Alternative Transcript

Question

Trying to build an alternative transcript and have decided to sign up for two courses - a quant and an accounting one. No issues with quant, but here is the course description of the accounting one:

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Pre-requisites: basic and intermediate financial accounting

Accounting Cases and Concepts

This course begins with a conceptual review of accounting principles, and reviews issues studied in earlier courses from the point of view of the effects that accounting choices and "creative" accounting have on financial statements. A major poortion of the course is devoted to accounting and business ethics and corporate governance. Students are also introduced to accounting in the non-for-profit sector. This course emphasizes the role of communication in the accounting profession. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are developed through extensive case analysis.

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It sounds more qualitative than I expected, even though the prof says it's 2/3 quantitative, 1/3 qualitative, but I think the above is what the adcoms are going to see on my transcript (or do they just get a course title on the transcipt, does anyone know??).

Ideas how adcoms might view a course like that? I like that it's case study based but is it too qualitative?
Drop date is coming up, so ANY insight you guys might have would be greatly appreciated! There are no other relevant summer courses that do not create a time conflict with my quant class unfortunately.

Thanks so much

ko · Answer

Are you sure adcoms will see a description of the course? They certainly don't on my transcripts.

msday · Answer

I agree with smkrn. Adcoms only see the course title...and I doubt they can tell the difference between "Accounting 1" and "Accounting Cases and Concepts" (if they can tell the difference, the latter sounds more impressive)

ariel · Answer

Not sure, I was wondering if they ever ask for anything beyond the course title and the mark?

Jerz · Answer

All that appears on the transcript is course title and grade. I can't imagine adcoms requesting course descriptions or syllabi from the universities - it would just be a tremendous workload to gather and review all that information.

I agree with msday, "Accounting Cases and Concepts" sounds like a good course, especially if you already have Intro and Intermediate accounting already under your belt.

GoBruin · Answer

I sent in my transcript and it just list course title. Which I don't think most of the adcoms will understand since my courses use weird titles and acronyms. You can use it in your optional essay and tie it in with what you learned and how this will help you, outside of that, I think you should go for Big Bang for the buck. Well known top-XX Institutions, solid 'A', and courses that sound difficult.

ariel · Answer

Thanks all for your input, it definitely puts my mind to ease.

GoBruins, just curious how many courses did you take? How are things otherwise? It's been a while.

GoBruin · Answer

Well still waiting. I have taken 6 courses already, but at application time, I only submitted 4 for most school (3 for columbia)

I did the masters program which I probably wouldn't recommend. seems like you will have a lot better time taking some undergraduate Accounting class than getting a masters :D

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