Best Tier 2 Law Schools Forum

[eagles86]

Just curious for your opinions....I will likely be headed to UMiami in the fall, a school I believe is one of the top tier 2s due to its top status in its market and strong alum base.

[holydonkey]

University of Florida, Florida State, Case Western, Kentucky, L&C, Temple

[Aqualibrium]

This question is gonna draw a lot of very opinionated answers, a few snide comments about TTT2's sucking in general, and some people who are currently enrolled/plan to enroll at a T2 and want to defend their choice.

In then end, the credited response is probably gonna be: The T2 that is: 1) Located in a region where you have connections and wouldn't mind living/working AND 2) Not going to end up being a significant debt load.

[jack duluoz]

I think it just depends where you want to work. Although, you could argue some are "better" than others based on the saturation of the market they feed into.

[eagles86]

I do think some people on here overplay the debt thing a little bit (not that it shouldnt be considered). Then again, I dont have any undergrad debt so my risk at Miami may be a bit lower than some. Some people compare Miami unfavorably to UF, FSU but you gotta remember how big of a state Florida is and I really don't have any desire to work in the northern/central part of the state.

[Colton]

The T2 that is the best/only law school in its region and allows you to graduate with a manageable debt load.

[Panther7]

i think marquette does very well for itself despite it's rank.

[eagles86]

It is fun arguing with people on this site sometimes. It does remind me of why I'm not cut out for NYC biglaw....its not work ethic, just don't have the personality to deal with the types you see on this site on a day to day basis. It's just funny how many people I know are perfectly satisfied with schools such as Miami, Penn St, Villanova etc, but on here people think they're all a piece of crap.

[sluguy14]

OP: I think we've engaged in some pretty civilized, reasonable discussion thus far ITT. Are you really trying to foster an open discussion of all T2 schools, or do you just want to discuss Miami?

[carlkenneth]

Both of the Rutgers are pretty good and underrated in my opinion.

[84Sunbird2000]

Case Western is the most portable T2 (I've been writing about this a strange amount the last few days, especially considering that it's currently tied for 3rd in my current personal pecking order). Temple is great, because it dominates a big legal market. L&C is top dog in Oregon and also places well into environmental concerns. Florida is probably a tad bit better in reputation than Florida State, even though they have identical admissions criteria. I guess that Miami isn't too bad because of its prominence in a market, but job prospects are pretty shaky right now out of the U. Penn State has a bit of portability, but I don't consider them underrated at all. Pitt is the underrated school in Pennsylvania, not Penn State.

I'd agree with Rutgers's being solid.

[dreman510]

ITT we watch WW 3 break out.


But really, THIS.

The T2 that is the best/only law school in its region and allows you to graduate with a manageable debt load.

The best T2 are ones that have stayed consistent in their rankings, and have a solid grip on their market. UF is one that comes to mind, arguably #1 throughout Florida, except for maybe the Miami area, where it goes down to 1.5. Being a state school in an area with a low COL allows minimal debt.
Others-Temple,Rutgers, Houston
Although I have no particular connection to Temple, I find myself voting for it often in all of the "Choosing A Law School" threads. Maybe because Philly is such a significant city, and Temple is really the #1 school there.

[General Tso]

In then end, the credited response is probably gonna be: The T2 that is: 1) Located in a region where you have connections and wouldn't mind living/working AND 2) Not going to end up being a significant debt load.

This is the truth....you should definitely be trying to keep your debt load under 100k, and preferably under 75k. That applies to all non T20 schools, in my opinion.

[Aqualibrium]

In then end, the credited response is probably gonna be: The T2 that is: 1) Located in a region where you have connections and wouldn't mind living/working AND 2) Not going to end up being a significant debt load.

This is the truth....you should definitely be trying to keep your debt load under 100k, and preferably under 75k. That applies to all non T20 schools, in my opinion.

Yeah I was gonna say manageable= anything <60k but I didnt want to start a fire.

[dreman510]

Be wary of enticing T2 scholarships with strings attached

[creamedcats]

Where exactly is the dividing line between Tier 1 and Tier 2? Rank 50 in USNWR?

[showNprove]

Georgetown

[legalease9]

Where exactly is the dividing line between Tier 1 and Tier 2? Rank 50 in USNWR?

Correct.

[JOThompson]

USD, Loyola, Houston, Oregon should be added to the list too IMO.

[PDaddy]

University of Florida, Florida State, Case Western, Kentucky, L&C, Temple

Add the following (in no specific order): Chicago-Kent, Houston, SMU, San Francisco, Hofstra, Pacific, Santa Clara, Buffalo, St. John's, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Oregon, Loyola Chicago, DePaul, Loyola L.A., USD, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Northeastern, Rutgers (both), Denver, Marquette.

I think Loyola L.A., Miami, Florida St., USD, Brooklyn, Temple, Case, and Chicago-Kent are the cream of the T2, i.e. they should be T1. Florida is always on the cusp of T1 or ranked within it.

It is fun arguing with people on this site sometimes. It does remind me of why I'm not cut out for NYC biglaw....its not work ethic, just don't have the personality to deal with the types you see on this site on a day to day basis. It's just funny how many people I know are perfectly satisfied with schools such as Miami, Penn St, Villanova etc, but on here people think they're all a piece of crap.

The perception that law schools are actually "better" than other law schools is partially artificial. They are not made alike and, thus, offer different advantages, but you can get a really good legal education at probably 100 of the schools out there, and a pretty good one at another 50 schools. The job offerings are mostly better as you improve in rank. I wonder what would happen in USNWR suddenly ranked Indiana at #12. All of a sudden, 45% of its graduates would be getting Biglaw. The lazy hiring partners at Biglaw firms are driving the whole thing.

[txelle]

The T2 that is the best/only law school in its region and allows you to graduate with a manageable debt load.

KU!

[romothesavior]

i think marquette does very well for itself despite it's rank.

+1. I love Milwaukee and thought about applying to Marquette. My numbers were way above their medians, and I thought if I had the chance to go there for free and practice in Milwaukee I would take it. I would have thrown an app to them had their admissions guy not flat out told me, "We aren't really big on scholarships here" or something to that effect. I was like .

[romothesavior]

University of Florida, Florida State, Case Western, Kentucky, L&C, Temple

Add the following (in no specific order): Chicago-Kent, Houston, SMU, San Francisco, Hofstra, Pacific, Santa Clara, Buffalo, St. John's, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Oregon, Loyola Chicago, DePaul, Loyola L.A., USD, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Northeastern, Rutgers (both), Denver, Marquette.

I think Loyola L.A., Miami, Florida St., USD, Brooklyn, Temple, Case, and Chicago-Kent are the cream of the T2, i.e. they should be T1. Florida is always on the cusp of T1 or ranked within it.

You just listed almost half of the T2, including all three T2 schools in Chicago. That's ridiculous.

[PDaddy]

University of Florida, Florida State, Case Western, Kentucky, L&C, Temple

Add the following (in no specific order): Miami, Chicago-Kent, Houston, SMU, San Francisco, Hofstra, Pacific, Santa Clara, Buffalo, St. John's, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Oregon, Loyola Chicago, DePaul, Loyola L.A., USD, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Northeastern, Rutgers (both), Denver, Marquette.

I think Loyola L.A., Miami, Florida St., USD, Brooklyn, Temple, Case, and Chicago-Kent are the cream of the T2, i.e. they should be T1. Florida is always on the cusp of T1 or ranked within it.

You just listed almost half of the T2, including all three T2 schools in Chicago. That's ridiculous.

RC Fail. Not ridiculous. The truth is, half of the T2's happen to be very good schools that can be argued as T1's. And the schools I listed are all very good. Secondly, I amplified my answer by selecting eight schools I think are the "elite T2's".

[FunkyJD]

Georgetown

Blatant anti-Texas trolling.

Moving on ... I'm seriously thinking of attending Pitt on scholarship. While I am cognizant of its Tier 2 status, I appreciate its location in the Mid-Atlantic, and the prospect of greatly minimizing my debt by attending. My mind isn't made up yet; I am anxiously awaiting future decisions. However, if the decision had to be made right now, with the decisions and informative that I have at present, my immediate impulse is to say Pitt.

Of course, SMU could disrupt all of this thinking tomorrow. Hi, SMU.