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Here's the deal:

I'm currently doing an internship with a Big 4 accounting firm between my junior and senior year. I expect to receive a full-time offer to begin after I graduate. But I don't want to be an accountant; I want to go to law school.

So, I am considering accepting the job, and only applying to H/Y/S in the upcoming cycle, and if I get in I'll defer. My stats are 3.98/176.

I want to do this because I want 1) real world experience and 2) to get my CPA.

If I get into none of those, I'll apply again the next year to a wider range while I'm working at the firm.

Is this a good plan? Am I being unethical to the law schools or to my firm by taking the offer with the intention of leaving after one or two years? Will this hurt me down the road for jumping ship so quickly?

Is this a projected score? Or did you sit for an official administration of the LSAT?

Sounds like a great plan. That real world work experience will benefit you, and dispensable income after college is baller. And no its not at all unethical .. you still want to attend law school, just not next year. Plenty of students defer. You may want to research the deferral policies, however, because if your firm gives you a 2 yr offer and the school only gives you 1 yr deferral, you could be burning a bridge somewhere.

As for admissions, you're lock at H and well in range for yale, it will come down to your PS/LoRs and other crap. You've set yourself up well. Accounting WE is pretty average/standard for law school applicants so don't expect it to serve as a significant "boost" with Y/S, but the name recognition of EY or Deloitte and the reference (and even the financial literacy you will gain) would help you with employers when you're looking for work at firms as a law student.

Also, as an FYI, HYS need-based aid caps out at ~$30K/year (and this is for very low income), leaving a minimum of $150K debt at graduation (interest included). If your EFC is non-zero, you'll be $200K+. This is fine and largely acceptable debt for an HYS degree, but consider: you would be a perfect candidate for a Hamilton full ride scholarship at Columbia, which would leave you with significantly less debt (~70K or less). If you are interested in large firm work and you don't particularly care about clerking or academia, I'd take the Hamilton and run in your shoes (see what I did there? ).

best of luck!

I sat for in after my sophomore year.

And ok thanks for the advice. I think a typical offer is actually for two years, but I think Harvard(where I reallllyyy want to go) allows two-year deferrals.