Updated November 2024
As he neared the end of his undergraduate degree at the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, accounting student Luke Dennison, BS’23, GCA’23, MSA’24, calculated his next steps. Luke wants to become a certified public accountant (CPA), and he needs to pass the CPA exam and earn 150 college credits to become certified.
After four years at Kelley Indianapolis, Luke was familiar with the accounting program and faculty, whom he enjoyed. When he learned Kelley students can take select graduate courses at undergraduate rates, Luke saw how it could help him reach his goals.
“When I considered my plans to pursue the CPA license after my undergraduate degree, I realized I wouldn’t have the 150 credit hours needed for certification, so I needed to pick up additional classes,” Luke said. “I didn’t want to start another undergraduate degree or add an unrelated minor. I want to be prepared for this career and what it takes to get there. If an accounting graduate certificate can get me there, why not go for it?”
Luke enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Accounting (GCA) at Kelley Indianapolis to earn 12 credit hours at the graduate level. The GCA offers a wider array of accounting electives than undergrad, including courses like Advanced Tax, Advanced Business Law, and Information Technology Auditing; classes open only to undergraduates enrolled in the GCA.
Students also have the flexibility to finish the last six credit hours in evenings and during the summer after graduation while they study for the CPA exam. This is what Luke chose to do after graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 2023.
“Through the GCA, I’ve gained a lot of technical knowledge on topics like entity taxation and advanced topics in financial accounting. I’ve enjoyed learning things that I would not have picked up in undergraduate studies,” Luke said. “You also get to interact more with faculty at the graduate level and have deeper conversations than you would in an undergrad section. I really enjoy the experiences with Kelley Indianapolis faculty. They’re experts at what they do. You have access to incredibly qualified and amazing people who can open doors to future opportunities.”
Luke completed a fourth internship at local public accounting firm DOZ before joining as an audit associate in June. As he added advanced accounting knowledge to his skill set, he noticed he was able to understand the wider picture of accounting and auditing, versus focusing on the procedures alone. This deeper understanding of advanced accounting principles gives Luke more self-assurance in his work.
“Now that I better understand my job and the importance therein, I have much more confidence. I know what I’m doing, and I’m a much more effective employee and auditor,” Luke said. “It’s easy to have topics thrown at you in a classroom that you may never use, but I’m proof that this information is useful and can drastically help you improve your work.”
Luke says the GCA classes were excellent preparation for the CPA exam, which he completed the summer after graduating. Luke passed each section of the CPA exam on the first attempt, with exceptional scores in each.
“The examination process is not for the faint of heart and is quite a formidable task. However, it is possible, and the accounting curriculum at Kelley Indianapolis is truly engineered to make that a reality,” Luke said. “A piece of advice to both current and prospective students is to lean into the faculty and use them as a resource. They genuinely want to see you succeed and will do whatever is in their power to help you reach your goals.”
Luke studied for months leading up to the exam, plus he had the experience of the accounting undergraduate degree, graduate certificate, and master’s in accounting to prepare him. Luke says the sections of the exam tied directly back to what he learned during the GCA.
“The ability to ask questions in real time to my instructors and fellow students yielded dividends that I would not have received had I chosen an alternative path. This program prepared me well for the exam by exposing me to accounting, auditing, tax, and various legal concepts prior to my preparation for the exam,” Luke said. “This early exposure was abundantly advantageous in my study journey, as I was never caught off guard by a given fact pattern, thanks to the content addressed in the MSA and GCA courses.”
By earning the GCA, students can carry the credits into a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA), leaving just 18 credit hours to complete a full graduate degree. Luke followed this path and earned the MSA this past summer. He’s encouraged several fellow accounting majors and colleagues to consider the graduate accounting options at Kelley.
“I frequently speak to newer associates and interns at my firm about the value of the Kelley Indianapolis Graduate Accounting Programs, especially if they are considering the CPA track. It’s a no-brainer,” Luke said. “I advise against haphazardly selecting other non-accounting courses, because they can result in an ‘empty thirty,’ which will ultimately set you back in your progress towards the exam, relative to a student who chose the MSA/GCA program. The purpose of obtaining additional credits is ultimately to become a CPA–why not choose the path that makes this objective attainable?”
Leave a Reply