Every year, the American Accounting Association (AAA) bring together the profession’s greatest thought leaders, stakeholders, professors, and firm professionals to discuss the key issues going on in both the accounting profession and education.
Roger CPA Review is honored to be a long-time sponsor of this event, and looks forward to it as THE event each year to learn about the latest and greatest going on in the profession. Decisions, ideas and discussions have an immediate impact, often impacting what we’re all talking about and what to do with the information gathered. Watch the video below to see a compilation of our time at the meeting, and then read our top 10 key takeaways from the 2017 AAA Annual Meeting.
1. Extending our network
We had the opportunity to meet with industry friends, speak with top recruiters, and share ideas on innovation and change. Everyone works intense schedules and has tight deadlines. So while we love seeing our friends on social media, it’s nicer to be able to share a cup of coffee or meal to visit with them in person.
Lesson Learned: Don’t just network! Make friends that are invested in you and you in them.
2. Never stop asking questions
We know it’s important to never stop asking questions because feedback is essential. Test your theories, ask the right questions, make hypotheses, and try! We enjoy hosting focus groups each year at AAA where we do all of this! This year we learned more about professor, student and industry expectations.
Lesson Learned: You’ll never know unless you ask!
3. Innovate, and be resourceful
We were more than happy to showcase our new ACT product both at our exhibit booth and in our focus groups! We recognized the need for professors to be able to enhance their classrooms and bridge the gap between accounting theory and practice. So we created this new purposeful tool to do just that. We’re always looking to see how our resources and innovation can help others. We’re excited for them to use it as a supplement to their curriculum this year and in the future!
Lesson Learned: Always look around and ask, how can you help?
4. Exploring the host city
Every year, the AAA Annual Meeting is held in a different city, and we were very excited to explore San Diego. It’s a great beach town filled with history and scenic views. We take full advantage of where each conference is located and make the most out of life by exploring with colleagues. We get the work done, but also don’t forget to play.
Lesson Learned: Life is an Adventure; enjoy every moment!
5. Lifelong learning
There are a myriad of presentations going on at once at the AAA Annual Meeting, each of which present trending accounting industry and key accounting education topics.
In some sessions we were the thought leaders, in others we were the students. But in each, we joined the conversations, engaged with the industry, and absorbed everything we possibly could. Here are some topics we loved learning more about: AI, Data Analytics, the 150 rule, Master’s Programs, Content Changes, Technology in the classroom, recruiting trends, and more.
Lesson Learned: Always be a student.
6. Attending the APACPA meeting
The American Professional Accounting Certification Providers Association (APACPA) meeting gave us a chance to sit down with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) about their plans to update the CPA Exam. In this meeting, we learned about what candidates can expect on the 2018 CPA Exam and distributed that information to our community here.
Lesson Learned: Go to the source.
7. Diversity
It’s always nice to run into our professor partners, and even nicer to meet new professors. During the Annual Meeting, we got to hear their thoughts about the future of accounting education and expanded our professor network/friendships.
It was exciting to hear about how each University may share the same curriculum goals and outcomes, yet goes about it in their own unique way. Also, it was exciting to see the entire globe represented as international professors and professors here in the states collaborated.
Lesson Learned: We’re stronger together.
8. Raffling prizes
One of the most rewarding things for us to do is award Roger CPA Review scholarships to both professors and students. Whether professors are looking to take the CPA Exam themselves, or would like to give the scholarship to one of their deserving students, we’re happy to help make CPA dreams come true by giving them the course they need to fully prepare for licensure. We also raffled off an Amazon Dot, Fitbit Charge HR, and participated in the AAA Passport to Prizes activity.
Lesson Learned: Always enter to win!
9. Meeting with publishing partners
Our publishing partners are extremely innovative and update their products to ensure they’re up-to-date with how students learn and retain information. It’s great to meet with them and see their new products and product features, which helps us help our students as well!
Lesson Learned: Everyone benefits when there is true collaboration.
10. Seeing all the fun free tchotchkes
Every year, exhibitors at the AAA Annual Meeting give away a lot of great free tchotchkes to promote the event and their organization. We always have a blast going from booth to booth to see what fun, useful, and creative thing they’re giving away. It helps us up our tchotchke game every year as well!
Lesson Learned: No matter how old you are, you still always want the free toy from the bottom of the cereal box.
We learned so much from this annual meeting and look forward to attending next year’s, which will be held in Washington, DC! What life lessons will we learn once again being at the industry’s finest event while in our great nation’s capital? Only time will tell!