Law School vs MBA

Hi all,

I’m currently trying to decide between pursuing a JD or not. I am also considering M.B.A too.

Or Do I need to pursue JD/MBA?

My Background

• Undergrad & Master’s Degree: Finance (International student, but went school in the U.S.)

• GPA: Wayyyyyyyyyyy low (around 3.3–3.4 / 4.0)

• Current Role: 1–2 years of full-time experience in industry, focused on valuation and modeling

• Previous Experience: Internships at MBB, Private Equity, and Big 4 (not based in the U.S., no return offers)

1.     My Thoughts on the M.B.A.

Pros:

• A strong path into IB, Consulting, PE, etc

• Great networking opportunities

• No GPAs during the program

• Be able to get wide spectrum of lucrative jobs.

Cons:

• Doesn’t provide deep expertise that I can rely on after retirement (I want to keep working until I'm 80, not as an Uber driver)

• Requires 2–3 more years of work experience to be competitive

• Hard to get into M7 or even T15 without full-time experience at MBB, Big 4, or top IB

• I value fun, but I’m not a party person — and MBA culture often feels centered around parties with solo cups

• I make more mistakes with numbers than words

• I find it nearly impossible to improve on case interview frameworks

• As an international student, it’s very difficult to get a job in the U.S. after graduation

2. My Thoughts on the JD

Pros:

• I review and draft contracts in my current role, and each time, it feels like I'm crafting a piece of art, it’s fun!

• Mastering the law feels highly professional, even more so than working in IB or consulting

• I like quiet, private offices in law firms; I don’t enjoy being constantly watched in open workspaces

• It’s harder to get fired from Big Law than from IB, consulting, or PE

• Big Law firms sponsor visas and often green cards

• JD grads at Big Law earn a salary comparable to MBA hires in IB

• LSAT feels much easier than GMAT or GRE, no sentence correction, sentence equivalence, or difficult math

• Remote work is widely adopted in law firms

• Law school doesn’t require constant socializing — there’s no time for partying, and no expectation to do so

• Some people who have CPA can bring more synergy for tax practice.

Cons:

• Although I enjoy working with contracts, I’ve found that many lawyers are not nice and are quite boring, unfortunately, that seems consistent

• Client interactions can be stressful, and bad clients can negatively affect your mental health

• Legal work may be more vulnerable to AI automation in the long term

• Might be barred from T14 admission because of terrible GPA