Top Law Schools

I was wondering if anyone has an insight on doing a J.D./MBA. My plan is to do the dual degree regardless of what school I go to, but in doing my research on the different Business schools at the Law schools I'm applying to, I realized that acceptance rates for the BS are much higher than that of the respective LS which got me thinking. Since I'm going to do the MBA anyway, if I'm able to get into the MBA program for a school that I really want in the T-10, how easy would it be for me to get into their LS in my second year since most of them give you the option of spending your 1st year in either one. So, I'm just trying to see if I can sneak into a school like Penn, Harvard, Stanford via their BS. Anyone with ideas on this please let me know. Thanks.

blackmamba76 wrote:I was wondering if anyone has an insight on doing a J.D./MBA. My plan is to do the dual degree regardless of what school I go to, but in doing my research on the different Business schools at the Law schools I'm applying to, I realized that acceptance rates for the BS are much higher than that of the respective LS which got me thinking. Since I'm going to do the MBA anyway, if I'm able to get into the MBA program for a school that I really want in the T-10, how easy would it be for me to get into their LS in my second year since most of them give you the option of spending your 1st year in either one. So, I'm just trying to see if I can sneak into a school like Penn, Harvard, Stanford via their BS. Anyone with ideas on this please let me know. Thanks.

MBA are usually harder to get into than LS. LS have lower acceptance rates because the applications are much easier; same PS etc. for each school, and much cheaper.

but anyhow, "sneaking in" depends on the relative rank of the schools. northwestern, for example, has a more prestigious MBA program than JD program, so you might be able to sneak in there. Same thing for Penn.

blackmamba76 wrote:I was wondering if anyone has an insight on doing a J.D./MBA. My plan is to do the dual degree regardless of what school I go to, but in doing my research on the different Business schools at the Law schools I'm applying to, I realized that acceptance rates for the BS are much higher than that of the respective LS which got me thinking. Since I'm going to do the MBA anyway, if I'm able to get into the MBA program for a school that I really want in the T-10, how easy would it be for me to get into their LS in my second year since most of them give you the option of spending your 1st year in either one. So, I'm just trying to see if I can sneak into a school like Penn, Harvard, Stanford via their BS. Anyone with ideas on this please let me know. Thanks.

If you can get into Wharton, HBS, or SBS, I don't think you should be focusing as much on a JD.

My friend sneaked into Kellog by applying to the Northwestern JD/MBA. He has no intention of practicing law.

Cole S. Law wrote:My friend sneaked into Kellog by applying to the Northwestern JD/MBA. He has no intention of practicing law.

very smart if you ask me

Don't you have to take the LSAT (or GMAT, depending on which way you're sneaking) anyway?

Not relevant, but this thread reminds me of this -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3FTaljUVcU

badwithpseudonyms wrote:Don't you have to take the LSAT (or GMAT, depending on which way you're sneaking) anyway?

yes. but the going theory is that they are more lenient towards joint applicants. no way to prove this though. and since the GMAT is much easier than the LSAT, most people going to top law schools will be able to do well on the GMAT (you only need 700+ anyway). the MBA blocker would be a lack of prestigious work experience.

badwithpseudonyms wrote:Don't you have to take the LSAT (or GMAT, depending on which way you're sneaking) anyway?

Yes. Usually you have to gain access to both independent of one another. If you are talking about doing this after a year of school then it largely depends on the prestige gap between the two. It is easier to 'sneak' into the less prestigious of the two schools from the more prestigious one, but you still have to take both the GMAT and LSAT. Being a student at one of the schools already would seem to be nothing more than a relatively strong soft factor (it can sometimes help someone to overcome lack of work experience or something like that).

booboo wrote:
If you can get into Wharton, HBS, or SBS, I don't think you should be focusing as much on a JD.

Yup.

Renzo wrote:

booboo wrote:
If you can get into Wharton, HBS, or SBS, I don't think you should be focusing as much on a JD.

Yup.

YLS is a good contender with those IMO.

Overall prestige-whoring list:

HBS=SBS=YLS
Wharton=HLS=SLS
CCN Law Schools
Sloan/Kellogg/Booth
Columbia Business/PMDNV
Cornell/Georgetown Law

IMO of course

edit

In the long term I think a top MBA will be a better investment than a top JD. That is if you are indifferent between the two fields.

englawyer wrote:

Renzo wrote:

booboo wrote:
If you can get into Wharton, HBS, or SBS, I don't think you should be focusing as much on a JD.

Yup.

YLS is a good contender with those IMO.

Overall prestige-whoring list:

HBS=SBS=YLS
Wharton=HLS=SLS
CCN Law Schools
Sloan/Kellogg/Booth
Columbia Business/PMDNV
Cornell/Georgetown Law

IMO of course

I'm not sure why people think the grass is so much greener on the MBA side of the isle (unless of course, you don't want to be a lawyer.) I would imagine that the plurality of people from even HSW end up in middle-management, and consulting/banking are similarly soul-crushing to biglaw (although obviously banking is a good bit more lucrative).

I really plan to do the JD/MBA to make myself more marketable in the corporate world, I want to be able to choose between biglaw and fortune 500 companies.

MellonCollie wrote:
I'm not sure why people think the grass is so much greener on the MBA side of the isle (unless of course, you don't want to be a lawyer.) I would imagine that the plurality of people from even HSW end up in middle-management, and consulting/banking are similarly soul-crushing to biglaw (although obviously banking is a good bit more lucrative).

crushed sould w/$$$$ > crushed soul w/$$

MellonCollie wrote:
I'm not sure why people think the grass is so much greener on the MBA side of the isle (unless of course, you don't want to be a lawyer.) I would imagine that the plurality of people from even HSW end up in middle-management, and consulting/banking are similarly soul-crushing to biglaw (although obviously banking is a good bit more lucrative).

the difference is in the exit options. if you cut your teeth in banking/consulting for a few years, apparently you can make some great connections and leverage it into a good career. even if you do end up in middle management, it is probably a position with strong upward mobility and plenty of responsibility.

exit options from biglaw seem less appealing. in-house seems like a sane job, but there doesn't seem to be much room for growth. smaller firms/lateral transfer is a good option though.

i would think HSW grads can usually expect a banking or consulting gig to work at for a few years after the mba.

englawyer wrote:

MellonCollie wrote:
I'm not sure why people think the grass is so much greener on the MBA side of the isle (unless of course, you don't want to be a lawyer.) I would imagine that the plurality of people from even HSW end up in middle-management, and consulting/banking are similarly soul-crushing to biglaw (although obviously banking is a good bit more lucrative).

the difference is in the exit options. if you cut your teeth in banking/consulting for a few years, apparently you can make some great connections and leverage it into a good career. even if you do end up in middle management, it is probably a position with strong upward mobility and plenty of responsibility.

exit options from biglaw seem less appealing. in-house seems like a sane job, but there doesn't seem to be much room for growth. smaller firms/lateral transfer is a good option though.

i would think HSW grads can usually expect a banking or consulting gig to work at for a few years after the mba.

I think you're right in that many can get a banking or consulting job, but 2 things:
- There are far fewer consulting/banking firms worth working for than law firms. I don't know how the opportunities stack up in absolute numbers, but also don't forget that that HBS alone is like 900 students.

- It is increasingly the case that the attractive roles are reserved for those with attractive pre-MBA work experience. You might sneak in to HBS after a few years with a smaller company, but it's unlikely you're going to be able to jump into PE/VC right after b-school.

i agree with all of that.

I know this has been dead for a while, but are there any other schools besides Northwestern that ignores LSAT if you apply for the JD/MBA?