Top Law Schools

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PatriotP74 wrote:I have a few questions to anyone who has completed or is in the process of completing a JD/MBA program,

If you've finished, would you do it again? Is it worth the extra year/money?

Do you feel like you missed out on some important law classes by cutting the amount of classes you take?

Why did you choose to get the joint degree, what are your career goals?

Not sure the complete requirements for the joint program but also how was your experience getting accepted into that program?

Thanks!

1. Graduated and it was the best decision I've ever made. Absolutely worth the extra year and money to have networks at both a very top law school and a very top business school, and the education that comes from each. I've made connections I never would have if I had done just one or the other, and opened up job opportunities that are much more lucrative than I otherwise might have found. Also, given the state of the legal industry, it's helpful to have more than one skill set and not be at the mercy of law firms. I would caveat that it is only a good investment at a very top school though.

2. No. I got a good fill of law classes, and you'll see that by the end you're just ready to get out of law school. I'm much happier having supplemented my law courses with hardcore accounting, finance, and econ courses than taking yet another droning, lecture based class with a huge casebook.

3. I chose the joint degree to open up options. I'm working in finance now, and the JD is helpful both in substance and in helping me to stand out from the pack.

4. Law schools and business schools are extremely different in their admissions processes. Law school was basically completely about numbers, but business school was much more holistic. They cared about GPA and GMAT, but I also had to interview and they seemed much more interested in the essays I wrote, my work experience, and my recommendations from my employers.

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I'm not sure my MBA was worth it. Usually, I think not

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PatriotP74 wrote:

guano wrote:I'm not sure my MBA was worth it. Usually, I think not

Care to expand on why not?

Quick answer: it's expensive and adds very little value to your resume. Should have done a CFA instead, which is cheaper and holds more cachet in my industry

Don't get me wrong, what I learned is useful, but I could have just gone to the library

As far as the GMAT, I think you'd be better off just taking a look at the GMAT website and some books to learn about it. Gmatclub.com is useful.

PatriotP74 wrote:What is the GMAT like and will it be something that will take as much study as my LSAT will take? How did you go about that?

The GMAT has some of the same stuff as the LSAT (Arguments, which LSAC calls "Logical Reasoning" and GMAC calls "Critical Reasoning," and Reading Comprehension). It also has grammar questions, and it has a math section. The essays are also scored, but they're not very important.

If you can do well on the LSAT and are good at math, the GMAT will be fine. You'll have to do a little practice, but it's not bad.

guano wrote:

PatriotP74 wrote:

guano wrote:I'm not sure my MBA was worth it. Usually, I think not

Care to expand on why not?

Quick answer: it's expensive and adds very little value to your resume. Should have done a CFA instead, which is cheaper and holds more cachet in my industry

Don't get me wrong, what I learned is useful, but I could have just gone to the library

Can you please say what your industry is? I am currently contemplating the CFA vs. MBA path.

StarJammer wrote:

guano wrote:

PatriotP74 wrote:

guano wrote:I'm not sure my MBA was worth it. Usually, I think not

Care to expand on why not?

Quick answer: it's expensive and adds very little value to your resume. Should have done a CFA instead, which is cheaper and holds more cachet in my industry

Don't get me wrong, what I learned is useful, but I could have just gone to the library

Can you please say what your industry is? I am currently contemplating the CFA vs. MBA path.

Lets do this the other way around. What do you plan to do with it?
Keep in mind that the CFA requires appropriate work experience, and is a much, much harder qualification to obtain (if I remember correctly, only about a third of test takers pass the first test)