If you’ve made it to this page, you’ve likely read on blogs and forums that JD/MBAs can earn impressive six-figure salaries immediately after graduation. The unique double skill-set of this degree–which prepares you to pass the bar, practice law, and simultaneously gain business fundamentals and an MBA from a top bschool–is an appealing proposition. When it comes to education ROI, many JD/MBA programs allow you to earn the two degrees at an accelerated pace over 4 years, often condensing the MBA program into 1-1.5 years of coursework, with the JD taking 2.5-3 years. This can result in significant savings of time and money and provide the optionality to pursue a legally-focused or business-focused career in the decades after earning the degree.

Our team of expert coaches is often approached by incredibly accomplished undergraduate students with the grades and motivation to continue their academic journeys immediately after graduation in JD/MBA dual degree programs. Our countless hours coaching clients to acceptance at both top law schools and business schools has taught us that there is a unique path for everyone, that delaying applications can be in their best interest, and that the ideal route for them may not be a dual-degree immediately after college.

Typically, the most competitive JD/MBA applicant is someone with strong undergraduate performance (a typical law school must) and meaningful professional full-time work experience of 2 or more years, ideally with at least one promotion and track record of growth at their employer. Delaying JD/MBA applications until several years into your professional life will provide access to the broadest pool of top JD/MBA programs, since some programs are more open to applicants directly from undergrad than others. The other bonus of waiting is that your motivations and career goals may morph during your first full-time job as you are exposed to more opportunities and experiences.

If after careful reflection, planning, and research you feel that the JD/MBA route is truly the best career path for you, the next step is to identify schools and their application procedures and timelines. The JD/MBA landscape is uniquely fragmented in terms of application timing. Some schools will want a minimum of 2-3 years of full-time work experience prior to seeing an application, whereas others are flexible and welcome applicants to apply during their senior year of college for matriculation the following year.

Our deep-dive research into this topic includes the below chart, which identifies the test requirements and undergraduate-friendliness of 28 well-regarded JD/MBA programs in the US:

As an aspiring applicant, your first step will be to research a list of target schools that aligns with your level of education and work experience, as well as your test-prep bandwidth. As the chart above demonstrates, you may have to reach out directly to schools whose position on age and work experience isn’t clearly outlined on their website.

In the case of most JD/MBAs you will be asked to take both the LSAT and either the GMAT or GRE, though there are exceptions and programs will sometimes waive one or both tests depending on an applicant’s background and professional trajectory. Typically, the most highly ranked programs will have successful applicants who score well on both the LSAT and GMAT.

You will want to strategically map out how you plan to prepare for both tests. In our experience, JD/MBA applicants are often best-served studying for and completing the LSAT first, since it is not offered as regularly throughout the year as the GMAT or GRE. Plan to spend 3-6 months, minimally, preparing for any of these tests, and note that your total time to prep for and execute competitive scores, factoring in 1-2 retakes for each test, could easily take an entire year. This is separate from the time you’ll spend completing actual JD/MBA applications.

As you move further into your JD/MBA research, you’ll likely discover what our experts uncovered in our own exploration, which is that a “back-door” of sorts exists for top JD/MBA paths. This opportunity is accessed by first gaining entry into either the JD or MBA program of a highly ranked school, and then completing the application process for the second program–JD or MBA–during your first year of matriculation. Take Emory as an example, which allows JD students to start and complete Emory’s One-Year MBA immediately following the first or second year of law school, when they apply for the MBA within the general One-Year MBA applicant pool.

Our final piece of advice as you dive more deeply into the JD/MBA journey is to engage in as many info chats as possible with alumni who have completed the dual degree programs you are targeting. Be sure to ask them if they’ve received the ROI they expected from the JD/MBA and also ask about the advice they would give themselves if they had the chance to hit “rewind.” Did the dual degree get them where they wanted to go professionally on the timeline they expected? Were there any unforeseen aspects of the application process or journey they wish they’d known about beforehand?

The more diligence you do–a trait any future lawyer or successful business professional should keenly develop–the more likely you are to make an informed decision on whether the JD/MBA is the right path for you now, several years in the future, or if pursuing a JD or MBA in isolation is a better fit for your short-term and long-term career goals.

If after reading this primer you are interested in exploring how Fortuna can support you on your upcoming application journey, schedule a free consultation with us. During this session, we will dive into your JD/MBA candidacy, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your profile, and strategize with you to ultimately secure the JD/MBA seat you are vying for.