<p>I want to pursue a JD and then go into consulting. So I am preparing for the LSAT right now. But I also wanted to know whether I should also take some courses that would strengthen my application to law school.</p>
<p>I majored in mathematics during my bachelors with a poor GPA, mostly a 'C' student. But my M.S. in Operational Research went well with mostly 'A's althrough. But my subjects are mostly mathematical in nature.</p>
<p>I worked for 7 years as a data mining professional.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on how to strengthen my application, please. I am looking at 2014 admissions. So I have time.</p>
<p>You masters will not be used when calculating your LSAC gpa. If your undergrad gpa is a 2.0, then you will have to kill the lsat. If you do that, you will be a splitter. Unfortunately, splitter gpas are hard to predict.</p>
<p>So in my case how are the admissions office in schools going to look at my application. Only LSAC GPA and LSAT score and NOT consider my masters at all?</p>
<p>Or is it that LSAT + LSAC GPA combined give a unique score and that score is first considered for further consideration of the application?</p>
<p>Hanna, coming to your question, ya a MBA may do good too. But from what I gathered from a few management consultants a JD seems to be sort after for certain analytical, logical and social structure skills that law students possess. Some suggested that I concentrate on JD. Others suggested that I think about a JD/MBA program. I already have a GMAT score of 760. Now I am concentrating on LSAT.</p>
<p>But ya, since you bring it up, is a JD/MBA worth the time? Or like you suggest a MBA is all I need, especially thinking long term.</p>
<p>Masters is not looked at at all (it would be a soft factor but not an usual or strong one) because it is rare fro people with undergrad degrees to have low gpas.</p>
<p>I do not think that you should take on 200k of expenses (with it is loans or out of your own pocket) to pursue a JD unless you want to practice law. Do not consider getting a JD as a route to going into consulting.</p>
<p>Never heard from anyone, anywhere(before this) that a JD was preferable to an MBA for consulting jobs. If the plan is to go into consulting, you’ll be much more marketable with an MBA. Regarding a JD/MBA, unless you know it’s going to make you more marketable, don’t do it; it’s an extra year of expenses with no guaranteed return.</p>
<p>So Masters don’t matter much. I am in a pickle now. And by the way, I am from India, so different grading systems here. ‘C’ is poor for an application to a good law school but is not in any way borderline, coz failing comes 2 grades below, like an ‘E’ or an ‘F’ after a ‘D’. So may not be a 2.0 (sorry for the miscommunication). More towards a 3.0 I guess. Have to convert to GPA system.</p>
<p>Taking your suggestion, if JD is not the way to go, then it is ok I guess. My GMAT is ready and I know my masters is going to make some sort of a difference to a B-school application right?</p>
<p>But don’t programs like the one in Yale, Northwestern, Cornell, 3 to 4 years duration JD-MBA programs benefit management consulting aspirants? If no, then who are the applicants for these programs, future attorneys with MBAs to grow in a law firm?</p>
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<p>Well, from the few people I talked, they spoke highly of JD-MBA programs with way more leverage than MBA in the long term. I heard that right out of college pay packages would almost be the same for a JD-MBA and a MBA but a JD-MBA would be given better opprotunities, roles , responsibilities in projects making a difference in the long term. Any truth in that?</p>
<p>“from what I gathered from a few management consultants a JD seems to be sort after for certain analytical, logical and social structure skills that law students possess.”</p>
<p>JDs from top schools do quite well in the consulting job market, but they don’t have any advantage I’m aware of compared to graduates of equivalently ranked business schools. If you have a ~2.5 undergrad GPA, it’s very unlikely that you’ll get into law schools as good as the B-schools you have a shot at with that GMAT and your work experience.</p>
<p>Right, a so-so law school and a good B-school, which would mean an extended duration of upto 5-6 years of study as opposed to the combined 3-4 year JD-MBA programs offered by some of better branded universities.</p>
<p>So I guess , you may be right, apply only and only to a B-school instead of a combination of an average law school and a good B-school, since in most cases a JD from top schools will only matter in consulting but a degree from a good B-school is just as potent considering my GMAT score. And a JD from an average law school may not get me a job in consulting anyway. But a MBA from an average B-school will. Good insight, thanks.</p>
<p>Well then actually the question would be, whether I have to attempt the LSAT? That would depend on whether a high LSAT score will make any sort of a difference with a 2.5~ undergrad GPA. Because if it doesn’t, all that LSAT and law school application effort is going to go down the drain.</p>
<p>So with a top imaginary LSAT score, are the chances still really bleak that I get into a good law school? If yes, then I have my answer. Knocking at B-schools with my GMAT.</p>