u/Environmental-Quail6

I’m an accounting major finishing my degree in 3 years in May 2027 with a Big 4 audit internship that summer. I would normally start my career in Fall 2028. I’ve been leaning strongly against doing a MAcc. I don't like the idea of doing a MAcc as I've had Big 4 partners tell me not to do it. This subreddit has also convinced me a lot. I would rather get the remaining credits cheaply through community college, focus on passing the CPA, and potentially start working earlier.

My dad strongly disagrees. He believes the additional accounting education from a MAcc would meaningfully help my long-term career success. He did coursework up to a PhD (not in the U.S.) and worked in Big 4.

I already asked the Big 4 firm if not doing the MAcc would allow me to move my full-time start date earlier, but they said they won’t know until September.

So assuming they don’t move my start date and I’d have a full year before starting full-time:

1. Should I just do the MAcc? I'm not worried about monetary costs, it's the opportunity cost that bothers me.

2. Or would it make more sense to work, study for the CPA, or do something else during that year?

Also, it's better to apply for the MAcc sooner rather than later as you have a higher chance of getting scholarships. Should I just apply now or wait until I get a response on starting earlier from the firm?

I’m an accounting major graduating next year and will be doing a Big 4 audit internship next summer. Originally, I told them I planned to do a MAcc afterward since I’m graduating in 3 years and I need more credits to reach the 150.

After reading a lot of discussions here and talking to professionals, I’ve reconsidered whether the MAcc is actually worth it. I realized I can meet the 150-hour requirement far cheaper through other means.

I asked the Big 4 firm whether not doing the MAcc would allow me to move my expected full-time start, but they said no. So now I likely have about a year between graduation and my Big 4 full-time start date.

This semester I’m also interning at a mid-tier firm. One option I’ve considered is accepting a full-time offer there for that year, which would:

1. Give me real audit experience,

2. Access to Becker a year earlier for the CPA

The downside is that I would likely leave after a year to join the Big 4 firm I already interned with.

Is taking the mid-tier firm full-time offer for a year a bad idea?

Should I instead focus entirely on passing the CPA?

Or is there a better way to use that year?