ACE Staff – School of Accounting Collaborative for Academic Excellence

Hey folks, my name is Cameron Cremin.  I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I was groomed from a young age to be an Oklahoma State Cowboy.  I started my academic career with the intent of eventually becoming a dentist.  After taking my first entry-level biology class, however, I decided that I certainly did not want to become involved in dentistry.

As someone whose hatred of mathematics is second only to his hatred of the concept of a desk job, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up enjoying my accounting classes and their ramifications.  Thus, I took the plunge into the Spears School of Business as a major of accounting, and never looked back.

Some advice that I would recommend to early students of accounting: if you ever find that your homework has become monotonous and frustrating, take a deep breath and reread the problem; oftentimes it is logic, not some form of math wizardry, that I have found to be the driving component behind accounting.

My hobbies include hunting, hiking, and reading.  If you ever see me in ACE, don’t hesitate to ask me a question or simply say hello; I’m always happy to have a conversation!

Hey guys! My name is Madison Taylor and I am a senior accounting major from Skiatook, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State was always my one and only option for pursuing my degree, and I have loved every second of my time here! If I’m not in ACE, I am probably at the library, Boomer Lake, or just hanging out with my friends somewhere.

I had a pretty easy time choosing accounting, mainly because I am not good at anything science-related, nor am I good at writing papers, which pretty much left me with math. Even though I quickly learned that accounting doesn’t have as much to do with math as I anticipated, I still stuck with it throughout my college experience. 

My best advice for students in any accounting class would be to manage your time wisely!! Prioritizing studying will help you achieve the grade you are striving for, even if that means making a sacrifice with your time here and there. If you are having trouble studying, head to a quiet place with no distractions (basement of Edmon Low) so that you can focus!!

BS MIS: Information Assurance and BS Accounting: May 2017; MS Accounting: December 2018

My name is Amanda Brown, and I am from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I originally chose to come to OSU because of their Computer Science program, which was my major for the first two years of college. At that point, I decided to get a business minor in MIS: Information Assurance, which required me to take the first two Accounting courses. Partway through my Financial Accounting class, I was hooked! I loved figuring out the puzzle of balancing journal entries and creating financial statements, so I added Accounting as my second degree. After another semester of Computer Science, I converted that degree into a degree in MIS: Information Assurance and kept my Computer Science classes as a minor. Now, I am pursuing a MS in Accounting with an emphasis in MIS, and I know I have finally found the right career for me, despite how long it took me to get there!

My advice to accounting students is to form study groups for your classes. Discussing concepts with someone else, especially if you are the one explaining it to them, helps set those concepts in your mind. To give a good explanation, you have to understand what you are doing and why. Knowing these things is vital to doing well in your accounting classes, and it will help you in later classes if you understand accounting concepts instead of just memorizing them.

I am from Dallas, Texas and chose OSU because everyone from my immediate family attended college here! I plan to graduate with my BS in Management and Information Systems in the Fall of 2017 and with my MS in Accounting in the Spring of 2019. I started out as an Accounting major and shortly moved into a double major with Accounting and MIS. I am very interested in computers and information systems, but also enjoy the satisfaction of working through an accounting cycle and my financial statements properly balancing. The most successful accountants are the individuals who double, or even triple, check that their numerical values and arithmetic are correct (No transposition errors!) before they submit an assignment or turn in an exam.

Hello! My name is Samantha Cheng and I am from Bartlesville, Oklahoma. I chose to attend OSU because everyone is so friendly and welcoming. After my first campus visit, I knew it was the place for me. From a young age, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career where I will be working with numbers. In elementary school, I thought I wanted to be a math teacher but I quickly changed my mind once I found out about accounting. I completed my bachelor’s degree in accounting in July and I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in accounting. The time I have spent learning about accounting at OSU has really opened my eyes to what the field of accounting has to offer. It is so much more than crunching numbers!

In order to succeed in your accounting classes, whether it is your major or not, you really need to put in the time and effort. Make sure you read the book before each class and try to understand your homework instead of memorizing the entries. Please don’t be afraid to ask questions! Your professors and those of us in ACE have all been in your shoes and we want to see you succed!!

My name is Jamie Hays and I am from Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State runs deep in the Hays blood so it was my first and only choice! Coming into college I knew I wanted to major in Business, but told myself I would never study Accounting. After my first Financial Accounting class, I knew it was exactly what I wanted to study and haven’t regretted my decision since. My best advice is to give it your all and study hard. With the challenges of Accounting, test grades and material are not always exactly what you hoped for, but never doubt yourself and keep pushing. Accounting has an incredible, wide range of opportunities and I have learned important life skills in failure and success from this field!

Hi there, I’m Jacky Tsang from Hong Kong, China. When I had a chance to come visit my brother once six years ago, I knew OSU is the place I wanted to achieve my degree. I decided to get my accounting degree since I was in high school even though I wasn’t a good math student by that time. After getting more understandings on accounting, I found out that it is not all about math but detail-oriented. Accounting is not easy for me but I kept telling myself to be better and here I am in the Master’s program. I did not regret my decision because of all the opportunities and great learning experiences.

My advice would be to do not fall behind in class. Accounting knowledge is based on how much practices you put on it and it is all related and accumulative. Make sure you understand the concepts not memorize all the general entries. Do not study one day before the exam. Accounting is challenging but not if you are well-prepared, and we are all here to help.

My name is Sofie White, and I am from Frisco, Texas. I am initially from Phoenix, Arizona, and am the daughter of two OSU alumni. It’s safe to say that orange runs in my blood! There are also many accounting ties in my family, as my aunt and uncle (who also attended OSU) are accountants. So from a young age, I was groomed to be a future OSU accounting student! Taking my initial accounting classes made me realize the great opportunities that accounting has to offer. An accounting degree provides numerous job opportunities and a variety of career paths. While my classes have definitely provided some challenges, I have learned that the rewards offered on the other side make it worthwhile.

What really has helped me through my accounting classes is taking the initiative to ask for help when I need it. Whether it be my professors or ACE tutors, the support staff for OSU accounting students is hard to match. It is unique to attend a university that has such a rich business heritage and alumni base. The support and investment from alumni is not found most places. OSU is such a special place, so take the time to enjoy it! It truly has been a fantastic experience!