JD/MBA: Northwestern vs. Penn vs. Columbia Forum

[cc534128]

Got into the law and business schools for Northwestern (3 yr JD/MBA), Penn (3 yr JD/MBA), and Columbia (4 yr JD/MBA). Northwestern has the more integrated program, I think, since it's been around longer than Penn Law/Wharton's 3 yr JD/MBA program. But I really loved Wharton when I visited and sat in on classes. I'm checking out Penn Law this weekend, so maybe it'll be an easier decision once I can see whether I connect with the school or not. Columbia Business School didn't really give me the warm fuzzies, but the law school has amazing resources. However, it's an extra year in the most expensive city. From the Midwest, so Northwestern would put me closer to family. I haven't heard on scholarship/fellowships at any of these schools, so they're all on equal footing right now in that respect. I think I'm leaning towards one of the schools, but wanted to put this out there to get others' thoughts. Thanks!

[kittenmittons]

Wharton. It is a class above the other business schools mentioned. Otherwise, CLS because the legal degree is so much better than the other options.

[Flanker1067]

I voted for Penn, obviously all are good choices, and I don't have a great reason. That being said, I think it would help if you told us what you wanted to do. If you wanted to practice law, I think Columbia would have the upper hand. Business, then Penn or NU.

[Flanker1067]

Wharton. It is a class above the other business schools mentioned. Otherwise, CLS because the legal degree is so much better than the other options.

Is Wharton in a class above Kellogg? I don't know much about business school but I know they are ranked the same in USNWR. I am interested to see employment data maybe?

[kittenmittons]

Wharton. It is a class above the other business schools mentioned. Otherwise, CLS because the legal degree is so much better than the other options.

Is Wharton in a class above Kellogg? I don't know much about business school but I know they are ranked the same in USNWR. I am interested to see employment data maybe?

HWS is the top-tier. Kellogg is below that with like Booth and Sloan.

[Dtackpat75]

At the ASW Columbia announced that they are supoosedly adding a 3 year JD/MBA option but I still haven't heard anything else about it.

[mrm2083]

I would give my first born to be able to do a JD/MBA at Penn

[cc534128]

I voted for Penn, obviously all are good choices, and I don't have a great reason. That being said, I think it would help if you told us what you wanted to do. If you wanted to practice law, I think Columbia would have the upper hand. Business, then Penn or NU.

I want to practice law for a few years, but I don't think I'll stay in law for the rest of my life. As of right now, I'm thinking I'll probably start in biglaw and then go in-house and/or end up in a more entrepreneurial setting that relates to the area of law I focus in on. I'm thinking environmental/cleantech or finance right now, but I'll probably actually figure it out once I'm in school.

[cc534128]

At the ASW Columbia announced that they are supoosedly adding a 3 year JD/MBA option but I still haven't heard anything else about it.

I heard something similar from my friend who graduated from CLS last year, but she isn't sure when it would be implemented, if at all...

[Dignan]

At the ASW Columbia announced that they are supoosedly adding a 3 year JD/MBA option but I still haven't heard anything else about it.

I heard something similar from my friend who graduated from CLS last year, but she isn't sure when it would be implemented, if at all...

Well, at the ASW in March, the Dean announced that the faculty had just voted to approve the program. Apparently, the program won't officially start until 2011, but a student starting in 2010 will be able to switch over after their 1L year (which is always all law classes anyway for the joint degree) and then finish the JD/MBA in three years.

The OP should, of course, directly contact CLS about this.

[XxSpyKEx]

Is Harvard or Stanford completely out of the question? If you could get into one of those 2 schools you would get the best of both worlds -- i.e. a JD and MBA from a school that is at the way top in both programs. I'd imagine the options for a Harvard of Stanford JD/MBA would be a shitton better than the options you get from any of these 3 schools (even if it meant going to school for 4 years).

[cc534128]

At the ASW Columbia announced that they are supoosedly adding a 3 year JD/MBA option but I still haven't heard anything else about it.

I heard something similar from my friend who graduated from CLS last year, but she isn't sure when it would be implemented, if at all...

Well, at the ASW in March, the Dean announced that the faculty had just voted to approve the program. Apparently, the program won't officially start until 2011, but a student starting in 2010 will be able to switch over after their 1L year (which is always all law classes anyway for the joint degree) and then finish the JD/MBA in three years.

The OP should, of course, directly contact CLS about this.

Thanks for the info!

[cc534128]

Is Harvard or Stanford completely out of the question? If you could get into one of those 2 schools you would get the best of both worlds -- i.e. a JD and MBA from a school that is at the way top in both programs. I'd imagine the options for a Harvard of Stanford JD/MBA would be a shitton better than the options you get from any of these 3 schools (even if it meant going to school for 4 years).

Stanford's out. I find out about HBS today and haven't heard anything from Harvard Law yet...

[cc534128]

In at HBS...might have to wait this one out and figure out what's going on with HLS...

[FCD]

If in it a HLS, it's a no-brainer. It doesn't get much more prestigious than the HLS/HBS combo.

Even if you don't get into HLS, you may want to just go to HBS, it's that good.... although Wharton isn't far behind and if you definitely want to do the JD/MBA, I'm sure you'd have no regrets doing the combo at Penn.

Penn is the obvious choice over NW as both the Business and Law schools are better. I'd take it over Columbia too, even if Columbia was a 3 year program -- there's greater separation IMO between Wharton and CBS than between CLS and Penn Law and at Penn at least one of the programs is in the absolute top tier whereas at Columbia both are sort of second rung, behind HYS and HWS.

[AngryAvocado]

If in it a HLS, it's a no-brainer. It doesn't get much more prestigious than the HLS/HBS combo.

Even if you don't get into HLS, you may want to just go to HBS, it's that good.... although Wharton isn't far behind and if you definitely want to do the JD/MBA, I'm sure you'd have no regrets doing the combo at Penn.

Penn is the obvious choice over NW as both the Business and Law schools are better. I'd take it over Columbia too, even if Columbia was a 3 year program -- there's greater separation IMO between Wharton and CBS than between CLS and Penn Law and at Penn at least one of the programs is in the absolute top tier whereas at Columbia both are sort of second rung, behind HYS and HWS.

This.