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FAR More Than Just an Education

I sat for the FAR section of the CPA exam on January 24th. On January 25th I was showered from friends, family and classmates with questions about how well I performed. The results for the exam will not be released until February 20th but I provided the consistent answer of “I passed it”. Some responded with surprise about how I would have received my grade back & others immediately realized that I was maintaining an optimistic view. The truth is, I don’t know if I passed it but what I do know is that the Jenkins MAC program has given me the confidence and the skills and knowledge to make the bold statement.

Prior to joining the program, I was a bank manager. The job paid well enough but did not provide the sense of fulfillment or a career path that I could see myself eventually content with. Banking experience does not translate well into accounting or finance positions. In fact, I spent years trying to find a job that was tangent to anything in those fields. It quickly became evident that I would need additional education to change careers; however, there was always a reason why it was a bad time. To further occupy my time, I am proprietor and landlord of a small single-family home rental business, a fitness enthusiast and husband of twelve years to the best wife. I didn’t receive the motivation I needed to make the commitment until my son was born. He gave me the push I needed to compliment the desire I already had.

Joining the program has been one of the best life choices I have made. It started with meeting the director of the program. The advising session with Scott Showalter was unlike any other. It was not a session in the traditional sense in that the focus is course planning. Instead, it focused on helping me identify what I wanted to accomplish during and after the program. With my goals set, I rushed headfirst into a nine-credit hour summer.

The program defies the view most have of traditional academia. It’s not sitting in a classroom as a professor lectures and the students take notes. It is a hands-on experience that gives you the tools you need to complete assignments that reflect workplace expectations. The work is challenging but rewarding. It goes beyond debit and credits, it’s learning to use analytics software like tableau and SQL, CPA exam preparation, cracking passwords and reading IP packets.

The last and possibly most notable experience was getting introduced to my new employer. The school’s reputation attracts top firms from around the nation to vie for its students. At the end of the recruitment process I had several offers of employment, one of which was a local company that I am beyond elated to work for.

Don’t let time, age or fear get in your way. It is never too late to start and there is nothing that cannot be overcome with the appropriate amount of commitment.

Until next time!

Yusif