Studying Abroad for Accounting Students

Studying abroad is a great opportunity for college students pursuing a any kind of degree. It is not only a process where someone can learn in an enjoyable, new atmosphere, but it is also an opportunity to greatly enhance the value of your degree.  However, when a student is pursuing a degree in accounting, they need to look at many different aspects when weighing the costs and benefits of studying in a different country. Since every major prepares students for jobs of a specific category, it is important to examine whether studying abroad would be ideal for your major. Going to a different country for accounting students can enrich their education, but it also bears some burdens. It is important to look at both the pros and the cons before making a decision to study abroad.

One way that studying abroad can help students in the field of accounting is that it can really set you apart. Being able to put on your resume that you studied outside of the country makes you stand out, which can lead to getting an interview and even a job! Many students will have different activities that they were involved in during their college career. However, if an employer is stuck between two candidates, studying abroad may be able give you that edge. Not only can studying abroad set you apart to get a job, but it can give an understanding of business and cultures from other parts of the world. A large part of auditing involves interacting with clients, who may or may not originally be from the same country as you. By learning about a different culture, accountants are more likely to respectfully and correctly interact with clients of a different culture.  It is also rare in today's society to work with people of just one nationality, so it is important to learn and respect other's cultures. Also it is important to remember that today we have a globalized economy. This means that often times companies will have clients from around the world, so it is important for people to be cultured and know more than just what their country has to offer. All things considered, studying abroad can help accounting students in many different aspects.

Although studying abroad can help broaden your horizons, it does have its drawbacks, especially for accounting students. One major problem with studying abroad for accounting students is that since accounting does have its own regulations for each country, it is difficult for accounting students to receive credits for any accounting classes they may take while abroad. Since many accounting students already want to earn 150 credits, this can prolong graduation to take over five years with a normal course load.  Another problem with going abroad is the cost. Along with the cost of tuition, room, and board, extra expenses had to be made for travel. With the fact that some credits may not even transfer, the cost can be huge. Also while studying abroad people usually need more money for doing different tourist activities like sight-seeing and buying souvenirs. A final problem is that depending on what field of accounting students decide to go into, they may benefit less than a student going for a different degree. For example, someone getting a job as a tax accountant will spend a lot more time alone at their desk than someone in a different field that is constantly interacting with clients. This means some accounting students would pay the same amount as others to study abroad, but only receive a fraction of the benefits. All of this should be taken into consideration, and these drawbacks do not mean studying abroad for accounting students is a bad idea, but it is important to identify.

When looking at both the good and the bad of studying abroad for accounting students, it can be an overall great experience. However, this does not mean it is for everyone. Students need to assess on an individual basis whether studying abroad would be a good decision for them. Students need to examine how greatly they need to build their resume, and how often they will be interacting with other people. Students also need to think about how long they are willing to spend in school, and if they are able to afford it. All in all, studying abroad is a valuable experience for students pursuing any degree, but accounting students need to properly evaluate whether the benefits of studying in a different country will help their specific career plans enough to pay the cost.

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