Hi all,

To everyone who has gone/going to go through 4th/5th year commerce, doing the CA/accounting specialization, how did you all find it?

I could only imagine taking 8 accounting courses, then 3 more in the summer...

Overall, is it really that bad (subjectively)?

I suggest taking some courses now during summer school so you can avoid overloading when you get to fourth year. In order to complete all of the required CA courses at Mac you have to take a total of 12 courses in your 4th year unless you've completed some of them already in 3rd year/summer school. Keep in mind that you have to take the 3 extra summer courses after you finish fourth year in order to complete all of the required courses that the ICAO has mandated before you can be eligible to write the CA exams.

Otherwise if you end up overloading in 4th year, it is doable but stressful and time-consuming. Otherwise the accounting courses are actually not that bad. Some people really detest the two tax courses though so it really depends on you.

By the way, OSAP doesn't cover the three extra summer school courses you have to take after 4th year. That was something I wish I could've known before so I could've budgeted for them!

Thanks a lot for all that, really helped.

do you know how that effects grad school GPA? do they include the summer school courses and include the overloaded ones in 4th year, disregarding 2 courses in 3rd year or something like that?

by grad school gpa, if you mean your final cumulative average after your 4th year, the three courses shouldn't be included since they're not offered through McMaster University but through DeGroote. I would go see an academic advisor to confirm that though. As for the overloaded courses, they all count in your average. It doesn't matter how many extra courses you take, it all counts in your final average.

feel free to pm me in the future if you have any more questions about this

Originally Posted by macxlife

Hi all,

To everyone who has gone/going to go through 4th/5th year commerce, doing the CA/accounting specialization, how did you all find it?

I could only imagine taking 8 accounting courses, then 3 more in the summer...

Overall, is it really that bad (subjectively)?

Considering the majority of commerce majors are planning to do accounting (because that's what the cool kids do... not), I would also suggest trying to take the accounting courses prior to 4th year, so that you don't need to overload or stay an additional semester.

Also, they are voting for the CPA merger in June? We'll have to see.

CPA is already a done deal if you're considering doing the CA and pretty much CMA too. Unless you are writing the exams in 2014, you will no longer have the "CA" designation in your name after you become qualified. The merger has already taken place at a national level and majority of the provinces from what I've heard so it is unlikely that the Ontario CMAs will not end up joining the merger.

Originally Posted by melodicdream

CPA is already a done deal if you're considering doing the CA and pretty much CMA too. Unless you are writing the exams in 2014, you will no longer have the "CA" designation in your name after you become qualified. The merger has already taken place at a national level and majority of the provinces from what I've heard so it is unlikely that the Ontario CMAs will not end up joining the merger.

The CMAs may not initially join, but they will eventually.

Rumor has it that we may not need to take the 3 additional courses in the summer (the ones graduating after 2014), and I was told this by someone who knows his stuff (and spoke to internal)... which is odd because nothing is really set in stone as of now... I guess we'll have to see

^ I was told that too. Unfortunately its not happening till 2015 at the earliest. -_- I'm taking them right now and its not fun.

I'm going through the summer courses right now and doing an additional 5th year for Accounting Theory, Commercial Law and an econ elective for my minor.

Overall, some classes are a lot of work. The summer classes are, guaranteed. Financial Accn't IV (Consolidations) and the Tax classes take a lot of practice and questions to get the idea and technique.

On another note, CMA & CA's are joining at the national level. Last UFE is Sept 2014, so neither you or me would be able to complete it. We will have to go through the CPA route, but don't worry because there is a 5 year bridging program in place, we won't have to complete any additional requirements. Just follow the attached link (http://ug.degroote.mcmaster. ca/pro...tants-courses/) for courses and you are fine. However, our testing requirements will be different. There are rumours of an additional UFE maybe in 2015 but that's yet to be decided so it may be possible for us.

Good luck on your path, just make sure you nail the the ICAO grade average (B- average in all CA req. classes).

And no, if you go the CA route now, even though you will be tested through the CPA, you will allowed to have the CPA-CA designation. Once again this is for the students who are bridging through CPA.