Applying to a top JD once admitted into a top MBA program Forum

[mray87]

Happy Sunday everyone.

I am currently in the MBA application process and faring quite well. I received interview invites (which is a very promising sign for MBA applications) from most of the schools that I applied to (including Harvard Business School, Upenn Wharton, UVA Darden, Columbia Business School and Cornell Johnson). I am still waiting for Stanford and University of Michigan Ross.


I took the LSAT in 2009 and received a 163. Considering my UG GPA of 3.42 (I had a first year GPA of 1.7, mostly due to being diagnosed with stage 3 lyme disease), I decided to forget the idea of law school. I had a great job at an entrepreneurial start up in a niche industry and last year, earned the position of a managing director of a new global company. Now, I am excited about the prospect of attending a top mba program and I am curious about the possibility of adding on a JD to my MBA degree.

I wanted to ask if anyone knows of the process of being admitted into a top JD program once you are enrolled in a top MBA program. How much easier is admission given current enrollment at the MBA program?


I know I should be asking the school directly, however, in the mba admissions process, clear cut goals are ABSOLUTELY critical....If you express an interest in a JD/MBA program during an admissions interview or to an admissions officer, it becomes part of your file and could be used to question the authenticity of my career goals in my essays (which were not related to law). Also, the MBA admissions process is far more holistic.

If anyone knows of this process, please do let me know!



Also,

-I am not interested in retaking the LSAT
-my GMAT score was a 740
-I did not apply to the Kellogg JD MBA program ye

[071816]

Why even bother with the JD?

[bdubs]

Law schools generally won't let you in the backdoor. Sorry.

They have to report your GPA and LSAT, it's an ABA requirement. The only school that currently accepts the GMAT in lieu of the LSAT is Northwestern.

[mray87]

Why even bother with the JD?

Thats a good question and one I will need to think about in great detail before embarking on a JD/MBA journey. I first wanted to see if it was by any chance possible.

I plan to build a global enterprise in an industry similar to the one I work in right now and I believe that a legal education would provide me with a stronger skill-set in growing such a venture. However, this is NOT a fully developed thought just yet. I am just curious about the possibility to add on a JD if it made logical sense for my long term career goals.

[071816]

Why even bother with the JD?

Thats a good question and one I will need to think about in great detail before embarking on a JD/MBA journey. I first wanted to see if it was by any chance possible.

I plan to build a global enterprise in an industry similar to the one I work in right now and I believe that a legal education would provide me with a stronger skill-set in growing such a venture. However, this is NOT a fully developed thought just yet. I am just curious about the possibility to add on a JD if it made logical sense for my long term career goals.

In all honesty, based on what you have said, I doubt a JD would add much (if anything) to your career. A top-notch MBA should be just fine.

[IAFG]

Ever heard, "a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client"? I always think that when people say they want to start their own businesses and therefore are pursuing JD-MBAs. I'd skip it.

[paul34]

.

[Bildungsroman]

-I am not interested in retaking the LSAT

Well then, you're fucked. Harvard, Penn, UVA, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, Michigan, and Northwestern would all require waaaaaaay better than a 163/3.4 to admit someone (although you might have a chance depending on your skin color).

[IAFG]

-I am not interested in retaking the LSAT

Well then, you're fucked. Harvard, Penn, UVA, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, Michigan, and Northwestern would all require waaaaaaay better than a 163/3.4 to admit someone (although you might have a chance depending on your skin color).

I don't know that that's true. I've heard rumored that Kellogg has the juice to cram people into the JD program with otherwise substandard numbers. It might have something to do with our GMAT policy.

[Opie]

-I am not interested in retaking the LSAT

Well then, you're fucked. Harvard, Penn, UVA, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, Michigan, and Northwestern would all require waaaaaaay better than a 163/3.4 to admit someone (although you might have a chance depending on your skin color).

I don't know that that's true. I've heard rumored that Kellogg has the juice to cram people into the JD program with otherwise substandard numbers. It might have something to do with our GMAT policy.

I've heard that too, but I think OP may still be lacking with that GPA.

[Bildungsroman]

-I am not interested in retaking the LSAT

Well then, you're fucked. Harvard, Penn, UVA, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, Michigan, and Northwestern would all require waaaaaaay better than a 163/3.4 to admit someone (although you might have a chance depending on your skin color).

I don't know that that's true. I've heard rumored that Kellogg has the juice to cram people into the JD program with otherwise substandard numbers. It might have something to do with our GMAT policy.

Yeah, I forgot NU has the laughable policy of accepting law students who haven't taken the LSAT. They've made it clear where their priorities lie regarding interactions between the business school and law school.

[IAFG]

From what I understand, we're not even as beholden to the central university as that. The mothership hasn't historically exerted much (any?) control over the law school, and while the new dean may be trying to change that, the program we're talking about pre-dates that.

Kellogg and the law school share a lot of curriculum and programming, but obviously the law school gains more from its association with Kellogg than the reverse, so that might explain the willingness to roll over for Kellogg?

[bdubs]

From what I understand, we're not even as beholden to the central university as that. The mothership hasn't historically exerted much (any?) control over the law school, and while the new dean may be trying to change that, the program we're talking about pre-dates that.

Kellogg and the law school share a lot of curriculum and programming, but obviously the law school gains more from its association with Kellogg than the reverse, so that might explain the willingness to roll over for Kellogg?

It's another way to let in people with high GPAs and low LSATs without having them count. The NU app (at least for the AJD program) says you are supposed to specify which standardize test you wish to be evaluated on. However, the LSATs reported for that program were pretty abysmal this year.

The JD/MBA program doesn't have that option because GMAT is required but LSAT is not. I have no idea if they included my LSAT in the most recent statistics or not.

[Na_Swatch]

I don't think a JD/MBA would be worth it if with your goals, especially as a JD/MBA at H or S requires a 4th year at 70k+...

That's a huge opportunity cost if you don't want to be a practicing lawyer. What I WOULD suggest though is to take several law classes to help develop the skills you're interested in once you are a MBA student. For example there are a lot of straight MBA students cross registered in my Mergers & Acquisitions class.

[mray87]

-I am not interested in retaking the LSAT

Well then, you're fucked. Harvard, Penn, UVA, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, Michigan, and Northwestern would all require waaaaaaay better than a 163/3.4 to admit someone (although you might have a chance depending on your skin color).

I am half latino, do not think that will give me an edge though

[mray87]

I don't think a JD/MBA would be worth it if with your goals, especially as a JD/MBA at H or S requires a 4th year at 70k+...

That's a huge opportunity cost if you don't want to be a practicing lawyer. What I WOULD suggest though is to take several law classes to help develop the skills you're interested in once you are a MBA student. For example there are a lot of straight MBA students cross registered in my Mergers & Acquisitions class.

Great advice.

This is what I was originally thinking. I am in the fortunate position that I have the funds to pay for an additional year of school. However, I first need to get into the a top MBA program and then see if

a) law school add given my statistics is even possible
b) if there is ANY tangible value to a dual degree

On a side note, I truly enjoy the admissions process for MBA programs so much better that the process for law school. It seems as though MBA admissions are FAR more holistic than law school admissions.

Anyway, thank you all for your insight. I will revisit the JD add on after I am officially admitted into MBA programs.

BTW, I got an invite for Stanford today. Very Very excited!