Should I study Accounting or MIS? (San Jose: attorneys, transfer, school)

[vi3tdrgn]

I just transferred to a 4 year university, and I applied for MIS. The fall quarter will start soon, and I still dont know if I love MIS or not. I like Accounting too. I want to get a master degree. My dream is to start my own business so which major is better for me?

The Cons pp told me about MIS: as I get older I will not able to update my skills like the young students, and I will get laid off and will be hard to find a different job because company like young smart students and salary is also low because they have no experience.

I'm so indecisive, I need to figure this out now before too late. Any advice would be really appreciated.

[SportyandMisty]

If it were me, I would major in Accounting, with a sub-specialty in Tax Accounting. When the time comes, if I'm still interested, I'd pick up an MS in Taxation at San Jose State (this program is highly regarded around the nation).

Major employers always need tax accountants. Major employers also seem to jerk MIS employees around a lot (downsizing, outsourcing, etc). The demand for tax accountants (and tax attorneys) has been very strong for decades, with no let up in sight.

But that's me. YMMV.

Having said that, take a few MIS classes. If your school allows it, you could even "minor" in MIS.

[spicydreamt]

Originally Posted by vi3tdrgn

The Cons pp told me about MIS: as I get older I will not able to update my skills like the young students

Why is that? I always assumed the main reason older people don't update their skills is out of laziness due to comfortable position and salary and the perception of stability - not because they are "older" per se.

[jk88cal]

Study the field that you enjoy. If both are equally desired, then I would go with Accounting.

If you want to run your own business and be your own boss, Accounting would be better than MIS. MIS currently is heavily outsourced. Accounting might be outsourced in the future, but there is always local need as customer-client relationship is important.

[marcopolo666]

Study the field that you enjoy. If money is a significant issue (I mean, you want to earn lots of it) and if you want to run your own business and be your own boss, be a plumber. You can easily earn over $100K a year as a self-employed plumber, and $60K/yr as a union plumber, and you wouldn't be spending all that time and money getting a degree.

[NickB1967]

I would do MIS first, although Accounting is always good to know. I am a CPA.

However, if you have a burning passion to study something, do *anything* other than accounting.

Accounting is for those of us who, when "Career Day" at school came around, didn't know what to pick. :-D

[vi3tdrgn]

I'm so stucked, School will start very soon and I still don't know what my passion is.

[marcopolo666]

Plumbing, hopefully.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by NickB1967

I would do MIS first, although Accounting is always good to know. I am a CPA.

However, if you have a burning passion to study something, do *anything* other than accounting.

Accounting is for those of us who, when "Career Day" at school came around, didn't know what to pick. :-D

Are you serious? A self-employed CPA generally earns around $200-400k per year depending on how many employees they have (i.e. how many clients they can attract). Even a CPA who works for himself and has no employees will make at least $100k/year.

OP: Do accounting, especially if you plan on getting a masters. BA in accounting and MS in taxation. Then join a CPA firm as an associate (NOT a staff accountant at a corporation) and study for your CPA exam.

[marcopolo666]

Yeah, that's a lot better than a plumber.