FAQ

What will the program provide to individuals selected as ADS Program Scholars?

ADS Program Scholars will receive assistance with identifying and applying to accounting doctoral programs. Once they enroll in a doctoral program in accounting at a participating university, they will receive a stipend of $30,000 per year for a maximum of four years – a total of $120,000 per candidate. The stipend is paid by the AICPA Foundation, on behalf of the sponsoring firms and organizations, to the university for distribution to the student under the university’s policies and procedures. The ADS Program sponsors expect ADS Scholars will also receive support from their universities or other sources. If the required program of study extends beyond four years, the student’s host university is expected to provide financial support for an additional year.

What are the basic qualifications/criteria for application to the ADS Program?

General criteria include:

Recent and meaningful work experience, as defined by a MINIMUM of three years in Public Accounting by August 2011. If a candidate has left Public Accounting, it is preferred that he/she had left within one year of applying to the ADS program.
Commitment, if selected as an ADS Scholar, to applying for Fall 2011 admission to a doctoral program in accounting at one or more ADS Program participating universities to pursue auditing or tax as a teaching and research focus
Commitment to a career transition to teaching and research, in auditing or tax, at an AACSB International accredited university in the United States upon completion of a doctoral program
United States citizen or a permanent resident

Additionally, all candidates must follow the usual Ph.D. application process including providing a GMAT score, recommendations, etc. There will be required essays as in all graduate applications.

How are ADS Scholars chosen?

The selection of ADS Program Scholars is a two-step process. First, interested candidates are invited to file a completed application. Based upon a review of applications, selected applicants are invited to a one-day orientation conference program providing further information about the nature, structure, and expectations of a doctoral program of study; guidance on applying for a doctoral program; and the life and career of an accounting faculty member. Candidates will also have the opportunity to visit with representatives of most of the participating universities.

Following the orientation program, attendees are asked to confirm their continuing interest in becoming an ADS Program Scholar, and if selected as an ADS Scholar, commit to applying for admission to one or more doctoral program(s) in accounting at a participating university. A Selection Committee will then select 30 ADS Program Scholars from this group of candidates.

The average GMAT score of candidates selected for ADS funding for the 2011 academic year was 718. The GMAT range of candidates reviewed by the Selection Committee was 640 – 780.

What are the key dates for the ADS Program?

Key dates for the ADS Program are:

July 1, 2010– Application for the 2011 academic year is available online
October 1, 2010 – Application deadline
Late October, 2010 – Orientation Conference for selected ADS candidates (Date to be announced)

Interested individuals are encouraged to begin considering the option of an academic career and to begin securing letters of reference, transcripts, and official GMAT scores as early as possible.

To apply online to the ADS program, click here.

What do accounting doctoral programs look for in prospective students?

Doctoral programs in accounting seek to prepare individuals to excel both at teaching and research. Consequently, candidates for doctoral study are screened for evidence of both their aptitude and potential ability to succeed in the classroom and in published research. Most programs do not require a Masters degree, although the absence of a Masters degree may extend the program of study by one or two semesters for many doctoral programs. Most programs require a Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score within the last five years of at least 650 with many programs looking for a score of at least 700. University application deadlines range from mid-December to early spring.

Registration for the GMAT is at www.gmac.com

Is 2010 the only year the ADS Program will sponsor Ph.D. candidates?

No. The ADS Program intends on sponsoring a new class of 30 candidates per year for 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The goal is to sponsor a total of 120 Ph.D. candidates over four years.

When is the deadline for getting GMAT scores to the ADS Program?

All candidates, without exception, are required to submit an official copy of the GMAT score report with their completed application materials. GMAT scores over 5 years old will not be accepted. GMAT scores, as well as other application materials, will not be accepted after the application deadline. Since it may take up to a month to receive the official score, candidates are encouraged to take the GMAT and/or request the official score report as soon as possible.

Is this a full time or part time opportunity/course of study?

The ADS Program is designed to seek individuals who are committed to making a career change. Participants must commit their full-time efforts in the pursuit of their doctorate. Due to the rigor of doctoral level studies and the time commitment required to be a full-time doctoral student, participants cannot hold part-time jobs while receiving financial support from the ADS Program.

If I'm selected as an eligible candidate for the ADS Program, how will I determine what participating school I will apply to for my Ph.D.?

Consult the websites of the universities in which you have an interest and consider contacting the schools directly. Selected applicants will receive an invitation to a day-long conference to receive guidance on preparing for, and applying to, a participating university Ph.D. program in audit or tax. This venue provides an excellent opportunity to visit with representatives from the participating universities.

What schools/Ph.D. programs are participating in the ADS Program?

Click here to view the list of participating universities.

Where do I mail the completed application materials?

All application materials that are not submitted online should be mailed in one package to:

Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program
American Institute of CPAs Foundation
220 Leigh Farm Road
Durham, NC 27707

I am nearing retirement from public accounting and considering university teaching as a ‘second career.” Should I consider obtaining my doctorate before applying for a teaching position?

While the answer will vary with each specific situation, there are several factors you should consider. Given that the typical accounting doctoral program is four years in length, sometimes five years, you may wish to weigh the opportunity costs during that time against how many years you plan to teach after completing your doctorate. You should also recognize that the main focus of doctoral programs is to prepare individuals to engage in basic research, requiring the development of advanced quantitative research skills. For most individuals who have been away from academic studies for many years, intensive pre-doctoral work may be required.

Rather than seeking a tenure track appointment for which a doctorate is required, you may wish to consider a non-tenure track position as an Executive in Residence, a part-time adjunct appointment, or similar position where your responsibilities would be primarily teaching rather than research. AACSB International conducts a five-day bridge program that provides an opportunity for experienced professionals interested in transitioning to the classroom to gain insights about teaching at the collegiate level. The AICPA Foundation funds a limited number of scholarships for this program for CPAs. For information about the bridge program, contact www.aacsb.com

If I am selected as an ADS Program Scholar, am I guaranteed admission to the Ph.D. program in accounting of my choice?

No. First, ADS Program Scholars must be accepted and attend an accounting doctoral program at an ADS Program participating university. The admission standards of each school vary. Second, each participating university has a limited number of available slots available for ADS Scholars because (1) each slot must be an incremental admission over and above the university’s funded admissions, and (2) ADS Scholars admissions must be for students who will focus their studies for teaching and research in auditing or tax for which universities have limited faculty capacity to direct doctoral students in these areas. For these reasons, ADS Scholars are strongly encouraged to apply to several participating universities simultaneously and be flexible in their choices. If a program is not available to you as an ADS Scholar at a participating university that is acceptable to you, you are encouraged to apply to doctoral programs as a non-ADS Scholar for university funding at either a participating university or non-participating university. ADS Program funding is not available in this situation.

If I am selected as an ADS Program Scholar, am I guaranteed placement upon completing a Ph.D. program?

The ADS Program cannot of ADS Program Scholars upon completion of their Ph.D. The ADS Program was initiated because of the growing shortage of doctoral accounting faculty, especially in auditing and tax. Demographical data indicates there will be a significant number of retiring accounting faculty members over the next decade. Consequently, it is expected that the demand for accounting doctoral faculty members will continue to outpace the supply of doctoral faculty in accounting beyond the life of the ADS Program. Specific placement opportunities of doctoral graduates will vary depending upon the student’s program performance, geographical constraints, and other factors. Faculty members at accounting doctoral granting schools provide enormous individual placement assistance to their doctoral graduates. When choosing a program for enrollment, candidates should inquire about the placement opportunities for graduates.

May the ADS Program award be deferred to the next year?

No. The ADS Program awards are made for a specific year. If a candidate withdraws from the ADS Program after the award has been made and before her/his program of study has begun, the award is withdrawn. To be considered for the following year, the candidate must reapply and compete for selection with all other applicants for that year.

May participating universities provide additional funding to the ADS stipend?

Universities may, at their option, award additional funds to ADS candidates on top of the ADS Program stipend as long as they do not cannibalize funding for existing slots.

Is the ADS Program stipend taxable?

ADS Program Scholars are encouraged to consult with the participating university in which they are considering enrolling about any tax (Federal, State, and local) consequences of receiving the ADS Program stipend. The funds for ADS Program Scholars are distributed from the AICPA Foundation directly to the host university for distribution to ADS Program Scholars. Because of varying university policies for accounting for these funds, varying state tax laws, etc., the tax consequences may be different among universities.