GW ($0) vs W&L ($$$) Forum

[nixy]

I agree that the culture around getting biglaw is different at a T1 and that the pool is likely to be smaller than it appears. I disagree that this is something that really means much when deciding where to go if someone knows they want biglaw at that point. Fewer people at T1 schools go for biglaw bc it’s not a realistic option for as many people. But as I said, just because you’re not competing with the entire class doesn’t mean your odds are as good as at a T14. They may be slightly better than they appear to be when you say only 20% get biglaw. The problem is that it’s pretty difficult to quantify how much better they are.

My original disagreement was with the idea that “people wanting biglaw isn’t differently distributed between T14 and T1 schools,” because I actually think it is. I don’t think, though, that that difference is enough to be pertinent to a decision to go to a particular school. I am more comfortable looking at the numbers and working off of those - so a 20% chance vs a 70% chance (or whatever the different school outcomes are). If someone wants to bet on themselves being in the 20% that’s on them, of course.

[Npret]

I’m trying to remember but doesn’t GW evening program place IP people into biglaw firms? I’m trying to remember which program it is that has placement numbers “inflated” by the evening students who already have careers going part time for their JD.

Edit - also I’m not sure where the number 200 students came from. If we are talking about GW they admitted 568 students last year and then transferred in 108 (I think) assuming all the transfers were accepted in time for OCI that’s 676 students looking for jobs at OCI.

[nealric]

I think one thing that should be reinforced: getting into a T14 is the easy path to biglaw. It's not the only one, but certainly the easiest. Yes, you can bust your behind at a lesser ranked school, and maybe the risk you take will pay off, but it's the difficult way. Why not try the easier path first?

It's not "T14 or bust" so much as there's no reason not to put in 100% effort into getting into the T14 as your first option. If, after 100s of hours of LSAT prep, you are still not getting the scores you need to crack the T14, THEN it's time to start thinking about fallback options. Note that just taking an LSAT course and then going to take the test isn't really trying. You should be familiar with every single type of question that gets asked, and every single past test that has been administered. It sounds like a lot, but it's less work than 1L year by a long shot. Too many 0Ls just give up on the T14 without really trying, and then think they will make it up for later. A few will, but the majority won't. If you won't do the work now, why will you suddenly find the motivation to do it later?

It's one thing if you don't know (though in the internet age you probably should). But if you know and stubbornly insist on the hard way, you shouldn't be surprised when those who've been through the process roll their eyes.

Note: there are certainly circumstances where just going to the local school is a better option and there's little point in striving for the T14, but if you want biglaw and are willing/able to relocate for school, that is not your circumstance.

[cavalier1138]

Note: there are certainly circumstances where just going to the local school is a better option and there's little point in striving for the T14, but if you want biglaw and are willing/able to relocate for school, that is not your circumstance.

I was going to write a longer post about people always overestimating their chances at winning games before they play them, but this is basically it.

[QContinuum]

+100 to nealric's post above.

One minor note:

Note: there are certainly circumstances where just going to the local school is a better option and there's little point in striving for the T14, but if you want biglaw and are willing/able to relocate for school, that is not your circumstance.

I'd actually go a bit further. I'd say that if you aren't sure what kind of law you want to practice and are willing/able to relocate for school, you're not in the "going to the local school is a better option" exception. Even if you aren't gunning for BigLaw, attending a T14 preserves your options in a way that attending the local school does not. A T14 preserves your geographic mobility. It preserves your ability to gun for a clerkship, or prestigious PI roles. It markedly enhances your shot at competitive fed gov Honors placements. And should you take a government or PI position, it gives you the cushion of an LRAP to assist with loan repayment. A T14 does all that without eliminating your ability to go home and do small law if that's what you end up wanting to do. Attending the local school when you're not sure what you want to do more or less locks you out of all of the above (assuming you earn median grades, which is the most likely outcome at any school).