Why do I feel like a fraud studying accounting?
You are likely scrambling to get good grades by relying heavily on textbooks and YouTube, rather than actually retaining the information. This stress is amplified when comparing yourself to peers who already have relevant work experience or stronger math backgrounds and seem to grasp the concepts immediately. Even degree graduates admit they still find certain accounting treatments confusing long after finishing.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using the textbook while doing assignments
- 2Watching YouTube videos for help
- 3Just put time in to make up the difference.
- 4don't give up and don't procrastinate
- 5getting the format of the income statement and balance sheet down
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I have to look at my book while doing assignments to help me get through them and I don’t think I could do them without help from the book or YouTube.”source ↗
“This is making me feel like a fraud.”source ↗
“I feel like I’m just scrambling to get good grades on assignments rather than retaining the information and this is REALLY stressing me out.”source ↗
“I have entered this degree with no accounting work experience or level 1/2/3 qualifications.”source ↗
“When doing my Linkedin Application today I have realised that majority of people have had experience; many have already gotten interviews for firms; understand financial accounting immediately in lectures”source ↗
“didn't have A level math so that made the quantitative finance modules very challenging.”source ↗
“I already finished my degree and I'm still confused on the way some accounting treatments work lol.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 10Why do I feel guilty on slow work days?
- 2Why do I still feel unqualified after years of experience?
- 10Why do I feel so financially behind everyone else?
- 15Why do I feel like a fake in my new management role?
- 6Why do I feel so anxious and unprepared before starting a first internship?
- 12How to change careers when you are stuck in a niche