AA Male who yearns for HLS Forum

[HarveySpecs]

Hopefully, this won't be too long. Law school has been my dream for the past few years, and I would also like to get my MBA as well . I'm currently a senior in college at a state school. I was wondering whether or not my softs were pretty good. I just got done interning at my state legislature. I'm about to begin interning for the governor of the state during the summer. I am also going to intern at a U.S. congressmen's office in the fall. I am also trying to get an internship with a bank, and I am also the chief of staff for a statewide political organization.

I also wanted to know what LSAT score I should be aiming for. I hope to exit college with at least a 3.7, but as of right now I'm at a 3.2. I have quite a few more credit hours and a few of them will be easy A's, so I'm confident I'll at least have a 3.5. I was considering getting all of the "Bibles" from PowerScore and studying those for the next few months. Then afterward, if I'm not at 170, I'd go ahead and spend the $1500 on the Kaplan course up until the LSAT in September. Does this sound like a good plan? Or should I just stick with the PowerScore bibles?

[mt2165]

Hopefully, this won't be too long. Law school has been my dream for the past few years, and I would also like to get my MBA as well . I'm currently a senior in college at a state school. I was wondering whether or not my softs were pretty good. I just got done interning at my state legislature. I'm about to begin interning for the governor of the state during the summer. I am also going to intern at a U.S. congressmen's office in the fall. I am also trying to get an internship with a bank, and I am also the chief of staff for a statewide political organization.

I also wanted to know what LSAT score I should be aiming for. I hope to exit college with at least a 3.7, but as of right now I'm at a 3.2. I have quite a few more credit hours and a few of them will be easy A's, so I'm confident I'll at least have a 3.5. I was considering getting all of the "Bibles" from PowerScore and studying those for the next few months. Then afterward, if I'm not at 170, I'd go ahead and spend the $1500 on the Kaplan course up until the LSAT in September. Does this sound like a good plan? Or should I just stick with the PowerScore bibles?

How do you plan on getting a 3.7 if you currently have a 3.2 and you're a senior? How many credits do you have left? I took the Kaplan course (It was offered to me for free) and it's ok but not great. You're better off just self-studying, and ideally you want a 180 but with a 3.2-3.5 you're going to want close to a 170 (AA male here as well).

[HarveySpecs]

I switched my major to finance after a failed attempt at engineering. It currently says that I'm a senior on my unofficial transcript, but I have 60 credit hours left. I guess I should have mentioned that earlier. Sorry about the confusion.

[rpupkin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA4oJfNe-DU

[Clemenceau]

Why HLS specifically? What goals do you have in mind?

[HarveySpecs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA4oJfNe-DU

Not sure if that was meant as an insult, but it brightened up my evening nonetheless. Thanks for that!

[HarveySpecs]

Why HLS specifically? What goals do you have in mind?

I want to do corporate law or management consulting for a few years to fund a career in politics. I was hoping to get my JD/MBA from Harvard, because I've read that McKinsey hires almost exclusively from Harvard Business School, and the employment prospects for lawyers from Harvard aren't half bad either.

[rpupkin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA4oJfNe-DU

Not sure if that was meant as an insult, but it brightened up my evening nonetheless. Thanks for that!

I honestly didn't mean it as an insult. It's just that "yearn" is not a word you often encounter these days; your use of it reminded me of that scene.

[Dr. Nefario]

Only comment here: don't waste money on Kaplan. PowerScore, Manhattan, Cambridge, and LSAT trainer.

[HarveySpecs]

Only comment here: don't waste money on Kaplan. PowerScore, Manhattan, Cambridge, and LSAT trainer.

Thanks. So are there full classes for these or just books?

[Dr. Nefario]

Only comment here: don't waste money on Kaplan. PowerScore, Manhattan, Cambridge, and LSAT trainer.

Thanks. So are there full classes for these or just books?

Nevermind on Cambridge, forgot the new rule that got rid of their bundles.

These are just books, they are what will do wonders for you. But go check out the study thread, they will tell you everything you could ever dream of knowing about prepping to score as high as possible.

[HarveySpecs]

Only comment here: don't waste money on Kaplan. PowerScore, Manhattan, Cambridge, and LSAT trainer.

Thanks. So are there full classes for these or just books?

Nevermind on Cambridge, forgot the new rule that got rid of their bundles.

These are just books, they are what will do wonders for you. But go check out the study thread, they will tell you everything you could ever dream of knowing about prepping to score as high as possible.

Once again, Thanks!

[QuentonCassidy]

I don't really have much insight that others don't, but since your softs question hasn't been covered I will say that they are fine, but other than extreme outliers (think Rhodes Scholar, olympic medal, etc.) softs will neither help nor hinder. This isn't to discount any of your experiences or internships, they sound great and are definitely more impressive than anything I have done, just not something that will give you a boost in admission %. The advice you have gotten regarding LSAT study is great; people swear by the study guides on TLS, and with diligent hard work I'm sure they will pay off for you.

One more thing is that I would just suggest really thinking about why you want to go to law school, from what I have heard dual degrees are not the right call in most cases (as you will often only end up using/needing one or the other). If you are really interested in McKinsey you might want to consider just focusing on building work experience/GMAT and gunning for HBS, nothing wrong with continuing to evaluate your goal of being a lawyer along the way.

You seem nice, hard-working, and open to advice which is a great combination. Good luck on finishing up undergrad/studying for the LSAT/whatever else comes your way!

[HarveySpecs]

I don't really have much insight that others don't, but since your softs question hasn't been covered I will say that they are fine, but other than extreme outliers (think Rhodes Scholar, olympic medal, etc.) softs will neither help nor hinder. This isn't to discount any of your experiences or internships, they sound great and are definitely more impressive than anything I have done, just not something that will give you a boost in admission %. The advice you have gotten regarding LSAT study is great; people swear by the study guides on TLS, and with diligent hard work I'm sure they will pay off for you.

One more thing is that I would just suggest really thinking about why you want to go to law school, from what I have heard dual degrees are not the right call in most cases (as you will often only end up using/needing one or the other). If you are really interested in McKinsey you might want to consider just focusing on building work experience/GMAT and gunning for HBS, nothing wrong with continuing to evaluate your goal of being a lawyer along the way.

You seem nice, hard-working, and open to advice which is a great combination. Good luck on finishing up undergrad/studying for the LSAT/whatever else comes your way!

Thanks a lot! I do believe some introspection is in order. I just noticed that ,in my time around politicians (especially ones here in the South), lawyers seem to be the best at politics. They also don't need legislative counsel to write their bills for them. I also have noticed that the wealthier ones put forth more meaningful legislation seeing as how they don't care about fundraising as much. Lastly, for some reason Southern people seem to have an abnormal admiration for those with business savvy and a true love for a master of the private sector (e.g. Mitt Romney, who happened to have a Harvard JD/MBA). Though, I'm a very liberal Democrat, I want to change my home here in the South. I thought Harvard would be the best place to educate myself.

[QuentonCassidy]

Thanks a lot! I do believe some introspection is in order. I just noticed that ,in my time around politicians (especially ones here in the South), lawyers seem to be the best at politics. They also don't need legislative counsel to write their bills for them. I also have noticed that the wealthier ones put forth more meaningful legislation seeing as how they don't care about fundraising as much. Lastly, for some reason Southern people seem to have an abnormal admiration for those with business savvy and a true love for a master of the private sector (e.g. Mitt Romney, who happened to have a Harvard JD/MBA). Though, I'm a very liberal Democrat, I want to change my home here in the South. I thought Harvard would be the best place to educate myself.

That sounds like an admirable goal and I could definitely see a JD and/or MBA being useful for that, though I'm only a 0L so definitely can't speak to it myself. There are tons of people on these fora who have experience and could maybe provide advice or information about your goals and how they are best served, so I would definitely ask around when it comes time for that. Wishing you the best!

[Phil Brooks]

I don't really have much insight that others don't, but since your softs question hasn't been covered I will say that they are fine, but other than extreme outliers (think Rhodes Scholar, olympic medal, etc.) softs will neither help nor hinder. This isn't to discount any of your experiences or internships, they sound great and are definitely more impressive than anything I have done, just not something that will give you a boost in admission %. The advice you have gotten regarding LSAT study is great; people swear by the study guides on TLS, and with diligent hard work I'm sure they will pay off for you.

One more thing is that I would just suggest really thinking about why you want to go to law school, from what I have heard dual degrees are not the right call in most cases (as you will often only end up using/needing one or the other). If you are really interested in McKinsey you might want to consider just focusing on building work experience/GMAT and gunning for HBS, nothing wrong with continuing to evaluate your goal of being a lawyer along the way.

You seem nice, hard-working, and open to advice which is a great combination. Good luck on finishing up undergrad/studying for the LSAT/whatever else comes your way!

Thanks a lot! I do believe some introspection is in order. I just noticed that ,in my time around politicians (especially ones here in the South), lawyers seem to be the best at politics. They also don't need legislative counsel to write their bills for them. I also have noticed that the wealthier ones put forth more meaningful legislation seeing as how they don't care about fundraising as much. Lastly, for some reason Southern people seem to have an abnormal admiration for those with business savvy and a true love for a master of the private sector (e.g. Mitt Romney, who happened to have a Harvard JD/MBA). Though, I'm a very liberal Democrat, I want to change my home here in the South. I thought Harvard would be the best place to educate myself.

Do Southern people also acknowledge that Mitt Romney had a father who was a three-time governor and who bankrolled his expensive education? Should someone born into such privilege who accomplished what was only the expected or foreseeable result of such privilege really be so admired or loved? Congratulations, he did not squander what was handed to him....

[PrezRand]

Why HLS specifically? What goals do you have in mind?

I want to do corporate law or management consulting for a few years to fund a career in politics. I was hoping to get my JD/MBA from Harvard, because I've read that McKinsey hires almost exclusively from Harvard Business School, and the employment prospects for lawyers from Harvard aren't half bad either.

I do not think this is accurate

[ih8makingscreennames]

Why HLS specifically? What goals do you have in mind?

I want to do corporate law or management consulting for a few years to fund a career in politics. I was hoping to get my JD/MBA from Harvard, because I've read that McKinsey hires almost exclusively from Harvard Business School, and the employment prospects for lawyers from Harvard aren't half bad either.

I do not think this is accurate

Depends on how he's defining almost exclusively. I know 3 people who work at McKinsey who didn't go to HBS. I only know 3 people at McKinsey.

[mdnyc]

Why HLS specifically? What goals do you have in mind?

I want to do corporate law or management consulting for a few years to fund a career in politics. I was hoping to get my JD/MBA from Harvard, because I've read that McKinsey hires almost exclusively from Harvard Business School, and the employment prospects for lawyers from Harvard aren't half bad either.

I do not think this is accurate

It is not. I worked at McKinsey. If you're entering as an associate, you generally need a degree from any top business school (HBS, Penn, Stanford, Kellog, etc.). They're also hiring an increasing number of Ph.Ds and, in some offices like DC, JDs.

[Budfox55]

I'd recommend for you to do a little more research on your career goals. As others have mentioned above me, McKinsey hires from schools other than HBS. Also as others have mentioned, a JD/MBA doesn't make sense for a lot of people. If you want to practice law, get a JD. If you want to go into consulting, get a good job for a few years and then move on to an MBA. You can go into politics from both. Keep in mind that because ppl got JDs 40 years ago and then were able to get easily get great jobs afterwards in business/finance, does not mean that this is necessarily case today. Companies back in the day were way more inclined to hire JDs for non-JD required positions and MBAs were not seen as valuable. This has changed.

Oh and to get into the JD/MBA program at Harvard, you need to apply and be accepted to both separately. So regardless of your LSAT and GPA, you better have at least 3 years (but probably more) of great fucking work experience to get into HBS. From your original post it already seems like you're a little behind the ball on that.

[Another1]

As someone who wanted H but failed, shoot for Y. Maybe if I had done that, I would've worked harder on the LSAT and on my GPA. It also seems that an AA male will need around a 3.6 to have a good shot at H

[rav17]

As someone who wanted H but failed, shoot for Y. Maybe if I had done that, I would've worked harder on the LSAT and on my GPA. It also seems that an AA male will need around a 3.6 to have a good shot at H

I hope this is a troll post. Admission to YLS is notoriously more competitive than HLS so if you can't get into the latter, you're not getting into the former. Pretty much everyone that goes or got into to YLS, also got into HLS, the same isn't at all true for the reverse. OP, just keep at it, study hard for the LSAT, maybe take some time off after undergrad and get some solid work experience under your belt before you decide to shoot off law school apps.

[pancakes3]

You don't need Harvard to do corporate law, and you don't need a JD to do consulting. I mean if you're dead set on following Romney's specific trajectory to ascend to power and nothing else would make you happy? Ok. Just know that it's an odd and needlessly oppressive constraint you're placing on yourself.

My advice outside of getting the best GPA you can is to put less focus on the superficial (HLS/HBS->MBB->politics) and more focus on what achieving those stations in life entail, if that's something you're actively interested in, and if you'd be any good at it. Corporate law and consulting are pretty different careers (which is why a JD/MBA is not really a useful degree).

[RZ5646]

According to some article I read once, Romney never used his JD and only did the dual degree because his father made him do it.

Also, you can't discount that "dad is a millionaire and famous politician" factor.

[Another1]

As someone who wanted H but failed, shoot for Y. Maybe if I had done that, I would've worked harder on the LSAT and on my GPA. It also seems that an AA male will need around a 3.6 to have a good shot at H

I hope this is a troll post. Admission to YLS is notoriously more competitive than HLS so if you can't get into the latter, you're not getting into the former. Pretty much everyone that goes or got into to YLS, also got into HLS, the same isn't at all true for the reverse. OP, just keep at it, study hard for the LSAT, maybe take some time off after undergrad and get some solid work experience under your belt before you decide to shoot off law school apps.

? What can't you understand? Getting into Y is more competitive so if you make your application competitive for Y, you'll know for sure that you are competitive for H.

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars"