Where Should I be applying Forum

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jzabl001

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Where Should I be applying

Post by jzabl001 » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:31 pm

Hey everyone. Need some law application advice. I graduated from the University of Miami last spring (2010) with around a 3.0 and went straight to get my MBA at Florida International University (graduated with about a 3.2). My goal is to practice commercial law but I didn't want to do the combined JD/MBA. I have solid internship experience (finance and consulting) and hopefully will be scoring in the high 150s to hopefully the low 160s on the LSAT (just starting to study now for December exam). My top choice would be UMiami but I'm also thinking of applying to UF and FSU (a bit more of a stretch) but I also wanted to see what other schools I might be competitive at.

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Grizz

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by Grizz » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:36 pm

lawschoolpredictor.com

lawschoolnumbers.com

Also, why did you get your MBA without post-grad WE. Maybe try to get a job before piling on another degree.

jzabl001

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by jzabl001 » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:49 pm

I want to practice commercial law. FIU had a one year MBA that started right away and Miami's didnt start until January. I would have done the joint JD/MBA but didn't want to wait six months to enroll

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Grizz

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by Grizz » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:53 pm

jzabl001 wrote:I want to practice commercial law. FIU had a one year MBA that started right away and Miami's didnt start until January. I would have done the joint JD/MBA but didn't want to wait six months to enroll
The MBA will probably hurt rather than help you as you look for a legal job. An MBA is not necessary (and many times, not desired) to practice commercial law. Also people will wonder why you didn't work first.

As far as applying goes, everything depends on your LSAT. Your GPA will keep you out of a lot of schools, but mid 160s should give you some FL options. FL is so tough though; people from UF and FSU even have a horrific time finding jobs.

23402385985

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by 23402385985 » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:54 pm

Take the LSAT and come back.

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midwestls

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by midwestls » Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:14 pm

1. Go get three or four years of work experience, preferably in business. It will make you much more attractive to legal employers and you'll do better in law school as well.

2. Then study your ass off for the LSAT.

jzabl001

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by jzabl001 » Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:06 am

I wanted to do the JD/MBA all along but found the prospects of doing both together really daunting. My plan was to get an MBA, go work for a while, and then come back but the economy sucks and their is little to no job creation. Are they really going to look that unfavorably upon me?

midwestls

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by midwestls » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:08 am

jzabl001 wrote:I wanted to do the JD/MBA all along but found the prospects of doing both together really daunting. My plan was to get an MBA, go work for a while, and then come back but the economy sucks and their is little to no job creation. Are they really going to look that unfavorably upon me?
It will definitely be a negative IMO. First, employers generally like work experience over K-through-JD candidates. Second, your choice of doing the MBA first will need to be explained, and given the ambivalence over the MBA to begin with, there's a good chance you're viewed as someone who doesn't want to leave the security blanket of the educational environment.

All that goes away if you work a few years. You will be a much more attractive candidate. You will also be a better law student IMO.

jzabl001

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by jzabl001 » Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:03 pm

I hear what you're saying but what I'm trying to explain is that I wanted to do a JD/MBA program. I got into two schools. School A (FIU) started in August and is a one year program that acts essentially as a fifth year of college. School B (Miami) accepted me but didn't start until January. I wanted to start sooner and didn't want to go to law school at FIU considering it's tier 3/4. I guess I'll have to explain it but I don't see why changing schools so I can go to a better law school will penalize me.

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midwestls

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by midwestls » Wed Sep 14, 2011 6:03 pm

It will penalize you because it's a very odd way to do it, and no matter what your explanation people will look upon it oddly and question what's really going on. It will also penalize you because most lawyers are ambivalent about getting an MBA.

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by jzabl001 » Fri Sep 16, 2011 12:16 pm

midwestls wrote:It will penalize you because it's a very odd way to do it, and no matter what your explanation people will look upon it oddly and question what's really going on. It will also penalize you because most lawyers are ambivalent about getting an MBA.
I respectfully disagree with you. I know plenty of people (including one of my MBA professors) who did the same thing and didn't think it was odd at all.

WSJ_Law

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by WSJ_Law » Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:51 pm

Your MBA is TTT, so why should it matter if your JD is also?

It is a strange way to pursue the JD/MBA route, and moreover, a JD/MBA is not necessary to practice "commercial law". A JD/MBA is more useful if the focus is finance/M&A-related and even then won't give you a leg up in law practice. I think you have severely undercut the marketability of your credentials no matter what the fools at your b-school told you.

midwestls

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by midwestls » Fri Sep 16, 2011 3:23 pm

Hey, you ask the question, we gave your our opinions. It obviously wasn't what you want to hear. But I'd strongly advise you to discount the perspective of an MBA professor, which is meaningless for this conversation.

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mrtoren

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by mrtoren » Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:28 pm

You racked up unnecessary debt. Forget that you even got that MBA; it will not benefit you nor should you try to leverage it help you get into law school or get a job. Lawyers are lawyers, not businessmen. When you have an LSAT score, we can help you figure out what schools will look at you. However, you should know that Florida's legal market is an absolute mess right now, even when compared to the rest of the nation. U Miami won't cut it. Even U Florida and FSU are questionable.

I would get out of the state before it crashes even further.

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quiver

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Re: Where Should I be applying

Post by quiver » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:04 pm

midwestls wrote: Go get three or four years of work experience, preferably in business. It will make you much more attractive to legal employers and you'll do better in law school as well.
Don't agree with the bolded

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