asking for your opinions on my MBA chances

I wouldn't sell the JD/MBA route if you aren't intent on pursuing it. It's not the same as writing in your essays that you want to go into consulting and once you get into school pursue operations management. Generally speaking schools require you to apply and be accepted to both the law and B-school, and once that happens, you'll be on the compressed JD/MBA program meaning you'll get both degrees in 3-4 years. Most JD/MBA programs tend to be a law degree with a business focus rather than the other way around. I guess this is my long-winded way of saying don't do it.

If you're GRE is still within that 5-year window, I'd say you're golden.

Thanks for the great insight!
More specifically I wanna to public-sector related consulting (mainly dealing with gov't-business relationship). My 2-yr experience with the gov't helped me realize it. So I'm pretty serious about MPP/MBA. So in your opinion, as long as I can connect the dots, my situation as of now won't greatly hurt my chances of getting in?

Also, as my current contract will end in August, what do you suggest I do to strengthen my application? If I do get a new job, should I apply for round 2 to just so I could show that I landed a new job, or would I be just fine applying for round 1?

Thanks again!

Thanks man I think you're totally right about the JD and JD/MBA. It was just a small part of me that didn't want to let go of all the money and misery I suffered going through law school admissions process. But I'm throwing away the JD and sticking with MPP/MBA since public sector consulting (gov't-business relationship) is what I really want to do.
I took my GRE on Jul 2011 (the last oldGRE exam lol) so its good to go til 2016.

So in terms of work experience and application timing, should I just shoot for round 1 or find a job after my current contract (which ends in Aug) and apply round 2? I'm kinda leaning toward round 1 since even if I land a job right away on Sept, a few more months of work experience won't put much more weight on the "public sector consulting and MPP/MBA" spin that I'm trying to pull. But what do I know.. at this point I value your experienced advice more..

Thanks again!

You sound like a man after my own heart. In fact, you sound a lot like me.

After undergrad I did an accelerated master's at the same university. I didn't need to take the GRE to get in, but I took it just for fun (no prep) and got 800 Q/670 V. After grad school I realized I didn't really want to take the engineering jobs available to me at the time (in 2009, it was pretty slim pickings). I decided to do Peace Corps for 2 years, during which time I heard about management consulting for the first time and fell in love. I thought that consulting for the nonprofit/public sectors would be amazing. The trouble is, it's notoriously difficult to break in to the industry for an early-career applicant not applying through a target school. You know that.

My Peace Corps service was scheduled to wrap up in November, leaving me with a really awkward schedule (just like you!): I'd have to apply to b-schools in round 1 prior to my return to the states, then wait until the following fall to start classes (assuming I got in!). Well it turned out that I didn't get into the three schools I applied to round 1. As you've probably deduced, I applied to those schools without visiting, as I was abroad. You probably won't face that hurdle. But in round 2 I was accepted. I think there were a few differences. For one, I had the benefit of visiting campuses. Also, I had the benefit of my previous failed applications/interviews. And also, I had an additional position on my resume, though it was only an (ongoing) internship that I began upon the end of Peace Corps. My takeaway is that I suggest you apply in round 1 and 2, putting your top choices in round 2, and also shoot to find a job following your current contract. If you get a job, it will improve your chances of admission because your resume will be stronger, you will appear more desirable to schools, and you will have more stories during your interviews (assuming you've started your new job by the time you interview). Also, it could give you more options for recommendation-writers and money in your pocket. There is also the possibility that you will enjoy your job so much that you will choose to defer your acceptance to the following year, and after a year, your new employer will love you so much that they will sponsor you.

Also, there is the possibility that you won't be accepted, so the job would be good to have. No offense intended, I'm just trying to be realistic.

Thanks for the great insight. I really am in the same spot you had been...
So I understand u applied to H/S/W in the first round? If you don't mind me asking, what do you think was the biggest reason why u didn't get accepted? Were you dinged after interviews? Also, you mentioned that visiting the campus made a lot of difference in applying, but exactly in what ways did it make a difference (exposure to the adcom, motivation, better understanding of the school's curriculum, or etc..)

once again, thanks for the great help!

If you're able to tell a tight story explaining how your past experience + an MBA/MPP will get you to public-sector consulting, then you won't be hurting your chances. That said, I don't know anything about public-sector consulting, MPP degrees or the details of your past work experience, so I'm really not sure if you will or will not be able to create that tight story.

Apply to some schools in R1 and some in R2. Save your dream school for R2. In terms of the new job, make sure you get a job that will enhance your ability to land a public-sector consulting role post-MBA.

Good luck,
OA

First round for me was actually H/W/K, and while K was a target from the beginning, H/W were only hastily added to my list once I got a strong GMAT. I was invited to interview at W (and Lauder) and K (though I initially received an interview waiver due to location, I was invited to phone interview just 2 weeks before decision day, which I took as a good sign). I think that my execution on my first round applications was weak, or at least middling, for the following reasons:

I had never visited any campus.
I didn't know anyone at all who had been to business school, much less H/W/K. I had had a handful of Skype conversations with current students, but nothing major. My understanding of culture and b-school life was accordingly limited.
I'd only spoken (via Skype) to 2-3 people who worked in my chosen field.
My career goals were unrefined.
My recommenders (all Ukrainians) had never written LoRs before, and I didn't advise them sufficiently. I have reason to believe that their letters were simply polite, insubstantial compliments, as opposed to anectode-laden, glowing testimonials.
As I was in a remote location, my interviews were conducted over the phone. Therefore it was impossible to read body language/tacit clues urging me to continue a story in greater detail or wrap it up. No eye contact, no smiles...
I had no interview experience, so I might have sounded naive or arrogant while trying to project confidence. I might have sounded lost/aloof as I tried not to be excessively specific about career goals that might change.

In my second round, I addressed all of these points. My application was still light on work experience, but I think my execution improved immensely.

if you were admitted to a top law school you are probably the caliber of person who can make it in to top bschool as well. yes they look for different things but follow the advice here, shift strategy a bit and I would bet you will be successful.

I see..
I'm still not clear on the differences between applying round 1 and round 2.. You said save my dream schools for round 2, but is it because I could find another job (possibly in consulting) and put that on my resume if I apply in round 2? It would probably be a few more months (3 at the most) of WE compared to applying in round 1 and I'm quite not sure how much of an improvement that would be to my application, since I heard that schools like Stanford prefer that applicants apply in round 1. Lemme know what you think!

Thanks!

I'm in the camp for applying R1. Some think saving your dream school for Round 2 let's you work out the kinks in R1 and you'll have a better R2 app. Plus, if you get admitted in R1, there's less pressure during round 2 - owe admits are gravy.

I applied to 4 schools R1 and had a "panic" R2 plan in place in case I didn't get admitted in R1. Once I got into one of my top 4 choices, it didn't make sense to apply to my 5th or 6th choice schools.

I'd apply R1 as well. I wouldn't apply to your dream school first though, I'd save it after you've written a few other schools'. You do learn and grow as you go through the process but after awhile you just want the process to be over. You don't want to have to keep writing essays in R1 and R2 (and R3) if you don't have to.

I think you're totally right.

As to my admission offer from Harvard Kennedy School, do you think I should mention the fact that I have been admitted to HKS and have deferred matriculation in order to pursue MPP/MBA dual degree on my resume and cover letter?

thanks!

I see.. so in terms of competition and admission chances, applying round 1 is better that round 2 (given that my round 2 application isn't significantly better than round 1 app)

thanks!

That's difficult to quantify. It's tough because on the one hand all the seats are open, but on the other the adcom doesn't want to over admit because they know they still have 2-3 rounds of applicants to see...i.e. they don't want to give an offer to a fringe applicant in Round 1 until they see how he/she stacks up against the Round 2 pool. When that happens, the applicant is usually put on the waitlist.

One distinct advantage of applying Round 1 is in case you are put on the waitlist, a lot of schools will re-review your application with the Round 2 pool, so you'll get two looks...if not one more in Round 3, where as getting waitlisted in Round 2 means you'll be reviewed with Round 3...etc.

Finally, the biggest advantage to Round 1 is simply for planning purposes. If you're admitted to a school you'd be happy to attend in Round 1, you'll know by December. Round 2 applicants typically don't know their fate until March.

As others have mentioned, the only reason to wait until R2 to apply to your dream school is because your essay writting skills improve as you go.

You seem like a great candidate but your target schools are not easy...
maybe you should try this online chances calculator to help you find out where you stand: https://www.aringo.com/MBA_admission_cha ... ulator.htm