For College Students

Studying accounting unlocks the potential to become a leader in whatever field you choose. Unlike a general business degree, a CPA comes with a focused set of professional skills. Employers know CPAs are well educated and business savvy.

So whether you’re thinking about choosing accounting as your major or are getting ready to graduate with an accounting degree, check out these useful tips.

Excellence in Accounting Scholarship

The 2008 - 2009 application deadline is Aptil 15, 2008.

The Excellence in Accounting Scholarship of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and its Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE) offers an annual scholarship to provide financial assistance to deserving candidates who plan to enter the accounting profession.

Scholarships are $2500/$1500 for full/part-time students. The FAE Excellence in Accounting Scholarship program will only fund declared accounting with at least 60 credits. Recipients must apply yearly, the scholarship is not renewable. The program is administered by FAE, a 501(c) (3) organization.

An FAE Campus Ambassador at each College or University in New York State will collect all applications. The Campus Ambassador will work with the campus accounting department and the college financial aid office to select 3 deserving candidates based on scholarship and financial need. These candidates will then be forwarded to a statewide selection committee. Each program is guaranteed at least one scholarship. Additional scholarships for each school will depend on the total number of available scholarships.

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• have declared a major in accounting as described below and, if applicable, been accepted to that major;
• be residents of New York State and either U.S. citizens or permanent residents. If you are not a U.S. citizen or do not have a permanent resident visa, you are NOT eligible for a scholarship and should not submit this application;
• be enrolled at or accepted to a New York State college or university that offers an accounting program(s) registered by the N.Y. State Education Department as meeting the educational requirements for admission to the CPA examination (hereafter designated as a “Registered College”);
• have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours by the application date. Part-time students or students whose programs have followed an irregular pattern must be at an equivalent stage. In addition such students must have successfully completed the college’s introductory course(s) in accounting;
• have achieved an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (based on a four-point system) for the above 60+ credit hours;
• have completed and filed a FAFSA application and been approved for financial aid; you are not eligible for the scholarship if you have not applied and been approved for financial aid and should not submit this application;
• have an FAE Campus Ambassador or Department Chair approval

Click here to download the application. Click here to view the current list of Ambassadors. If you school is NOT on this list, please contact Jake Goshert at jgoshert@nysscpa.org.

Stay on Top of Your Future Profession: Become an NYSSCPA Member Even If You’re Not Yet a CPA!

For only $10 a year, undergraduates can become Associate Student members of the NYSSCPA. What better way to get ahead in today’s competitive job market?

Check out some of the benefits:

• Opportunities to Network: Improve your changes of finding a great job with access to thousands of accounting professionals through participation in one of 17 local NYSSCPA chapters or more than 60 committees across New York State.
• The CPA Journal: A $21 value! Get the most timely analysis, debate, and interpretation of current issues in the accounting profession delivered to your door.
• The Trusted Professional: A $15 value! The Society’s newspaper that provides accounting and NYSSCPA news.
• Group Discounts: Obtain discounts tailor-made for students, including great rates on credit cards.
• Technical Assistance and Know-how: The Society is a valuable resource for all your accounting, auditing, and tax questions.
• Discounted Professional Education: All of our seminars and conferences are available to all our members at a discount.
• Online 24/7: Access virtually all our services via the Web at your convenience.
• Political Advocacy: Our 30,000 members mean our voice – and yours – will be heard in Congress and the state Legislature.

To apply online, click here.

To request an application form by mail, contact the Membership Department at 1-(800) NYSSCPA.

For further information about the dues structure, click here.

Useful Links for College Students

• Beta Alpha Psi: The premier national financial honors fraternity for financial information professionals. Check out this site for their calendar of events, chapter handbook, available scholarships, and job links.

• The official student Web site of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA): Find out more about the best college accounting programs, how to become a CPA, and career opportunities.

• How to become an accountant in New York State: Find out what you need to do to take the first steps toward becoming a CPA in New York State.

• Information about the CPA Examination: Learn everything you need to know about the CPA licensing examination.

• Learn more about what an entry-level accountant really does: Check out this site for detailed information about jobs in the accounting field.

• Career Opportunities Handbook: A valuable resource for internships and entry-level opportunities to gain valuable work experience.

• Search for jobs: Visit this independent online career site for accounting and finance professionals.

• Occupational Outlook of Accounting Jobs: The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides further information about the nature of the work, employment data, training and qualifications, job outlook, and salary information.

• Salary information: An accounting career provides individuals with competitive entry-level salaries and long-term growth potential, especially if you’ve earned your CPA designation.