UPenn Vs Michigan Forum

[Nomo]

I don't think Penn is giving you a notable advantage over Michigan for federal jobs. I think either school with veteran's preference will get you a federal job, though you might not get it right out of law school. There just aren't that many good federal jobs available for recent grads.

I would definitely go to Michigan in this situation.

[grutterv]

I'm also choosing between Michigan and Penn, though both cost roughly the same for me. I've been leaning towards Penn (their employment numbers are killer, and Michigan's keep decreasing), but changed my mind at the last second for the same reasons you're considering - I think I might want PI/not BigLaw and I think Michigan offers that. When I brought up my concern with Penn, they assured me it was self-selection.
Plus, I am from Michigan and would prefer to stay here for my career. Good luck with your decision!

[marowl0]

Congrats on making your final decision. I also talked to the folks at Penn and they told me the same thing about self selection. However, what were they supposed to say? I would have been extremely surprised if they had said there simply aren't the opportunities for PI at Penn that there are at other schools. I was slightly more concerned with Penn's career councilor telling me that they only put 9 people into BigFed because students are given far more opportunities in the private sector than in the public sector. On the other hand Michigan was able to put 43 members of its 2014 calls into government jobs and 41 Federal Clerkships. In all only 9 people from the 2014 class were unemployed, granted 39 were in school funded positions but many of those lead to actual jobs. Of the 31 in school funded positions last year only 4 did not land jobs at the end of the year.