Friendly advice for navigating the JD/MBA


Kim Fox earned her JD/MBA in 2007. Like most concurrent degree students, she applied to law school first, and then to business school during her 1L year. Here are Kim's tips for navigating the JD/MBA, season by season:

YEAR ONE - LAW SCHOOL 1L
During your first year of law school, sit in on a class or two at the business school and talk to the business school admissions office about applying for a concurrent degree.

They may be able to use your law school application in their decision-making process, which means less paperwork for you!

WINTER BREAK
Prepare your application essays and study for the GMAT.

Take the test in January before you become too involved in law classes to be thinking about the square of a hypotenuse!

JD/MBA 2007 students Sarah Strock and Charlie Shonkwiler.

SPRING
As soon as you are admitted to the MBA program, contact the Office of Financial Aid quickly (and often).

Different tuition schedules and fees apply to each program. The cost of attendance must be adjusted each year and it's always complicated. BE PROACTIVE!

Remember that financial aid is not disbursed until the first part of October, so plan accordingly.

FIRST SUMMER
The law school follows the semester calendar and the business school is on quarters. Law finals finish in early May and business classes start the end of September - this means the summer between the first year of law school and first year of business school is lonnnnnggg...

So use it well for employment, studying abroad, or taking summer classes.

If you need to finish some prerequisites for business school, you may be able to take summer classes after you are admitted but before starting your first year of MBA classes.

(Talk to Assistant Dean Andrew Verner at the business school to see if this will be possible for you.)

YEAR TWO -LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 1st YEAR MBA
Work closely with Administrator Sue Sullivan in the business school and Registrar Sherie Etges in the law school. They will become your best resource in dealing with the complexities of the concurrent degree program.

SECOND SUMMER
The summer between your first year of business and your second year of law school is short.

Business finals end in early June and law journal competitions begin in early August.

Work with career services to find flexible summer opportunities and be sure to take some time off!

THIRD YEAR - LAW SCHOOL 2L When you re-enter the law school as a 2L, build friendships with your new classmates and get advice from your old friends who are now 3Ls. Ask them which classes they suggest, how to handle the summer job search, when to take the MPRE and any other advice they have.

Most importantly, contact other students who have participated in the concurrent degree program. We are more than happy to discuss our experiences and share advice.