<p>I'm an international student who goes to a school abroad; though, I'm probably going to transfer to a school in Canada next fall. I'm an econ major. Now, law school has recently become very appealing to me. The problem is, the dynamics of law school are almost completely unbeknownst to me; I simply don't know how anything works. The way I see it, one obtains the undergraduate degree of one's choice (B.A, BS.c etc.), and then one goes on to obtain an L.LM.... or is it JD? Also, what would I have to do to be able to practice corporate law anywhere in the world? What if I want a joint business+law degree?</p>
<p>I apologize if my post seems slightly desultory and too convoluted. Thank you.</p>
<p>Step 1: Go to college. Get a BA or a BS.
Step 2: Apply to law school. Get a JD.
Optional Step 3: Apply to business school also. Get an MBA, usually from the same school as the JD, provided you can get into both.</p>
<p>To practice corporate law anywhere in the world, you have to (1) work for people who need American legal expertise overseas, or (2) obtain law degrees from everywhere in the world.</p>
<p>Now, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time looking over admission statistics for T14 schools, and quite frankly, I find the stats to be extremely intimidating (as in, Yale law school is out of the question for “non-beasts”). </p>
<p>I expect to graduate with a GPA in the 3.5-3.7 range; does that undoubtedly preclude admission to T14 schools.</p>
<p>I’m looking for schools that have both good business and law schools, so I guess my list will consist of the following schools (tentative, of course):</p>
<p>-Harvard</p>
<p>-Penn- Wharton can get me to do anything :)</p>
<p>-Yale- I do have my reservations regarding their “management” program, but beggars can’t be choosers.</p>
<p>-Columbia</p>
<p>-Duke</p>
<p>-NYU</p>
<p>-UVa</p>
<p>-Stanford</p>
<p>Am I mistaken in assuming that these are possibly the best schools for the path I’m interested in?</p>
<p>Judging by your username, I think you’ll do a good job selling Duke Props. My best friend is a current sophomore there and he says the campus and atmosphere are nothing short of mesmerizing.</p>
<p>No. You’d have to have something like a 2.9 to completely preclude you. The lower your GPA is, the higher an LSAT you need, though.</p>
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<p>On the assumption that a JD/MBA is the right path, then no, you’re not mistaken. Those are appropriate schools. Bear in mind that MBA programs are likely to demand work experience of all their applicants and will be unlikely to admit anybody straight through school.</p>
<p>^Yes, that’s also something I’m definitely keeping in mind. It’s extremely difficult to get into B-school without, at least, 2-5 years of work experience. I’m going to decide exactly what it is I plan to do by the beginning of my junior year. </p>
<p>Well… I’d like to thank you, mike, for your concise, helpful responses.</p>
<p>You should also keep in mind that the MBA adds value pretty much only after you have at least one year of work experience, though it’s possible to get into JD/MBA straight from undergrad.</p>
<p>^I really don’t see the point in getting an MBA straight out of undergrad, but that’s just me. I plan to work for two years before I apply for the program (for the first time lol). If I am rejected because of the lack of sufficient work experience (they do tell you why, right?), then I will proceed with my career for another two or three years before I reapply. </p>
<p>IvyPBear, feel free to add any input you deem necessary for a prospective JD/MBA student (other schools, application tips, etc.)</p>
<p>I encourage you to investigate the University of Georgia. The law schol is ranked #26 nationally, and has a premier international law program. The business school is also excellent, and there is a joint JD/MBA program requiring four years’ study. You should also find it much more economical than Penn, Harvard, Yale, etc.</p>
<p>Thank you, merkur. I took a look at the program, but to be honest, Georgia’s ranking is worrisome. I think most people would agree that pedigree at this level of education is of extreme importance. Furthermore, I admire the financial aid initiatives undertaken by the likes of Harvard and Yale (Yes, I am aware of their acceptance rates), so I’m not worried about costs just yet. Either way, there’s a wide array of scholarships made available by very generous institutions in my country (and, of course, the firms that pay for MBAs in return for, well, a lot of work).</p>
<p>Update:
-Chicago: However, I’ve heard that Chicago can get pretty gloomy at times.</p>
<p>-Northwestern</p>
<p>-Cornell</p>
<p>-Georgetown</p>
<p>Note: I’m applying as a transfer to Cornell, Gtown, and Harvard. Getting into one would make things marginally easier for admission to its grad schools.</p>
Props. My best friend is a current sophomore there and he says the campus and atmosphere are nothing short of mesmerizing.</p>