Is GW at $$ worth it? Forum

[cavalier1138]

Yes, impact lit is not going to happen from GW or American. You're also incredibly unlikely to work on sex trafficking cases in any capacity without a stronger school on your resume. I'm not quite sure how "sexual assault" works here, because that's not really an area of civil litigation, and it sounds like you'd rather be prosecuting rapists than defending them in criminal court. If you want to work on public policy, you don't need a JD to do that. That basically leaves DV and maybe some low level discrimination work (although you'd probably have to go solo to get sex discrimination cases).

So if you're fine working with a local organization to help victims of domestic violence in the DC area, then I think either school would be a fine choice (and I'd go with American, because even though it's not a good school, it's at least free). But if you're talking about working with organizations or agencies that have national reach, you need to retake and reapply for your goals.

[latetothis]

Thanks for the advice!

[latetothis]

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[ManoftheHour]

No it's not worth it. Your desire to be in Chicago over DC AND for a much cheaper price makes Illinois a slam dunk here assuming you don't want to sit out so that you can be eligible for the LSAT again.

OP is already eligible, LSAC got rid of the 3 takes policy. They could take in September if they want to.

Had no idea they changed it. Man, I've been out of the loop for a while.

[radon5]

It seems like a lot of firms come to OCI for GW according to NALP. Doesn't this help the chances of getting a big law position (of course I know getting in top 25% is probably necessary for many of them)

[cavalier1138]

It seems like a lot of firms come to OCI for GW according to NALP. Doesn't this help the chances of getting a big law position (of course I know getting in top 25% is probably necessary for many of them)

It doesn't help if they don't hire below a certain portion of the class.

You keep ignoring the advice you've been given over and over again: don't go to GW if your goal is biglaw-or-bust. Either retake and reapply or change your career goals.

[radon5]

It seems like a lot of firms come to OCI for GW according to NALP. Doesn't this help the chances of getting a big law position (of course I know getting in top 25% is probably necessary for many of them)

It doesn't help if they don't hire below a certain portion of the class.

You keep ignoring the advice you've been given over and over again: don't go to GW if your goal is biglaw-or-bust. Either retake and reapply or change your career goals.

Okay, well nowhere did I say my goal was big law or bust. I'm maxed out on my LSAT at a 166 and I don't plan to change the goals I mentioned earlier until I find myself in a situation where it's necessary. I think it's silly to discount myself an option like big law before even starting law school just because "it's unlikely." If it turns out my grades aren't what they need to be, I'll reevaluate. But these are the options I have based on the strongest application I can put together and I plan to try to make the most of them.

Also, I understand that your advice comes from a place of wanting safety and certainty or as close to certainty as one can get. And I appreciate that. But given top 25/20% at GW and U of I, it seems like GW has a boatload more firms in more places that would be interested. I know you'll probably say that making a decision as if I'd be top 20 is foolish. But is that thought about firms' interest not true?

Also does it make a difference that I'd be learning federal common law at GW and more Illinois law at U of I?

[cavalier1138]

Okay, well nowhere did I say my goal was big law or bust. I'm maxed out on my LSAT at a 166 and I don't plan to change the goals I mentioned earlier until I find myself in a situation where it's necessary. I think it's silly to discount myself an option like big law before even starting law school just because "it's unlikely." If it turns out my grades aren't what they need to be, I'll reevaluate. But these are the options I have based on the strongest application I can put together and I plan to try to make the most of them.

Also, I understand that your advice comes from a place of wanting safety and certainty or as close to certainty as one can get. And I appreciate that. But given top 25/20% at GW and U of I, it seems like GW has a boatload more firms in more places that would be interested. I know you'll probably say that making a decision as if I'd be top 20 is foolish. But is that thought about firms' interest not true?

Also does it make a difference that I'd be learning federal common law at GW and more Illinois law at U of I?

You have repeatedly framed your goals as getting biglaw, getting good enough grades to transfer to a school that will give you decent odds at biglaw, or getting into a "starter" job that would eventually lead to biglaw. You may not have actually used the words "biglaw-or-bust", but that's clearly your endgame. If you're going to a school where your chances of getting what you want are-- let me just pull a number out of thin air --25-30%, you need to have some concrete idea of what else you might want to do that doesn't involve biglaw.

Yes, looking at "firm interest" is a bad idea, as is gambling on being in the top of your class. Look at the numbers. UIUC places just as much of its class in biglaw jobs as GW does. The difference for you is that UIUC costs much less.

And no, the type of law you learn at school will not have any impact on which jobs you get. On a completely unrelated note, take a mental snapshot of the words "federal common law" in your post, because that's going to seem like a really funny term after you've taken civil procedure.

[ManoftheHour]

UIUC and it's not even close.