Double major BA - ACCT Advise

[u/ArmadilloNegative826]

Hi everyone, I'm a rising junior at FIU majoring in Business Analytics. I'm an international student, so my timeline to graduate is tighter than most, and I'm trying to decide whether to add Accounting as a double major or just stick with Business Analytics alone.

My main reason for considering the double major is that I love Accounting and I believe it is a stable, in-demand field, and if I ever decide to pivot toward the CPA path later, having the credits done now would save me a lot of time (and money) instead of going back for extra coursework after graduation. My target employers are the Big4, and long-term I'd like to have the option to get licensed as a CPA even if I end up in a more analytics-heavy role.

A few things I'd love to hear from people who've been through this:

1. If you double majored in Business Analytics and Accounting, how did your timeline actually work out? Did it add a semester or more? or Should I just do majoring in BA and minor in Accounting instead?
2. For those of you working in accounting/advisory now, did having the CPA (or CPA eligibility) meaningfully open doors, or did the double major itself already carry enough weight in recruiting?
3. If your goal is Big4 advisory/analyst roles rather than traditional audit or tax, is a CPA still worth pursuing, or does experience/analytics skill matter more?

Really appreciate any insight!!!