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I am hoping you could help me understand my realistic chances for top schools. I am a year out of law school, practicing with a mid-sized regional firm in the southwest. I had a 3.4 gpa in law school from a public school. I had a 3.5 gpa from a private christian undergrad. I took the GMAT and scored a 720. At 28 I have 3 years work experience plus the 3 years I spent in law school. Do you think it is realistic to shoot for harvard, stanford, tuck, or columbia? How do b-schools look at attorneys in general, is this a plus for me or will it hurt my chances. I'm hoping to change career paths. One of the aspects of professional life that has always been a motivating factor for me has been leadership opportunities and responsibility, along with upward mobility. It is clear that firm life simply does not provide this, unless your name is on the building. I think my skill set would translate well into industries with strong legal bents, such as regulatory work, private equity, and m&a. Do I have a good shot if I put together a solid app with great recs and essays? Thanks!

Hi taylohb,

Thanks for your post.

Your academic credentials (GPAs and GMAT score) will put you in the running with top MBA programs, but your work experience and extracurricular activities are just as important in the decision process. While an MBA program does help someone transition into more leadership opportunities, it is important for the top schools that you can show how you have already been a leader - both at work and in extracurricular activities.

Since the work experience and extracurricular activities are such an important aspect to competitiveness and you have not provided very many details here, I suggest you fill out the form here: https://www.clearadmit.com/services/free-consultation/ for a free detailed profile evaluation.

Best,
Heidi