Profile Evaluation: PhD in Accounting

[kdido002]

Hi all! Current stats:

 

Undergraduate student graduating Fall 2019

Overall GPA: 3.55

Accounting GPA: 3.9

 

GMAT: Not taken, but currently registered in May after Spring Finals

 

Additionally:

Currently enrolled in Calculus I and projected to finish with either a B+ or A- (depending on how the final goes)

Enrolling in Calculus II in the Spring and Linear Algebra in the summer

 

Will be working as a research assistant in the accounting department next semester through the time I graduate at my current university.

 

Will be able to secure LORs from Accounting Department Head, and two other accounting professors.

 

Goal/hope is to go straight to the PhD after completing my undergrad. Any suggestions on how to beef up my resume and which schools I should be targeting? Will have time to take any additional math courses in the Spring and Summer prior to a program potentially starting.

 

Back up plan is to apply to a few masters programs that I've already researched and made contact with.

[affogato]

It's always nice to start looking into it early.

Here are a few questions that you may want to consider:

 

Have you taken any stat/econometrics courses or do you plan on taking them? What about micro/macroeconomics?

 

Before coming up with a list of schools to apply, I would strongly suggest that you figure which area of research you want to pursue (financial, managerial, tax, audit / archival, analytical...) Once you want an idea of what you're interested in (and your GMAT score), it will be much easier to come up with the list.

[YaSvoboden]

I agree completely with the additional coursework that affogato suggests. Consider taking stats and probability from the math or stats department. Also, I think that intermediate microeconomics is a necessity. Take the more rigorous, calculus-based version and consider advanced micro as well. Macro isn't as important for most people.

 

Next, make sure you dig through this site, especially the wiki, to learn everything that is easily available: BYU Accounting

This will help you decide on a research field.

 

What kind of school are you at now? Does it have a PhD program? Can you attend workshops or seminars? Those will give you a good introduction into academic life.

[kdido002]

Thank you both for your replies!

 

I have not taken any statistics outside of Business Stats at my university. I've taken micro and macro economics and will be taking "managerial economics" next semester as part of my bachelors degree. Would you guys advise I continue to work on the calculus or leave that alone and switch my focus onto the statistics? Some of the websites for programs I've looked at have specifically mentioned calculus or calculus based statistics, but I haven't actually seen anything that explicitly states what kind of stats classes to take outside of that.

 

I wouldn't say my school is ranked in anything for business, unfortunately. Old Dominion University, if you're familiar with it (though I doubt it). I have spoken to the staff of the Accounting department there about my interests and they have given me a good amount of information for what I should be doing. One professor gave me some accounting journals to start reading so that I can see if I enjoy the research and can get an idea of if I would like doing my own. Additionally, like I mentioned, they've offered me a Research Assistant position for the remainder of my time at the university (approximately 1 year).

 

There are no PhD programs for accounting at my school, only PhD in Marketing and Business Administration. I could try reaching out to the PhD students that are currently enrolled, I have rapport with a few of them.

[taxPhD]

If you're considering audit or tax research, I would strongly recommend work experience.

 

It is not as necessary for financial or managerial.

 

If applying straight from undergrad, I would say you can typically expect to gain acceptance at a school a tier (maybe two) below what you could get accepted to with similar GPA and GMAT + work experience and CPA.

 

The most successful applicants coming straight from undergrad seem to have a math/econ background.

[affogato]

It's hard to say. Ideally, you should take both calc and stats.

If I had to choose one over the other, I would vote for calc. Again, this is my take on this, and others would say otherwise.

 

But, it's great that you are reaching out to the faculties at your school for advice/resource/research. The greater your understanding of what accounting research is and of your interest, the better you will be in preparation.