best LS option for an international student?(poll added ) Forum

[lxhyss]

Ok, here's something about me: foreigner from a non-English speaking country, never been to the States before so no ties anywhere, but with a strong desire to work in the US after graduation from law school, and hopefully it could be at least for several years or so if possible.

My parents will be my sponsors but they want to keep the budget low. At the same time, they want me to attend the best school possible(best in terms of the combination of prestige and job perspective).

I know websites like LST could be valuable information mines for employment data but I think they might not suit me well since the statistic on it took those who entered residency-necessary(in another word, foreigner-insular) jobs into account as well, which make sites like those less useful for me. So I'm here for help.

And here are my options at hand:

GULC(no money for their first round of scholarship consideration so probably at sticker)
GW(20k/y)
Vandy(25k/y+5k)
UMN(35K/y)
WUSTL(30K/y)
W&M(15k/y)
and a bulk of WL of other lower T14s

Desperate for advice here! Any input will be appreciated! Thanks!

[stuckinthemiddle]

If you're not a US citizen, GT seems like the only choice. I'd try to aim even higher (since GT's biglaw placement is lackluster and you may need biglaw to pay off whatever debt you will have).

Remember that there will be an extra challenge of performing well enough that a company will agree to sponsor your visa. Because of that, I probably wouldn't depart from the T-14 because then it starts to get a lot riskier (not that GT isn't already pretty risky ).

[Dr. Dre]

if you get $$$, Vandy

[lxhyss]

If you're not a US citizen, GT seems like the only choice. I'd try to aim even higher (since GT's biglaw placement is lackluster and you may need biglaw to pay off whatever debt you will have).

Remember that there will be an extra challenge of performing well enough that a company will agree to sponsor your visa. Because of that, I probably wouldn't depart from the T-14 because then it starts to get a lot riskier (not that GT isn't already pretty risky ).

So my best option would be pray for the mercy of the schools that WLed me?

[lxhyss]

if you get $$$, Vandy

Thanks, but could you explain why?

[lxhyss]

Just got some update about money and also added a poll!

Help me ALMIGHTY TLS!!!!

[M458]

Gosh--I'd be scared of any of these if I were you. The whole no-ties thing will work against you, and at best you're getting a 30% or so chance at Big Law from Vanderbilt/Georgetown. Because you're an international you're pretty much going to have to get Big Law to get someone to sponsor your visa, so you're right in saying that those numbers about PI, Gov't, and Clerkships don't really apply to you. Not sure how good your English is, but that could also be another thing working against you in interviews.

I know it's mentioned constantly on here, but I think you should retake. Saw you got a 169--was that on your first shot? If you can raise that above a 170, you're looking at Vandy for free, GULC w/ some money, and depending on how high you bump up that LSAT, other T-14s with $$ or you could even consider NU's ED which comes with a (near) full-ride.

[guano]

Because you're an international you're pretty much going to have to get Big Law to get someone to sponsor your visa

this is a very underappreciated point by international students. they're at a severe disadvantage because of the visa/sponsor issue. Notn only do you pretty much need biglaw, you need to convince them that you're worth sponsoring. Take a look at the NLJ250 placement of a school, round down, and consider that a hard cutoff.

[NYstate]

You really need to investigate the likelihood of getting s firm to sponsor you. There are no International students working in any of the major departments of my biglaw firm in New York. There a couple of people here and there on specific things, but I think the deal is that they are going back to the office located in their home country. I don't know a single one of them.

I don't think this sponsorship is prevalent. I honestly don't know why a firm would go to the trouble and expense of hiring someone who had visa issues. There are more than enough qualified grads. If they need local language skills or local expertise, they simply hire excellent local counsel.

You need to find out about the potential for working as a lawyer in the US because I think it is low. I am not sure how to find these numbers. You may be able to find someone to keep you on for a year. But after that I think it will be difficult.

[stuckinthemiddle]

If you could get GT, couldn't you get NW, Duke, Cornell, maybe even Penn? Those give your a better shot at biglaw.

[rad lulz]

GULC(no money for their first round of scholarship consideration so probably at sticker)
GW(20k/y)
Vandy(25k/y+5k)
UMN(35K/y)
WUSTL(30K/y)
W&M(15k/y)
and a bulk of WL of other lower T14s

No don't do it

Please don't do it

-Drake