BP decides where you go to law school Forum

[ron1321]

Emory
ND
UK + instate + $$

Shooting for big law in lexington ky (yes there are a few "big law" firms there). Went to undergrad at UK and would like a change of scenery. Whats my best option? Thanks for your help

[DerrickRose]

Emory
ND
UK + instate + $$

Shooting for big law in lexington ky (yes there are a few "big law" firms there). Went to undergrad at UK and would like a change of scenery. Whats my best option? Thanks for your help

I wanted a change of scenery from my undergrad too. Guess what? Your scenery is gonna change from hot girls to appellate opinions. Take the money.

[Grad09]

Here goes:

Admits:
UCLA (12k/yr)
Pepperdine (30k/yr)
Boston U (sticker)
Boston College (sticker)
Hastings(sticker)
Cornell (sticker) (hypo- haven't been accepted yet but I have a good feeling)

Waitlists:

USC
UVA


I just thought I would throw my WLs into the mix, how would they play out in making a decision?


Notes:
Start out BigLaw for a few years, then move to mid-size or small firm, eventually opening my own practice
Want to practice in SF Bay area or LA as a second choice
I am kind of debt-adverse



Thanks!

[98234872348]

Here goes:

Admits:
UCLA (12k/yr)
Pepperdine (30k/yr)
Boston U (sticker)
Boston College (sticker)
Hastings(sticker)
Cornell (sticker) (hypo- haven't been accepted yet but I have a good feeling)

Waitlists:

USC
UVA


I just thought I would throw my WLs into the mix, how would they play out in making a decision?


Notes:
Start out BigLaw for a few years, then move to mid-size or small firm, eventually opening my own practice
Want to practice in SF Bay area or LA as a second choice
I am kind of debt-adverse



Thanks!

UCLA unless you get UVA, possibly even if you get UVA.

[09042014]

Here goes:

Admits:
UCLA (12k/yr)
Pepperdine (30k/yr)
Boston U (sticker)
Boston College (sticker)
Hastings(sticker)
Cornell (sticker) (hypo- haven't been accepted yet but I have a good feeling)

Waitlists:

USC
UVA


I just thought I would throw my WLs into the mix, how would they play out in making a decision?


Notes:
Start out BigLaw for a few years, then move to mid-size or small firm, eventually opening my own practice
Want to practice in SF Bay area or LA as a second choice
I am kind of debt-adverse



Thanks!

UCLA unless you get UVA, possibly even if you get UVA.

+1

[missvik218]

Dear BP,

(Let me preface this by saying I'm on a WL at the higher ranked school so this may or may not even be an option .. I'm pretty much trying to gauge how hard I should try to get off of it.)

Vandy @ sticker (approx 200k) or UGA in-state (approx 85k). I'd like to be in the SE (DC through ATL) and am looking primarily at some type of corporate/transactional work. I know I know this seems like a no brainer but I'm also fairly debt averse; is it really worth +100k??

Thanks,
<3 Ms.Vik

[SaintClarence27]

ive researched it heavily. their req's for instate tuition are very strict...but not impossible if you plan everything out in advance. im pretty confident that atleast for my 3rd year id have in state tuition. assuming i get it my 2nd year, UMD would only be an extra 7k, which wouldnt be that bad at all. ive heard that even with an UMD degree, its really hard to compete for jobs in DC/Baltimore, does anyone know anything about that and the big firms in the area wont take fresh UMD grads...does anyone know anything about that?

what about the job market in DC/Baltimore vs NY/northern Jersey...would you say theres a big difference?

I'd say that yes, there's a big difference, but Seton Hall is more Jersey than NYC, IIRC. Check their ABA stats and see where people place and/or take the bar, but here's from the TLS profile:

Roughly 70% of 2006 graduates ended up practicing in New Jersey.

It's VERY regional. Not that it's a problem necessarily, but you would REALLY have to like Jersey. MD is a little the same, with Baltimore being the primary market, but DC for Maryland is more likely than NYC for Seton Hall. Have you had any contact with the Maryland admissions office regarding aid? You should flat-out ask for it. Do it in a respectful manner, but tell the exactly what your other options are, and that if they could give you in-state all three years you would go there. I negotiated a higher scholarship - it's not all that hard. If the school accepts you, they want you to go.

[1L2b]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

[IAFG]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

a job

[1L2b]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

a job

not an option right now. sarcasm aside, i'd like a real answer. play nice.

[traehekat]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

a job

not an option right now. sarcasm aside, i'd like a real answer. play nice.

Choose Miami, IMO.

[98234872348]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

a job

not an option right now. sarcasm aside, i'd like a real answer. play nice.

TBF she is playing nice. Neither of these schools offer very good job prospects and both are horribly overpriced.

[danquayle]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

a job

not an option right now. sarcasm aside, i'd like a real answer. play nice.

Choose Miami, IMO.

Yes. Boston is one of the more saturated legal markets in the country with an unbelievable concentration of great, good and ok law schools. Miami is the opposite.

[NayBoer]

Dear BP,

(Let me preface this by saying I'm on a WL at the higher ranked school so this may or may not even be an option .. I'm pretty much trying to gauge how hard I should try to get off of it.)

Vandy @ sticker (approx 200k) or UGA in-state (approx 85k). I'd like to be in the SE (DC through ATL) and am looking primarily at some type of corporate/transactional work. I know I know this seems like a no brainer but I'm also fairly debt averse; is it really worth +100k??

Thanks,
<3 Ms.Vik

Vandy punches above its weight.
http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/law%20sc ... page12.pdf

#12 VULS 47.1%
#44 UGA 15.8%

Also places much more broadly than UGA.

[1L2b]

northeastern u or umiami? better salary prospects for umiami IN miami, but prefer boston the city over miami. what are my job prospects in northeastern?

which should i choose? thanks in advance!!!!

Choose Miami, IMO.

Yes. Boston is one of the more saturated legal markets in the country with an unbelievable concentration of great, good and ok law schools. Miami is the opposite.

Thanks for the answers traehekat and danquayle! Does the regional rep. and subsequent high salary potential in Miami make up for Miami culture as opposed to living in Boston which is an amazing city? BTW if you've never lived in Miami or been to Miami for long streches, don't answer. Vacationing in Miami is MUCH different than living here. A lot of the people are...special. Not my kind of city, anyway...

[NayBoer]

Thanks for the answers traehekat and danquayle! Does the regional rep. and subsequent high salary potential in Miami make up for Miami culture as opposed to living in Boston which is an amazing city? BTW if you've never lived in Miami or been to Miami for long streches, don't answer. Vacationing in Miami is MUCH different than living here. A lot of the people are...special. Not my kind of city, anyway...

If you don't want to live in Miami, don't go there.

If you want to work in Boston, Northeastern is limiting. BU and BC have a strong lead on jobs there.

[missvik218]

Thanks for the answers traehekat and danquayle! Does the regional rep. and subsequent high salary potential in Miami make up for Miami culture as opposed to living in Boston which is an amazing city? BTW if you've never lived in Miami or been to Miami for long streches, don't answer. Vacationing in Miami is MUCH different than living here. A lot of the people are...special. Not my kind of city, anyway...

You could always move a little north after school ... Ft. Lauderdale up through West Palm are nicer I'd say. Nobody will be forcing you to live in the Gables/SOBE/Brickell/where ever after graduation.

Anecdotal info: NE may not have the best prospects in Boston but it's not like UM is slaying it in Miami either. Three of my closest girl friends are graduating from UM this year, all at least top 1/2 of the class, none have jobs lined up FWIW.

Edit: NayBoer, thanks for paying attention to my post. I'm leaning towards really going for it, but the price tag is just so hard for me to stomach.

[NayBoer]

Anecdotal info: NE may not have the best prospects in Boston but it's not like UM is slaying it in Miami either. Three of my closest girl friends are graduating from UM this year, all at least top 1/2 of the class, none have jobs lined up FWIW.

This is why IAFG suggested going to neither. People often forget that not going to law school is always an option.

[danquayle]

Thanks for the answers traehekat and danquayle! Does the regional rep. and subsequent high salary potential in Miami make up for Miami culture as opposed to living in Boston which is an amazing city? BTW if you've never lived in Miami or been to Miami for long streches, don't answer. Vacationing in Miami is MUCH different than living here. A lot of the people are...special. Not my kind of city, anyway...

If you don't want to live in Miami, don't go there.

If you want to work in Boston, Northeastern is limiting. BU and BC have a strong lead on jobs there.

That's a question only you can answer. Plenty of people would prefer Miami over Boston. I can't tell you whether you would. There's no way I can gauge your relative disdain for Miami and compare that with my assessment of your love of (potential) money. Like NayBoar said, if you know you don't like Miami as a city, no way in hell you should go to Miami the school.

I also wouldn't really use the term high salary potential. The better determinant is employment potential. Whatever high salary potential there is at Miami, I wouldn't bank on it. Certainly not so at Northeastern.

[1L2b]

Thanks for the answers traehekat and danquayle! Does the regional rep. and subsequent high salary potential in Miami make up for Miami culture as opposed to living in Boston which is an amazing city? BTW if you've never lived in Miami or been to Miami for long streches, don't answer. Vacationing in Miami is MUCH different than living here. A lot of the people are...special. Not my kind of city, anyway...

If you don't want to live in Miami, don't go there.

If you want to work in Boston, Northeastern is limiting. BU and BC have a strong lead on jobs there.

That's a question only you can answer. Plenty of people would prefer Miami over Boston. I can't tell you whether you would. There's no way I can gauge your relative disdain for Miami and compare that with my assessment of your love of (potential) money. Like NayBoar said, if you know you don't like Miami as a city, no way in hell you should go to Miami the school.

I also wouldn't really use the term high salary potential. The better determinant is employment potential. Whatever high salary potential there is at Miami, I wouldn't bank on it. Certainly not so at Northeastern.

Yah, well it's a gamble but Miami grads do well in Miami. That is a given and I guess you'd just have to live here to know that because otherwise you would just go by rankings which are ridiculous where Miami grads (60ish, right?) place better than UF (ranked in the 40's, methinks?). It's not a matter of getting a job. You can get a really amazing one if you do well enough (obviously--and no offense here--if you're doing badly, job prospects are grim anywhere). I don't know as much about Northeastern and I guess it just depends on who you ask. I've gotten a lot of unbiased opinions from people unassociated with the school but within the law profession in Boston and they give a range of answers.....

[98234872348]

Yah, well it's a gamble but Miami grads do well in Miami. That is a given and I guess you'd just have to live here to know that because otherwise you would just go by rankings which are ridiculous where Miami grads (60ish, right?) place better than UF (ranked in the 40's, methinks?).

I don't think generally speaking this is true.

[DerrickRose]

Yah, well it's a gamble but Miami grads do well in Miami. That is a given and I guess you'd just have to live here to know that because otherwise you would just go by rankings which are ridiculous where Miami grads (60ish, right?) place better than UF (ranked in the 40's, methinks?).

I don't think generally speaking this is true.

Relative placement power is almost impossible to distinguish when its close. It really comes down to interviewing at that point.

However, the sheer volume of Miami grads as opposed to Florida grads in big Miami firms indicates that there is a pretty well-worn path there.

Miami is the gem of T2 in my opinion. I very nearly took a full ride to there. But for the love of god don't pay sticker.

[98234872348]

Yah, well it's a gamble but Miami grads do well in Miami. That is a given and I guess you'd just have to live here to know that because otherwise you would just go by rankings which are ridiculous where Miami grads (60ish, right?) place better than UF (ranked in the 40's, methinks?).

I don't think generally speaking this is true.

Relative placement power is almost impossible to distinguish when its close. It really comes down to interviewing at that point.

However, the sheer volume of Miami grads as opposed to Florida grads in big Miami firms indicates that there is a pretty well-worn path there.

Miami is the gem of T2 in my opinion. I very nearly took a full ride to there. But for the love of god don't pay sticker.

I don't think I could argue with someone taking a full ride, although I'd think twice about taking that if I had a good amount of $$ here at UF, especially considering the significantly lower COL in Gainesville.

[iheartucla]

Indiana, Bloomington- full ride
WUSTL- $11,000/year

Loved St. Louis, not sure about Bloomington- nearest large city an hour away

Most concerned about career prospects

[1L2b]

Yah, well it's a gamble but Miami grads do well in Miami. That is a given and I guess you'd just have to live here to know that because otherwise you would just go by rankings which are ridiculous where Miami grads (60ish, right?) place better than UF (ranked in the 40's, methinks?).

I don't think generally speaking this is true.

Relative placement power is almost impossible to distinguish when its close. It really comes down to interviewing at that point.

However, the sheer volume of Miami grads as opposed to Florida grads in big Miami firms indicates that there is a pretty well-worn path there.

Miami is the gem of T2 in my opinion. I very nearly took a full ride to there. But for the love of god don't pay sticker.

I don't think I could argue with someone taking a full ride, although I'd think twice about taking that if I had a good amount of $$ here at UF, especially considering

If money is not an issue, imho from tons of experience in the city and with people in really influential law firms in the area, Miami >>> UF. Anyway, if you're a good student and the difference for hiring potential in big law firms in the area is marginal between the two, it really comes down to this: Would you rather spend 3 yrs in Miami or 3 yrs in Gainsville. Again, this is why I didn't want to get into this discussion because for me, going to Miami over UF is a no-brainer.