[charliex]

From an Astronaut in the early '60's to totally spaced-out by the late '60's
And now a teacher for past 35 years......(therefore still spaced-out)

 

[goober-george]

Magician at first because I believed they could do anything, then a ninja turtle.

 

[El_Doug]

Unless you want the CPA simply to attract clients, I strongly suggest you avoid that set of letters like the plague.  The exam is next to impossible (though I somehow managed to pass my first time).  Worse, you have to put up with a year of public audit to earn the title - most boring work EVER. 
 
I work in tax now, where I can tell you that I just about never use any financial accounting.  Ironically, I am considering law school part time, which my firm would pay for in full - would get me out of federal tax and into something more interesting, hopefully international  
 
Quote:

Funny thing is, while in law school, I discovered that I really enjoyed estate planning and taxation. Shockingly, I did alright with the numbers, when I thought I hated math. So I went back to school for a degree in accounting and the goal of also becoming a CPA. I got the highest grades in my career in accounting - something I *never* thought I would enjoy. I even loved the business calculus I had to take. Anyhow, I got the accounting degree and was promptly sucked into... corporate litigation. I have been too busy to sit for the CPA exam and haven't looked for a job in accounting. But I will. I finish what I start and I will be a CPA sooner or later. I'm a little bit burned out on law, anyway, and want to try something new.

 

[ssavage]

Quote:

Unless you want the CPA simply to attract clients, I strongly suggest you avoid that set of letters like the plague.  The exam is next to impossible (though I somehow managed to pass my first time).  Worse, you have to put up with a year of public audit to earn the title - most boring work EVER. 
 
I work in tax now, where I can tell you that I just about never use any financial accounting.  Ironically, I am considering law school part time, which my firm would pay for in full - would get me out of federal tax and into something more interesting, hopefully international  
 

sounds boring

 

[Ypoknons]

Interesting. I took the CPA-route accounting degree at NYU (and I did work at PWC tax for a summer) but never took the US CPA exam. I'm working on law degree in Hong Kong now, going to see how that combo works out. 
 
Quote:

Unless you want the CPA simply to attract clients, I strongly suggest you avoid that set of letters like the plague.  The exam is next to impossible (though I somehow managed to pass my first time).  Worse, you have to put up with a year of public audit to earn the title - most boring work EVER. 
 
I work in tax now, where I can tell you that I just about never use any financial accounting.  Ironically, I am considering law school part time, which my firm would pay for in full - would get me out of federal tax and into something more interesting, hopefully international  
 

 

[Mad Max]

I wanted to pilot one of these when I was a kid.
 
 

 

[luckybaer]

Wolverine.  That's who I wanted to be.  I wouldn't be in the X-Men, though.  I'd be the best free-lance missing persons locator in the world.

 

[Mr.Sir]

I wanted to be a professional sportsman or a scientist.
 
So far I am training on my country's high performance squad and studying mathematics at university.
 
I still hope to fulfil both ambitions.

 

[ssavage]

Quote:

I wanted to pilot one of these when I was a kid.
 
 

looks like very good origami haha

 

[hahahigh]

A writer. And then I started reading real literature and realized that perhaps I should find another profession.

 

[Region2]

This is a really interesting thread.
 
I was a weird child, when I was 9 I wanted to be an astrophysicist and work for NASA to create cool things like the Hubble Telescope.  At 11, a marine biologist saved me life as he caught me as I fell off the railing at the Grand Canyon and while waiting for parents he told me all sorts of cool stuff so I thought that would be an awesome profession.  From age 12 I wanted to be a doctor.  I even went as far as going into medical school, but I'm on break from that.  One day I want to return, but as I'm getting married, I can't really expect someone to be cool with having a husband that wants to work for Médecins Sans Frontières.  So I guess I still want to be a doctor, but I have a lot of responsibilities to my current company and then I have to take over my family's business, so maybe going back to school so I can open up a free clinic would be something on the list.
 
And like hahahigh, I wanted to be a writer, but I just wanted to produce children's literature like Bruce Coville, Philip Pullman, or Madeleine L'Engle.  I doubt I'll ever be talented enough for that, but it'll still be nice to try it.

 

[jeffreyj900]

I found something about a year ago....  It was from around the sixth grade where I asserted I wanted to be a used car salesman.

 

[Uncle Erik]

El_Doug, I guess I won't try to talk you out of law school, then. Is it unhealthy to admit that part of the attraction of the CPA exam is its difficulty? I have a pretty good idea of what the auditing is like. It doesn't sound that bad and - honestly - it would be a nice change from the late night litigation slog going on seven years now. I wouldn't mind being sent off on travel assignments, either, just to see some new places. Another reason I'd like the designation is that extra qualifications keep you from being cannon fodder at a law firm. Associates are thrown into the meat grinder and treated at disposable. Put a CPA, LLM, MBA, MD, etc. at the end of your title and they don't screw with you as much. The partners can tack another $200-$300 onto your hourly rate and, suddenly, become slightly more concerned about whether you're burning out or possibly looking to leave.

 

[Ypoknons]

I know your comment was meant for El Doug, but if that was really true it could be a real incentive for me to take the CPA... 
 
Quote:

Another reason I'd like the designation is that extra qualifications keep you from being cannon fodder at a law firm. Associates are thrown into the meat grinder and treated at disposable. Put a CPA, LLM, MBA, MD, etc. at the end of your title and they don't screw with you as much. The partners can tack another $200-$300 onto your hourly rate and, suddenly, become slightly more concerned about whether you're burning out or possibly looking to leave.

 

[HeadCred]

your profile does seem to say so, hahaha