Master's student Jared Sidhu continues education in taxation to gain specialized skills

Sometimes, a particular class or a connection with a faculty member can ignite a spark that leads to a new journey. For Jared Sidhu (BA Corporate Accounting '24, MTax '25), a course in his W. P. Carey undergraduate studies helped him discover a new passion and led him to the Master of Taxation and Data Analytics (MTax) program.

Sometimes, a particular class or a connection with a faculty member can ignite a spark that leads to a new journey. For Jared Sidhu (BA Corporate Accounting '24, MTax '25), a course in his W. P. Carey undergraduate studies helped him discover a new passion.

"During my time at the undergraduate level, I got to experience ACC 454 Taxes for Corporate Accountants, taught by Professor Donald Frost, who also teaches in the MTax program," he says. "I really enjoyed the amalgamation of the law and accounting, which is what taxation represents, in my opinion."

After learning more about the Master of Taxation and Data Analytics (MTax) program, Jared realized that he found the world of taxes quite interesting and that the program fit with his future career plans. He then decided to join the MTax program after completing his bachelor's degree in business.

W. P. Carey News spoke with Jared about transitioning from being an online student to taking in-person classes and how he plans to use his MTax degree to achieve his career goals.

Why W. P. Carey?

As an online undergraduate student at ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business, Jared had positive experiences in his classes and with his professors. But coming to the Tempe campus to be a part of the MTax program was a new and eye-opening experience for him.

"Coming to campus for my graduate degree, it was unique to see the faculty and landscape that I felt I knew to a certain degree through my online experiences," he says.

The MTax program features a small cohort and class sizes, allowing students to form deep connections with each other and the School of Accountancy faculty. "The network of like-minded individuals is a great resource for solving shared academic challenges while building relationships and friendships that will last a lifetime," Jared says.

"With our current class size of 22 students, the access to and relationships with faculty have been a significant asset in driving my learning. I have observed that all of the faculty in my program genuinely care for your success, work with you to understand the material, and are happy to share their professional experience and stories from the profession."

Jared also has high praise for the program's curriculum and how it prepares students for a career in the tax industry through experiential learning and the development of technical skills. "Given tax is an evolving area, the curriculum seems constantly updated to reflect the latest developments," he says. "For the most part, the projects in the curriculum are also modeled on real-life tasks a CPA would do in day-to-day work."

Why taxation?

Jared's initial plan after graduating with his bachelor's degree was to attend law school. After learning more about taxation through coursework and conversations with faculty, he found a passion for the industry and decided to pursue the MTax program first.

"I learned more about the MTax program, the career advancement with the ability to gain both the CPA certification and admission to the bar, and decided it would be a valuable pursuit to add to my academic plans," Jared says.

Jared still plans on pursuing law school, as he hopes to combine accounting and taxation knowledge with a law degree in his future business pursuits.

"Entrepreneurship has always been one of my hopes and aspirations for my career," he says. "I plan to develop closely held private enterprises while also continuing to learn and grow in the tax accounting space. Moreover, I plan to return to university to get my law degree, and hope to have my own boutique firm serving clients in their needs."

What's next?

Jared's transition from an undergraduate student to the MTax program was a big one, but one that he could navigate with support from W. P. Carey faculty and staff, as well as his classmates. He advises anyone considering a similar path to keep that transition in mind.

"For those moving from undergraduate education, understand that a graduate degree does truly mean the next level," Jared says. "For those pursuing the MTax program, it's a great program, but you will gain the most from it if you treat it as a full-time job because, in essence, that's what it is. Making sure to have a strong sense of work-life balance and taking time to have fun will be important aspects to consider as you pursue graduate education."

Those connections with others and the support they provide are a big reason why Jared has enjoyed his time at W. P. Carey, and why he encourages others to give the school a closer look.

"If you want to attend a well-known business school within a university that consistently ranks as the most innovative yet still personalizes the experience for a student and gives you the time and attention you need to succeed, then W. P. Carey is the right choice for you."