Fordham versus T2 Forum

[sophistry]

Any help would be appreciated.

My plan was to attend Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon. The main reasons being that I really enjoy Portland and would feel comfortable starting a career there. I have a lot of family in friends in the area and the climate suits me. I received a small scholarship there ($10k). I would likely pursue environmental law, but I'm open to other types as well (labor law and copyright litigation being of interest).

However, I just discovered I was accepted at Fordham. I've been living and working in NYC for four years and effectively have a home base here as well. I like the opportunities here, but lately the cost of living, coupled with the usual big-city annoyances (MTA!!!) have made me fantasize about small-city life. For instance, rent for a studio near Fordham is literally triple the rent for the equivalent place near L&C.

I know this is a personal decision, and that in the end I'll have to decide my own path. But given the great opportunities at Fordham, would I be crazy to turn it down? On the other hand, if I stayed in NYC for 2 - 5 years after graduation, would be able to move across the coast (and still pay off those massive loans)?

Is anyone else in a similar situation? Thoughts?

[erniesto]

LOL @ living in midtown as a law student.

You would do just as well living in Harlem, Brooklyn or Astoria. MTA isn't nearly as bad as suburban traffic btw.

You wouldn't be crazy to turn Fordturkey down to avoid going man marbles deep in debt, tough L+C would still be expensive and does not place well in renowned environmental NPs such as Sierra Club.

[OperaSoprano]

Actually, I live in midtown. Well, fairly close to it. About six blocks from campus, and I pay less than the dorms cost. It's doable, if you have a roommate and are willing to put in the time searching. For me, proximity was very important, but I know I could have saved some money by decamping for Morningside Heights, which is lovely and quite a bit cheaper.

You have to decide where you want to live, because both schools will be most helpful to you in their home regions. Fordham still had 250+ firms at OCI, as per updated NALP data, so that is a consideration if you are thinking about firm life at all. If you want very prestigious public interest work, you will have to knock your GPA out of the ballpark, because those organizations tend to hire top students at top schools. I love living here, and have never lived in Portland, though sometimes I think about small city life. Visiting friends in Charlottesville was a lovely vacation, as was the time I spent with my dear friends in San Diego. This is something you have to think about. In the end, I don't want to drive, so MTA works for me. Being in a walking city is even better.

[sophistry]

Thanks for the thoughts. I already commute every day from Brooklyn to midtown, and I'd prefer to avoid that commute while in school!

So what do you think about the following rule, which is what I perceive as TLS common wisdom: "Go to the best national (T14) I get into, otherwise go to the best school in the region where I want to have my career."

I didn't have a shot at a national school, so if I want to live in Oregon eventually, I should go with L&C. Are there exceptions to this? L&C seems somewhat rare in that it is in a state with no T1 schools. (And U. of Washington isn't in the dice for me.)

I'm just worried that there are some positions (e.g., clerkships, prestigious PI positions) that I couldn't get without a name like Fordham on my resume. Since I'm not T14, should I resign myself to moderate, local success in Oregon? Should I consider Fordham merely as a stepping stone to a lateral transfer to UW in Seattle, or to a higher ranked school if I happen do fantastic my first year (which I know is something I shouldn't bet on)?

[D. H2Oman]

Banana Cream Pie>>>Apple Pie

Discuss.

[tycho_brahe]

You can always try and transfer to UW if you do well at Lewis & Clark. If you don't want to work in NYC, don't go to Fordham. You'd be crazy to decide otherwise, especially since you're looking to the west coast.

Also, let's not exaggerate the value of the Fordham name on a resume. That value isn't very high outside of the east coast.

[UF Gators]

Banana Cream Pie>>>Apple Pie

Discuss.

Wrong, wrong, wrong

Coconut Cream Pie>>> Apple Pie>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Banana Cream Pie.

[bceagles182]

If you don't want to work in NYC, don't go to Fordham.

+1

[JOThompson]

Go to the school in the region you want to eventually practice in. If the COA at Lewis and Clark is much more manageable, then that's even more incentive. L&C is well respected here and it has a foothold on the Portland market. Still, I would warn you that the Portland market doesn't seem to be doing well now---I know two grads who were scrambling for jobs posted on Craiglist.