Accounting Graduate Degree and Tax Law Forum

[cartesianproduct]

Hey everyone, first time poster.

I'm curious to hear what you think. How much would it benefit me in the admissions process to have a tax accounting graduate degree? I'm very interested in tax law and I would like to know how much of a boost it might give me if I apply to a top tax program. (NYU etc..)

Also, getting the grad degree wouldn't cost me extra time (LS admissions wise) and the costs would be negligible.

thanks in advance for the input!

[YaSvoboden]

I can just speak about this from my own research on here and other sites and speaking with professionals that have both degrees and adcomms, though the adcomms weren't on NYU's level.

The Macc or MTax, only has a marginal benefit and trains you how to do tax accounting, which is quite a bit different from tax law. It is one of the more impressive grad degrees you can get going into law school, but that really doesn't say much. It can give you a slight upperhand in tax courses while you are in law school. But again, they are different, so it's only a small benefit. No one that I have spoken to about it has recommended it.

If costs really are negligible, I say go ahead, but I think a year of WE would be more beneficial, especially if you can do something in tax. (I assume you have an accounting undergrad.)

[cartesianproduct]

I appreciate the insight

[gator89]

I'm in the same boat as you, I can do a combined ug Accounting/grad Accounting program at my school which would save me time and money (if I were to be an accountant). But after talking with different professors they recommended to go straight into law school and shoot for an llm program. Not worth an extra year to get your MAcc when you could spend that year on your llm. Especially since "if" i decide to go back to accounting some of the law classes (tax, m&a) would count towards my hours to get my CPA license; which is of equal weight as a MAcc.

[cartesianproduct]

In response to the last poster,

The way I see it, I have to fill the following year with something productive. I graduate from undergrad this summer, and will be applying to law schools this October. I could go home and work, or I could get the Mtax. My school offers a scholarship that will mitigate all but a small amount of the costs. On top of that, I would gain work experience anyways through being a grad TA.

It would almost seem silly not to do it, no?

[sarahh]

In response to the last poster,

The way I see it, I have to fill the following year with something productive. I graduate from undergrad this summer, and will be applying to law schools this October. I could go home and work, or I could get the Mtax. My school offers a scholarship that will mitigate all but a small amount of the costs. On top of that, I would gain work experience anyways through being a grad TA.

It would almost seem silly not to do it, no?

Sure, if you have a year free anyway and you don't think you can find a decent job to fill that time, I think it is a good idea. But don't count on it giving you an admissions boost. Your undergrad GPA and LSAT score are by far the most important things.

[cartesianproduct]

Thanks guys