Reflections of a Graduating MAcc Student

As I close out my time in the MAcc program I look back on the memories and experiences from Fisher College of Business.  From this reflection comes tips and suggestions for those entering specialized master’s programs at Ohio State:

First, make connections with your classmates.  Within weeks of classes starting, I reached out to classmates for various reasons regarding projects and studying together.  Doing so felt odd as I transitioned from my undergraduate school where I had strong social circles to beginning a program where I did not know any classmates.  However, taking the step to reach out carried an invaluable impact on the remainder of my time in the program.  I found peers who became close friends and resources.  From spending weekends at sports games and exploring Columbus to helping each other through challenging courses, these relationships greatly enhanced my experience in the program.

Second, make plans for courses.  Most (if not all) of your classes will last terms of eight weeks.  This pace moved quite a bit faster than my experience with sixteen-week undergraduate courses.  I experienced spurts where many due dates lay within days of one another and that put a premium on time management.  I kept a planner for all the tasks I needed to get done over the week and tracked assignments further out on Carmen, Ohio State’s online class page platform.  This helped me stay on top of classwork and allowed for a balanced life.

Lastly, choose your schedule wisely.  When picking classes consult the MAcc curriculum resources to ensure you meet requirements with elective work and overall credits.  Within this, choose classes that interest you!  One of the greatest strengths of the MAcc program at Ohio State is the elective work, it allowed me to pursue topics in finance and leadership that interested me.  In one of my courses, I had the opportunity to consult for a non-profit practicing interpersonal skills among applying lessons learned through coursework.  Taking advantage of these opportunities can improve your career trajectory, providing you exposure to business areas outside your specialty and shaping how you approach problem-solving.

This academic year spent pursuing the Master of Accounting at the Fisher College of Business provided countless opportunities for growth both personally and professionally.  From finding an incredible job to utilizing course offerings to broaden my perspectives, I learned lessons and found interests I did not anticipate uncovering when I chose to enroll in this program.  I am excited to apply these lessons I have learned as I begin my career in public accounting this summer following graduation.