Attracting African American Honor Students into Accounting

The percentage of minority professionals in the major accounting firms has risen only 2 percentage points since 1976. Black members of a national collegiate honor society were surveyed to see if their perceptions of the accounting profession lead them to select other majors. The nonaccounting students perceived the accounting profession very positively in providing long-term financial rewards and availability of employment. The nonfinancial characteristics of lifestyle, work environment, and nature of accounting work were perceived poorly by respondents. It is vital that black students gain a better understanding of the nonfinancial nature of accounting work and of the role of creative problem solving in the profession