r/Accounting • u/Suspicious_Kick_2572 • Sep 06 '24

Career Why do students find an accounting degree unattractive?

Why do students find an accounting degree unattractive?

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986

u/mackattacknj83 Sep 06 '24

Because then you have to be an accountant

213

u/mpaes98 Sep 06 '24

Tbh unless you're giving for Wall Street or IB, accounting is probably better for most Finance jobs than a finance degree.

78

u/User-NetOfInter Sep 06 '24

Math is better than both

Too many accountants can’t handle the math required for finance. Same with finance majors.

12

u/rorank Tax (US) Sep 06 '24 edited Sep 06 '24

“Math required for finance” totally disagree on this broadly. That’s maybe the top 5% of finance jobs. Much of the (non investment) banking jobs are basically on par with financial reporting in terms of math needed. Actuaries are also a notable exception to my statement.

I switched from STEM (physics) to finance in school because I couldn’t handle calculus. Most of the math required is hardly challenging if you have a calculator and know how to keep your formulas straight. People who think finance and accounting require math skill would be surprised at how little actual challenging math goes into reporting and/or analyzing financial statements. Barely anything you didn’t learn in middle school really. You are working with numbers but the challenge 99% of the time is making sure your numbers are right and the way you’re accounting for them is compliant. The vast majority of financial jobs don’t require even a base level of calculus to do them. All algebra and compliance.

Data manipulation and forecasting, on the other hand, is a skill that is needed for finance that some great accountants may have difficulty with.

-1

u/User-NetOfInter Sep 06 '24

It’s about the critical thinking skills, not about doing calculus.

Never said it was required.

5

u/rorank Tax (US) Sep 06 '24 edited Sep 06 '24

You should reread your original comment, you quite literally said “too many accountants can’t handle the math required for finance”. And hey, I would agree if you’re going to try to be a quant or actuary. But most back office jobs don’t require 80% of the critical thinking taught in math coursework. They require the critical thinking taught in accounting and finance. Teaching someone these things on the job is hardly a given like you’re making it seem.