[Recked]

Debating taking the LSAT just for kicks. Local university ~20 minutes away offers it 4 times a year.
$180 to sit.

Bachelors going on 16 years ago now, underachieved a 3.22 for associates(CC) and 2.96 for bachelors.

[Recked]

Found this post from Charlie from Jan 2015.
If you want to do tax and you have a CPA, why on earth would you go to law school????? You already have the credentials, all you have to do now is get the experience…
Law school (outside top 10) = Huge amount of debt and horrible job prospects. I think that spending 200k + 3 years of your life in the hope that you might land a job paying 50k/year is the definition of insanity.
And before anyone starts mentioning the 180k starting salaries for “big law” associates, be aware those positions account for way less than 5% of law school grads…
Just my 2 cents…..

He makes a good point lol.

[aaronmo]

I took it…

It came down to simple price and age in skipping law school. I have regrets now and again. I do wonder if a JD might make more sense for a CPA…does that cred, differentiation and actual experience take you out of that 50k, bad market crowd? I don't know.

This might sound goofy, but I'm glad that I took the LSAT…it made not going my choice.

[aaronmo]

I'm sure that you know this, but if you're taking the LSAT, you have to prep it. Kaplan is usually regarded well…I think Princeton Review is as well. I took Kaplan.

[scattershot]

I do wonder if a JD might make more sense for a CPA…does that cred, differentiation and actual experience take you out of that 50k, bad market crowd? I don't know.

Not for the entry level, at least. I have a JD and started a MAcc in the fall; going through Meet the Firms I only landed interviews with 2/4 big4 and a handful of midtiers. The typical reaction was basically “hey that's neat but you'll still be starting at 50-60k as an associate”; maybe 2-3 firms instead thought I should be applying to their itax/transfer pricing/r&d teams instead (none of whom were recruiting at Meet the Firms).

[aaronmo]

Thanks for posting that…

This is a decision I replay in my head at least once a month; your response might help me give up the ghost.

[Recked]

How did you like Kaplan and how many hours did the review run you?

[aaronmo]

I honestly don't remember how long/expensive it was…it was a long time ago. I don't remember being unhappy with it…I took the prep, my scores were good, I felt well prepared.

One thing to be aware of…excuse the generalizations, but I think there's some truth here…

Law School candidates are more ego driven than accountants. They lie. They BS. They jostle. They say they knew something when they didn't. You can't trust the other people in the way you can most of the people here, or in a CPA prep class.

We support one another and see the exam as a common enemy. They see the exam as a way to eliminate competition. So if you missed something, and everyone else in the class didn't…be skeptical. Don't let it bug you. Everyone else was smarter than me, everyone else got all the homework right…but somehow, at the end of the day, my scores were higher. Whereas we go 75! You passed! They want to know what your score was vs. theirs.

It's a different kind of person and a different environment…be less trusting. In this forum, and in my CPA prep, I felt the other candidates were together with a bond of mutual support. We tell it like it is…don't be afraid when you struggle on MCQ…etc. That's not what LSAT prep was like.

[Recked]

You are reminding me of my overall displeasure with attorneys.
Attorneys and realtors, 2 types to never turn your back on.

[jenpen]

I worked in law for 8 years (as a legal secretary…never could transition out of that role) before making the switch to accounting and I agree with a lot of what @aaronmo said about attorneys. Of course not all are like that, but majority of the ones I came into contact with were, even after law school. I was glad that I made the shift and decided not to pursue my JD, which was the original goal. Plus my brain is more black and white whereas law is all about the grey areas.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[aaronmo]

Accounting is, largely, gray…with make an argument/advocacy…as well. At least in practice.

A large percentage of my friends and family are attorneys…and I think they often feel the same way. I'm not trying to attorney bash, but the people in that field are often different “types” in some ways.

[Recked]

The “fun” part of accounting is playing in the grey.

Is it gray or grey? I always get that mixed up.

[aaronmo]

Agree…

And I have never been clear on that either! I guess it's in the grey.

[jenpen]

Both are right – one is English and one is American. 🙂

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[aaronmo]

@ Jennifer…so it's a judgment call. Errrr judgement call. Errrrrr…

Judgement vs. Judgment – What's the Difference?

Please don't let me colour your preferences.

[scattershot]

If you absolutely must experience the legal field, stay away from Kaplan (both for the LSAT and the Bar). Powerscore and/or Testmasters are probably still the undisputed alphas for LSAT prep.

[Author]

Replies