A Transition from The Profession to Academia.

Abstract This article presents the author's experience in preparing for the comprehensive examination for a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in accountancy. In September 1982, at the age of 58 and after serving as managing partner for 16 years, I retired from the public accounting firm of McGladrey, Hendrickson & Co. and started classes at the University of Illinois. These would prepare me to take the comprehensive examination necessary to allow me to formally qualify as a candidate for a Ph.D. in Accountancy. First, I was convinced that I would not be especially valuable to the firm if I remained until normal retirement. I wanted to do something entirely different but which would command my full energy and attention. Moreover, I wanted to understand why the academic and the practice worlds of accounting had drifted so far apart and I wanted to know if my 58-year-old mind could grasp new concepts. Whatever you think of those reasons, going back to school merely seemed more likely to satisfy my wants than other alternatives. The remainder of this article is divided into two main sections. The first attempts to describe the back-to-school experience from my perspective as a student, and then from my perspective as a new faculty member. The second section discusses some interesting questions and possible answers which result from my combined practice and academic experience.