Major Highlight: Accounting

Although I mostly talk about horses and my Equestrian Science classes, I am also majoring in Accounting. When most people hear the word “accounting”, they think of math equations, lots of numbers, men in fancy suits and dollar bills. In reality, accounting is simply the method for keeping track of what happens in a business. Yes, there is math and a lot of numbers involved, but the math portion is just addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Personally, I am not a fan of math or numbers, but I took an accounting class at a community college and fell in love. There is just something satisfying about the way everything has its own place and making sure everything is organized.

Sample Income Statement

                Most degrees will require students to take a basic accounting class. The class will teach you fundamental skills which will help you understand business ideas and how to manage your finances. Some common topics will involve financial statements, balance sheets, debits and credits, assets, liabilities and expenses. Basically, you will learn how to track where your money comes from and where it goes. By learning how to keep records of any transactions, you will be able to form a story about what goes on in a business and how they spend their money.

                If that sounds like fun, then you might want to be an accountant! If you choose to embark on this wonder path, then you will take classes such as Intermediate Accounting, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Taxes and Accounting for Payroll (such original names, right?). There we learn the more advanced accounting methods, like how to record more complicated transactions and how to use those records and financial statements to run the business more efficiently. This semester I am taking Intermediate Accounting II and Auditing. Auditing is when a group of trained people (called Auditors) are hired to make sure a business’ accounting is following all the rules. If the auditors approve of the business’ financial records and there is nothing illegal going on, then they write a letter about their approval and then the business can use that letter to help convince banks to give them a loan.    

Accounting Classroom

                Another main job of accountants is helping people file their taxes. Tax laws can be really confusing, so people and businesses hire accountants to help them file taxes correctly. Learning how taxes work and how to use the different forms can be difficult at first, but the more you work at it and practice, the more familiar taxes will become.

                A lot of people shy away from an accounting career, but don’t knock it ‘til you try it! It is way different than I imagined it to be. Pursuing an accounting career is a fantastic opportunity for an amazing career, especially if you enjoy it!

~Jennah