Is law school admissions as competitive as MBA admissions? Forum

[vtoodler]

I'm still trying to decide between law school and (graduate) business school. If I go to business school, I would either get an MBA or a Master's in Finance. If I attend law school, I would want to study some sort of commercial/employment law. A dual JD/MBA program is out of the question.

Anyways, I know that law school admissions is pretty competitive, particularly for the top schools. However, it does not seem like business school admissions is as competitive, given the high acceptance rates.

[dextermorgan]

I'm still trying to decide between law school and (graduate) business school. If I go to business school, I would either get an MBA or a Master's in Finance. If I attend law school, I would want to study some sort of commercial/employment law. A dual JD/MBA program is out of the question.

Anyways, I know that law school admissions is pretty competitive, particularly for the top schools. However, it does not seem like business school admissions is as competitive, given the high acceptance rates.

You need to actually have some experience and a notion of what you want to do with your life to get into a top MBA program. Law school is all numbers.

[CanadianWolf]

I think that your thread is mistitled. MBA admissions are not as competitive as law school admissions with respect to standardized test scores, GPA & percentage of applicants admitted.

[Xnegd]

I think that your thread is mistitled. MBA admissions are not as competitive as law school admissions with respect to standardized test scores, GPA & percentage of applicants admitted.

+1

MBA schools look more into a student that fits their culture and is well rounded. W.E. is gold, most good programs require 3 years minimum experience.

[stargazin]

I think that your thread is mistitled. MBA admissions are not as competitive as law school admissions with respect to standardized test scores, GPA & percentage of applicants admitted.

ITA that MBA programs give much more weight to work experience than the above factors. Most people I know do the MBA part time while working and their employer pays for it.

[RPK34]

GMAT and GPA will get your foot into the door at a MBA program. The rest is work experience and softs, basically what you've accomplished with your life.

[GettingReady2010]

I think that your thread is mistitled. MBA admissions are not as competitive as law school admissions with respect to standardized test scores, GPA & percentage of applicants admitted.

[vtoodler]

What about a Master's in Finance? Is getting in to one as difficult as getting in to law school?

[Noval]

What about a Master's in Finance? Is getting in to one as difficult as getting in to law school?

It's more difficult and is useless unless you want to do Financial Engineering, which is known to be one of the toughest and least competitive areas of Finance.

Go for the M.B.A. if you want to work in Business, you can switch to Business quite easily in Law School but considering debts and program's difficulty, it's better to get an M.B.A. if you want these jobs and a Law degree if you want to be an Attorney, simple as that.

[Anonymous911]

dont let any BschoolS fool you, THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS JUST LIKE LAW SCHOOL....
WORK EXPERIENCE TAKES A VERY FAR BACKSEAT TO GMAT SCORES AND GPA.

[D-ROCCA]

dont let any BschoolS fool you, THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS JUST LIKE LAW SCHOOL....
WORK EXPERIENCE TAKES A VERY FAR BACKSEAT TO GMAT SCORES AND GPA.

This guy might need to take it easy.

[ppa840]

A good GMAT and decent GPA are necessary for the top MBA programs, but they are not sufficient; as a generalization, you will need work experience.

[Army2Law]

dont let any BschoolS fool you, THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS JUST LIKE LAW SCHOOL....
WORK EXPERIENCE TAKES A VERY FAR BACKSEAT TO GMAT SCORES AND GPA.

This guy is wrong on so many levels. Top B Schools require the numbers to let you get your foot in the door, but they care WAYYYYYYYY more about work experience. Speaking from experience, OP. I got decisions from law schools that were better than my numbers would indicate and decisions from B Schools that were worse than my numbers would indicate, FWIW.

[deakon10]

dont let any BschoolS fool you, THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS JUST LIKE LAW SCHOOL....
WORK EXPERIENCE TAKES A VERY FAR BACKSEAT TO GMAT SCORES AND GPA.

Really? Are you sure? Or just speaking from nothing more than a guess.

It is actually quite the opposite. Whereas Law Schools will admit you straight with a good lsat and good gpa, having a good GPA and GMAT score does not do anything if you don't have any work experience. Basically b-schools aren't just looking for smarts, but also looking for the fact that you are a successful person. By successful, I mean that you have worked for a few years and have shown some sort of growth. Case in point, Columbia b-school dean has stated they have accepted many applicants with a GMAT score in the 500s (their average is like a 720) that have excelled in the work place.

B-schools look at the big picture; they take the holistic approach to admissions. They understand that it is one thing to sit in a library all day and study and get good grades/good scores but it is WHOLE different thing to translate it into success in the real world.

You could basically say that law school admissions are superficial and shallow, whereas b-schools look at you in every single aspect.