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PhD Accounting profile evaluation and advice


ZAPHD

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Hi all

 

I want to apply for admission to an Accounting PhD program in the US. I will be taking the GMAT in a few weeks and it seems that I will get above 650. With hard work I might be able to get it up to 700. I do however believe that my background might help me.

 

2 years: PwC

7 years: Lecturer at a South African University.

Chartered Accountant.

Published 3 articles (B rated and C rated journals; according to the ABDC list).

Presented papers at a few SA conferences.

Masters degree in Accounting (South African University).

Masters degree in Taxation (South African University).

Co author on 2 accounting textbooks.

I do not have GPA (SA university, I however was top in my class for a few modules throughout my studies).

 

I am however concerned that my GMAT score might not be high enough and that my South African background have not provided me with enough stats background.

 

So my question, assuming that I get between 650 and 700, at which universities could I apply to? How would this change if I get 700? And finally, should I consider postponing my application for a year and and up my GMAT score and do some calculus courses?

 

Your help is greatly appreciated (especially phdhope and taxphd!)

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In the long-run, do you see yourself in a research intensive university, or more of a teaching school?

 

I ask this because I think with you will need to push 700 to be competitive at the higher tier accounting PhD programs. However, the the job outlook with PhDs from pretty much all AACSB accredited business schools is strong.

 

I think having research experience will be seen as a plus, even if the papers are not in the types of journals that would help for tenure at US research institutions. Is your research quantitative or qualitative? If it is quantitative, is it archival or behavioral? Qualitative accounting research pretty much does not get into the "A" U.S. journals, but I know it is much more common outside of the U.S. Also, what area is your research in? Financial, managerial, tax, audit, etc.? Having an accounting background and being certified will also be seen as a plus at most schools, but it isn't a deciding factor at the higher tier PhD programs.

 

If your primary goal is to end up at a research intensive U.S. institution, then you will want to down play the teaching side of your profile. 7 years of teaching experience and a co-author on 2 accounting textbooks may be seen as a plus at programs which place at primarily teaching schools, but at upper tier programs they might question whether you are really in this for the research. Also, they will see co-authoring textbooks during the PhD program as a waste of time.

 

Once I have some more information on your career goals, as well as your research interests and method interest (archival or experimental/behavioral), then I can probably provide you with a list of some potential schools.

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Hi TaxPhD

 

Thank you very much for the feedback. Although I have a strong education background, I have recently (past 2 years) started doing a lot more research. My main focus is long term accounting research at a US university. Definitely quantitative, financial accounting (earnings management or financial reporting), archival research. The textbooks will definitely go if I am accepted at a US university.

 

I really hope that my SOP will reflect my true intentions. I am really motivated and I am under no illusion of what accounting research is. For example, a Professor from Stanford was a guest lecturer on the Masters program I did and I have a thorough knowledge of both accounting theories and IFRS. I am in this for the long haul.

 

Please let me know if you require any other information. Like I mentioned before, how concerned should I be about the lack of calculus. I did some statistics in my Masters program and I have used various regression models in the papers I have published, but I am far from an expert.

 

Also, I am 32 years of age and I would appreciate it if you could indicate the possible schools for the two score possibilities (650 vs 700).

 

Finally thanks for the info on the AACSB schools.

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Thanks for the additional info.

 

If you have a GMAT of 650, then the choices may not be wonderful, in terms of landing a research focused faculty job after graduation (as in a school that is 3-0 teaching load, so you only teach one semester). However, there are a lot of solid schools research wise that are 2-2 teaching load, and obviously they have a lower tenure bar research wise as you are teaching in both semesters. Some PhD programs to potentially consider for someone with a GMAT score of 650 (hopefully a bit higher) would be schools such as.

Boston University

Case Western

Central Florida

Connecticut (their placements have been improving, so that may be a stretch now)

Drexel

Georgia State

Houston

Kentucky

Louisiana State

Mississippi

Nebraska (has made some strong hires, so may become a reach with a 650)

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

South Florida

Syracuse

Texas-Arlington

Texas-San Antonio

Texas Tech

 

If you get up to 700+ then that makes you much more competitive. With 700+ and having some research experience and strong accounting background then the doors open for being competitive at schools such as:

Arizona

Arizona State

Texas A&M

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Michigan State

etc...

 

Pretty much everywhere as financial archival researchers, so you will want to do some searching on what schools have professors working in areas within financial accounting research that particularly interest you. Given your skill set, it is probably worth looking to see which departments may have a group of researchers doing work around IFRS. I would probably set up with SOP along the lines of having a professional accounting background that led you into teaching. Then you started diving into some research and really got hooked and realized that research is your passion, thus you now want to get a PhD to pursue a career as an accounting researcher.

 

In terms of more Calculus, etc. That will all only improve your profile. So if there is some way to fit in some more quant classes, then it will help your profile. You do not necessarily even have to be finished with them when you apply, but if you are enrolled in a course then you can mention it in your SOP to show the committee you are focused on improving your quantitative skills. If, at the end of the day, your goal is to be a tenure track professor at a research university then I think it is worth taking the extra time to get your GMAT score to as close to 700+ as you can get it.

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Wow! Thank you so much. This is such an awesome reply. Thank you for taking the time to provide me with such a comprehensive list.

 

In your opinion, would you postpone your studies with a year to get a 700+ GMAT? Or would you rather just start at a 650 school, considering that I am 32 years of age.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

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TaxPhD covered things really well.

 

Personally, I would wait for the 700+ type schools. But it all depends on how you weight things. Look at the placements in the 650 type schools and see if you like the places that people went. If they are the kind of place that you want to end up, then no point in waiting. If you want to go to a stronger research school for a job, you will be better off waiting a year. I would also recommend remedying your calculus deficiency in this time. Graduate microeconomics will make absolutely no sense without calculus. I would constantly be taking 1 math class until you start the PhD, whether or not you wait a year.

 

I also know nothing about your GMAT ability. It is generally realistic to expect an improved score with study, but I don't know that you will get up to pulling off a 720 with a year of study, or if something will click for you in the next month and you can break 700 taking the test in November.

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Hi Yasvoboden

 

Thanks for the advice. I think I should seriously consider postponing for a year and do thorough research on each one of the mentioned Universities. I will probably publish a paper or two next year which would also probably count for a lot. This would then also give me sufficient time to remedy the calculus issue.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

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Hi Yasvoboden

 

Thanks for the advice. I think I should seriously consider postponing for a year and do thorough research on each one of the mentioned Universities. I will probably publish a paper or two next year which would also probably count for a lot. This would then also give me sufficient time to remedy the calculus issue.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

 

To echo Yasvoboden, based on what you've said about wanting to focus primarily on research, I think you are better waiting a year to get the GMAT score up and to build up the quant background.

 

In terms of publishing a paper or two in that year, it will help on the margin, but it will only count for "a lot" if it is a publication in a journal that US academics would consider a B journal or higher. You already have enough publications to show that you have some research experience, and a general understanding of what accounting research entails, so I only see additional pubs bumping up your profile more if they are in solid journals (from a US standpoint).

 

I hate to kind of be US centric in that response, but if you are wanting to apply to US PhD programs and wanting to get a placement at a US universities, then the publications need to be in journals that solid US universities would count for tenure.

 

Anyways, best of luck. I think you are on the right path, and will be able to get admitted to a quality accounting PhD program with a 700ish GMAT score.

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  • 7 months later...

Hi experts (if I may call you experts, anyway I think you are experts for all the advice you have given me)

 

So my first GMAT didn't go according to plan so had to delay the process by a year, something that I am actually very glad happenned. No my list of questions if I may:

 

I scored 760 (Q50, V42) on the GMAT. My IR is only 5. Do you think that the 5 is going to matter?

 

Given the GMAT score, do I have a shot at the top programs (The Stanfords etc)? Will the list given above change? I also published another article in a B rated journal, The Australian Accounting Review (hopefully I will one day publish in the same journal without the Australian :playful:)

 

I plan on doing some calculus courses, as mentioned above. Which courses do you recommend. Online preferably. Hopefully my research experience will indicate that I am capable of coping with some of the stats.

 

Final question: I have noticed that a lot people said that one should write a SoP for each University one is applying to. Can I use the same basic SoP and then customise it per University?

 

Thanks for all your advice.

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Congrats! A 760 is good enough on the GMAT for any school, but the top schools are still very selective. I think it is worth applying anywhere you want to go, but still apply widely.

 

The journal publications are good, but you will want to acknowledge that you are looking to increase your skills to do rigorous research for publication in the top journals.

 

I don't really know much about math classes online, but you will probably want something that is verifiable. I.e. go through an online school that gives grades instead of just saying you have worked through stuff on MIT's open courseware. (Others may have a different opinion.)

 

My SOP had a standard few paragraphs about why I want to pursue a PhD generally and then I customized a few paragraphs about why school X. I think this was a fine way to go.

 

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all

 

Thanks for the reply YaSvoboden. I have looked around and have found some courses on Coursera and EdX. I have noted that some courses do give you a certificate for completion. I have contacted some PhD programs for ideas or advice about which courses to take without much luck... Any advice about calculus an or linear programming courses would be appreciated.

 

For the road ahead, I have to finish my SoP and need a million people to review it :-) I have also identified 3 individuals to write my a LoR and all three have agreed. 2 of these individuals are current professors who have published in A and A* journals, so hopefully that will help. I therefore just have to do some calculus classes and also take the TOEFL.

 

Am I missing anything? Any advice on what will make my application better will be appreciated.

 

Thank you very much YaSvoboden and taxPhD, your help means the world to me.

 

Regards

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I would focus more on just learning the material than getting any certification.

 

I think you've been given very good advice. I would definitely target the 700+ plus school list and some of the top schools, You could get lucky after all. I think the major decision now is finding which top, mid-tier archival financial school has the best research fit for you. That will take a lot of time reading through the papers. Good luck!

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Congrats on the 760, great score. I think your overall profile will be pretty competitive. I think schools like Stanford and such are on the table, but like others have said, admissions are extremely competitive and there is certainly a bit of a stochastic element to the entire process as well. Therefore, you will want to apply to a wide range of schools. I'd maybe do 3 or so "dream" type schools. 7 or so schools you feel like you are quite competitive at. And then 3 or so "safe" schools. I put safe in parenthesis because admissions even at this less prestigious programs is still competitive and tough, there is really no such thing as a safety school in PhD accounting admissions.

 

Like others have said, and I said before in this thread, your publication history will help you in that it shows that you have some level of knowledge about research already. You have a better understanding of what you are getting yourself into than others. However, be aware that at the majority of U.S. universities, a journal like Australian Accounting Review would not even be counted as a "B" journal. So like others have said on here, through your SOP you will need to make it clear that doing this prior research work has built your interest in accounting research and is part of what has led you to want to do a PhD, where you will learn to conduct more rigorous research that aims are the top 3/5 accounting journals.

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  • 1 month later...
Congrats on the 760, great score. I think your overall profile will be pretty competitive. I think schools like Stanford and such are on the table, but like others have said, admissions are extremely competitive and there is certainly a bit of a stochastic element to the entire process as well. Therefore, you will want to apply to a wide range of schools. I'd maybe do 3 or so "dream" type schools. 7 or so schools you feel like you are quite competitive at. And then 3 or so "safe" schools. I put safe in parenthesis because admissions even at this less prestigious programs is still competitive and tough, there is really no such thing as a safety school in PhD accounting admissions.

 

Like others have said, and I said before in this thread, your publication history will help you in that it shows that you have some level of knowledge about research already. You have a better understanding of what you are getting yourself into than others. However, be aware that at the majority of U.S. universities, a journal like Australian Accounting Review would not even be counted as a "B" journal. So like others have said on here, through your SOP you will need to make it clear that doing this prior research work has built your interest in accounting research and is part of what has led you to want to do a PhD, where you will learn to conduct more rigorous research that aims are the top 3/5 accounting journals.

 

Better advice could not have been given.

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Hi all

 

Thanks so much for all the advice. I am feeling more and more confident with each helpful post. The one main thing that I am still unsure about is what is a top school? Safe school? School that I would be competitive at? Would the "safe" schools be the schools listed on the 650 list (previous page)?

 

Please forgive my ignorance, but I have looked at almost all of these schools and I would be so grateful to study at any one of them. Even the "safest" school would be a dream school in my context.

 

Would the list provided by me here (http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-business/155280-seeking-profile-evaluation-fall-2016-entry-please-post-here-6.html) be a good list? Any suggestions?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi all,

 

I ;for a long time, ignored my desire to seek my PhD and work in academia. During my master studies, I realized how research and teaching can be exciting, and rewarding. And now, I can't deny anymore. It is time to get it.

However, my undergrad GPA isn't that great. I need to calculate my chances of getting admitted to a US school so I can sincerely give it a try. Here is my Profile:

 

GMAT: Currently preparing for the test on October, I am expecting 600 to 650 (it could be more, but u never know with standardized test, right?)

Undergrad major and GPA: accounting with 2.74 / 4 GPA (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY)

Master: accounting with 5.25 / 7 GPA (UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE - AUSTRALIA)

Research: None

Experience: 8+ years 4 of which as a financial control manager.

desired schools: I plan to avoid tax as I can, I will aim to choose schools that focus on AIS and Financial accounting. But above all, it depends if my profile fits the requirements of B schools.

 

Certifications: I don't hold any now, but I am about to finish the CMA part II, and plan to take the test early 2016.

 

Do you think I have a chance based on my profile above, or is it a long shot and I should save the time and effort?

 

Thanks

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