Need Advice (Please be Honest) Forum

[YellowWolf]

I just completed my undergraduate degree in Finance and Mathematics. I managed to keep my grades really high (> 4.00) and was originally considering pursuing a phD in finance since I am mathematically inclined (not a huge fan of the MBA and its price tag since it is light on the mathematical front, if I am to continue studying finance I would like to do so on a more mathematical level). I recently started looking into alternatives for various reasons, and I have considered law school. With some scholarship $ I would consider taking on a new challenge as I believe the financial industry is going to become more heavily regulated in the future (perhaps the JD would add some value?). I don't have the deepest pockets or parents to pay for my tuition so the debt burden is a bit of a deterrent. Has anyone ever gone to law school with a finance/math background and if so were you happy with the decision or do you wish you focused more on finance? From what I have been reading online and in various blogs it looks like it is a bit of a race out of Big Law into private equity, IB etc. This sort of freaks me out. Why is this the case? I don't know what to do. I don't have close family members or anyone I am close with who I can ask or get info. I like the idea of a JD, I feel like it would be more malleable in the sense that you could break away from a firm and maybe work as an independent party and be more entrepreneurial?

-I'm curious to hear from people who have graduated and are working in Biglaw, do you like it or do you wish you were working in PE or IB?
-I'd also like to hear from people for whom math is not their strong suit, if you were more mathematically inclined would you still pursue law or would you do something else?

[Npret]

No, don't go to law school. You won't use your math background at all.
Why are you even considering law school? The idea of a JD being versatile degree is exaggerated. Is it just the biglaw salary? What do you think being a lawyer will give you if you aren't interested in a legal career?

Here's an entire thread about corporate law practice.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ernieTrump

[InterLaw]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=261392

Don't be too scared, but it seems that lawyers are broadly seen as folks who can't use numbers, even with math undergrad.
I would suggest in your case a double degree like JD/MBA ir JD/Msc in Finance. I don't remember where, but I saw a school or two offering this latter.

However, what's your reason for going to law school if you want to work in PE? I mean, if you want a managerial position and you don't want to become a lawyer, with your stats take a 750+ GMAT, apply to some MBAs, get some scholarship and save years and money!

[UVA2B]

Are you still in undergrad or recently graduated? Is there any reason you can't go into quant or analyst at a financial firm for a little while before making this decision? You don't seem particularly ready to pick a professional field, and I would warn that you're not going to use your mathematical abilities in a way that will be particularly satisfying as an attorney. If you want to use mathematics in any substantial capacity, you really should be looking exclusively in the financial services industry, and specifically the analytical arm of that industry.

ETA: sorry, reread that you just completed your degree, but the rest still holds for me.

[chicagoburger]

I just completed my undergraduate degree in Finance and Mathematics. I managed to keep my grades really high (> 4.00) and was originally considering pursuing a phD in finance since I am mathematically inclined (not a huge fan of the MBA and its price tag since it is light on the mathematical front, if I am to continue studying finance I would like to do so on a more mathematical level). I recently started looking into alternatives for various reasons, and I have considered law school. With some scholarship $ I would consider taking on a new challenge as I believe the financial industry is going to become more heavily regulated in the future (perhaps the JD would add some value?). I don't have the deepest pockets or parents to pay for my tuition so the debt burden is a bit of a deterrent. Has anyone ever gone to law school with a finance/math background and if so were you happy with the decision or do you wish you focused more on finance? From what I have been reading online and in various blogs it looks like it is a bit of a race out of Big Law into private equity, IB etc. This sort of freaks me out. Why is this the case? I don't know what to do. I don't have close family members or anyone I am close with who I can ask or get info. I like the idea of a JD, I feel like it would be more malleable in the sense that you could break away from a firm and maybe work as an independent party and be more entrepreneurial?

-I'm curious to hear from people who have graduated and are working in Biglaw, do you like it or do you wish you were working in PE or IB?
-I'd also like to hear from people for whom math is not their strong suit, if you were more mathematically inclined would you still pursue law or would you do something else?

If you just graduated and have no good job offer, I would say apply for law school because you are just the nerd-type of student who will succeed in law school. You are not the type of quant/trader killer type of student. Otherwise, you would have killer job lined up given your 4.0 gpa and double major.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I just completed my undergraduate degree in Finance and Mathematics. I managed to keep my grades really high (> 4.00) and was originally considering pursuing a phD in finance since I am mathematically inclined (not a huge fan of the MBA and its price tag since it is light on the mathematical front, if I am to continue studying finance I would like to do so on a more mathematical level). I recently started looking into alternatives for various reasons, and I have considered law school. With some scholarship $ I would consider taking on a new challenge as I believe the financial industry is going to become more heavily regulated in the future (perhaps the JD would add some value?). I don't have the deepest pockets or parents to pay for my tuition so the debt burden is a bit of a deterrent. Has anyone ever gone to law school with a finance/math background and if so were you happy with the decision or do you wish you focused more on finance? From what I have been reading online and in various blogs it looks like it is a bit of a race out of Big Law into private equity, IB etc. This sort of freaks me out. Why is this the case? I don't know what to do. I don't have close family members or anyone I am close with who I can ask or get info. I like the idea of a JD, I feel like it would be more malleable in the sense that you could break away from a firm and maybe work as an independent party and be more entrepreneurial?

-I'm curious to hear from people who have graduated and are working in Biglaw, do you like it or do you wish you were working in PE or IB?
-I'd also like to hear from people for whom math is not their strong suit, if you were more mathematically inclined would you still pursue law or would you do something else?

If you just graduated and have no good job offer, I would say apply for law school because you are just the nerd-type of student who will succeed in law school. You are not the type of quant/trader killer type of student. Otherwise, you would have killer job lined up given your 4.0 gpa and double major.

You need to stop giving advice. You're a 0L, you don't have any idea who succeeds in law school or why.

[chicagoburger]

You need to stop giving advice. You're a 0L, you don't have any idea who succeeds in law school or why.

You don't need to work at the sausage factory to know which sausage tastes better.
But what's the point of arguing with a moderator who keeps swinging the stick? I will stop.

[cavalier1138]

You need to stop giving advice. You're a 0L, you don't have any idea who succeeds in law school or why.

You don't need to work at the sausage factory to know which sausage tastes better.

Man, it's a good thing you aren't taking the SATs again. They still test analogies on those, right?

[guynourmin]

You don't need to work at the sausage factory to know which sausage tastes better.

you probably need to have tried the sausage, though.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, that analogy doesn't make any sense.

[cron1834]

You don't want to do an MBA because it's not mathematical enough, but you're considering law school, where you won't use math once in 3 years? This doesn't make a lot of sense.

Also, how is Chicagoburger not banned yet?

[chicagoburger]

-I'm curious to hear from people who have graduated and are working in Biglaw, do you like it or do you wish you were working in PE or IB?
-I'd also like to hear from people for whom math is not their strong suit, if you were more mathematically inclined would you still pursue law or would you do something else?

Another thing about your math background is that you won't be able to sit for the patent bar exam. Math is not considered science major according to the USPTO. Patent Law/IP Law is the most math related field of law I think, but unless you have taken sufficient physics/engineering courses in your case, you won't be able to do it.

[cavalier1138]

Another thing about your math background is that you won't be able to sit for the patent bar exam. Math is not considered science major according to the USPTO. Patent Law/IP Law is the most math related field of law I think, but unless you have taken sufficient physics/engineering courses in your case, you won't be able to do it.

Literally no one mentioned patent law, so not sure how this is relevant. And tax probably involves more math than most patent work.

[Sprout]

-I'm curious to hear from people who have graduated and are working in Biglaw, do you like it or do you wish you were working in PE or IB?
-I'd also like to hear from people for whom math is not their strong suit, if you were more mathematically inclined would you still pursue law or would you do something else?

Another thing about your math background is that you won't be able to sit for the patent bar exam. Math is not considered science major according to the USPTO. Patent Law/IP Law is the most math related field of law I think, but unless you have taken sufficient physics/engineering courses in your case, you won't be able to do it.

you should really shut up and listen to Nony
dude didn't express wanting to do patent law in the first place
you know nothing
go away

eta sorry I didn't see this I was too distracted by the stupid above

Literally no one mentioned patent law, so not sure how this is relevant. And tax probably involves more math than most patent work.

[chicagoburger]

-I'm curious to hear from people who have graduated and are working in Biglaw, do you like it or do you wish you were working in PE or IB?
-I'd also like to hear from people for whom math is not their strong suit, if you were more mathematically inclined would you still pursue law or would you do something else?

Another thing about your math background is that you won't be able to sit for the patent bar exam. Math is not considered science major according to the USPTO. Patent Law/IP Law is the most math related field of law I think, but unless you have taken sufficient physics/engineering courses in your case, you won't be able to do it.

you should really shut up and listen to Nony
dude didn't express wanting to do patent law in the first place
you know nothing
go away

eta sorry I didn't see this I was too distracted by the stupid above

Literally no one mentioned patent law, so not sure how this is relevant. And tax probably involves more math than most patent work.

I expect nothing less than a warning from the moderator.

[Sprout]

yeah you sort of just suck so maybe you should just go.

OP I would really consider law school only with a no-cost situation scholarship wise. It seems like you have a lot of prospects as-is. Gl

eta: you would probably do very well in LS but the debt isn't worth it

[Nebby]

You need to stop giving advice. You're a 0L, you don't have any idea who succeeds in law school or why.

You don't need to work at the sausage factory to know which sausage tastes better.
But what's the point of arguing with a moderator who keeps swinging the stick? I will stop.

delete your account

[cron1834]

Seriously ban this moron.

[chicagoburger]

The fact that I regard LSAT as a tool to game the system makes me the target of those who have benefited from the game.

[cavalier1138]

The fact that I regard LSAT as a tool to game the system makes me the target of those who have benefited from the game.

It might have more to do with your inability to post anything coherent or relevant.

[A. Nony Mouse]

The fact that I regard LSAT as a tool to game the system makes me the target of those who have benefited from the game.

That has nothing to do with you giving unfounded advice about what leads people to do well in law school.

[Justtrying2help]

Don't go to law school. Use you mathematical inclination and finance background to become an actuary so you can work 40 hours a week and make the same amount as attorneys. If you do well, after 2 years of experience most Fortune 500 companies will then fully fund your MBA with a salary on top of it ( I have a relative with the same major and gpa as you who did this and works for a major oil company making 250k before age 30 and grew up poor with no connections). You would have to commit to the job for a few years afterwards, but being an actuary is regularly regarded as the best career for work/life/salary balance. Google the career if you have questions.

[YellowWolf]

Don't go to law school. Use you mathematical inclination and finance background to become an actuary so you can work 40 hours a week and make the same amount as attorneys. If you do well, after 2 years of experience most Fortune 500 companies will then fully fund your MBA with a salary on top of it ( I have a relative with the same major and gpa as you who did this and works for a major oil company making 250k before age 30 and grew up poor with no connections). You would have to commit to the job for a few years afterwards, but being an actuary is regularly regarded as the best career for work/life/salary balance. Google the career if you have questions.

Did this particular individual go on to pursue a PhD? PhD programs in finance, mathematics etc. are notoriously difficult to get into (acceptance rates sub 5%). I feel like he/she may have lucked out landing with a Fortune 500 firm. I can imagine that those types of positions are very competitive and may not come along very often.