is accounting as bad as people make it out to be
There's other industries in STEM that have better growth potential than CS right now, CSE as a whole has way too many ppl because so many kids were promised a shit ton of money if they got into CSE. If I had to suggest a STEM industry to go for instead I'd probably say Mechanical Engineering bc there's a lot you can do with that. It's a very broad field that has a lot of other majors like Aerospace Engineering and Bio/Biomed Engineering in it as more specific fields.
No, not bad at all but rather a decent degree with a wide range of business studies and its computational aspects. Typically, an accounting degree plus additional qualifications, which take about three more years to complete (ACA, ACCA etc), will secure you a job <-- what else do you need?
However, given the current-uncertain climate, you may want to focus on tax rather than audit side of accounting. This could lead to a more stable job, possibly in government, in my opinion - somewhat of a job security given the challenging conditions about to unfold. <-- but don't quote me on that.
In terms of career options, engineering continues to be a reliable choice, and fields like computer science, as well as software engineering, are particularly promising given their recent and future growth.
P.S. Working in IB, premier consulting firms, and elite law practices is far from a cakewalk; actually, it's more of a slavery for up to three years. Having connections through family or industry pillars can make it easier, but generally speaking, aside from a prestigious line on your CV and exposure to high-level corporate culture, I'd question its overall value <-- I must add a caveat: there's no definitive advice on this, even from those who have been in or cycled through the Big 4/8 firms, as outcomes can vary.
However, experience in white-collar professions is generally viewed favourably. And yes, make sure you excel at an Ivy League or other top global university before even thinking about pursuing these high-stakes careers 😉