Counting the Factors: How to Know if an Accounting Degree is Best for You

An accounting degree doesn’t require you to put your life on the line in order to rescue other people’s lives like a policeman. An accounting degree doesn’t require you to rely on your physical appearance to put food on the table like supermodels and actors. But an accounting degree does require you to have the following factors if you wish to become successful in your chosen career:

Ethical – An accounting degree will give you a future where your ethics are put on the test. The love for money is the root of all evil, indeed, and it’s your job to ensure that nobody gets away from having too much love for dollars, yens, or whatever currency. Of course, you have to make sure that you don’t get tempted to play hooky as well.

Analytical – An accounting degree requires you to have strong analytical skills and hone them to perfection. That’s because in the financial world, nothing you see is real. Everything has to be validated and verified and if you don’t think you’re up to performing intense problem-solving skills at all times then an accounting degree may not be the right choice for you.

Love for Numbers – Accounting frequently deals with math. While you certainly don’t have to be a whiz in trigonometry or logarithms, you do have to be proficient in arithmetic and with an innate love and understanding for solving mathematical problems. There is no gray area for this. You either love it or you don’t and if it’s the latter, then once again, pursuing an accounting degree may not be the right step for you.

Strong Communication Skills – Contrary to popular opinion, accounting degree graduates aren't all mumbling four-eyed individuals who can only speak algebra and nothing else. If that’s the case, then every corporation in this nation would probably have a field day getting away with all the financial tricks they can think of. An accounting degree will require you to be able to effectively communicate the problems you have identified and the solutions you deem practical to implement.

When people question your judgment, it’s important that you be able to defend your stand competently and convincingly or risk losing your clients.

An accounting degree doesn’t necessarily require you to be an accountant in the future. It can simply be used to provide you with the knowledge and understanding of how financial matters are processed and how money can be represented and misrepresented in various ways.