MBA or Law Degree?

[acemcmac]

I really don't think there's a great future in the nitty-gritty details of IT, especially the more I read about how middle-aged IT veterans find themselves easily jobless because newer, more freshly trained grads are half the cost. My mentor really suggested I take a good hard look at these two avenues and pick one based on what I want do in life. Either way, I'd probably have to earn it at night while working my first "good job" during the day.

I have just as much of a penchant for buisness as I do for law, so it's really a tossup. I was really wondering what you guys thought.

I do have an easy avenue to get an MBA. My university offers a "tech MBA" which emphasizes how technology is managed. I could get that degree in my sleep, but I'm not sure if it's okay to get a master's degree from the same school you got your BS (it's a state system school).

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Can't go wrong with either... but I'd take Law.

 

[gigapet]

you may also want to think about the implications of technology on law. Currently there are tons of lawyers however how many of them are really tech saavy enough to address the issues that are going to be raised as technology becomes more advanced and more tightly integrated into life. I forsee a strong demand for lawyers with technical specialty.

 

[Queasy]

Which do you think you would enjoy more? I think your mentor had it right when said "pick one based on what I want to do in life."

 

[Patt]

MBA ... unless you're actually into Law (i.e. interested). MBA can be applied to more business applications.

 

[ChiBOY83]

hey, why not look at programs that will offer a joint degree (both MBA and law degree) in 4 years

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: gigapet
you may also want to think about the implications of technology on law. Currently there are tons of lawyers however how many of them are really tech saavy enough to address the issues that are going to be raised as technology becomes more advanced and more tightly integrated into life. I forsee a strong demand for lawyers with technical specialty.

That was why my mentor was talking about law. He said he could get me in with a computer forensics firm where a law degree would be clutch. There is potential there to go off on my own AFAIK.

 

[Strk]

Take a practice LSAT then go from there.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83
hey, why not look at programs that will offer a joint degree (both MBA and law degree) in 4 years

:shocked:

Didn't know they existed.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: Strk
Take a practice LSAT then go from there.

That's a really good idea. I think I'll do that. :beer:

 

[ChiBOY83]

Oh yea. TONS (edit: maybe not exactly TONS) of places are offering them. Most of the big schools in the midwest offer such programs (Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern).

I would DEF look into that avenue. NOBODY will FU*K w/ you w/ those two degrees!

 

[JDrake]

Male Basketball Assc.?

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: joedrake
Male Basketball Assc.?

You'll learn what it is when you get out of HS.

 

[ChiBOY83]

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: joedrake
Male Basketball Assc.?

You'll learn what it is when you get out of HS.

what's HS stand for?

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83
Oh yea. TONS (edit: maybe not exactly TONS) of places are offering them. Most of the big schools in the midwest offer such programs (Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern).

I would DEF look into that avenue. NOBODY will FU*K w/ you w/ those two degrees!

Except you run into two issues: 1) a lot of schools treat them separately (I.e. you have to get into both the business and the law school) and 2) most MBA programs want at least two years of work experience.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: Strk
Take a practice LSAT then go from there.

That's a really good idea. I think I'll do that. :beer:

Take LOTS of them... The more you take the better you'll do. My first couple of practice tests came back in the mid-130's. When I took the test for real I hit 157.

 

[ChiBOY83]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83
Oh yea. TONS (edit: maybe not exactly TONS) of places are offering them. Most of the big schools in the midwest offer such programs (Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern).

I would DEF look into that avenue. NOBODY will FU*K w/ you w/ those two degrees!

Except you run into two issues: 1) a lot of schools treat them separately (I.e. you have to get into both the business and the law school) and 2) most MBA programs want at least two years of work experience.

1. that is completly true, gotta take both hte LSAT and GRE and apply seperately
2. It is still possible to get in w/o the job experience, talked to many MBA admissions people in deciding if MBA was right for me. Its not a strict guideline. Furthermore, they are more willing to accept the joint law and MBA students w/o the job experience

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83
Oh yea. TONS (edit: maybe not exactly TONS) of places are offering them. Most of the big schools in the midwest offer such programs (Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern).

I would DEF look into that avenue. NOBODY will FU*K w/ you w/ those two degrees!

Except you run into two issues: 1) a lot of schools treat them separately (I.e. you have to get into both the business and the law school) and 2) most MBA programs want at least two years of work experience.

1. that is completly true, gotta take both hte LSAT and GRE and apply seperately
2. It is still possible to get in w/o the job experience, talked to many MBA admissions people in deciding if MBA was right for me. Its not a strict guideline. Furthermore, they are more willing to accept the joint law and MBA students w/o the job experience

I have a stellar record of full time job experience while completing my CS (minor econ) degree in two years and nine months. Job experience won't be an issue for me.

I am completley stunned at how much useful info this thread has given me. Thanks a million guys :beer: :beer:

 

[DVK916]

Go for a master in CS. CS is a highly demanded field. If you get your master expect to earn $100,000+ .

 

[Scarpozzi]

MBA will be easier to obtain and the workload of an MBA will most-likely be lighter. If you go law, you'll be working a lot more hours. I would take the MBA.

 

[JDrake]

Originally posted by: DVK916
Go for a master in CS. CS is a highly demanded field. If you get your master expect to earn $100,000+ .

CS? I luv that game!!

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: joedrake
Male Basketball Assc.?

You'll learn what it is when you get out of HS.

wtf?

 

[Scarpozzi]

One more comment: At my school, I got my undergrad here. For me to get an MBA, it requires 30 hours. I'm able to take 6 hours per semester without being too overworked.

If you go full time, I know people who have taken 12-15 hours per semester of Graduate classes. (you just can't have a job and must start doing projects as soon as the semester starts to keep up) But it can be done....

 

[TheAdvocate]

The correct answer here is: patent attorney.

1. Go to law school
2. Summer after year #2, take the Patent Bar
3.
4. Profit ($100k+ bonuses, bare minimum, work for a firm doing IT related litigation)

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: joedrake

Originally posted by: DVK916
Go for a master in CS. CS is a highly demanded field. If you get your master expect to earn $100,000+ .

CS? I luv that game!!

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: joedrake
Male Basketball Assc.?

You'll learn what it is when you get out of HS.

wtf?

CS = Computer Science.

It is easy to make over 100,000 a year with a CS degree if you have your masters.

Companies are so desperate for Computer Science gradutes they are starting to look to India to fill the demand. it is really amazing.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: ChiBOY83
Oh yea. TONS (edit: maybe not exactly TONS) of places are offering them. Most of the big schools in the midwest offer such programs (Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern).

I would DEF look into that avenue. NOBODY will FU*K w/ you w/ those two degrees!

Except you run into two issues: 1) a lot of schools treat them separately (I.e. you have to get into both the business and the law school) and 2) most MBA programs want at least two years of work experience.

1. that is completly true, gotta take both hte LSAT and GRE and apply seperately
2. It is still possible to get in w/o the job experience, talked to many MBA admissions people in deciding if MBA was right for me. Its not a strict guideline. Furthermore, they are more willing to accept the joint law and MBA students w/o the job experience

gmat, not gre for bschool...

in my opinion, neither are really worth it unless you can go to a top school... avg salary for lawyers is 40k, and i don't think it's going to be much higher for mba's.