Postby westbayguy » Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:48 pm
The reasoned response above is pretty much on point. But I would caution not to discount a few very important factors ITE.
No grades first semester (takes the pressure off), only 2 required classes afer 1st semester, no class rank EVER (so 2L job search is easier), no job search/OCI screening, no grade on to law review, no individual class honors to fight over, no mandatory class curves, small class size with substantial non-big law interests (makes search for Big Law jobs MUCH easier- especially in NYC), great DC connections for those hard to find DC jobs, a name that will get you boutique firms (like Susman and Boies) and a congenial faculty that treats students as individuals and not as a burden. And don't minimize the impact of the any job is covered by YLS LRAP and there is a higher income threshold before you start to kick in. (But if you are married to a substantial wage earner the LRAP starts to suck a little)
Sure Cambridge > New Haven in many respects, but New Haven is not as bad as most people who haven't been there think it is. Yale has a great gym (as noted in the credited post) and a beautiful campus. I have to admit I really liked Cambridge as a town, but the HLS campus itself left me a little cold- but maybe that would change with the new building opening.
As for coursework, yes HLS has an advantage due to size and number of courses, but in a past TLS posting someone said you can study whatever you want at YLS and there is someone there to support you. Maybe that takes a litle more self motivation, but it is an option. Of course if you are really sold on IP or Entrepreneurship- other schools MIGHT be better for you than YLS (SLS?), but you better be sure that's what you want before you exclude one school for another- not that SLS or HLS would be a bad choice in any case.
Go to ASW and make up your own mind. I bet you are swayed one way or the other pretty quickly.