EssaySnark

($) Joint-degree MBA options.

by EssaySnark

They’re breeding like rabbits. Business schools everywhere are popping out more and more joint degree and dual degree options. You can get your MBA and… Get a master’s in Electrical Engineering at Stanford – just announced this year. Get a law degree in just three years at many schools like Wharton/Penn Law, Columbia Bschool/Columbia Law,…

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Here's what others have said about this:

  1. Appropriate timing as I’m working on an MBA application where I intend to apply for a dual degree. The application asks if I’m applying for a dual degree but do you think I should make a comment somewhere else in my application regarding my intentions? If so, should I work it into the regular essays if it’s appropriate or is that a waste of valuable space? What about the optional essay?

    Does anyone else plan on applying for a dual degree? If so, are you going to highlight that?

    • @PNasty, yes, typically the intention to go for the dual degree should be mentioned in the essays, but it to some extent depends on which school, and which dual degree, and also what your goals are. Everything needs to line up to support all aspects but at the same time, the pitch needs to be autonomous enough such that the MBA adcom is willing to admit you for just their program; you don’t want it to seem that you need to have both degrees in order to get where you want to go. They should be complementary to each other (obviously) but not mandatory for the execution of your plans. It’s not typically too hard to get this but it is a balance that you’ll need to seek.

      It looks very strange when someone marks the box saying they’re applying to a joint degree but then make no mention of it whatsoever in the essays. So that’s an important question you’re asking and it does need to be handled with the big picture in mind.

      EssaySnark

    • I also saw that some schools require a joint essay for the joint-degree applicants, requiring the applicants to motivate the choice for applying to the joint degree (for eg. HBS / HKS joint degree)

  2. A JD normally takes 3 years by itself, which to me makes a JD/MBA sound like a whirlwind of hell in 3 years.

    • Agreed – but look at it from the perspective of a 1L (someone who’s already in first year of law school): They can apply to the bschool and add on the MBA without that much more work. The way the schools manage it is most JD/MBA programs eat up your summers; Wharton’s is the only one we’re aware of that actually allows you to have a summer internship between years 2-3.

      In moments of insanity sometimes we fantasize about going to law school….