Frequently Asked Questions

North Carolina A&T State University Presents

P.A.C.E. Frequently Asked Questions

High achieving minority students rarely consider accounting as a career option. Instead, they gravitate to the more traditional career fields such as engineering, medicine or law. There is also a long standing misconception among students that accounting is boring, requires complex mathematical skills, and involves very few interactions with others.

Pace seeks to disprove negative impressions of the accounting profession. It attempts to expose you to the field of accounting through interaction with accounting professionals and as active participation in accounting activities. We want you to make an informed decision about your career choices. You may also find that having an undergraduate major in accounting is prestigious, challenging, and often fun.

There is another important benefit. The Department of Accounting at North Carolina A & T State University prides itself on finding permanent job placement for its graduates. We also provide opportunities for summer internships. If becoming a Certified Public Accountant is your goal, we have faculty and a course of study that will assist you. Interested in attending law school? You may be surprised to learn that an accounting major is an excellent way to prepare for law school. Lucrative and rewarding careers await individuals who are willing to achieve.

Classroom activities are designed each day to expose you to some aspect of the business world. Topics such as leadership, business etiquette and investment strategies have been presented. Technology skills are reinforced through workshops involving web page design and power point presentations. Teams of students are assigned a major accounting project. At the end of the week, these teams present their research findings and analysis to accounting faculty and professionals. Students also get a chance to talk one on one with accounting professionals. And, of course, PACE students look forward to the planned social activities where we emphasize group interaction and fun.

PACE is a one-week, residency program. You will arrive on Sunday afternoon, June 18th and return home on Friday afternoon, June 23th.

The PACE program is designed for high-achieving minority students, who will begin their senior year in the Fall of 2006. The selection of participants is competitive, only rising seniors with grade point averages of 3.00 and above will be considered.

Simply complete the application and submit it along with a copy of your transcript and a letter of recommendation from your school counselor or teacher by the April 14, 2006. If you miss this deadline, please call to determine whether space is still available.

How will attending PACE increase my chances of receiving an academic scholarship for college?

Great question. If you major in accounting, many scholarship opportunities are available. In the past, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants offered a scholarship of up to $5,000 for minority students majoring in accounting and who also attended a high school residency program such as PACE. See http://www.aicpa.org/members/div/career/mini/smas.htm for additional information. Other scholarships are also available from the University, NC A & T’s alumni association, and other professional organizations such as the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA).