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MBAji
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Location: In my cerebellum. Betwixt the Past and the Future. In the moment and the Present.
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Please Evaluate My Profile Updated on: 08 Jul 2011, 05:44
Originally posted by MBAji on 09 Feb 2011, 11:05.
Last edited by MBAji on 08 Jul 2011, 05:44, edited 1 time in total.
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Hello,

[*]

Thanks for your time.
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jenniferbloom
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Please Evaluate My Profile 10 Feb 2011, 04:49
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MBAji
Hello,

Nationality: Indian

Age: matriculation at 29/30 depending on the program, Jan or Sep entry

Undergraduate Education: JD equivalent from leading law school in India

Result: Reasonably Good Score - Need to convert to 4 point scale

Graduate Education: Masters in law at Columbia. 3.4 GPA

GMAT: 700; Q: 48, V: 38

Work experience at Matriculation: Will have ~2.5 years of international experience as a NY lawyer at a leading Wall Street law firm in Asia (corporate and securities law). 2 years before that at a leading law firm in India.

Extracurricular Activities: Journal and editorial work at law school and at Columbia; intermural sports at law school; pro bono legal work

I want to work in the general counsel's office at a financial institution/bank and move to the management ranks eventually.

I am looking to apply to Columbia for the J term 2012 and to Chicago regular entry. What do you think? Would Wharton be realistic?
Any reasonably 'safe' schools?

Thanks for your time.
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From what you've said here, I'm not seeing the strong need for an MBA. I'm afraid your application may come across as "degree hoarding." To prove yourself worthy of the schools you're talking about here, you need to show significant strategic impact on the firm you've worked for but I'm not seeing that yet.
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gmat1011
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Please Evaluate My Profile 10 Feb 2011, 05:49
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interesting read...
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MBAji
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Please Evaluate My Profile 10 Feb 2011, 05:56
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Thanks Jennifer. Much appreciated.

Can I please ask you one other thing just so that I work harder on the essays with the right focus? what do you mean by: "significant strategic impact"?

[I know someone who attended one of Columbia/Wharton/Chicago in the last 3-4 years straight out my law school in India after ~3 years of work ex in India at a law firm. Except a higher gmat score, lack of an LLM and lack of international experience in his case, our profiles would mostly be the same. The only way to qualify as a NY lawyer, and thereby have access to more sophisticated firms and transactions, for someone who doesn't hold a US JD is to do a US LLM. I am only mentioning this to add a few more details to try and give a clearer picture].

Thanks again.
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Please Evaluate My Profile 13 Feb 2011, 05:51
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MBAji
Thanks Jennifer. Much appreciated.

Can I please ask you one other thing just so that I work harder on the essays with the right focus? what do you mean by: "significant strategic impact"?

[I know someone who attended one of Columbia/Wharton/Chicago in the last 3-4 years straight out my law school in India after ~3 years of work ex in India at a law firm. Except a higher gmat score, lack of an LLM and lack of international experience in his case, our profiles would mostly be the same. The only way to qualify as a NY lawyer, and thereby have access to more sophisticated firms and transactions, for someone who doesn't hold a US JD is to do a US LLM. I am only mentioning this to add a few more details to try and give a clearer picture].

Thanks again.
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The LLM is exactly the issue: you've pursued this extra degree and need to make a compelling argument as to why you need another one (the MBA). Without the LLM, making that argument would have been easier (since you didn't have access to the US legal positions that you now do).
Please note that I am not saying that you do not stand a chance at Wharton (or elsewhere); I'm just trying to show you what weaknesses you need to address. In your case, you need to be very clear why a full-time MBA, now, makes sense. That seems to me to be a hard argument to make.