Kelley MSADA and 3/2 MBA

Get an inside look at the Kelley 3/2 MBA—when to apply, what to expect, and where it can take you—with student Nicole Pines

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Kelley School

By Mary Thomason-Smith

For Kelley student Nicole Pines, the highlight of the 3/2 MBA program is the person she’s becoming. Nicole is particularly passionate for women to consider the program, saying “while the 3/2 MBA can seem daunting, I hope hearing my story will encourage women to join.” Here are Nicole’s firsthand tips and insights for anyone considering the 3/2 MBA:

Apply early

“I learned about the 3/2 MBA in my first year living at the Jellison Living Learning Center talking with Kelley accounting majors. After I decided to major in accounting and finance, I went to a 3/2 MBA information session to learn more. I decided the 3/2 MBA would be an efficient way to earn the 150-hour requirement to sit for the CPA exam, and I would get even more—an actual MBA. A huge selling point for me was the opportunity for an immersive, seven-week global field study and internship. I applied to the program in February of my second year at Kelley, interviewed in March, received my acceptance notification in April, and committed ahead of my third year at Kelley.”

Gain real-world expertise

“A highlight of the program is that it’s team-based, with smaller classes where I feel comfortable speaking out. Teams work together on case studies based on real-world scenarios, sponsored by actual professionals. My team’s sponsor, Grant Thornton, wrote our case and role-played management. During case study preparations, Professor Dave Greene likes to do something he calls ‘the fickle finger of fate’—giving teams a problem they may face in the real world, such as a team member’s illness or lost presentation slides. These things really happen in the real world, and I’m learning how to deal with the unexpected in an environment where it’s safe to fail, rather than entering the real world unprepared.”

Develop soft skills to complement your technical abilities

“With the 3/2 MBA, I’ll know accounting and finance like the back of my hand. But this degree offers a lot more than that. I’ve developed soft skills—how to network, collaborate with a team, be a leader, and how to be a follower at times. I’ve learned to get comfortable with being uncomfortable—that I’m not going to be perfect in everything. Presenting regularly helped me become more composed, speak slowly, and build my confidence in front of a crowd. The soft skill development that goes along with building technical skills is one of the aspects I appreciate most about this program.”

Expand your career options

“I’ve talked with Kelley 3/2 MBA alumni who began their path in finance or accounting and then shifted career directions. Both alumni and professors tell me not to box myself into one concept of what my career can be. With the support of the Kelley alumni network—who are so helpful in finding a job—I believe my career will always be secure. I’m looking forward to an audit internship with EY this summer. My dream is to work for a smaller company as an accountant or controller, gaining the perspective of an internal accountant.”

Interested in where the 3/2 MBA can take you? Explore the possibilities.

1/1/21 vs 1/1/22

Posted on August 8, 2022 by Graduate Accounting Programs

By Bobby Strode, 3/2 MBA Class of 2023

As you may infer from the title, those dates represent two different versions of myself. On 1/1/21, I was your typical college junior feeling fairly accomplished coming off the I-Core semester. By that time, I had an internship locked up, accepted my offer to join the 3/2 MBA program Class of 2023, and was eager to start a class called “Spring Training.” Flash forward to 1/1/22, the personal and professional growth witnessed in myself over the previous year could not be matched. Never had I been exposed to a group as generous as the 3/2 MBA alumni network, who come back time and time again to talk with students for hours. Researching their company/industry, hearing about their experience, listening to questions from my cohort, forming my own questions, and watching Professor Greene interact with them all drove me to become a more well-rounded business student and future leader. Here are a few things I’ve learned through the process:

My undergraduate self thought a good presentation was a good presentation. If you told a comprehensive, compelling story with well-formatted slides, then anyone with half a brain would recognize your effort. But what if your audience was the CEO versus your boss? Or an outside consultant versus a potential customer? Knowledge levels differ between each; therefore, your content and organization must as well. A presentation is only good if the content matches your intended audience’s degree of understanding. For that reason, knowing my audience is the number one skill I’ve worked to develop.

This idea did not originally stem from my own volition. I was pushed into it through an array of presentations (Spring Training, Orientation, A509, Strategy, Audit) and a high volume of emails (informational interviews, faculty, other students) that came from being part of the 3/2. While tedious and uncomfortable at first, I firmly believe this skill will set me apart early in my career, not to mention serve me well no matter where I end up.

Another skill, one might call a perspective, that I’ve acquired is focusing on the bigger picture. Students, myself included, get easily caught up in the content of something. Constantly focused on how to memorize and regurgitate as much content as possible. Facts and figures do make the world go round; however, sometimes there is more to be learned than simply what someone tells you. Is the topic being presented in a way that makes sense? How can I improve the presentation? What about their presentation style do I like and why? Does this make sense given what I currently know? Are the right questions being asked? Am I ready to give feedback if asked for it? These are the questions that go through my head on a daily basis.

The learning process is never ending and the best businesspeople, I promise you, are constantly trying to learn from those around them. Because the subject matter will undoubtedly change over time, but your capacity to see a problem, to ask questions, and to execute should be foundational. This can be related to math equations from high school like the quadratic formula. Each variable (a.k.a. content) was top of mind while you solved a problem. If you were lost, then you asked questions until the problem was completed. I would argue the 3/2 program is no different in that now it’s not the quadratic formula; it’s lease accounting or foreign exchange markets or information technology. Business professionals solve problems by asking questions, and they get better at it by asking more questions.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge that my path has changed. Deloitte Consulting seemed like my ideal landing spot for years. Though today, I’m not sure if I wanted that for me or because (what felt like) everyone around me was looking at the Big 4. After learning about my career opportunities through the 3/2 program, my sights are now set on corporate. This summer I am on the Investor Relations team at Deere & Company World Headquarters in Moline, IL. A position that I’m not convinced I would’ve found without Dave Greene and my cohort, and one that I wouldn’t have had the confidence to interview for 1/1/21.

Learning about the Intersection of Business and Public Policy

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Graduate Accounting Programs

By RJ Clemmons, MSADA Class of 2022

One of the unique features of the Kelley MS in Accounting with Data and Analytics (MSADA) is the chance to participate in experiential learning electives. When I applied for the Kelley MSADA program, I knew I wanted to take part in the Washington Campus Accounting and Public Policy course.

The Washington Campus provided myself and my fellow classmates with the chance to explore our nation’s capital, learn more about different opportunities in accounting, connect with alumni, and meet with Congressman Trey Hollingsworth from Indiana’s very own 9th District.

Throughout our three-day experience, we engaged with speakers from several agencies and groups, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). These speakers provided valuable insights into the work accountants do for each of their respective organizations and the new technologies, including data analytics, and changes affecting the profession.

While I truly enjoyed speaking with each of these amazing organizations, the top highlights of the experience were speaking with Congressman Hollingsworth and being introduced to opportunities for accountants as lobbyists in DC. Speaking with Congressman Hollingsworth opened my eyes to the leadership of Bloomington, IN, and how he and other stakeholders are working to continue growing this amazing community. In addition to dialoguing with the congressman, we heard from lobbyists for the AICPA and other organizations across DC. These speakers showcased the vast number of career paths accountants can take throughout their careers.

This Washington Campus is an experience I will never forget. After this experience, I am more aware of the opportunities my degree has provided me. I cannot wait to explore my professional life and continue to connect and learn about what accounting has to offer as I begin my career at Google.

Experiential Learning Makes a Difference

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Graduate Accounting Programs

By Melanie Sherman, MSADA Class of 2022

Before I started the MS in Accounting with Data Analytics (MSADA) program, I never imagined that I would be delivering an hour-long presentation to a CEO within a few short months. While I had interned for several summers at different firms, I had little direct interaction with clients on the job. I knew that I would learn the technical hard skills I needed in my courses, but I felt I was lacking in my experience with client interactions.

BUS-A569 Field Consulting is one of most valuable courses Kelley’s Graduate Accounting Program has to offer and unlike any class I have ever taken before. All learning, work, and meetings are conducted outside of a classroom. Each team was assigned a client and performed real work to solve the client’s problems and see a client engagement through from start to finish. In teams of two MSADA students and two 3/2 MBA students, we operated much like client service teams at public accounting firms do. Each week we would meet with the client, internally within our own team, and with our professor who acted as the team’s Partner.

Our team was assigned a small, but fast-growing communications firm as our client. Though the firm has less than 20 employees, it works with companies like Disney and IBM. As the company continued to grow, its internal processes became unclear. Our team was tasked with creating a flowchart to document client processes from when leads are generated through the close of a deal, identifying possible risk areas and potential solutions. In addition, our team was asked to investigate international tax registration and compliance requirements in countries where the firm is interested in increasing business.

Luckily, our team worked extremely well together. As students from both 3/2 MBA and MSADA, we had conflicting schedules and numerous other obligations, but together we had a well-rounded skillset with strengths in each other’s weaker points. We trusted each other to get our work done with high quality and held each other accountable. With our tasks in hand, we hit the ground running.

As the weeks passed, we reviewed our client’s communications training, interviewed employees of the company, conducted international tax research, and communicated preliminary findings with the client. We documented our work and upcoming tasks in Microsoft Teams so that our “Partner” could monitor our progress.

Our final deliverable was a 70-page document, complete with international tax analysis for over four use cases in three different countries, process flowchart documentation, and several identified potential problem areas and associated recommendations. We first presented for 90 minutes in great detail to most of the employees of the company. We then condensed our presentation into high-level takeaways to present to the company’s CEO, a feat I never imagined I would have accomplished at 22.

The CEO was gracious enough to provide us with valuable feedback on the content we delivered in addition to our presentation styles. Other employees of the company expressed how they had already begun implementing some of our recommendations. Based on the success of our client engagement, my team advanced to the finals where we presented to a group of judges and defended our work.

My Field Consulting experience is one I will never forget. I now feel even more prepared to enter the workforce with this valuable experience under my belt. In just a few months, my team was able to create meaningful work for the client and form lifelong friendships with each other.

Obtaining Practical Experience via MSADA’s Winter Internship Option

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Graduate Accounting Programs

Photograph of Matthew Nordhoff, MSA Class of 2021

By Matt Nordhoff, MSADA Class of 2021

To be adequately prepared to enter the workforce and to distinguish oneself from other applicants, a student should pursue both a rigorous education and work experience. In an effort to enable Kelley students to gain valuable work experience prior to the commencement of their MSADA program experience, the MSADA program began offering a spring internship option for undergraduate students. This spring internship option encourages students to pursue busy season internship opportunities in service lines such as audit or tax.

By completing a busy season audit internship prior to the Masters in Accounting with Data and Analytics program, I was able to enhance my technical knowledge and interpersonal skills and further refine my interests. Ultimately, this opportunity enabled me to tailor my MSADA program experience by taking advanced coursework that aligned with my interests. I have elaborated on these points below:

Busy season internships provide a valuable opportunity to apply technical knowledge in a practical setting. As an audit intern, I was given the opportunity to perform year-end substantive and internal control testing. I also assisted with risk assessment documentation and witnessed firsthand the use of advanced data analytics tools. By assisting in several audit phases, I was able to enhance my interests and technical knowledge in audit and financial reporting. The MSADA program’s diverse course offerings in areas such as audit, financial reporting, and data analytics enabled me to further pursue these interests through hands-on projects and rigorous instruction.

Busy season internships also provide a valuable opportunity to practice interpersonal and critical thinking skills. My internship challenged me to work through tasks independently and to ask appropriate questions at the right time. Furthermore, I was expected to professionally collaborate with clients and team members. These skills were further developed through the MSADA program’s experiential learning, including a course on career success skills and a field consulting project.

To conclude, I believe that the practical experiences one gains through a busy season internship complements the rigorous educational experiences offered by the MSADA program and makes one a holistic job candidate. The MSADA program challenged me to be intellectually curious and afforded me opportunities and connections that would not have been possible without completing this program, such as my current role at the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) as a Postgraduate Technical Assistant. I kindly recommend that you consider the MSADA program and the spring internship option.

Making a Career Work for You

Posted on October 19, 2021 by Graduate Accounting Programs

By Kyle Tackett, 3/2 MBA Class of 2022

What do you want to do when you grow up?

For many growing up, that is a question with infinite possibilities. I remember that in first grade, I wanted to be a water park designer. I continued to ask myself this question throughout school, and I continued to jump from one career to the next. In fact, I made the switch from Pre-Med to Media to Business all in the same day that I submitted my application to IU! From here, as I focused on a business career, my career options became more defined and narrower, and I eventually discovered that I wanted to do something in accounting.

I didn’t know much about what accountants did. I knew that I loved to travel and that I would get to see new places and meet new people if I pursued a career in public accounting. Yet, at the end of the day, I didn’t even know the differences between a public and corporate role in accounting. There was a lot I needed to learn, and through Dave Green’s Spring Training, I was thrown into a pool of infinite possibilities.

Networking with 3/2 MBA alumni every Friday in Spring Training made it all possible. Meeting the alumni, exploring different careers, and eventually completing our career profiles assignment gave me access to over thirty career opportunities in finance and accounting. From this, a career in audit became a more attractive career option for me. I enjoyed being able to work with others and communicate with people in many different industries. Through my conversation with my audit professor, Professor Schroeder, I learned that film accounting was even a career that accountants specialize in.

What does one even do in film accounting? And what makes it so different from other types of accounting? I began asking these questions eager for answers. I talked to alumni that worked for EY, the firm I was most interested in joining, and to my surprise, I learned that they audit a significant part of media companies in Los Angeles. From this point forward, things became clear to me, and I began to learn what I was truly passionate about. I proceeded to land my dream internship at EY and began to work as an Audit Intern in the media and entertainment industry in Los Angeles.

This internship confirmed that this career was for me. I got to explore and do some industry research on the entertainment industry. I also connected with talented and motivated individuals who gave me countless opportunities to explore the field. My coworkers appreciated my curiosity, and from this point, I decided that entertainment accounting was the field for me. Next year, I’ll be starting full-time in Los Angeles in EY, and I am so excited to work with creative individuals on projects that have the potential to be seen by millions of people.

My career journey is just getting started, but over the past two years in this program, I have learned countless things about myself and potential careers that allow me to pursue my dreams. To those who are still up in the air about their career aspirations, my advice is to be curious and network with people you are genuinely interested in getting to know.

The path to deciding what you want to do in life is not linear, so have an open mind, explore different potential hobbies, and share those passions with the world. Every now and then, there might be someone that can get you your dream job.

International Tax and your Career

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Graduate Accounting Programs

By Professor Katie Metz, Senior Lecturer at the Kelley School of Business

Thinking of investing in NFTs? Interested in exactly what the G20 is discussing this summer? Exploring the possibility of a unique consulting career path? These are just a few of the topics you might investigate when learning about international taxation.

When I started my career in international tax for a public accounting firm (straight out of the accounting undergraduate program at Kelley!), I was surprised by how many components of international tax are present in everyday business decisions, even if the company or issue doesn’t “seem to be global.” Tax rules not only impact routine business and individual financial decisions, but they also play a key role in economic innovation— an issue we are currently seeing at the forefront of legislation on the digital economy.

Nations should create tax rules that support fair and logical economic policies for their own citizens. They also must work with other countries and world organizations like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) to ensure the rules promote equitable and straightforward economic transactions across borders and that the rules do not clash with each other or initiate potential consequences like retaliatory tariffs. Predictably, these philosophies collide on the world stage when nations try to work together to create a single set of tax rules using very different frames of reference.

International taxation is constantly changing as the global economy evolves. As I write this post, the world is working toward creating new tax policies to discourage tax evasion and avoidance by trying to make the tax rules broader and information easier to access. In early July of this year, the G20 finance ministers and central bank governance met with the OECD Secretary-General to discuss tax challenges resulting from the digitization of the economy. While most nations agree that something needs to be done to address this challenge, the OECD’s two-pillar approach to solving the challenge has been years in the making and is still not completely resolved. Many of the solutions the OECD proposes in this two-pillar plan are unprecedented and controversial, but also vital for nations to increase their tax revenue and implement more equitable economic policy in their own nations and in their trade negotiations. The OECD estimates that this new global minimum tax proposal will generate an additional $150 billion in global tax revenue each year – but where will that revenue be located?

As a future business person, it will be important for you to understand the basics of international taxation and how international taxation is changing economic policy and innovation, even if your interests are not in tax or even international business. First, your future company will almost certainly have some role in the global economy. Having a foundation in international tax will help you understand how your company will be impacted by the evolving tax rules, what strategic steps the company should take to continue promoting economic innovation, and what other companies in your supply chain are impacted. For example, the global minimum tax proposal has the potential to disproportionately impact tech firms based in the United States. Next, understanding the basics of international taxation and how it interacts with your industry will help differentiate you from your peers and provide added value to your clients and company. Being “conversational” in this topic can go a long way toward helping your clients plan strategically for the future in a global economy.

Finally, international tax policy informs some of your own personal economic decisions. I’m sure you engage in some sort of digital activity every day, and it will be important for you to understand how your activities are taxed (and of course, how the rules are changing) so you can make the best financial decisions for yourself. International taxation is not merely about understanding the roles, but also examining how all the pieces fit together and anticipating how policy is changing.

In my spring International Taxation course, I challenged students to think about some of the technical topics we covered in a practical context by writing an article or delivering a podcast for a fictional online magazine called “Digital Marketplace Today”. Students discussed topics like NFTs in the music industry, K-Pop marketing campaigns, the Biden administration’s clash with the new OECD plan, and the transfer pricing of cryptocurrency. This exercise demonstrates the broad reach that international tax issues have – even into topics we might think have nothing to do with global business or taxation. International tax is everywhere, and I’m excited to continue to discuss that with you and your peers in the coming semesters!

Learn more about International Taxation and other topics in the Masters in Accounting with Data and Analytics Program and the 3/2 MBA Program at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

Lessons Learned in the 3/2 MBA Program

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Graduate Accounting Programs

Photograph of James Georgiou, 3/2 MBA Class of 2022 By James Georgiou, 3/2 MBA Class of 2022

It is hard to believe that it is the summer of 2021. It has been a long, difficult, and rewarding year for me. Some of my closest friends/family battled cancer, mental health issues, and COVID this year. During this time, I was in my first year of the 3/2 MBA Program which came with its own set of challenges and learning experiences. This year has taught me many life lessons (professionally and personally) that I will be forever grateful for, and I would like to share some with you all with the hope that you may take something away from this post.

Place trust in the teams you work with – While it may seem simple, this was extremely important to my success in graduate school this year. Developing trust with your teammates and being able to lean on each other during crunch time is essential. Working in teams is collaborative, but that does not mean you need to helicopter or shop everything that you did not work on firsthand. I always placed trust in my teammates to deliver quality work and that trust was never misplaced because we had developed an effective professional relationship with one another. We knew what each person was good at and trusted each other to be effective in those areas. This made us an efficient team, we were goal-oriented, collaborative, trusted one another and held everyone accountable.
Know your strengths and play to them – In a college setting (maybe professionally as well), it is easy to say “I am an accounting major, that’s what my strength is” but how does that differentiate you in a room full of accounting majors? How does that define what makes you essential to a team? Among my fellow Kelley MBA students, I quickly learned what skills I had that were most helpful to my team and spent time with my teammates ironing out what each of us truly brought to the table. This allowed us to almost instantly know how to divvy up projects and have great trust that after we were aligned on the end goal, each individual would produce high-quality work on their own. It is far better to know exactly what you want to contribute to a solution/idea/project than be the person who says, “give me whatever is left over/I can do anything”. Anyone in graduate school (or in the workplace) can get any of the work done, but who can do it best? Who can do it most efficiently? That is what is important and that is where the trust to do your best work comes from.
Tomorrow is always a day away – This year was the busiest/most stressed I have ever been in my life. I was recruiting for work, in graduate school, and dealing with some of my closest friends/family being sick/in and out of hospitals. During this time, my hobbies took a back seat to everything else that was going on in my life. I think it is an easy out for us to tell ourselves “I am too busy right now; I’ll have time to get to that another day (or month or even year!)” Those who have been closest to me and are sick right now have all told me something similar regarding this, they all say “there are so many things I wanted to do later and never got to” it really puts in place how finite our time here is. You will never “have time” to do the things you are putting off; you must take the time to do them through sacrifice. So, if you have the idea to start a hobby, write a book, etc. get started now and do not keep kicking the can down the road. Putting some of these things first in my own life has allowed me to get through the most difficult time in my life with a smile and eagerness.

Alumni Involvement in the 3/2 MBA Program

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Graduate Accounting Programs

Photograph of Cole Sears, 3/2 MBA Class of 2018

By Cole Sears, 3/2 MBA Class of 2018 co-founder of Outpost and a principal of Batshit Crazy Ventures (BCV)

3/2 MBA students are uniquely prepared at graduation to enter the workforce, far more than the average undergraduate or MBA. This is a result of receiving a top-tier education and being given numerous opportunities to apply what we have learned in experiential settings and receive feedback from industry experts.

It is commonly said that real-world experiences are exponentially better than going to college. That is half true. While on-the-job training, such as actually doing the work and learning to deal with people, emotions, and issues is something that cannot be taught in a classroom some professions also require technical training. Accounting is one of those professions that require hundreds of hours of education and studying to learn and apply properly. To be an effective accountant, whether in public practice, corporate, or some other field, you must have the technical expertise and the soft skills that come from real-world experiences. The 3/2 MBA program perfectly combines both technical training and real-world application through constant interactions with field study programs, consulting projects, and alumni who regularly return to campus.

From the first day of orientation, the 3/2 MBA program is intentional about providing meaningful interactions between 3/2 students and alumni. These contact points to the real world are what make 3/2 students so well-prepared for post-graduate life. I have never heard of a program with so many engaged alumni – from 1st-year associates to C-Suite executives at F500 companies. There is no obligation for alumni to fly across the country during the busy season, yet 3/2 alumni do that every year just to spend a few hours in the classroom with 3/2 students. This involvement is a testament to the value of the training 3/2 students receive and the program’s faculty. If the 3/2 training was not world-class, then top alumni from all over the country would not sacrifice their time to return to campus and actively recruit current students to join them at their firms – something that is done quite often.

As someone who has greatly benefited from this program and the involvement of its alumni, I am convinced I have a duty to “send the elevator back down” as so many did for me. Only graduating a few years ago, I do not yet have the experience or recognition that many of the 3/2 alumni have, but the success of the program relies on alumni at every level giving our time and sharing our experiences with those following in our footsteps.

Selfishly, coming back to campus and being involved also provides an incredible opportunity to network and continue learning from the 3/2 MBA faculty and mentors I have gained along the way.

Staying connected to the program allows me the opportunity to continue expanding my network both in the corporate world and at IU. This network has already resulted in finding my mentor, a potential business partner in China, and lasting friendships that I know I can call on if I need assistance – professionally or personally.

The 3/2 MBA alumni network, faculty, and current students are some of the most accomplished individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This diversity leads to a diverse learning experience, before and after you graduate. As 3/2 students, we don’t only learn from a professor on a topic, but also numerous alumni eager to engage who went through the same scenario in different environments, who made different decisions, and that resulted in different outcomes. The exposure that a student receives to different ideas and methods to accomplish the same task prepares students to think critically and be flexible when situations arise after graduation.

As Kelley alumni, we have a responsibility to give back in the same way others gave to us. Being involved in the experiential learning of the 3/2 MBA program is an incredible way to assist current students, give back to Kelley, and ensure a Kelley degree is more valuable tomorrow than it was yesterday.

The Path to Success in the MSADA Program

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Graduate Accounting Programs

By Nicole Malinowski, MSADA Class of 2021

As the graduation festivities begin to die down a month after ending my collegiate experience at IU, life has become an endless stream of preparing for CPA exams and counting down the days to starting my full-time job in audit at EY. This past month has also given me the chance to reflect on both the challenges and successes this past year has brought. Beginning a fast-paced, one-year master’s program in the middle of a global pandemic, it was difficult to imagine where the year would take me. While the experience my classmates and I had was slightly altered due to the circumstances we faced, the MSADA program gave us a year filled with applicable knowledge, inspiring professors, and lasting friendships.

What immediately draws most people to this program is the ability to simultaneously earn the credit hours required to sit for the CPA exam and earn a master’s degree, all in one short year. However, there is much more that can be gained from the program if you are willing to put yourself out there and make the most of the experience. My biggest points of advice for doing so are fully embracing your class material, getting to know your professors, and building lasting relationships with your classmates.

For incoming students, I would encourage you to truly soak up the information you are learning throughout your classes. This year, more than any other year of college, your classes are aimed at giving you the practical knowledge you need to enter your full-time career in the accounting industry. You will also find many of your classes to be incredibly helpful in studying for your CPA exams, so you have a great opportunity to fast-track your study efforts. Arguably even more valuable than the general accounting knowledge you will gain are the hands-on experiences the program provides. Preparing a dashboard in Power BI for a Bloomington business, conducting data analysis in Python, and crafting an entire audit plan are just a few of the projects that simultaneously taught me new skills and built up my confidence in my problem-solving abilities.

Another way to ensure success throughout the program is to take advantage of the incredibly intelligent and experienced professors at your disposal. The professors all come from diverse and impressive backgrounds, and they can really give you a taste of what a career in various industries would be like. They are extremely approachable and focused on your growth. Whether taking time to sit down with them to better understand the class material or to just chat about their careers, a lot can be gained from getting to know your professors. Even in a year where much communication was restricted to virtual settings, the professors ensured we had the opportunity to get to know them and gain their insight.

My final piece of advice is to really get to know your classmates. One of the best parts of this program for me was being able to build so many friendships along the way. Your classmates truly become your support system and constantly challenge you to grow and improve yourself. I know I will be a stronger teammate going into the workforce now that I have had the opportunity to learn from many talented classmates with strengths and backgrounds different from my own. Getting to go through this experience with such a small group of people will really bond you together, and I know I have made life-long friendships through this program.

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