J.D/M.B.A Program Forum

[tooswolle]

Sorry if this question has been asked before, I'm currently at work and can't really search the forum but its something that I just recently started thinking about. I visited top business schools.com and noticed that the gpa averages are rather low when compared to law school admissions. This makes me ask a few questions about their admissions if anyone knows. First how do business schools calculate undergraduate gpa? do they only count your last two years, or do they count all four years? aside from that I know the GMAT is also important. Furthermore, how hard is it to get in to two competitive programs? Thanks to everybody in advance for their help! much appreciated!

[General Tso]

work experience is far more important than GPA/GMAT for MBA admissions

[Xnegd]

work experience is far more important than GPA/GMAT for MBA admissions

+1

Applying to Business School was about a thousand times more pleasurable than my current experience applying to Law School. Hell, make that a million...

For the most part, when business schools say they look at the entire package of an applicant, they actually mean it. GPA doesn't mean that much, and most top schools require three years WE before you can even apply. You're a completely different person by then, it makes sense. Focus on your GMAT and your essay. Also do a lot of research on what you ant out of it, and where you want to go.

[tooswolle]

Thanks for the awesome feedback. I'm even more excited to apply to both programs when I start sending applications out. That being said if anyone knows how gpa is calculated it would help. If it were the last two years as I've heard I'd be seen as a 3.5+ urm if not it's a 3.3. On a side note I've been kicking the lsats ass and that is my priority but the gre has a section on reading comp. And what seems like logical reasoning so that's at least a confort. P.S. Does the work experience you have matter? I have five years work experience doing office work nothing impressive but work experience none the less. Anyways thanks in advance for the help.

[calawbiz]

Thanks for the awesome feedback. I'm even more excited to apply to both programs when I start sending applications out. That being said if anyone knows how gpa is calculated it would help. If it were the last two years as I've heard I'd be seen as a 3.5+ urm if not it's a 3.3. On a side note I've been kicking the lsats ass and that is my priority but the gre has a section on reading comp. And what seems like logical reasoning so that's at least a confort. P.S. Does the work experience you have matter? I have five years work experience doing office work nothing impressive but work experience none the less. Anyways thanks in advance for the help.

I've never heard of b-schools taking just the last two years of ugrad into consideration, but I do know that they absolutely pay attention to upward trends in the GPA. So if you did that much better in your last two years, they will notice that. Additionally, you should consider submitting an addendum pointing it out, if GPA is your biggest liability.

Also, quality of work experience does matter, especially for top b-schools. Consultants, investment bankers and IT folks abound, and that is the type of work experience the adcoms are most used to seeing. However, if you do something interesting and have acquired a lot of leadership responsibility (and your job requires many of the same skills as the three industries i mentioned above), that could help you stand out.

[bdubs]

business schools ask for your undergrad transcripts directly and do not have a centralized clearing house like LSAC. They will take your undergrad GPA as calculated by your school.

You should really not focus on your undergrad GPA much for business school applications. Schools will care much more about what your major was and what your full-time work experience is.