High school is a major period of change for young people. You start as a kid, straight out of elementary school where you were still heading out for recess and sharing a building with much smaller kids. Suddenly, you are surrounded by much older, mature students and being asked to think about what your adult life will look like. You must deal with peer pressure, social media, and the excitement of new relationships - not to mention growing apart from those you may have been close with before.
While it can be easy to put your post-secondary career on the back burner while you deal with more pressing issues in your social life, it’s important to resist the distractions as much as you can so you can be better prepared for your future. And if building a career in accounting or finance has been on your mind, there is no better time to start planning your pathway today.
If you have been wondering what you can do to prepare for a career as a chartered accountant, you are reading the right article. We will discuss some things you can do right now to get prepared for university applications to the best accounting and finance programs in Canada, and how to stay ahead of the game and be competitive.
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What Can I Do to Prepare for an Accounting and Finance Career?
Double down on Mathematics and Business Courses
As an accounting or finance major, you will want to start sinking your teeth into academic stream mathematics and business courses in secondary school. Find out what credits and courses your high school offers, and which courses you will need to get into university. If you are starting this process in grade 9, you are in the perfect position to do some backwards planning and determine what you’ll need to get into the right senior level courses.
Taking business courses in high school will enable you to have a solid introduction into the world of finance and commerce: you’ll learn everything from accounting basics to entrepreneurship. With this base of knowledge, you will be much better prepared to enter university courses. If you aren’t satisfied with the credits available at your school, look into other options for learning. You may find a virtual program with a course that suits your learning interests, or even a non-credit course that will give you some background knowledge that you might not get in a high school class.
Math courses are also an important area to focus on, as they will most certainly be prerequisite for business and accounting programs. Make sure you are taking your key courses in the context of other online accounting courses that will enable you to focus and prioritize. For example, if you are taking an important and challenging math course, you will want to balance it with as many courses as possible that will not add additional stress. You can work with your guidance counselor to select the courses that will make the most sense for you.
Find a Tutor or Accounting Coach to Support Your Learning and Enrichment
A lot of students believe that hiring a tutor is something you should do when you are getting low grades or even failing, and this assumption couldn’t be more wrong. While you should get extra help when you need it, it can also be beneficial to have someone that will enrich your programming even when you are doing well.
Tutors can fill an important gap that teachers simply cannot due to large class sizes and the competing demands of the job. With a tutor, you can get focused, one-on-one support from an educator that can give you feedback on your work, provide you with more challenging problems to solve, or even guide you to read texts that will enhance your learning.
Superprof Canada is the best place to find a tutor to support your learning in math, business and accounting courses in high school. They may focus on one subject, or all three depending on what you need. The Superprof site has a great search tool you and your family can use to find a tutor that suits your needs, budget and schedule. You can look through tutor profiles, and contact them through the site to arrange a session.
How much money can you make as an accountant in Canada? Accountants are high earning professionals whose skills are always in demand.
Consider a Job Shadow or Co-op Experience
Accounting is a great example of math being applied to real life situations. You are connecting your math and reasoning skills to real-life environments where you must help people or organizations keep track of their finances and make solid fiscal decisions.
One of the best ways to prepare for your accounting studies is to shadow an accountant or do a co-op placement in an accounting related field. While it may seem hard to do this if you don’t have connections, most schools have co-op teachers who organize and connect students to work experiences they can complete for a secondary school credit.
If co-op in accounting or business is not possible for you, consider reaching out to your family and friends to see if there is an accounting professional who can talk to you about their work or even show you around an office. You will be amazed at how such mentoring experiences can shape your preparation for the future!
Research the Programs You Want
Finally, you can truly determine your course pathway in secondary by researching the programs you might apply to after high school. Identify the schools you will want to attend: choose a mix of schools and options in different regions near you, and go through their admissions information online or contact their office to speak with someone directly. The university should be able to tell you which courses you will need, what kinds of extracurricular experiences will make your application stronger,
If possible, make an appointment to visit the schools themselves so you can start making your university career seem real. You’ll get a sense of what life is like on campus and in the local environment, and what services and supports are available for students. Perhaps most importantly, it can motivate you to push yourself as you will suddenly see yourself achieving at the next level!
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What is Studying for Accounting and Finance Like?
Accounting and finance programs will have different levels of rigour depending on what course and program you are taking and what your ability level is. For example, accounting classes for students in academic streams with degree programs in mind may find the learning demanding and challenging. Students who are strong in math and have more background knowledge in the subject may find it appropriately challenging, while others may find it rather difficult.
Many accounting and finance programs will be centered on business contexts where you have to solve problems for an organization. Some may focus on bookkeeping, while others may introduce more complex topics. If you find the world of business intriguing and interesting, you will likely take well to such courses. As an accounting student, you will also have to learn and practice lots of math, and hone your communication skills through reports and essays.
Keep in mind that as an accountant or business leader you don’t have to be focused on the private sector or an area like banking. Accountants work in every industry, from education, the arts, and charities, so if you have a passion for social justice but a penchant for applied mathematics you will find many opportunities to have a rewarding career.
Should I Take Accounting 101 in Secondary School?
Any course that will introduce you to accounting will be worthwhile if that is the area of learning you want to get into after high school. Introduction to accounting courses will help you build a foundation of knowledge that will serve you long into your university or college years.
What skills are valued in an accountant? A good work ethic, strong mathematical skills, and organization are just a few!
Are There Online Accounting Courses Canada?
There are plenty of online accounting courses in Canada, at all different levels of learning. Secondary students can find virtual high school credits through their local public school board or private credit-granting institutions.
If you are in college or university, you may even find virtual options that will give you the convenience of learning from home if you want to avoid a commute or simply prefer virtual learning. Continuing education schools will also offer opportunities for students to learn or enhance their accounting skills, though you may need a secondary school diploma to enter a course.
And of course, if you simply want someone to introduce you to the basics or help you with you existing classes, be sure to consult with a virtual tutor on Superprof Canada. You can find a local tutor or someone from another province - one of the biggest advantages of virtual learning is that you can learn from anywhere and access a vast range of tutors from across the country!
Whatever pathway of learning you identify, you will be sure to find plenty of options both virtually and in-person!
Is accounting the right career pathway for you to pursue? You may be surprised to learn what it takes to be an accountant!
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