Law school, Investment Banking, and Murder Forum

[longdaysjourney]

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[HazelEyes]

I confess. I threw in the “Murder” just to be dramatic. But now that I have your attention, maybe you can help me out.

My ultimate goal is to graduate with a JD/MBA from a T-10 school and then snag an investment banking position in NY or Chicago. My LSAC GPA is 3.66 (from top-50 lib. arts) and on my practice LSATs (I’m registered to take it this Oct.) I am consistently scoring >175. Additionally, I am presently employed as a paralegal at a very prestigious law firm. I have not started to study for the GMAT yet but I am very confident in my test taking abilities.

Here is my dilemma: After I graduated school in ’09 I was interested in a little bit of mental masturbation before I got serious my career. I fell in love with St. John’s College’s “Graduate Studies in Liberal Arts” program in Annapolis, Maryland. I just received an acceptance letter and I anticipate that the degree will hardly cost me anything, save 1.5 years of my time.

I could (a) ace the LSAT, attend St. John’s, take the GMAT next summer, and then apply for law school and business school simultaneously and attempt to get internships during my summer breaks; or, (b) ace the LSAT, skip out on St. John’s (…sigh), immediately start studying for the GMAT with plans of taking the test before next fall when I would matriculate to law school, and then apply for the MBA dual degree program after I have already started school.

Right now I am thinking that B would be a better choice than A. A “M. in Liberal Arts” degree has no utility to it…right? Does anyone think that an additional degree from St. John’s would help my prospects of getting into a T-10 school and then getting a job in I. Banking? …or would it hurt my prospects?

Thanks….

Longdaysjourney

UMM, ADD?

[longdaysjourney]

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[holydonkey]

It won't do anything. If it won't cost anything, go have fun for a few years in the program and enter school when the economy is in better shape. If it will cost something, go to law school now.

[englawyer]

a non-relevant liberal arts masters will hurt your chances for MBA and the business field in my opinion. go right to law school

[GeePee]

With a 3.66, HLS and SLS are probably out, even with a 175+. If you're sure you're going for a JD/MBA, Penn is probably the next best program, mostly in light of only requiring 3 years of study, but you need significant work experience (aka, don't waste your time on St. John's, go work). Columbia and Chicago both have very good joint programs with great B-schools and law schools as well. I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay the additional 60k for any of the other JD/MBA degrees; if you know you want IBanking, go to B-school. If you know you want biglaw, go to law school. I'm not sure the additional benefit of the JD/MBA is worth that cost.

[lostjake]

C.
1. Skip law school ---> Top MBA program.
2. Probably not get job because
a. no one is hiring, they're firing
b. You'll be competing with others from top MBA with a fin/econ UG degree


Law school is a waste of money if thats what you want to do, 1.5 years of your life is exteremely expensive, I haven't seen anyone offering to sell it in a long time.

PS
I think this post is a flame.

[englawyer]

I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay the additional 60k for any of the other JD/MBA degrees

keep in mind its 60k + opportunity cost of 1 yr biglaw, or 160k for a total of 220k.

the only way the OP's plan makes sense if he/she accurately assesses the chance at a top mba by itself are slim, and they are hoping to exploit a jd/mba "loophole". at some schools, admittance to the law school boosts the chance at business school.

[longdaysjourney]

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[motiontodismiss]

You're better served getting a job then going straight to MBA. Leave law school for the kids that want to be lawyers.