The Application Process

Hi guys. I am trying to get a gauge on what type of MBA programs I could get into. I just finished my second year law internship position with the DoJ honors program. I hated every moment of it. I am applying for management/strategic consulting firms as it is but I am also exploring MBA options if I don't get any consulting jobs.

Age: 35
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian
Undergrad: B.A. in Economics. State school top of tier 2 or bottom of tier 1.
Undergraduate GPA: 3.01.
GMAT: 720 first attempt taken cold. Been studying and getting 740 or 760 on practice exames. IR 8.
Law School: lower T-14
Law School GPA/ranking: 3.89/5%

Experience: 1 summer of working (what I am finishing now, incidentally what convinced me law is hell) in DOJ honors program and 1 summer with a mid-sized law firm.



Notable: I dropped out of college to play poker professionally before returning to finishing a in 2011. This is why I have no professional experience despite my age.

Thank you. What schools do you think are realistically within my reach?

ConsultantToBe wrote:Hi guys. I am trying to get a gauge on what type of MBA programs I could get into. I just finished my second year law internship position with the DoJ honors program. I hated every moment of it. I am applying for management/strategic consulting firms as it is but I am also exploring MBA options if I don't get any consulting jobs.

Age: 35
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian
Undergrad: B.A. in Economics. State school top of tier 2 or bottom of tier 1.
Undergraduate GPA: 3.01.
GMAT: 720 first attempt taken cold. Been studying and getting 740 or 760 on practice exames. IR 8.
Law School: lower T-14
Law School GPA/ranking: 3.89/5%

Experience: 1 summer of working (what I am finishing now, incidentally what convinced me law is hell) in DOJ honors program and 1 summer with a mid-sized law firm.

Notable: I dropped out of college to play poker professionally before returning to finishing a in 2011. This is why I have no professional experience despite my age.

Hi

Age, GPA, and (lack of) experience are factors here, and a strong GMAT score will be very important to help create a spike for your profile. Your experiences of course will play a big role in helping schools to consider you, but you must ensure that you have a clear career goal and a case for an MBA (i.e. beyond why you do not wish to pursue a career in law or simply wanting to move to consulting). That is where the rub will lie.

In terms of the actual schools, the B-schools of the universities where you went to law school or college are possible choices, if these are well-ranked. If not, you might need to look at schools ranked well-lower than what a strong GMAT might otherwise indicate. Top schools look like a difficult bet.

I think I can tell a compelling story for consulting and MBA.

How much would my candidacy strengthen with a stint at biglaw, corporate counsel, or government? i want to identify the best way to get experience to raise my chances.

ConsultantToBe wrote:I think I can tell a compelling story for consulting and MBA.

How much would my candidacy strengthen with a stint at biglaw, corporate counsel, or government? i want to identify the best way to get experience to raise my chances.

Corporate Counsel should be the best option from these.