Law School lnstead of MBA? (Already have MSF)

I got an MSF after one year of financial related work, then have been working in boutique IB for 3 years. I want to move on from my firm but I am finding opportunities limited. I think Grad School (either MBA or Law) could give me more opportunities.

What do you think? Should I just keep working and try get an associate role somewhere or use MBA or Law to get associate role? I kind of don't want to go back to B-School since I already did MSF at top MSF program (think the best under Princeton/MIT).

Assume I can get into Top Ten Law and Top Twenty MBA.

 
Best Response

im a jd/mba at a top 20 school for both law and mba, i would advise against going to law school if you want to continue to do ib--or really anything other than work as a lawyer at a law firm. I would also advise against being a lawyer. Also, if you think you can get into a top ten law you should be able to get into a much higher mba program.

 

It seems that many BB's do not want people with boutique IB background. It also seems that many VP's/Directors at boutique IB and PE firms have JD's.

The way I see it is if I go to back to Grad school I want to add to my skillset. I already have taken more MBA and higher level finance classes than an MBA student would take. A JD would at the very minimum give me knowledge/skills that an MBA would not.

Maybe that is not the best way to look at it? Any thoughts?

 
johnsmithwso:
It seems that many BB's do not want people with boutique IB background. It also seems that many VP's/Directors at boutique IB and PE firms have JD's.

The way I see it is if I go to back to Grad school I want to add to my skillset. I already have taken more MBA and higher level finance classes than an MBA student would take. A JD would at the very minimum give me knowledge/skills that an MBA would not.

Maybe that is not the best way to look at it? Any thoughts?

You're right. That's a stupid way of looking at it. You need to start an actual career, not 'gain skills.' You're saying you want to be a VP or Director at a BB, yeah? OK, so you need to become an associate at a BB. There are like at least 10-15 MBA programs in the country which send 15+ kids to BBs every year to do exactly that. Apply to those programs.

And it's not about the 'classes' either. Who gives a shit if you've 'taken higher level finance classes than an MBA student?' You're going to grad school to get a job. Go to the place that helps you get that job, or don't go at all. Law school does nothing for you except put you into even deeper debt, and denies you time you could spend working and helping your career.

You sound like you're addicted to school. Some people just can't get enough degrees and certificates and shit. Word of advice: those things cost time and money, and there's serious diminishing marginal returns. You have two college degrees, and you want a third. Maybe you don't need it. Employers stop caring at some point, and if you're pushing 30 with only a year or so of real work experience, that looks pretty bad.

 

Well thanks for all the input guys. While I don't think I'm as clueless as any of those examples in the Tucker Max article, I can understand how an MBA is likely the better option even though I've already completed alot of the coursework. And I don't think my current status: 27/28 with 4 years work experience and a master's degree is really that bad of a position to be in. Looks like I have to network harder and maybe try do some MBA apps.

 
johnsmithwso:
Well thanks for all the input guys. While I don't think I'm as clueless as any of those examples in the Tucker Max article, I can understand how an MBA is likely the better option even though I've already completed alot of the coursework. And I don't think my current status: 27/28 with 4 years work experience and a master's degree is really that bad of a position to be in. Looks like I have to network harder and maybe try do some MBA apps.

Just keep working and networking towards your goal directly. It would suck to go back to school in this economy and you still can't re-secure a job.

 

If you have an MSF of that caliber you should be able to do almost anything in finance. The only reason to get an MBA would be if you want to broaden your experience for a C-level role at an F-500. I personally would never spend that kind of money on a degree, especially if I already had a good MSF degree. If money is no object you could get an MBA and JD. However, I would strongly advise against it.

 
John Daggett:
If you have an MSF of that caliber you should be able to do almost anything in finance. The only reason to get an MBA would be if you want to broaden your experience for a C-level role at an F-500. I personally would never spend that kind of money on a degree, especially if I already had a good MSF degree. If money is no object you could get an MBA and JD. However, I would strongly advise against it.

My MSF is one the best under MIT/Princeton. So its good but def. not crazy "prestigious."

 

Similique sit voluptatibus et officiis perferendis et. Et consequuntur neque blanditiis voluptas. Voluptas ratione eos voluptatem ab consequatur accusamus. Accusamus inventore id vel eum quasi nobis.

Enim et deleniti consequuntur. Deleniti nemo magnam ea nulla. Velit velit iusto repudiandae et eos et est. Ut dignissimos odio voluptatem odit amet id. Quia et placeat error excepturi.

Et unde ipsam cupiditate laboriosam. Et magni illum incidunt optio. Facere esse fuga et et est. Error officia excepturi maxime et quae voluptas. Impedit vero et repellat velit odio ut neque. Culpa nesciunt voluptas tenetur recusandae earum. Modi ipsum sunt dolorem rerum vel et eius.

 

Quis minima aliquam animi quidem aperiam. Placeat odit eos cumque unde et impedit. Mollitia voluptatum deserunt occaecati voluptatem velit in ipsa. Non magnam consequuntur deleniti ipsa occaecati qui. Aperiam quasi earum consequatur et. Maiores aut tempore natus officia ut ad aut. Expedita commodi qui et dolor pariatur reiciendis voluptate.

Excepturi qui animi quas assumenda quia voluptatibus possimus. In iusto aut suscipit voluptas provident non nihil. Voluptas vero vel voluptatem autem ad omnis id atque.

Quo sunt sit at vero repudiandae commodi cupiditate ipsum. Quia aliquid et est tempore ducimus voluptates molestiae. Quia aut et commodi. Sunt qui corrupti consectetur.

Laborum consequuntur eaque quae laborum molestias. Cumque rerum consequatur sit autem cumque aut et. Quasi quam id eum est rem aspernatur. Quaerat qui dolorem optio vero fugit et tenetur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”