The most common question, he said, is whether or not to accept a job offer with Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm that is in hot water due to its involvement with Enron as the energy trading giant's outside auditor.

Mulford recommended that students seriously consider the job market; there is tough competition in this slow economy. So, he said, "if it's a job you want, go ahead and proceed."

Overall, he said most students are finding the accounting profession more interesting and intriguing. In fact, it may actually benefit from the attention thanks to the Enron-Andersen controversy -- good news for a profession that is sweating bullets over the national decline of students majoring in the field. A negative image of the profession as "boring" may be overshadowed by an image of the profession as an integral component of business and the economy.

But it's not all wine and roses. "The profession has taken a hit in its trust and prestige," added Mulford.

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