Top Law Schools

I know I've posted this before, but I really do need help choosing. I'm looking to work in public interest or as a lobbyist after law school. I have an interest in health and civil rights law, especially as it pertains to LGBT communities and I'd like to practice in NYC or DC.

Unless I get a pleasant surprise from Fordham, here's what I've narrowed down my options to:

Cardozo - $5K scholarship. spoke with an associate dean, financial aid director, and an assistant admissions director and it seems as though i may be able to negotiate for more $. Though probably not much.

Brooklyn - they havent sent out info on scholarhsips yet, but i'm not expecting much.

Seton Hall- $25K. doesnt look as though i'd be able to negotiate for more.


Which should I choose?

If you're committed to attending these schools (and you have no other options), choose whichever one is the cheapest and has the fewest strings attached to any scholarship offer. Public interest doesn't pay too much, isn't necessarily easy to get into, and (correct me if I'm wrong) none of these schools have good loan assistance programs either. Minimizing your debt should be your top priority, though that will be difficult given your current offers.

For PI or lobbying career, keeping the debt low will be important. I would vote Cardozo for biglaw but since that's not the case, Seton Hall. Also Cardozo is a part of a Jewish school (Yeshiva), so I don't how LGBT thing is related to that.

I've been accepted at several other schools. These are the three highest ranked that could possibly land me in NYC. I've also been accepted at WUSTL and GMU, but I havent heard anything on $ from either and from what I've heard (on this site at least) its unlikely that I'd be able to end up in NYC

I go to undergrad at YU and, not that it would directly relate to Cardoza, I would imagine that there would be few, if any, GLBT opportunities available through the school.

I think that given your goals and interests you should go to Northeastern; there'd be a lot of co-cops that would allow you to make a lot of contacts at Northeastern. Plus, Boston is a better city anyway.

Since you stupidly didn't do this you should go to Seton Hall. They rank highly in health law and place well in New Jersey.

I would've applied to Northeastern, but I have no interest in Boston at all. I'm clear that I want NYC or DC. If that wasn't the case I'd just go to WUSTL, as they are higher ranked, better overall academically, and have a fairly decent public interest program.

I went to an ASD at Cardozo this week and spoke with a rep from OutLaw (the LGBT student org) and the person indicated that Cardozo was a "comfortable environment" for LGBT students. I also met a (presumptively) LGBT professor/assistant dean who said that they are looking to establish an Alternative Family Law Clinic focused on advocacy on behalf of non-traditional (mostly LGBT) families within the next year. These factors helped spur my inclination to attend Cardozo.

LoL at "I also met a (presumptively) LGBT professor/assistant dean..."

It's not nice to stereotype.

Which were you presuming --or were you presuming all four simultaneously?

hotdoglaw wrote:LoL at "I also met a (presumptively) LGBT professor/assistant dean..."

It's not nice to stereotype.

Which were you presuming --or were you presuming all four simultaneously?

Lol. He's definitely a professor and assistant dean. You're right - it's not nice to stereotype. I presumed that he was LGBT because he spoke of his mutual interest in sexuality and the law.

I am in almost the exact same boat as you. I pretty much took Brooklyn off the table. I'm aiming for Big Law, and I have either $35k a year at Seton Hall or no money at Cardozo. It's a really tough call. I will say this much: Newark is not exactly safe/nice, whereas Greenwich Village is amazing. I've lived in NYC for 9 years and Cardozo's location couldn't be better. I am trying to weigh quality of life for 3 years with $150k in debt...

jrsandler wrote:I am in almost the exact same boat as you. I pretty much took Brooklyn off the table. I'm aiming for Big Law, and I have either $35k a year at Seton Hall or no money at Cardozo. It's a really tough call. I will say this much: Newark is not exactly safe/nice, whereas Greenwich Village is amazing. I've lived in NYC for 9 years and Cardozo's location couldn't be better. I am trying to weigh quality of life for 3 years with $150k in debt...

You should also weigh the fact that neither school gives you a very realistic shot at biglaw. You have to make top 10% of your class to even have a shot at it.

blsingindisguise wrote:

jrsandler wrote:I am in almost the exact same boat as you. I pretty much took Brooklyn off the table. I'm aiming for Big Law, and I have either $35k a year at Seton Hall or no money at Cardozo. It's a really tough call. I will say this much: Newark is not exactly safe/nice, whereas Greenwich Village is amazing. I've lived in NYC for 9 years and Cardozo's location couldn't be better. I am trying to weigh quality of life for 3 years with $150k in debt...

You should also weigh the fact that neither school gives you a very realistic shot at biglaw. You have to make top 10% of your class to even have a shot at it.

At least top 10%.... nowadays I assume its much, much, much worse.