial archival research?