LS Location and Atmosphere Forum

[nodummy]

REGARDLESS of RANK...What law school has the nicest campus and location? I'm primarily referring to the town/city, however details pertaining to libraries and bars/restaurants are also welcome. And I realize this is all subjective but I would like your opinion and why you think what you think.

For example, we would all probably agree that Rutgers Newark/Camden isn't going to make this list. What are some schools on the opposite end of the spectrum?

Also, what's the best law school (in terms of rank) located in a small town?

Thanks.

[Cupidity]

I really do love Stetson law in St. Petersburg. It's in a chill-psudeo-beach-town just outside Ybor City tampa.

[Neelio]

REGARDLESS of RANK...What law school has the nicest campus and location? I'm primarily referring to the town/city, however details pertaining to libraries and bars/restaurants are also welcome. And I realize this is all subjective but I would like your opinion and why you think what you think.

For example, we would all probably agree that Rutgers Newark/Camden isn't going to make this list. What are some schools on the opposite end of the spectrum?

Also, what's the best law school (in terms of rank) located in a small town?

Thanks.

University of Washington in Seattle is absolutely amazing. Great college town, but right near a major metropolitan area. Good outdoors stuff nearby... quiet, and the campus is gorgeous. I visited in October and really liked it. If you can stand the rain, I would check it out.

[gymboree]

Cool outdoorsy/family town: Indiana-Bloomington, UC Davis or that + artsy = Georgia (Athens!)

literary center & cultural mecca = U of Iowa

Hippie chic + gorges = Cornell

big city balance & small town life to perfection = Berkeley

beach + big market entertainment = UC Irvine (the OC, baby)

quaint college town, good weather = UNC

[Borhas]

i haven't seen too many, but I imagine it would be hard to top U of San Diego

Also, what's the best law school (in terms of rank) located in a small town?

UVa would be my guess. I'm a big fan of Charlottesville, assuming you don't choke on the smug.

Charlottesville is an "independent city" but it's a pretty small city.

Never been to Ithaca or Ann Arbor but I imagine they are small towns.

[09042014]

literary center & cultural mecca = U of Iowa

Cultural mecca? In Iowa City? Really?

[nodummy]

Do you think it's possible to move around and work in other parts of the US with a law degree from a regional/lower tier school? For instance, if you graduate from Iowa or Oklahoma LS are you mainly qualified for jobs in that region/state?

[isaiah6v8]

without rankings, U of Hawaii hands down.

[algren]

literary center & cultural mecca = U of Iowa

Cultural mecca? In Iowa City? Really?

I was with him on that whole list until I saw this one too. I haven't been there, so I shouldn't judge, but it definitely surprised me.

Maybe the poster intends, "Cultural Mecca of the Barren Midwest?"

[lawschooliseasy]

literary center & cultural mecca = U of Iowa

Cultural mecca? In Iowa City? Really?

One of the best med schools in the world + excellent law school + best graduate writing program in the world (produced Vonnegut!) = absolutely. Plenty of hot college girls too!

[lawschooliseasy]

big city balance & small town life to perfection + a readily available supply of crack cocaine = Berkeley

[09042014]

literary center & cultural mecca = U of Iowa

Cultural mecca? In Iowa City? Really?

I was with him on that whole list until I saw this one too. I haven't been there, so I shouldn't judge, but it definitely surprised me.

Maybe the poster intends, "Cultural Mecca of the Barren Midwest?"

I've been there, and its a decent medium-small sized town, but Iowa does have a good writing program, but I can't figure out cultural mecca. Even in the midwest you have cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, or to a less extent St Louis, Milwaukee and Madison. Sorry Cleveland you suck.

But if you like chubby Chicago-suburbanite girls who couldn't get into UIUC, you'll love Iowa City.

[lawschooliseasy]

Sorry Cleveland you suck.

Hahaha... any city that set their river on fire numerous times... enough said.

But if you like chubby Chicago-suburbanite girls who couldn't get into UIUC, you'll love Iowa City.

Uhh... lots of girls that couldn't make it into UIUC no doubt, but far from fat. You obviously haven't spent much time walking around IC. Tons of cute coeds sporting those shorts with IOWA written on the ass.

[J-tow10]

Cool outdoorsy/family town: Indiana-Bloomington, UC Davis or that + artsy = Georgia (Athens!)

literary center & cultural mecca = U of Iowa

Hippie chic + gorges = Cornell

big city balance & small town life to perfection = Berkeley

beach + big market entertainment = UC Irvine (the OC, baby)

quaint college town, good weather = UNC

[Cole S. Law]

Do you think it's possible to move around and work in other parts of the US with a law degree from a regional/lower tier school? For instance, if you graduate from Iowa or Oklahoma LS are you mainly qualified for jobs in that region/state?

You're qualified for jobs anywhere in the US. You're just unlikely to get anyone to hire you for them.

[mattymatt]

University of Washington in Seattle is absolutely amazing. Great college town, but right near a major metropolitan area. Good outdoors stuff nearby... quiet, and the campus is gorgeous. I visited in October and really liked it. If you can stand the rain, I would check it out.

Quiet is one thing the U-District is not. Amazing, yes, quiet, not even a little bit. 20,000+ undergrads in a 10x10 block grid does not equal quiet. For "outdoors stuff" you'll need to drive for at least a half hour in any direction.

That being said, the law building is pretty spectacular, as is the rest of the campus, despite the continuous construction.

[Neelio]

University of Washington in Seattle is absolutely amazing. Great college town, but right near a major metropolitan area. Good outdoors stuff nearby... quiet, and the campus is gorgeous. I visited in October and really liked it. If you can stand the rain, I would check it out.

Quiet is one thing the U-District is not. Amazing, yes, quiet, not even a little bit. 20,000+ undergrads in a 10x10 block grid does not equal quiet. For "outdoors stuff" you'll need to drive for at least a half hour in any direction.

That being said, the law building is pretty spectacular, as is the rest of the campus, despite the continuous construction.

I guess you might be right- I was only there for a weekend (away game for football). But compared to NYC, anything is quiet.

[heyguys]

I think that ITE, it's either extremely difficult or just plain delusional to talk about atmosphere without talking about school rank. A school could be in paradise, but if no one's getting a job then it won't be a very pleasant atmosphere.

[reasonabledoubt]

OP, unless you prefer all anecdote, you should check out that other TLS thread full of law school library/campus pictures.... I don't have the link but it's an easy find in the search.

[reasonabledoubt]

I think that ITE, it's either extremely difficult or just plain delusional to talk about atmosphere without talking about school rank. A school could be in paradise, but if no one's getting a job then it won't be a very pleasant atmosphere.

I'm not so sure... I'd say Pepperdine students are quite happy in their atmosphere. Also, there are degrees and percentages involved in this but there isn't a TTTT school out there which leaves ALL of their grads jobless 9-months after graduation.

[reasonabledoubt]

I think that ITE, it's either extremely difficult or just plain delusional to talk about atmosphere without talking about school rank. A school could be in paradise, but if no one's getting a job then it won't be a very pleasant atmosphere.

I'm not so sure... I'd say Pepperdine students are quite happy in their atmosphere. Also, there are degrees and percentages involved in this but there isn't a TTTT school out there which leaves ALL of their grads jobless 9-months after graduation. It's actually delusional to make absolute statements tying "getting a job" with rankings. I've spoken to dozens of partners at firms, a flashy law school name might get you an interview, after that, it's about you in the context of what would you bring to them.

[Borhas]

I think that ITE, it's either extremely difficult or just plain delusional to talk about atmosphere without talking about school rank. A school could be in paradise, but if no one's getting a job then it won't be a very pleasant atmosphere.

You raise a good point, but I don't think it's complete

ITE two things are key:
1. renown of your school for snob elitists who may do hiring
2. how well you do in that school

some environments may help you do well more than others. Now, what those factors are is very subjective, but they are definitely important.

[isaiah6v8]

I think that ITE, it's either extremely difficult or just plain delusional to talk about atmosphere without talking about school rank. A school could be in paradise, but if no one's getting a job then it won't be a very pleasant atmosphere.

Of course, if you want a job in paradise (e.g. Hawaii) good luck getting one unless you graduated from there or from a Cali school or T14. It might be hard to get one outside of the school's reach, but within it, they seem to do pretty well. Don't go for the atmosphere unless it is one you can live with for a while.

[monkeyboy]

REGARDLESS of RANK...What law school has the nicest campus and location? I'm primarily referring to the town/city, however details pertaining to libraries and bars/restaurants are also welcome. And I realize this is all subjective but I would like your opinion and why you think what you think.

For example, we would all probably agree that Rutgers Newark/Camden isn't going to make this list. What are some schools on the opposite end of the spectrum?

Also, what's the best law school (in terms of rank) located in a small town?

Thanks.

University of Washington in Seattle is absolutely amazing. Great college town, but right near a major metropolitan area. Good outdoors stuff nearby... quiet, and the campus is gorgeous. I visited in October and really liked it. If you can stand the rain, I would check it out.

College town? I don't know about that. The campus isn't insulated from the city or the problems of the city, and the U District is notoriously shady with an endless supply of bums and street kids running around ready to annoy people who are just going to work or school. There have been gang shootings on Greek row a few different times over the past decade, and there have been homeless guys stabbing coeds. UW doesn't have a college town atmosphere. Not like Eugene, Madison, or Iowa City anyway. Nothing against the school, but seriously, that isn't a college town like atmosphere.

[84Sunbird2000]

It's funny - of all the elite Writing programs, the one I didn't apply to is Iowa, because it's about the biggest program. They have 50 students in each incoming class, which is insane for writing. I think only Columbia is larger.

Anyways, for law schools, I tend to like the rural/mountain sort of schools as well as some of the obvious picks. Thus:

Ithaca - campus, town, culture, scenery = UberAmazing

UW-Madison - I'm amazed no one has mentioned this. The campus is great, the school is really good across all disciplines, Madison is a splendid and beautiful city (two major lakes), and there is a wealth of cultural activity there.

Stetson - I second Cupidity on Stetson (relatives in Tampa), and Gulfport is a nice little arty beachtown.

Vermont/Quinnipiac/Franklin Pierce/UConn - The ridges and mountains of the Northeast are very hard to top, and Vermont is in the smallest town of any law school (less than 3k). UConn's campus and location in the quiet part of Hartford seem very nice, and it's still near those hills/mountains.

Boston College - Newton is extremely progressive but much quieter and safer than Boston (did some research to this effect after some posts here on TLS). The law school campus looks super nice.

Arizona - Tucson is actually quite the city. There's a good deal of culture, but it's surrounded 270 degrees by mountains, and you can always escape the heat by driving up to snow-covered Mt. Lemmon. Plus, housing is pretty cheap.

Santa Clara - It's away from the hustle and bustle of the San Fran metro, more wilderness. The campus looks gorgeous.

Any of the schools in Virginia and NC are pretty cool in their own way. Wake is near Pilot Mountain, one of the most prominent monadnocks in the country. Duke and NC are in a pretty nice metro area. Charlottesville appears to have a ton of supporters. Richmond, Washington and Lee, and William and Mary all have stunning campuses and aren't far from the beautiful scenery of the southern Alleghenies.

U. of Michigan - Ann Arbor and the terrific campus, along with parts of the UP and Traverse City, are the only parts of Michigan that are really nice places to live. No offense to the outer Detroit suburbs meant, I just think their proximity to Detroit proper downgrades them. East Lansing is mediocre despite the MSU campus.

UGA - Yes, Athens is considered the ultimate college town by many, and in a good way.

Chapman, UC-Irvine, U of San Diego, UCLA, USC, Loyola, Southwestern, etc... - If you like the idea of living in the Southern Megalopolis of California, then any of these schools will do.

Berkeley - Awesome location, beautiful scenery, ultra-progressive city.

Stanford - Palo Alto is the nerdy, more upscale version of Berkeley.

I actually find that it would be easier to name places NOT to live, because so many colleges have their own (very strong) charms.