<p>Hi all, I'm taking the LSAT in February but am having second thoughts about law school, mainly because law school sucks but also because jobs are scarce these days. As such, I'm considering instead applying to business school in the next couple years. I have NO idea of the process or what schools are looking for, and I was hoping you all could point me in the right direction. I received my undergraduate degree in Philosophy and minor in Political Science from Columbia University in 2008 with a 3.76 GPA. Also, I am a white male. Since graduating, I've been a paralegal (for about two years now) in the finance division of a high-profile state regulatory agency. Of the little I've gleaned about the business school application process, experience is weighted significantly higher than standardized test scores or GPA, and as a paralegal, I don't exactly have much in the way of tangible work product.</p>
<p>Any suggestions as to whether I'd be competitive at top-level business schools (pending GMAT scores) or need more experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>After you meet a baseline of scores and grades, which it sounds like you will do, top MBA programs are much more about what you have proven you can do. This relates to work experience. They prefer private sector typically or at the very least something entrepreneurial, and they want to see progression in terms of responsibility. It sounds like your experience would get you into a top 20 or 30 program perhaps, but not a top 10 one. Also, you’re basically too recently graduated. Can you work a job change to something more entrepreneurial or higher up the ladder where you work and demonstrate real initiative with some projects? That could help you break into a higher ranked program.</p>
<p>Your Columbia brand helps. Working as a paralegal does not.</p>
<p>To be honest, a lot is going to rest on how you write your application. If you write a good one, you could get into a top 10 place for sure. If you just write you’re a paralegal and you kinda thought you wanted to go to law school but now you want to do business school, you won’t. The bottom line is the focus of your app will dictate where you get in.</p>