Overwhelming is right!

The new Accounting Majors gathered yesterday evening for their official Welcome Session. Looked to be approximately 100 of us. Very competitive entry this year, or so they said. It didn't appear to be what they tell ALL the classes, but you can never be sure. Said they had more than the usual requests for Accounting this semester, which is interesting. When requesting admission I had to pick my first, second, and third choice of majors - which was difficult because there was such a steep drop off after the first choice. I'm imagining there are a few - or many - students (and their parents!) faced with deciding whether to stay in their second choice of major or try for accounting again next semester. I don't envy them.

During the session they showed us what our next four semesters are likely to look like and here is a list of the classes:

Acct 310 Cost & Managerial Accounting
Acct 400A Intermediate Financial Accounting I
Acct 400B Intermediate Financial Accounting II
Acct 451 Analysis of Financial Statements
Acct 461 Accounting Information Systems
BNAD 314R Business Communication
Econ 300 Microeconomic Analysis for Business Decisions
Econ 330 Macroeconomic Institutions & Policy
FIN 360 Quantitative Financial Management
Mgmt 310A Organization Behavior & Management
Mgmt 402 Integrating Business Fundamentals with Ethics & Law in Management
MIS 304 Using and Managing Information Systems
MIS 373 Basic Operations Management
Mktg 361 Introduction to Marketing
Plus two more Accounting electives

Yikes! You'll think I'm nuts, but they all look really interesting and I can't wait to get started. Planning to take Acct 310 and MIS 304 this summer. I'm already sure one of my electives will be Acct 420 Introduction to Federal Taxation since I already know some of it.

One thing I like is the emphasis they place on the cohort system. During admission we had to choose a morning or afternoon cohort (mornings, please!) and thereafter they will place us with the same group throughout our academic career. They explained that they want students to feel a sense of community - not just attend class, get our degree, and leave.

It's partly due to the age differential and partly my own fault that I haven't really established a sense of community so far, so I'm looking forward to this forced/coerced version that will do some of the work for me!

About half the room raised their hands when asked if they were interested in becoming a CPA. I wasn't one of them, but I'll keep my options open and see what transpires in the next two years to change my mind. At my age and stage of career, it doesn't seem worth the extra time and effort with respect to its value, but I might decide differently later on.

Eller College is also well known for their Entrepreneurship Program which could be similar to a minor for us Accounting majors. That would unfold during Fall 2010 for me, if I decided to go that route. We aren't required to choose a minor and I hadn't intended on it, but I do want to learn more about the program.

So I have a full calendar for the next couple of years! Let's get started already!