<p>I know a lot of business schools/law schools offer a combined four year program in which graduates can get their JD and MBA. I was just wondering in order to prepare for that course load and get into such a program (you need to apply to each school separately) should I be talking math classes or major in business?</p>
<p>Right now I am majoring in Sociology and the only math I plan on taking (so far) is an honors statistics class. What I major in doesn't really matter for law school (as long as I can write/speak well, use logic, etc.) but I am worried about business school. I can't really remember much of the math I did in high school. Is that okay? Or should I be taking college Calculus and Economics during my undergrad time?</p>
<p>Sorry if this was a stupid question. I'd appreciate a response though</p>
<p>Personally, I think you're far too concerned about a matter that is of relatively trivial concern. for the purposes of MBA admissions, what is far more important than what specific courses you took in college is what your work experience is. Hence, I would be doing whatever it takes to get that work experience. For example, that could mean doing part-time internships or co-ops. </p>
<p>The truth is, you don't really need to know that much math to complete most MBA courses. Would math be useful, and probably get you better grades? Sure. But it doesn't really matter that much anyway, because the truth is, most MBA employers don't care very much about your grades anyway, and will hire you (or not) based on far more arbitrary criteria. Furthermore, a number of top MBA programs such as Stanford still practice grade nondisclosure, which means that prospective employers don't get to see your grades anyway. Now, it is true that law school employers do care about grades intently, but it seems to me that you would not have to present your MBA grades to them (just your law school grades).</p>
<p>As sakky mentioned, you do need full time work experience, but I just want to clarify that doing part-time internships or co-ops is a way to open the door to post-graduate full time work experience. The vast majority of students attending top MBA programs have at least 2-3 years of work experience, and most have at least 4-5 years of work experience.</p>
<p>
[quote]
As sakky mentioned, you do need full time work experience, but I just want to clarify that doing part-time internships or co-ops is a way to open the door to post-graduate full time work experience. [/quote</p>
<p>Yes, that is what I meant.</p>
<p>I wouldn't quite say that you absolutely need fulll-time work experience, as there are always a rare handful of people who get in without it. But I wouldn't hold my breath trying to be one of those guys.</p>
<p>Some MBA programs (such as Wharton's) require attendance at a pre-term, before the first year of the program officially starts. Wharton expects that all students will have taken at least a college level calculus or statistics class before beginning classes (and I'm confident that that would be a factor in reviewing an applicant's admissions file as well). The description is below:</p>
<p>The required, month-long Pre-Term session ensures that everyone in a diverse incoming class begins from a common knowledge base. Pre-Term, which begins in early August, helps you and your class build a shared academic foundation, make friends, readjust to student life, and explore Philadelphia and the Wharton/Penn campus. </p>
<p>Pre-Term Courses
Pre-Term includes introductory and review courses in financial accounting, microeconomics, statistics, and financial analysis. Preparatory courses cover material not included in Fall coursework that students are expected to understand. In addition, Pre-Term includes classes on business history and languages, as well as short seminars in communication skills, computing technology, trading simulations, and career management.</p>
<p>Math Requirement
All entering MBA students must demonstrate proficiency in mathematics through an exam administered before the start of the program. Students whose self-administered assessment tests (taken before arriving for Pre-Term) indicate that they need a math refresher may register for optional, on-campus math review courses. Those who have never had a college-level calculus or statistics course are encouraged to take one before arriving on campus. Both courses provide an excellent foundation for the core curriculum.</p>
<p>Learning Team Retreat
This 2-day, off-campus retreat is an integral part of Pre-Term. You meet the other members of your learning team and begin the team-building and leadership learning that will shape your first year.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. I guess I do have to take more math especially because all of the schools with joint degrees require me to also take the GMAT and it's a separate application into the business school.</p>