Why are so many people urging me to aim for a CA rather than a CMA? What is so special about a CA that I can't get from being a CMA? I want to be a CEO of a company that really makes a difference in the world, something like what my idol is Neil Harrington, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, is doing. I really believe that accounting would build with me the knowledge it takes to run a company. From what I understand a CA has had a heavy focus on auditing or taxation. I want to use my accounting knowledge as to make well informed business decisions and I was wondering is there anything a CA can give me over a CMA?

I don't agree with any of this, personally. I don't think a degree in business related things will make you a great CEO. I think you're focussing on the wrong topics.

Look for a degree that makes you a problem solver. One that helps you understand general topics, or else capable of discovering the answer to a general area of issues. Don't look for "which will help you to be a better book balancer".

This is harsh, but it's reality... The best CEO's for a globe-changing company are not going to be ones that know their way around account statements and finances... Those people make better accountants for those companies.

33% of the S&P 500 CEOs' undergraduate degrees are in engineering and only 11% in business administration!

http://www.businessinsider.c om/ceo...ng-2011-3?op=1

CA, CMA, and CGAs*

Because they want you to get a CA over a CMA?

Because in terms of power CA has more power/responsibility than a CMA. I guess the idea is while you are doing a CMA you may as well do a CA

I thought the one you needed a university degree and the other you only needed a college diploma. Can't remember which you could use a college diploma towards tho

But I agree with others that say a university degree may not necessarily help. It will help a bit to get you foot in the door (assuming you want to move up the corporate ladder) but it really depends on your personality and whether you can deal with so much crap at once as well as a vast array of experience. Unless you want to start your own company and grow it, but in that case I don't really know what to tell you :b

Originally Posted by Snowman

I thought the one you needed a university degree and the other you only needed a college diploma. Can't remember which you could use a college diploma towards tho

If I remember correctly, they both need a university degree. CMA is a post-grad program after your Bachelor's.

@OP- Not sure if you've checked out these websites already, but it might be a good idea to do so:
http://www.cma-ontario.org/index.cfm...81/la_id/1.htm
http://www.cica.ca/becoming-a-ca/index.aspx

Go for your CMA. It is a great designation, and don't let people decide for you. CA's are more involved with auditing and external reporting. It is the CMA's who are involved with managers in how the company can improve internally. I know several CA's making more than CMA's and vice versa, it all depends on how well you climb the success ladder.

And people who tell you to go for the CA have just heard about it's prestige....Its kinda like becoming a Doctor. Everyone goes crazy over how much they get paid and the prestige blah blah blah while there are several better lucrative careers out there that pay more.

Originally Posted by Leeoku

Because in terms of power CA has more power/responsibility than a CMA. I guess the idea is while you are doing a CMA you may as well do a CA

This is not necessarily true. CA is certified accountant, they can do all types of accounting. CMA is certified managerial accountant, they mostly deal with managing a company's finances INTERNALLY, and do not audit other companies.

If you have a CA you can do managerial accounting, but you can't do auditing and such with a CMA (at least from what I understand, I'm a biochem grad but both of my parents are accountants).

But as for how much "power" you have, I think its bull that a CA has more power than a CMA, considering my mother is the CFO of a major hospital and she is a CMA.