Applying for MBA

Thanks both Is there no way that if I work from now up until September 2017 in the business field I will be considered? And is there any chance a high grade in the GMAT may counteract the lack of experience?

You do realise the MBA at Oxford costs £50,000?

Thanks both Is there no way that if I work from now up until September 2017 in the business field I will be considered? And is there any chance a high grade in the GMAT may counteract the lack of experience?

Almost certainly not.
Definitely not.

Hi everyone!

I've just finished my Law degree (LLB) at the University of Sheffield to a good 2:1 standard which I am quite pleased about. I now feel like I would like to further my studies but I would not like to pursue anything more in Law as I don't think I could do it in my future.

As I have always been interested in business and can see myself working in a business environment e.g sales or consultancy, I was hoping to apply for an MBA.

Due to the lateness of my decision, I can't apply for 2016/2017 entry and will have to wait a few months to apply for the 2017 entry.

The university I want to apply for is Oxford University.

I'm wondering, if anyone has applied before or if anyone studies an MBA there currently, whether it is worth me applying with my current credentials?

I have a solid 2:1 in Law at Uni of Sheff, I have good A-Levels (not that it counts probably lol), I am looking to take the GMAT and hopefully get an above average grade. The only thing that I am lacking is work experience as it is noted that they require at least two years.

I have done business like ventures in the past for my sixth form, as well as working part time in high end retail and other small doses of work experience throughout the past few years but I have not got two solid years of proper corporate work experience. As I am hoping to apply for 2017 entry, I am applying for professional graduate jobs now and will hopefully work for a good year until I apply and past that too.

I was wondering if anybody could advise me as to whether this might be enough to get into such a prestigious course or whether there is no point of me applying? Thanks!

Haha fair enough, Dreams = crushed

You've got this completely wrong to be saying all of this.

An MBA is a post-experience qualification. Look at the most elite business institution in the UK - London Business School and they offer the MiM for non-experience students and the MBA is at minimum 3 years experience, as the case studies try to use previous experiences and how they would be done better.

To be asking about an MBA at Oxford, again, completely wrong, as you wouldn't be considered at all.

The most bizarre thing is that you have studied law for 3 years and then say proudly that you have a solid 2:1 but then that you know that you won't do anything with law in the future?! I'm beyond confused.

A lot of lawyers go on to work in the City amongst the traders and bankers, finance requires a lot of contracts some of which are in tricky regulated areas so there is always plenty of work for a financially adept lawyer.

A lawyer would find a lot of work and interest in mergers and acquisitions, which is an important part of business, as acquiring can really change the dynamic and position of business in a market.

I would ultimately recommend the LL.M. in International Corporate Governance, Financial Regulation and Economic Law at the Institute of Advaned Legal Studies at the University of London. You don't need a law degree to enter the course, you would find yourself amongst economists and management students.

With a combination of a Sheffield LLB and the IALS LLM, I would be looking at HMRC Graduate programme (Taxation) which would lead into a great career in government: Treasury, FCO etc and after so many years 5-8 years minimum, there would put you in a great position for a career in the City: Goldman Sachs, Bank of England, Hedge Funds.. Hedge Funds particularly deal with keeping money in shadily regulated areas and would pay really really well and you would be working in Mayfair, they would love you so much for having an inside knowledge of how the government, (FCO and HMRC) and regulation works.

Alternatively, I would recommend learning business or finance at masters level and the best I have seen in London would be Newcastle University's new London campus offering courses for £5900, which is fantastic as KCL and QMUL offer masters for 11k - so Banking and Finance or International Business Management.

A law degree can be really useful for a career in sales, so pursuing masters might not be necessary.

if you got moving, you could apply for September but there is nothing wrong with getting some work experience and having a long holiday and doing lot's of research into your preferred masters in September 2017.

* The IALS LLM is accepting applications up to 31st August so clearly they have places for enthusiastic and bright students who can make most of the programme.

** Again another alternative and possible the most exciting is at ULIP - University of London in Paris, which now offers an LL.M. with which you can specialise in banking and finance law! ULIP LLM, taught in english which is delivered with Queen Mary in London

To be able to live in Paris for a year and recent events of the Brexit won't be an issue to getting a student visa! Definitely something to consider seriously!

ULIP LLM modules being:
- Corporate Finance Law
- Financial Models and Derivatives in a legal context
- International Insolvency and Debt Restructuring
- International Banking Law

Paris is fascinating as a international financial centre and London would appreciate your experience of their twin sister.

[video="youtube;R_FjGRDQBLM"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_FjGRDQBLM[/video]

Oh come on. There's no reason you can't do an MBA at Oxford, I'm just saying you can't do one at the moment. A little bit of research would have told you that it's not possible, so you're the one who gave yourself unrealistic expectations.

Thanks for the helpful answer! I will be considering these causes and do more research in what I want to go into

What OP needs to do is figure out what is out there to connect a legal education with what is required of a lawyer's services..

OP said they weren't looking for a legal career. Your advice would be excellent if they were.

I think OP needs to know where they want to go with their career - into the City and finance with a law degree is good to go with an LLM specialising in banking and financial law, especially the chance to study in Paris!

OP said an MBA would be good to go on to consultancy but if a company wants legal advice they are not going to go to a management consultancy and I don't see how a law bachelors is any use to management consultancy.

Agreed that OP needs to figure out where they want to go - they mentioned sales or consultancy so I read that as not wanting to stay in the legal world. Something like an MSc in Management would help bridge the gap into the business world.

I wonder what careers advice they got while at uni - their careers service will still be available for advice, contacts, networking event, jobs etc. I'm sure he'll come back if he's got further questions.