Is it unorthodox to apply to both Business school and law school?

<p>I've given thought to doing both, I'm not positive where I want to go right now. Is it unusual for undergrads to apply to both? Also if you choose to do it is it difficult with both applications and studying for the LSAT and GMAT?</p>

<p>And when do I start applying to business schools and start studying for the GMATs? I'm a junior right now, and I'm wondering what the application process is like, is it any similar to what applying to college was like in high school? And what are the acceptance rates of most law school and the more prestigous ones?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>UVA has a joint MBA/law degree, it takes longer than either but not as long as both ;)</p>

<p>Unorthodox, I don't know. Ambitious, yes. There are a number of dual programs so it is not that out of the ordinary.</p>

<p>Many, many schools have JD/MBA programs. In almost every case, you will have to take both the LSAT and GMAT in order to apply. You will apply separately to each program, meaning that you must be admitted to the JD program and the MBA program on their own terms, competing with others applying to one or both of those programs.</p>

<p>I don't plan on studying both.</p>

<p>I just mean as an undergraduate is it bad if I apply to both, and if for instance I get accepted to both, I can then choose which one I want to go to.</p>

<p>It’s not unorthodox. If you are asking if it makes you sound special, then no. There is nothing special about what you are trying to do.</p>

<p>There are kids in my country who major in Business and attend Law school at the same time. Law school can be done at the undergraduate level where I come from.</p>

<p>You don’t go to (a good) business school out of undergrad. You need work experience first.</p>

<p>giants, it happens, there are students that go to the top B-schools straight from college…</p>

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<p>Exception, not (even close to) the rule.</p>

<p>you are right, but for the specific case of JD/MBA they are more likely to accept less work experience or even straight from undergrad. since it is a 4 year program, they can only expect so much…</p>

<p>I suppose, but if you choose you want to go down the business path, it’s going to be very difficult competing for post-MBA positions with candidates who have several years work experience.</p>

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<p>Absolutely false. BostonEng, I really think you should clarify your statements as being true opinion with no factual foundation if you’re going to continue to comment on things you have no experience with-- at the very least post your sources. </p>

<p>To the OP: I’m not sure if you’re saying you want to apply for a JD/MBA, or apply to both programs and see which one you get into in and then choose based on your acceptances. </p>

<p>There is nothing wrong with the latter option, although I do think it is a bit strange that you don’t know which one you are interested enough in to pursue as a career; those are two pretty divergent career paths. However you won’t be docked in anyway in regards to admissions. </p>

<p>As for applying and seeking acceptance into a dual program: It is most certainly not out of the ordinary for a student to seek entrance into a JD/MBA program, but it is incredibly difficult. If you are applying, you will have to submit SEPARATE applications to both the business school and the law school, and if accepted into both, you automatically qualify for the JD/MBA program if you wish to pursue both degrees. </p>

<p>With most programs, the JD/MBA is a 4 year degree. Most of the students that I know/knew are/were pursuing the JD/MBA with more of a business mindset than a legal one, so most students will do the first year of their MBA during the first year, and their 1L during the second year of the program (these can be switched). The 3rd and 4th years are then a mix of electives from both the business and law schools, with most students taking a joint seminar exclusive to students of the JD/MBA program during their 3rd year. </p>

<p>The exception here is Northwestern, whose JD/MBA program is 3 years long. </p>

<p>However, as I previously stated, you apply independently to each school. The business school will not know you are applying to the law school, and the law school will not know you are applying to the business school. As a result you will get no benefit of “lower expectations”. </p>

<p>As stated in this thread, you can apply to LS right out of undergrad, but unless you are truly exceptional, admittance into a top MBA program will take a few years of good work experience (however, that work experience should help you with acceptance into law school). </p>

<p>There are a number of ways you can go about applying:

  1. Apply to law school out of undergrad, get in, and defer for 2 years. Work for two years, apply to the business school, and hope you get in. However, make sure the law school is willing to let you defer for 2+ years. The trickiest part with this is making sure that your law school is ok with you taking the time off that you need for business school. As always its a risk since you might not get accepted into the MBA program. </p>

<p>2) Graduate UG, work for a few years, apply to both. This may seem to be the most obvious, but it can be highly impractical. Taking the time to get recommendations, do applications, and write essays while working the type of job you would need to get into a good MBA program for BOTH B-School and Law school can be quite straining. Most students that do this will do at least the LSAT during the senior year and their GMAT after the summer of one of their working years or during senior year as well. However, be careful, as no school accepts an LSAT that is more than 5 years old, and most school have now changed that to 3 years. </p>

<p>3) The most rare, but some students will apply to a LS or BS, and during their first year apply for the respective other school. This means that you would gain entrance into the joint program after a year, and during your second year would just do the first year of the other program (ie. get accepted into law school, apply that year into BSchool, after 1L year do first year of MBA, etc). Most kids that do this realize they are interested in the program after they originally apply for the first school. </p>

<p>Hope that helped.</p>