Comments on: Can a Harvard Law student become an investment banker? http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/ My name is Chris Yeh. I'm a Harvard MBA, and you can ask me anything! Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:48:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Srima http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-316 Srima Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:09:41 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-316 I think you forgot Duke on that list. I think you forgot Duke on that list.

]]> By: Ask the Harvard MBA » Are you a complete loser if you don’t attend an Ivy League school? http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-86 Ask the Harvard MBA » Are you a complete loser if you don’t attend an Ivy League school? Mon, 19 May 2008 02:33:06 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-86 [...] this is true, the fact is that many employers prefer to hire the graduates of elite universities.  At D. E. Shaw & Co., we had a list of the 25 schools we’d recruit from.  If you didn’t attend a school on that list, tough luck.  The same is true today of [...] […] this is true, the fact is that many employers prefer to hire the graduates of elite universities.  At D. E. Shaw & Co., we had a list of the 25 schools we’d recruit from.  If you didn’t attend a school on that list, tough luck.  The same is true today of […]

]]> By: admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-63 admin Tue, 06 May 2008 21:44:36 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-63 The short answer is, a JD/MBA is pretty useless for practicing law, but is very useful for the business world. I don't think the JD is worth the additional time and money unless you really want the background, or it helps you get into an MBA program you otherwise wouldn't be able to enroll at. Canadian education is a tremendous bargain--I'd definitely encourage you to go for a Canadian program versus a very expensive US one. It strikes me that the right decision (JD or not) depends on your level of risk tolerance. A law degree provides a certain kind of safety net, both because it increases the pool of available jobs you might take, and because it helps you avoid making poor business decisions. The question is, how do those benefits compare to the additional cost and time required to add that JD. I'll note that the Web site is "AskTheHarvardMBA" not "AskTheHarvardJDMBA"! The short answer is, a JD/MBA is pretty useless for practicing law, but is very useful for the business world. I don’t think the JD is worth the additional time and money unless you really want the background, or it helps you get into an MBA program you otherwise wouldn’t be able to enroll at.

Canadian education is a tremendous bargain–I’d definitely encourage you to go for a Canadian program versus a very expensive US one.

It strikes me that the right decision (JD or not) depends on your level of risk tolerance. A law degree provides a certain kind of safety net, both because it increases the pool of available jobs you might take, and because it helps you avoid making poor business decisions. The question is, how do those benefits compare to the additional cost and time required to add that JD. I’ll note that the Web site is “AskTheHarvardMBA” not “AskTheHarvardJDMBA”!

]]> By: Tim http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-62 Tim Tue, 06 May 2008 20:55:53 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-62 Although there is much discussion on the benefits of lawyers having an MBA, what is the value of a JD/MBA for someone uninterested in practising law but who wants the legal background? Is it worth the additional time and money? Now what if the joint degree could be obtained for $15K because of government subsidization? I am a resident of Quebec and can obtain a joint MBA/Law degree from McGill University for ~$15K because of government subsidization. Other Canadian residents can obtain the degree for $30K. Although there is much discussion on the benefits of lawyers having an MBA, what is the value of a JD/MBA for someone uninterested in practising law but who wants the legal background? Is it worth the additional time and money?

Now what if the joint degree could be obtained for $15K because of government subsidization? I am a resident of Quebec and can obtain a joint MBA/Law degree from McGill University for ~$15K because of government subsidization. Other Canadian residents can obtain the degree for $30K.

]]> By: admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-52 admin Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:38:06 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-52 Commoner, I think leveraging UCLA law school to get into their JD/MBA program is an excellent strategy. Anderson is a well-respected program, and their graduates do very well, even outside the LA area. When you throw in the fact that Chicago winters are notoriously unpleasant, I think the decision becomes an easy one! Commoner,

I think leveraging UCLA law school to get into their JD/MBA program is an excellent strategy. Anderson is a well-respected program, and their graduates do very well, even outside the LA area.

When you throw in the fact that Chicago winters are notoriously unpleasant, I think the decision becomes an easy one!

]]> By: Commoner http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-50 Commoner Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:01:26 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-50 It certainly is that time of year. I am beginning to think that my choice will boil down to UCLA/Northwestern, (perhaps also UVA/Penn) with a chance for a JD/MBA at UCLA. I seriously doubt that Northwestern will let me into their # year JD/MBA. My second question for you is this: My undergrad is a little known school from which I received a respectable though non-business oriented degree with a high GPA. The lure of law school is a respectable, stable degree/career path, and I doubt that with my undergrad I could get into a very good 2 year MBA program. I am beginning to doubt my self-assuredness of wanting to attend law school, despite it being the more obvious choice for me. Thanks for answering my questions though. I appreciate it. It certainly is that time of year. I am beginning to think that my choice will boil down to UCLA/Northwestern, (perhaps also UVA/Penn) with a chance for a JD/MBA at UCLA. I seriously doubt that Northwestern will let me into their # year JD/MBA. My second question for you is this: My undergrad is a little known school from which I received a respectable though non-business oriented degree with a high GPA. The lure of law school is a respectable, stable degree/career path, and I doubt that with my undergrad I could get into a very good 2 year MBA program. I am beginning to doubt my self-assuredness of wanting to attend law school, despite it being the more obvious choice for me. Thanks for answering my questions though. I appreciate it.

]]> By: admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-45 admin Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:49:48 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-45 Brett, I can't remember the exact list now, but it was essentially the following: Ivy League Stanford/MIT UC Berkeley/UCLA NYU CMU (Carnegie Mellon) UIUC (U Illinois Urbana Champaign) UT Austin IIT Taida Oxford/Cambridge I can't remember the Russian universities, but they certainly figured into it. Brett,

I can’t remember the exact list now, but it was essentially the following:

Ivy League
Stanford/MIT
UC Berkeley/UCLA
NYU
CMU (Carnegie Mellon)
UIUC (U Illinois Urbana Champaign)
UT Austin
IIT
Taida
Oxford/Cambridge

I can’t remember the Russian universities, but they certainly figured into it.

]]> By: Brett http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-42 Brett Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:32:10 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/04/19/can-a-harvard-law-student-become-an-investment-banker/#comment-42 I'm sure I'm not the only one who is very curious as to what 25 schools made the list. You're not going to tell me though, are you? LOL! I’m sure I’m not the only one who is very curious as to what 25 schools made the list. You’re not going to tell me though, are you? LOL!

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