dowon wrote:I have similar interests as you (speak Japanese/Korean and was considering one of your three schools), but I don't know much about Big Law/career paths.
I think in Japan and Korea, though, because they are prestige-conscious, UVA would probably have the least name recognition. Also, UVA is so much bent toward European law, though I suppose you could have a niche in that there. However, UVA is a feeder school for DC, which has a ton of think tanks/firms oriented toward East Asia anyway. Also, I would not turn down a full ride for schools (Chicago, NU) that don't have much name recognition in Asia either. Aside from ivy league schools, the other schools most noted in Asia are, understandably, Pacific rim (i.e. Stanford, UCLA, USC).
I know you are interested in academia in Korea/Japan, but you know Korea pays considerably less to non-Korean professors? It's nationalist thing. Japan has the same kind of nationalism problem, but I am not sure if it is as pervasive in academia.
Just my two cents. Congrats on your amazing scholarships!
Thanks for your feedback!
The Korean variable in all of this is a bit harder for me to guage than the others. (I think things will change really quickly after the KFTA kicks in, but it's unpredictable just how they will change.) I know about the prof pay here (I'm in Seoul at the moment working on a book) and about the general xenophobia. In Japan, Chicago actually has a very strong reputation and places fairly well (notably better than Virginia from everything I've managed to gather until now). You're right, however, that access to UVA's nat'l security/government network in DC is certainly a big plus in its favor, though. That said, the issue of special access to this particular prof at Chicago (there is no one of his stature in dealing with comparative international issues at UVA) is also worth something to me, assuming it would actually be the basis for a substantive relationship.
Assuming I was a special snowflake and got into government/security circles at UVA, I could definitely see exploring that route but, considering my (spouse-track?) SO is a foreign citizen and I haven't previously done much of that type of work beyond advising a Japanese politician on the Futenma base issue (random, I know), I'm very cautious about where that route could even take me. UVA on a full scholly would definitely be the exact right place to explore such an interest, but opportunity cost is such a bitch and, if I discovered I was one of the least special snowflakes (not unlikely) or simply decided for practical reasons that wanted a more conventional path into Asian, it seems Chicago would probably have an edge.
Two and a half hours until the post office closes and the poll is tightening.... hrmmm...