WVU: Positives & Negatives? Forum
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WVU: Positives & Negatives?
Can anyone provide any substantive information on this school? Here is the scenario:
WVU: Accepted, no word about money/scholarships (out-of-state tuition)
NKU(Salmon P. Chase): Accepted, no word about money/scholarships (in-state tuition)
WVU is ranked 95/NKU=tier 4 law school
I guess my dilemma is, how much weight should I give to WVU's ranking? Their LSAT/GPA percentiles are very similar to NKU.
WVU: Accepted, no word about money/scholarships (out-of-state tuition)
NKU(Salmon P. Chase): Accepted, no word about money/scholarships (in-state tuition)
WVU is ranked 95/NKU=tier 4 law school
I guess my dilemma is, how much weight should I give to WVU's ranking? Their LSAT/GPA percentiles are very similar to NKU.
- dr123
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
The biggest downside is probably that the schools located in West Virginia
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
Yes, I have thought about that as well. However, the stigma living in KY is just as bad. I assume WV to be predominately conservative, which is another quandary. I abhor narrow-minded, overtly pious, holier-than-thou, overzealous bigots and all that their demagoguery encompasses.dr123 wrote:The biggest downside is probably that the schools located in West Virginia
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
It really depends on where you live in the state. West Virginia, although small, varies widely on a lot of characteristics based upon where you are. Morgantown, for instance, is mostly liberal because of the students and their influence. If you go to the extreme southern parts of the state, you'll find it is very similar to KY since many of those counties are close to the KY and VA borders. The northern panhandle has a much different feel because it is wedged in between OH and PA. Likewise for the eastern panhandle being right there with MD, VA, and DC.pseudonym1 wrote:Yes, I have thought about that as well. However, the stigma living in KY is just as bad. I assume WV to be predominately conservative, which is another quandary. I abhor narrow-minded, overtly pious, holier-than-thou, overzealous bigots and all that their demagoguery encompasses.dr123 wrote:The biggest downside is probably that the schools located in West Virginia
As far as the law school, it's the only law school in the state. This means that if you want to work in WV (not a bad deal really), it's tops. Working outside the state will obviously be more difficult. While many WVU law grads work in the state, the University as a whole has a ton of alumni in places like DC, NC, PA, and more. The reason is because the school has so many out of state students that end up going back to their state after graduation. You'd be surprised how many WVU alums there are all over the country because of this. So going out of state after graduating is definitely a possibility. I would just look at it like trying to go outside any other school's "region" (i.e. the South, the Northeast, etc). You'll want to network and do job searching on your own since career services will be like most other schools and concentrate on in state stuff.
I went to UG at WVU, not law school. I do know a fair amount of people that go to WVU Law though. Let me know if you have any other questions about the state, school, etc. Hope this helps.
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
I appreciate the informative response. So, would I be correct in assuming WVU's ranking is based primarily on being the only law school in the state? TLS has a review of the school which appears to be a couple years old, and it isn't very flattering. I am partial to coming back to KY after graduating, especially since I have never visited WV.Modus Vivendi wrote:pseudonym1 wrote:dr123 wrote: I went to UG at WVU, not law school. I do know a fair amount of people that go to WVU Law though. Let me know if you have any other questions about the state, school, etc. Hope this helps.
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- Veyron
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
Pros: Places well in WV
Con: Doesn't place anywhere else
Con: Doesn't place anywhere else
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
The previous author seems to contradict your opinion. Care to elaborate?Veyron wrote:Pros: Places well in WV
Con: Doesn't place anywhere else
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
I wouldn't say that WVU is ranked where it is because of it's status as the only law school in the state. WVU only climbed into the top 100 about two years ago. It's always been the only law school in WV so if that were the only reason then I'm not sure why they would have been outside the top 100 and are now in. My guess would be this: About 2 or 3 years back, WVU Law got a new dean. New administration in many schools tends to have affects on things like rankings because it's good PR. That's the only thing I can think of that would correspond with the change in ranking. A new dean most likely wanted to concentrate on things like rankings because it's what many students obsess over when choosing schools. I know many WVU Law alums that I consider to be fine attorneys. I also know that WVU prides itself on it's LRW program. So it's not like you wouldn't get the education you need.pseudonym1 wrote:I appreciate the informative response. So, would I be correct in assuming WVU's ranking is based primarily on being the only law school in the state? TLS has a review of the school which appears to be a couple years old, and it isn't very flattering. I am partial to coming back to KY after graduating, especially since I have never visited WV.Modus Vivendi wrote:pseudonym1 wrote:dr123 wrote: I went to UG at WVU, not law school. I do know a fair amount of people that go to WVU Law though. Let me know if you have any other questions about the state, school, etc. Hope this helps.
If you are looking to go back to KY after law school then I would say go to a KY school. Obviously that will give you the connections and the appearance of desiring to be in KY long-term. I wouldn't consider WVU just because it's in the top 100 over a KY school if you're looking to land in KY. A small difference in ranking around the top 100 probably wouldn't be more important than in-state connections for where you want to work. I would venture a guess that going back to KY would not be impossible if you went to WVU Law, but a KY school would obviously get you the connections you would need more so than WVU.
Although if you are open-ended about where you want to practice and are maybe looking to just live somewhere else for a while, WVU is a good place to explore. Since it's the only law school in the state, employment numbers have always been very good if you don't mind living in WV for a little while. Compared to the economy out there right now, strong odds of getting a job (even if it is in WV) might beat out going to a state where there is fierce competition from other law schools.
All that being said, Morgantown is a great college town and the whole state is a great place to be if you like outdoors stuff. I think you'd be hard-pressed to not enjoy your time there. Let me know if there's anything else I can answer.
Last edited by Modus Vivendi on Sat Apr 02, 2011 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
BTW I think it's important to note that I said WVU as a whole has alumni just about everywhere. WVU Law does place mostly in WV. I would guess though that it is not impossible to find connections out of the state due to the placement of alumni from all WVU programs.pseudonym1 wrote:The previous author seems to contradict your opinion. Care to elaborate?Veyron wrote:Pros: Places well in WV
Con: Doesn't place anywhere else
- Veyron
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
Working outside the state will obviously be more difficult.
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
Veyron wrote:Working outside the state will obviously be more difficult.
Modus Vivendi wrote: So going out of state after graduating is definitely a possibility
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
OP, have you decided between these two yet?
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
I'm from Maryland, not West Virginia, but I can tell you that despite all of the jokes about the literacy rate in West Virginia and their supposed desire to marry 1st cousins the state is quite beautiful. You're not going to get big law out of there, but your quality of life, in my opinion could be very high if you're okay making $60,000 and enjoying the outdoors.
I'd say the only big markets you'd have a chance at would be Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and for that you'd probably have to be very high in your class.
I'd say the only big markets you'd have a chance at would be Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and for that you'd probably have to be very high in your class.
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
get a brain bropseudonym1 wrote:I assume WV to be predominately conservative, which is another quandary. I abhor narrow-minded, overtly pious, holier-than-thou, overzealous bigots and all that their demagoguery encompasses.
- Fred_McGriff
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
West Virginia is like a third world country in that it doesn't produce anything except for natural resources at a high cost to the civilian population. It provides the coal to power productive industry in other states. The state is heavily reliant on federal aid, places poorly in every quality of life index, and has serious problems with poverty and corruption.
WVU is going to place you there.
WVU is going to place you there.
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Re: WVU: Positives & Negatives?
You do realize that the bolded can be applied to liberals as well, right (maybe not the "overtly pious" part, but my point still stands)?pseudonym1 wrote:Yes, I have thought about that as well. However, the stigma living in KY is just as bad. I assume WV to be predominately conservative, which is another quandary. I abhor narrow-minded, overtly pious, holier-than-thou, overzealous bigots and all that their demagoguery encompasses.dr123 wrote:The biggest downside is probably that the schools located in West Virginia
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