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• The accounting program at OSU is extremely rigorous. The program demands much from its students, including a professional orientation and a sense of self-sufficiency.
• Maintain a balance among school, work, and personal life. Although the course requirements are extensive, you should still participate in outside activities. Learn to prioritize the competing demands of classes, campus activities, work commitments, and personal life.
• Develop good study skills and habits. Studying accounting is not like reading fiction or even like studying history or mathematics. This is a technical subject. Individual courses and the overall accounting curriculum are cumulative. Do not just keep up; consolidate and review as you go. Cramming does not work. Be willing to improve your study skills and habits with experience over time.
• In your classes, read to understand "why." If you can do this, there is very little need to memorize. Work problems and other assignments are to understand "how."

Hints From Former OSU Accounting Students:

#1 What To Do During Class

• Attend class! A lot of material is covered and discussed during lecture that may be relevant to the exams.
• Be sure to pay attention. It makes a world of difference!
• Come to class early if you want to have a good seat. Professors discourage tardiness because it distracts the whole class.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions in class. This will help clarify things for you. It also lets the professors know you are interested and doing your daily homework. Professors like active participants.
• Like any other class you have taken, take notes during your accounting classes! Write down main points that you think are important.

• During your junior year, you will be very busy with projects and homework. You will be working with Peachtree, an accounting program, on the preparation of simulated accounting records for a hypothetical firm, called Never Lose. This project takes a lot of work, so be sure to keep up on it.  Don't let the program intimidate you.  It's just a matter of getting used to a new way of doing things, and it really doesn't take as long as you might think.
• Prepare to work hard and spend a lot of time doing busy work.
• In your upper level accounting courses, you will have to deal with a lot of ethical cases. This will help prepare you for the business world where you may encounter your own ethical dilemmas.
• Be prepared to handle pressure. The workload can create a lot of stress.
• When things gets tough, stick with it and DON'T GIVE UP. It will payoff.
• Never rush yourself to graduate by taking heavy a credit load each term. Take things slowly. Learn to enjoy your studies. By enjoying what you are studying, you are likely to put more effort and time into your studies, and ultimately do better.
• Be prepared to work in the computer lab for long hours. For every hour you expect to spend in the computer lab, you'll actually spend three.
• In many accounting courses you will be given group assignments. One purpose of group assignments is to help you develop the interpersonal skills that will help you survive and prosper in a team-oriented workplace. Don't be afraid of these projects, rather use them to your advantage by learning new skills and having fun.
• Prepare to be in groups in Cost Accounting I, Cost Accounting II, Tax Accounting I, and all three junior Intermediate Accounting courses. There will also be presentations in various accounting courses.

• Always read the material before going to class.
• Keep up; don't fall behind. Do some accounting every day even if you get it wrong. Do more problems than are assigned. Dig a little further than the professor asks.
• Don't let "Never Lose" scare you. It is a great review for accounting students. But don't wait to get started on it, or you may quickly fall behind.
• Give special attention to small details. The instructors are picky. Use grammar check. Be sure to always reread your papers before turning them in.
• If you don't understand something, ask in class or seek outside help. Beta Alpha Psi is a great place to go for tutoring for any of your accounting courses. 
• Go to at least one office hour. Let the professor have the chance to know you. This will help to clarify any questions you may have. In addition, the professors can be great contacts later for job information, preparation for interviews, and letters of recommendation. Some professors and students even become friends!
• Study in a comfortable environment. The library is a good place if your home is noisy.
• Make time for yourself to do your readings, homework, and projects. You will need to manage your time appropriately.
• Be prepared to read a lot. Try to understand the material as you read: highlight the important areas in each chapter.
• Be sure to understand each chapter before going to the next. Most of the time, you will need to understand the previous chapters before you can understand the following ones.
• Work with other students in class. It makes your life much easier if you work together.
• Find someone who has had the class before to give you pointers.
• Study concepts rather than specific problems or journal entries. Learn to understand the material, not just memorize it.
• Try not to panic! People get tense especially when projects are due. Try to relax! 
• Learn how to do essay accounting questions. There are many times you have to turn in typed projects.

• Keep most of your old course files; especially graded materials like your projects (Never Lose). You will need to turn in some papers in BA 319 from BA 317. It might be a good idea if you keep your files for future reference. 
• Purchase the study guides if you think it is necessary. Purchasing the study guides will depend on individual needs. 
• Be sure to review all of your homework, class notes, and your highlighted text for the exams. 
• Some professors have old exams that you can ask to look at.  These can provide useful insight to what types of questions are likely to be asked. 
• Manage your time on exams. Try all questions, and don't leave any problems blank. You might get partial credit if you try each problem. 

If you would like more information on how to succeed in accounting courses, you might find it useful to discuss this with members of the Accounting Faculty

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