How Important is Graduating in Four Years?

Hey WSO

I currently attend a top five engineering school and will have no trouble graduating in four years. My school partners with another nearby liberal arts college that offers a dual B.S. & L.L.M. (Master of Laws) in five years; this liberal arts college has reasonably better networking opportunities, and I could concentrate my LLM in mergers and aquisitions. I feel participating in this program would help my chances of landing an offer in IB, but I'm unsure as to how delaying my graduation would affect recruitment. Would you guys recommend I just stick to the B.S. in engineering and graduate comfortably or go for the LLM as well and increase my networking opportunities and potential grad/law school options?

Thanks

 

Do the 5 year program. There is no rush to getting out in the real world. You will most likely only complete and undergrad degree once, so make it count while your there by doing the master of laws

 

The law degree would leave me with more options and I could certainly spin it to make it relevant to IB. With my engineering degree I will have a strong quant background, and the legal education will give me a better understanding of the mechanics of M&A specifically while also strengthening my ability to think critically and write persuasively

 

Take this with a pinch of salt but it sounds like a great idea. In Europe its normal and often required to top off your bachelors with a one or two year pre-experience master. You are graduating later but are gaining something from it, its not like you are doing a 4 year degree in 5. Business and law are closely related and one is indispensable for the other. Some define a company as a nexus of contracts thus reducing transaction costs. In my opinion one year more or less at our age is nothing, and Im sure you will become a more mature individual with a more well rounded knowledge base. You may even be able to get an internship more under your belt before applying to top banks.

 

In the US (perhaps other countries too), we're not allowed to ask people how old they are. So when I'm interviewing people, I've got no idea how long they've been at university unless they have voluntarily disclosed it in their resume or in the interview.

So, from a job seeking perspective, it's likely that no one will fixate on how long you've been at university or care whether you're 22, 23 or 24. Unless you have rapid onset balding or something and look 32.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, post threads about how to do it on WSO.
 

Plenty of engineering majors go into IB and yes, M&A/corporate law will give you a better overall awareness of structuring the deal and the corporate landscape, but as an IB analyst, I don't know how much that would help.

Also, you list various advantages the LLM will provide for IB job prospects and future opportunities, but I want to know - would you enjoy law school? You go to a top engineering school so you're smart and yes, an LLM has its advantages, but would you actually like what you're learning? I've met M&A and IP lawyers who came from engineering backgrounds who hate what they do. Even if it's just a year, I just wanted to ask these questions.

 

@"brooksfit" I obviously can't be sure how the style of education suits me until I try it. I've taken a few liberal arts courses and done fine in them. Law school will be a change of pace from my engineering undergrad, but I think I could be a fine fit.

@"SSits" I'd throw bananas if I had any for onset balding comment. I lol'd

 

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