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Graduate Admission

Michael Lin

Michael Lin

MS Accounting Class of 2010

Undergrad Beijing Language and Culture University

How did Bentley help you get to where you are today in your career?

Academically, I learned the basics of accounting and finance. The courses, especially Internal Audit, Tax and Information Systems, greatly helped me when I was studying for my CPA exams. Group studies helped me learn how to work well in a team, be an effective team player and improve my leadership skills. I also had a few class projects, working with big companies. The real-world experiences were quite an eye-opening experience for me and helped me stand out from other people when I interviewed. Professionally, Bentley offers great career services to all students. I participated in many résumé critiques, mock interviews, case competitions, workshops, seminars, and career fairs where I practiced my interview and networking skills. With the help of the Graduate Career Services office, I did three different internships and got two full-time job offers before graduating in a tough economy in 2009. Bentley also has a huge network of alumni, who are valuable assets to current students. In fact, the hiring manager for one of my internships was a classmate at Bentley. I didn’t realize that until I met him at the interview and, as you can imagine, the interview went really well and I got the internship offer!

What are the top three skills you gained in your program at Bentley?

  • Critical thinking is crucial to a successful career in finance and accounting. It doesn’t matter if you are auditing a business process, planning for next year budget, or explaining a monthly result variance, critical thinking is always a valuable skill. At Bentley, critical thinking is applied in the day-to-day learning.
  • Teamwork: Working well in a team is a necessity for a successful professional career. The MSA program at Bentley really focuses on group projects. It is through the group projects that I learned how to work with other team members, how to resolve conflicts, how to ask constructive questions and most important, how to be a great team player and add value. After seven years in the professional world, I truly appreciate these experiences.
  • Communication: Communication skills are also very important. The classroom at Bentley is very interactive. Students are given the opportunity to speak up and share their opinions. Group projects encourage communication. Presentations in class also helped me to improve my public-speaking skills.
"I grew my network and grew professionally."

What would you tell someone considering your program at Bentley?

Bentley’s Master of Science in Accounting program is one of the best MSA programs in the country. I strongly recommend it. You will not only gain a deep understanding of accounting, but you will also learn the must-have skills in the professional business world. With a beautiful campus, an excellent curriculum, strong academic background, great Career Services and huge alumni network — Bentley offered me everything I needed have a successful career. I love Bentley and I’m very proud to be a Falcon!