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Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:38 pm
by jingosaur
Does anybody else plan on applying to Duke's JD/MBA program? I just realized that you can apply to both schools through the LSAC service, but GMAT is still required and the MBA essays replace the Law school essays. I really like how schools are starting to require one application as opposed to awkwardly filling out 2 applications with the exact same information.
Also, does anybody know how a Priority Track invite affects the JD/MBA application? I'll probably just e-mail the admissions office for this answer.
Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 2:28 am
by twenty
While I wish you all the luck in the world in your endeavors, might it be worth it to apply to the MBA portion after your 1L year? If you find yourself in the top percent of the class (and thus eligible for top firms and whatnot), you may lose interest in the MBA portion of your joint degree -- especially with that price tag.
Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:46 am
by 20141023
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Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:33 am
by jingosaur
@twenty
That's the route that I am taking for 6 or 7 of the 10 schools that I'm applying to, but MBA admissions are a black box and it's easier to know my COA by applying to both right off the bat. Additionally, the first year of these programs is entirely 1L, so I can always forego business school even after I'm admitted.
@Regulus
Programs like the one you mentioned have been popping up all over for the last couple of years. I think every T14 except maybe Georgetown at this point has one. I'm still considering a business job straight out of law school, so the MBA part is somewhat important.
Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:18 pm
by BFlanagan
When i started checking out grads schools in undergrad there were only a few, and they had a unique mystique. Now, they're everywhere and in my opinion totally worth doing. In my observation (out of grad school now), most jd/mba students work in the business side where the jd alone couldn't take them. The jd helps them with business rather than the mba helping them with law - but it goes both ways. No doubt an mba in today's legal world is tremendously helpful, and some do work in business-centric law. If you want to be a lawyer, i don't think it's necessary. If you want to maximize your mba, then the jd helps. If your ambitious in your legal career, i think the mba helps. TLS has a very negative (immature, and unfounded) view of the jd/mba program. I've known students on both sides, and don't know any who regret it. A great choice IMO
Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:46 pm
by 20141023
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Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:10 pm
by jingosaur
Regulus wrote:jingosaur wrote:@Regulus
Programs like the one you mentioned have been popping up all over for the last couple of years. I think every T14 except maybe Georgetown at this point has one. I'm still considering a business job straight out of law school, so the MBA part is somewhat important.
Again, that's why I'm recommending that you consider one of these alternative programs. I am not sure what the other schools' programs are like, but if you read
this about UChicago's Doctoroff Business Leadership Program, you'll notice a list of "mentors"(like Doctoroff, Rubenstein, and Cafaro themselves) on page 4 that students are paired up with; these mentors will help you find 1L summer positions in their businesses (or businesses within their networks if you prefer), and they stay your mentor for all 3 years (and beyond) and meet with you periodically. It is a pretty stellar way to build a business network without actually getting an MBA, IMO.
BFlanagan wrote:When i started checking out grads schools in undergrad there were only a few, and they had a unique mystique. Now, they're everywhere and in my opinion totally worth doing. In my observation (out of grad school now), most jd/mba students work in the business side where the jd alone couldn't take them. The jd helps them with business rather than the mba helping them with law - but it goes both ways. No doubt an mba in today's legal world is tremendously helpful, and some do work in business-centric law. If you want to be a lawyer, i don't think it's necessary. If you want to maximize your mba, then the jd helps. If your ambitious in your legal career, i think the mba helps. TLS has a very negative (immature, and unfounded) view of the jd/mba program. I've known students on both sides, and don't know any who regret it. A great choice IMO
I don't think TLS's view of joint JD/MBA programs is necessarily immature and unfounded. If there's some K-JD kid with no WE, I cannot help but wonder if they actually know how an MBA will benefit them. A vague perception that "I wanna do bidness so I needa MBA" is not a good reason to potentially add another year to one's law degree.
I would have never considered a JD/MBA out of undergrad. A JD straight out of UG sort of makes sense, but only if the alternative is unemployment or severe underemployment.
Regulus, for Chicago, I'm only
Applying To the Law School and I'll definitely read more into this program. I'm waiting on an LSAT retake, so it's difficult to make concrete decisions right now since I don't know where I stand with my numbers.
Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:50 am
by twenty
TLS has an especially jaded view of JD/MBA students due to the idiots on the chances forum who go, "I'm trying to decide between Stetson and Wisconsin, I know they're not T14, so I'm doing an MBA as well to make up for it. Retake is out of the question for reasons I refuse to explain -- also, I must go this year for reasons which are equally unexplainable. Is 400k in debt a lot? How many months will it take to earn that back with a law degree; like at least three?"
I think a JD/MBA can be an awesome investment and totally worth the time and effort. Frankly, even a JD/MPA could be a good investment under the right circumstances. For the vast majority of students, however, it's a really terrible idea, and TLS is right to be cynical about them in general.
Re: Duke JD/MBA Program
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:49 am
by Dr. Review
twentypercentmore wrote:
I think a JD/MBA can be an awesome investment and totally worth the time and effort. Frankly, even a JD/MPA could be a good investment under the right circumstances. For the vast majority of students, however, it's a really terrible idea, and TLS is right to be cynical about them in general.
I agree that a JD/MBA can be a great idea. If you hope to stay in a firm track, the business building and analytical skills can be beneficial, although you may not see the results until somewhat later in your career (firm management as a partner, or bringing in business as a mid/senior level associate). There are also some practice areas where business valuation skills come in handy.
That said, there are a lot of career tracks that just don't jive with the JD/MBA program, and that can be a difficult thing to understand as a 0L (or even as a law student). I've also found that different attorneys have widely varied opinions on the usefulness of the credential.