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Profiles of Accounting Majors
People usually assume that you have to be really good at math to pursue accounting. In reality, the math isn't all that difficult. The challenging thing about accounting is that you have to be very careful about choosing the right numbers and putting them in the right places. In order to do that you really have to understand what you're trying to do. That means accounting ends up taking a lot of critical thinking and a lot of practice. As a high school student, I had no idea that I would end up pursuing accounting or that I would pursue a PhD. I went to a very small rural school where very few students chose to attend college at all, much less get a graduate degree. However, because of the great example my parents set, I've always loved learning. My goal is to be a tenured professor at a research institution. My research is predominately in managerial accounting. I chose to come to the accounting PhD program at Florida State University because of the welcoming attitude of the people at The College of Business. I've made many bonds with professors and fellow PhD students, and I hope to continue working with them on research projects in the future. One of the unique things about studying here at FSU is the friendly atmosphere between professors and students. I've had some wonderful professors who have been so helpful throughout my studies here at Florida State. My advice to prospective students is to choose a university where you feel comfortable, and a major that you enjoy. Life is hard enough without forcing yourself to be somewhere or do something that makes you miserable. My research in accounting focuses on individuals' responses to accounting information. I'm fascinated by how people respond differently to the same information if the presentation of that information is changed. This has a big impact on accounting, since so much of what we do is present information to people. I believe it is important to study and understand the best ways to present information so that it is useful for everyone concerned.
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I started my undergraduate program with the intent of pursuing journalism, but I had to take a mandatory set of accounting classes. At first, accounting seemed really difficult, but then it all fell into place. Getting everything to balance was like putting a puzzle together. I really enjoyed the challenge of it. Meanwhile, my part-time job at a newspaper showed me that journalism was not for me. So I switched majors to accounting, and I'm really glad that I did.