Lawyers- Help a mom out- son wants a JD and a MBA

[Anonymous]

I am a single (uneducated) parent and my son is a bright star. Went to the math and science magnet for middle school, 9 AP's in high school, currently in undergrad attending on scholarship.

He is 19 and in his 2nd year of college and with his AP credits currently has 85 credit hours.

Here are the choices- he is looking to me for guidance and I don't know enough to help him decide.

He can graduate in 2017 (after 4 years of undergrad) with a triple major and one minor: GSCOM, finance and Econ with a minor in PR
or
He can graduate next spring (2016) after 3 years of undergrad with on major (finance) and a minor in PR

We are finding out that you have to have work experience (full time) for 2-3 years before applying to an MBA program.

He can also do a JD/MBA right out of undergrad. 3.5 year program.

Here is my question:

Is this a "safe" career choice right now? I hear of lots of un or under employed lawyers- but my son is insisting that a JD/MBA is different.

Does this degree offer flexibility? My son is a "busy brain" and he moves from thing to thing a lot. He is looking for a challenging and not boring (he does not want to be in a cubicle) career that will literally take him places- from a travel standpoint.

I am not a helicopter parent, he is looking for advice and I don't understand enough to give it to him.

Thanks, DCUM family. Sometimes you are snarky but I have found I can count on you when needed

[Anonymous]

None of the people I know with JD/MBAs use the MBA portion. It's just a way for the schools to charge more money.

[Anonymous]

Agree with pp.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP. I would advise your son to graduate the year early and look for a job that would get him on the path toward the business career he thinks he wants. Then after a couple of years, he should choose either to do the MBA or to switch to law.

[Anonymous]

and the value of the JD varies greatly. Will he get a full scholarship? Awesome, go for it! Will he be attending a top-15 school? Awesome, go for it! If he has to finance his own tuition, he should know that he's basically indenturing himself to a life of insanely intense jobs that will pay enough to repay his loans.

If he's not going to a top 10 school, he should attend school in the region he hopes to ultimately live in.

[Anonymous]

Whatever he does, it would behoove hom to work for a few years after college before going to law or business school.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't describe it as a "safe" thing, simply because it's extra debt to incur unless he gets a full ride, and there are very few areas where have both are really meaningful. It seems to be more something people do out of personal interest, or because they really can't decide which they want to do (in which case I think they should be taking a little more time to figure out what they want rather than just chasing school as a means of deferring a career decision).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of the people I know with JD/MBAs use the MBA portion. It's just a way for the schools to charge more money.

That's because you live in DC (i assume).

mittens the shittens - jd/mba, baker scholar, i don't think he ever used the jd in his life.

Actually I know a few jd/mba's from H and Northwestern and none of them practice. They all went into buyside finance (PE or VC).

I know a jd/mba who is a current H student that interned last summer at McKinsey. He's going to do a law firm this summer, but I think his ideal exit goal after graduation is PE.

[Anonymous]

The JS/MBAs I know live in NYC and work in Finance. Should your son go that route, he will likely be very well paid (high six figures into the millions).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The JS/MBAs I know live in NYC and work in Finance. Should your son go that route, he will likely be very well paid (high six figures into the millions).

OP here. Yes, this is his interest.

[Anonymous]

OP, your son would be best off getting some work experience after his undergrad - I would say for 3-5 years.

Also, getting a MBA or JD from a top ten school carries a lot more weight than at some lesser known and recognized school. I agree with PPs who said that a combined JD/MBA would be of value only in limited circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The JS/MBAs I know live in NYC and work in Finance. Should your son go that route, he will likely be very well paid (high six figures into the millions).

OP here. Yes, this is his interest.

Is he looking at the Northwestern program?

[Anonymous]

MBA here. He should go work for a few years. If he's into finance, then he can go to one of the big consulting firms. They'll work him hard, but he'll learn a lot. They hire smart people, and the undergrad degree a person has isn't the deciding factor.

Then after a few years, he can see if he likes it and go for an MBA or law degree or whatever.

MBA classes don't really go well if you dont' have work experience -- it's just too hard to relate in class discussion. At most full-time MBA programs, average age is late 20s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MBA here. He should go work for a few years. If he's into finance, then he can go to one of the big consulting firms. They'll work him hard, but he'll learn a lot. They hire smart people, and the undergrad degree a person has isn't the deciding factor.

Then after a few years, he can see if he likes it and go for an MBA or law degree or whatever.

MBA classes don't really go well if you dont' have work experience -- it's just too hard to relate in class discussion. At most full-time MBA programs, average age is late 20s.

it's getting younger actually. wharton and hbs both take an increasing number of 24 year olds. kellogg tends to be older.

[Anonymous]

Excellent degree combination. Among others, a current federal appeals judge named as possible Supreme Court nominee has those credentials. Get the degree. Don't wait.