Top Law Schools

Straightforward question: Is there a difference between BC and BU? I am looking at both as my top choice, mostly because I would like to work in Boston or NYC.

BU seems to have slightly better NLJ 250 placement (http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1) and also places better in "prestigous" firms(http://www.leiterrankings.com/jobs/2008job_biglaw.shtml). On the other hand, I remember someone claiming that BC has a much stronger alumni network and is regarded as more prestigous one of the two.

BU is in Boston, BC is not
BU tends to place better in NYC

superflush wrote:BU is in Boston, BC is not
BU tends to place better in NYC

BC is a better campus, BU is in Boston and takes up half the B line. BC will probably place slightly better in New England and BU will place slightly better elsewhere. They're pretty much the same school. If you want to get to NYC ITE, you'll probably have to be top 5% at either school, unless you have connections.

Kompressor wrote:BC is a better campus

And this goes for the Law School campus as well????

BC's campus, including the law campus, is really a "campus", courtyards and fields and stuff like that, BU is a building and an ugly one at that. From what I've been able to tell, (BC and BU are my top choices so I've been doing a lot of research), BU is more prestigious with people about 45+. BC has been around and developed its prestige for a long time and has the respect of the "old guard", while younger attorneys recognize BU's rank and accademic excellence, which have really only come into being in the last 10-15 years.

superflush wrote:

Kompressor wrote:BC is a better campus

And this goes for the Law School campus as well????

It's hard not to have a better campus than BU.

superflush wrote:

Kompressor wrote:BC is a better campus

And this goes for the Law School campus as well????

Yup. Sure, it sucks having Freshman wander around the cafeteria, but the campus itself is nice. Quant little place, really.

C rhymes with T just remember that. BC = more like BTTT

Rocketman11 wrote:C rhymes with T just remember that. BC = more like BTTT

Oh, well done.

Pearalegal wrote:

Rocketman11 wrote:C rhymes with T just remember that. BC = more like BTTT

Oh, well done.

Get used to telling me that.

superflush wrote:

Kompressor wrote:BC is a better campus

And this goes for the Law School campus as well????

The law school is on a satellite campus in Newton. It holds three freshman dorms, a church, and the law school (housed all in one giant building, along with the dining hall).

While the Newton campus is small, it obviously provides much more of a campus feel than BU.

Moxie wrote:The law school is on a satellite campus in Newton. It holds three freshman dorms, a church, and the law school (housed all in one giant building, along with the dining hall).

Okay didn't know that this is exactly what is there. Why are their freshman dorms there. Just overflow?

Moxie wrote:While the Newton campus is small, it obviously provides much more of a campus feel than BU.

Maybe so. I don't buy the whole 'BU isn't a campus' notion.

Traditionally, BC had a bit more prestige, was higher ranked, and better regarded overall. BU cut their class size and did some other things to game the rankings, hence why BU has been higher ranked than BC at various points in the last few years. I would still pick BC over BU all else being equal because old reputations among older attorneys who make hiring decisions die hard. Neither school is going to have great placement ITE.

so if I wanted to say....

bu vs bc for govt positions in dc, the answer would be..... (don't say GW)

yabbadabbado wrote:Traditionally, BC had a bit more prestige, was higher ranked, and better regarded overall. BU cut their class size and did some other things to game the rankings, hence why BU has been higher ranked than BC at various points in the last few years. I would still pick BC over BU all else being equal because old reputations among older attorneys who make hiring decisions die hard. Neither school is going to have great placement ITE.

Meh. BC was ranked above BU ten years ago. BC has a tad more prestige in Boston, but not so outside of Boston. BU and BC game the rankings. BC LSAT gamed this year, and BU has cut their class size in the past, whoopedy-doo. BU does place better in more prestigious firms in New England and elsewhere according to Leiter. Kompressor was spot on before with what he said, as they're basically inter-changeable.

As for BU's campus, I actually liked it more than BC. I got into both with similar $ and the location of BU was what did me in. I also want to be a federal attorney/do PI work and BU places more into these types of positions. There really is no campus at BU, but I actually love the law tower. There are tons of nooks and crannies to study in, a few break rooms and a bunch of social areas that people just go to to hang out and de-stress. Its also cheaper to live near BU (from the little research I did), as you can live on the green line with no car. I live across the street from the T and pay 650$ a month. Theres also a few decent/cheap places to eat nearby, so people congregate after class. Theres a cheap bar across the street too that theres always at least a few BU people at.

Any BU questions, just shoot 'em at me.

imisscollege wrote:so if I wanted to say....

bu vs bc for govt positions in dc, the answer would be..... (don't say GW)

I'm biased obviously, but I think this is where the distinction between BU and BC becomes apparent. Although BC has a stronger Boston network, BU places a lot of people in DC into federal jobs and DC is a big focus of the CDO. The accepted student event for DC locals I attended had a bunch of recent graduates working at impressive agencies, or clerking locally. BC's accepted student event was sort of depressing, as most people were temp. attorneys or worked for JAG. Obviously, if you're set on DC, then GW is a better bet all around, but between the two, I would gravitate towards BU.

Overall though, between the two, I would choose on what ultimately will put you into less debt. If equal cost and you're sure you want to work in Boston, then BC. If equal and you want more options outside of Boston, then BU.

I played tennis against an attorney that graduated from Harvard Law in 1975 this past weekend, and he thought BC Law should be ranked in the top 10. It got me thinking to the fact that most attorneys I know over 50 really like BC law. One that teaches at the college where I teach taught in the law schools at both and thought BC was far more pleasant.

I am thinking of applying there with a decent LSAT score of 166 and legacy - (Dad J.D. and Mom M.S.W. both from BC) - although I want to do entertainment law.

My thinking is, with the filmmaking connections I am making here and the extra work I could generate while in school since I have been in Boston for awhile, it might make sense to stay in Massachusetts, even though I want to practice Entertainment Law.

My initial thinking was to get to CA and then return to MA once the studios are built out there, but as I think about it more, it might make sense to stay here where I can teach film part-time at colleges and be a big fish in a small pond on the indy film scene until the major studio complexes are built due the tax incentives that are making $$$ spent on film grow exponentially here in the state.

Any thoughts on if BC is on a downward or upward trend in terms of lay prestige?

BU is slightly closer to Boston though both schools are West of the city and there is only a 15 min T ride's difference between them. Boston really isn't that big... you can get where you want to go pretty quickly. There are pros and cons to both campuses though BC law building is hands down superior to BU's. I picked BC for many reasons, BC places really well in Boston [BU does better than BC in NYC], and the students at BC don't seem to hate their lives as much. I love BC, if you have specific questions feel free to PM me.

BU is in Boston

I also want to be social/network inside and outside my program on weekends. I went to grad school in a college city, so that was cool. Does BC's outside-of-the-city location impede social enjoyment? Lay prestige is still more important to me.

BC has lost some football games, but BU is undefeated.

superflush wrote:BU is in Boston

Bu is in Allston, BC is in Brighton

twintipping_bumps wrote:I also want to be social/network inside and outside my program on weekends. I went to grad school in a college city, so that was cool. Does BC's outside-of-the-city location impede social enjoyment? Lay prestige is still more important to me.

I have a friend at BC right now who withdrew his acceptance from BU pretty much on the basis that was too ugly. That said, he tells me that he has no problem getting around Boston on the T.

kiwislug wrote:

superflush wrote:BU is in Boston

Bu is in Allston, BC is in Brighton

Yes, Allston is a neighborhood of Boston.
BU is in Boston

kiwislug wrote:

superflush wrote:BU is in Boston

Bu is in Allston, BC is in Brighton

Also, BC Law is in Newton and the main campus is in Chestnut Hill