Confused over Yale JD/MBA Application for SOM Forum

[treybien]

I am applying to Yale's accelerated JD/MBA, but am not currently a 1L at Yale. I understand the two schools have separate application processes. However, how would you interpret the following site?

http://www.law.yale.edu/cbl/SOMessays.htm

The SOM essay requirement for applicants to the Accelerated Integrated JD-MBA joint degree program is to provide two personal statements:

Personal Statement 1: The Yale School of Management provides a leadership education characterized by broad-minded and intellectually curious students with diverse backgrounds, a distinctive integrated curriculum, connections to one of the great research universities in the world, and the broad reach of an innovative and expanding global network of top business schools. What will you contribute to the Yale SOM community, and how will being part of it help you extend your professional vision? (300 words maximum)
Personal Statement 2: Please write a personal statement explaining why you are applying for admission into the Accelerated Integrated JD-MBA program and how the program will help you fulfill your educational and professional goals. (300 words maximum)

Instructions for Essay Submission (Simultaneous Applicants)

Your response to personal statement 1 should be titled “Accelerated Integrated JD-MBA Personal Statement 1” and should be uploaded into the space provided for “Personal Statement 1” on the online application form. Your response to personal statement 2 should be titled “Accelerated Integrated JD-MBA Personal Statement 2” and should be uploaded into the space provided for “Personal Statement 2” on the online application form.
Do not provide the two personal statements and four short essays described on the online application form.




The woman I spoke with in admissions just suggested I would still need to complete all 4 essays required by SOM...but she could just be a SOM student interning. Thoughts?

[dingbat]

why on earth would anyone want a Yale JD/MBA?

If you can get into Yale, you don't need the MBA (which isn't at the same level)
If you really want a JD/MBA and are good enough to get into Yale, you can probably get into Harvard, which is a better choice

[milanproda]

Good luck, Yale JD MBA is a great program. SOM is on the upswing, with the new building and President, the school will move up. I would call again and ask to speak with someone else at admissions. Don't ask here as you will most likely get an answer like the one above.

[dingbat]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to dis the Yale SOM, it's a perfectly fine institution.
However, it doesn't quite have the cachet of HBS.

Practically speaking, a Yale JD/MBA won't open many doors a Yale JD won't.
On the other hand, a Harvard JD will provide (practically) as much opportunity as a Yale JD, but a Harvard MBA will give more options than a Yale MBA, so if you're going to do both, you're better off at Harvard than at Yale.

[milanproda]

Dingbat, you are spot on. Harvard JD/MBA is more powerful than a Yale JD/MBA. Both are great choice; I would love to have such a problem

[dingbat]

Dingbat, you are spot on. Harvard JD/MBA is more powerful than a Yale JD/MBA. Both are great choice; I would love to have such a problem

not quite. I'm saying that if one gets a JD/MBA from Yale, the MBA part is a waste of time/money/effort

[milanproda]

I guess that is a matter of opinion. All of the BB banks, MBB, etc all recruit at SOM so I wouldn't say it is a waste of time and effort.

[dingbat]

I guess that is a matter of opinion. All of the BB banks, MBB, etc all recruit at SOM so I wouldn't say it is a waste of time and effort.

If that is the route you want to go, then why the JD?

Edit: I'm not saying a SOM MBA is a waste of money, I'm saying that it doesn't add value to a Yale JD

[ajr]

Well, well, well. OP is just applying I presume? If and when there's a choice to make, Stanford and Harvard are probably better, but why not apply?

[milanproda]

two degrees in the same amount of time....two separate networks...differentiation from competition...more flexibility....less pressure on grades (though Yale is diff in this case but for JD MBA's in general)....

[dingbat]

two degrees in the same amount of time....two separate networks...differentiation from competition...more flexibility....less pressure on grades (though Yale is diff in this case but for JD MBA's in general)....

Again, if the goal is legal, do the Yale JD without the MBA
If the goal is non-legal, aim for HBS (or Wharton/UPenn, maybe Columbia)

[milanproda]

So a jd/mba from yale instead of just pure jd would hurt your chances in the legal field? I don't understand....

[dingbat]

So a jd/mba from yale instead of just pure jd would hurt your chances in the legal field? I don't understand....

no, it'll cost $30,000 (did I calculate that right? I would have expected it to be higher) and be a distraction from getting better grades (which will hinder chances in the legal field, albeit at Yale the impact of doing less well is not that significant)

[altoid99]

So a jd/mba from yale instead of just pure jd would hurt your chances in the legal field? I don't understand....

no, it'll cost $30,000 (did I calculate that right? I would have expected it to be higher) and be a distraction from getting better grades (which will hinder chances in the legal field, albeit at Yale the impact of doing less well is not that significant)

I thought there were no grades at Yale?

[Borg]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to dis the Yale SOM, it's a perfectly fine institution.
However, it doesn't quite have the cachet of HBS.

Practically speaking, a Yale JD/MBA won't open many doors a Yale JD won't.
On the other hand, a Harvard JD will provide (practically) as much opportunity as a Yale JD, but a Harvard MBA will give more options than a Yale MBA, so if you're going to do both, you're better off at Harvard than at Yale.

Don't confuse prestige and job opportunities. I'm a JD/MBA going into banking, and the curricula of law school and business school are entirely different. There's no way I would recruit some Yale JD just because of the prestige of the degree, especially if he lacks relevant work experience. At least if he goes to Yale SOM I know he has learned something about corporate finance, accounting etc. I got my job because of my MBA. I doubt I would have been competitive with a straight JD.

I agree that if you really want a JD/MBA you should take Harvard over Yale, but I certainly don't think it's a bad idea to get the joint degree at Yale if you like the school.

Also, the idea of it distracting someone from getting better grades is total nonsense.