Top Law Schools

Like others I have noticed that people don't really discuss law schools in California, so I thought I would make this thread to open up discussion on these schools.

Anyone else having a hard time deciding where to place their money on applications? San Diago has some pretty fantastic ladies.... might be worth a shout... ?

I am not sure that UCH and UCD are worth sticker and 100k+ debt. In your situation it might make more sense to take a full ride at Loyola or San Diego if you fail to get into either USC or UCLA.

General Tso wrote:I am not sure that UCH and UCD are worth sticker and 100k+ debt. In your situation it might make more sense to take a full ride at Loyola or San Diego if you fail to get into either USC or UCLA.

very true. Esp because if you'd wanna practice in So. Cal, Loyola & USD have large networks there (after, of course, USC and UCLA).

MrAdams wrote:Like others I have noticed that people don't really discuss Law Schools in California so I thought I would make this thread to open up discussion on these schools.

Personally, I am going to be applying to USC, UCLA, UCD and UCH. I feel a lot better about applying to UCH now that I have heard that the rankings of UCD and UCH are suspect. Obviously either UCLA or USC are where I want to be, because I prefer Los Angeles to San Fransisco, but anywhere that'll take me in California is where I will want to be.

Anyone else having a hard time deciding where to place their money on applications? San Diago has some pretty fantastic ladies.... might be worth a shout... ?

I'm applying to those and then San Diego and Loyola (I have a low-ish GPA and don't expect an LSAT in the 170's)

Yeah UCD just had a huge jump in the rankings whereas in previous years UCH and UCD were right next to each other

what are your numbers (if you don't mind me asking)?

MrAdams wrote:Like others I have noticed that people don't really discuss Law Schools in California so I thought I would make this thread to open up discussion on these schools.

Personally, I am going to be applying to USC, UCLA, UCD and UCH. I feel a lot better about applying to UCH now that I have heard that the rankings of UCD and UCH are suspect. Obviously either UCLA or USC are where I want to be, because I prefer Los Angeles to San Fransisco, but anywhere that'll take me in California is where I will want to be.

Anyone else having a hard time deciding where to place their money on applications? San Diago has some pretty fantastic ladies.... might be worth a shout... ?

Good luck . I'm going to be applying to (tenatively) Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, USC, and maybe UC Irvine!

I'm actually really intrigued by the Bay Area, I kind of fell in love with it during my trip up there during spring break. But LA area is fine by me too as well!

lennonist wrote:

General Tso wrote:I am not sure that UCH and UCD are worth sticker and 100k+ debt. In your situation it might make more sense to take a full ride at Loyola or San Diego if you fail to get into either USC or UCLA.

very true. Esp because if you'd wanna practice in So. Cal, Loyola & USD have large networks there (after, of course, USC and UCLA).

Yeah Loyola may seem TTT to people not from LA but it does very well in LA (It's pretty much the 3rd best school in the city)

Hey guys I'm glad this topic was started! I'm looking mainly at California schools like UCLA, USC, Loyola, Pepperdine, SCU, and UCH. I have a 3.67 and am scoring in the mid-160's right now but looking to hit high 160's. What are your stats?

florentine wrote:Hey guys I'm glad this topic was started! I'm looking mainly at California schools like UCLA, USC, Loyola, Pepperdine, SCU, and UCH. I have a 3.67 and am scoring in the mid-160's right now but looking to hit high 160's. What are your stats?

Sweet! Good luck to you. I took the June LSAT and got 171, and my GPA is slightly above 3.8.

Knockglock wrote:Good luck . I'm going to be applying to (tenatively) Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, USC, and maybe UC Irvine!

I'm actually really intrigued by the Bay Area, I kind of fell in love with it during my trip up there during spring break. But LA area is fine by me too as well!

It is awesome. I don't think there is any weather in the US that I prefer to SF.

Anyways, UCI requires 3 LOR's. I didn't bother my 3rd writer that much so he hasn't sent it in yet. He may never send it. If he doesn't, I'm just going to send my app to UCI with 2 LOR's and see what happens.

bk187 wrote:

Knockglock wrote:Good luck . I'm going to be applying to (tenatively) Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, USC, and maybe UC Irvine!

I'm actually really intrigued by the Bay Area, I kind of fell in love with it during my trip up there during spring break. But LA area is fine by me too as well!

It is awesome. I don't think there is any weather in the US that I prefer to SF.

Anyways, UCI requires 3 LOR's. I didn't bother my 3rd writer that much so he hasn't sent it in yet. He may never send it. If he doesn't, I'm just going to send my app to UCI with 2 LOR's and see what happens.

Ehh, I won't apply to UCI then. Any school that requires 3 LOR is not a school I want to attend. Yeah I like SF, although I don't know if I'd want to live in the city, i'd much prefer the suburbs.

Knockglock wrote:

florentine wrote:Hey guys I'm glad this topic was started! I'm looking mainly at California schools like UCLA, USC, Loyola, Pepperdine, SCU, and UCH. I have a 3.67 and am scoring in the mid-160's right now but looking to hit high 160's. What are your stats?

Sweet! Good luck to you. I took the June LSAT and got 171, and my GPA is slightly above 3.8.

Good job! Berkeley would absolutely love to have you based on your stats.

lennonist wrote:

Knockglock wrote:

florentine wrote:Hey guys I'm glad this topic was started! I'm looking mainly at California schools like UCLA, USC, Loyola, Pepperdine, SCU, and UCH. I have a 3.67 and am scoring in the mid-160's right now but looking to hit high 160's. What are your stats?

Sweet! Good luck to you. I took the June LSAT and got 171, and my GPA is slightly above 3.8.

Good job! Berkeley would absolutely love to have you based on your stats.

Thank you . Yeah Berkeley is pretty high on my list. I don't know if I could pass on a CCN acceptance for it though . Even though I'd prefer to stay in California.

I don't mean to change the direction of the thread but knockglock I've kinda hit a wall in my score and I'm wondering how to break through it... LR is still getting me... Suggestions?

florentine wrote:I don't mean to change the direction of the thread but knockglock I've kinda hit a wall in my score and I'm wondering how to break through it... LR is still getting me... Suggestions?

Hmm, how many are you missing on LR and do most of your misses come from certain question types? and how is your timing, are you able to finish on time consistently?

One thing that helped me was to adjust my pacing, and try and do the first 15 questions in 15 minutes, which leaves me 20 minutes for the last 10 or so tougher questions.

Im literally applying to every law school in Cali I just know I want to practice there and be there. I plan on taking some time to go down there and visit as many as I can. I wont be caught up on a website or brochure. Wherever Im accepted with the most scholarship money and highest rank, thats where I will be!

Currently preparing for the October LSAT, once I have an official score I will have a better indication of where I have a good chance of getting in.

liltay357 wrote:Im literally applying to every law school in Cali I just know I want to practice there and be there. I plan on taking some time to go down there and visit as many as I can. I wont be caught up on a website or brochure. Wherever Im accepted with the most scholarship money and highest rank, thats where I will be!

Currently preparing for the October LSAT, once I have an official score I will have a better indication of where I have a good chance of getting in.

Depending on your stats much of the T14 still places well in CA.

liltay357 wrote:Im literally applying to every law school in Cali

arent there like 50 of them?

Knockglock wrote:

florentine wrote:I don't mean to change the direction of the thread but knockglock I've kinda hit a wall in my score and I'm wondering how to break through it... LR is still getting me... Suggestions?

Hmm, how many are you missing on LR and do most of your misses come from certain question types? and how is your timing, are you able to finish on time consistently?

One thing that helped me was to adjust my pacing, and try and do the first 15 questions in 15 minutes, which leaves me 20 minutes for the last 10 or so tougher questions.

My timing can vary and right now I'm getting through the first 15 in 20 minutes ... which makes sense to me now because most of the ones I miss are after question 15... The question type varies but mostly 2N's I guess. For both sections combined I usually miss ~10 give or take 2. Thanks for the reply and I'm definitely going to try for 15 in 15 min. because 20 for the last 10 or 11 is awesome!

Does Loyola have that good employment prospects? Honestly, I am a foreign student so all I can really go by is the rankings and numbers that the schools give (which I am throwing a pinch of salt in with).

I also cant give any GPA numbers as a result - I am heading for a 2:1 degree in English Law LLB though ha, could maybe get a 1:1. I am sitting the LSAT in December. I was going to take it in October but I read a couple of interviews with the deans of USC and UCLA who both said that although it is preferable to apply as early as possible, it is not a complete necessity, that they run a 'pseudo rolling admissions' scheme. So I am going to use the extra time to absolutely ensure a high LSAT score that I can couple with pretty extensive legal experience. Hopefully that'll see me through to 'somewhere' over there.

And Morrow Bay by farrrrrr has the best weather in California! Exactly the same overcast sky as in Scotland.... but not completely baltic in temperature ha.

florentine wrote:

Knockglock wrote:

florentine wrote:I don't mean to change the direction of the thread but knockglock I've kinda hit a wall in my score and I'm wondering how to break through it... LR is still getting me... Suggestions?

Hmm, how many are you missing on LR and do most of your misses come from certain question types? and how is your timing, are you able to finish on time consistently?

One thing that helped me was to adjust my pacing, and try and do the first 15 questions in 15 minutes, which leaves me 20 minutes for the last 10 or so tougher questions.

My timing can vary and right now I'm getting through the first 15 in 20 minutes ... which makes sense to me now because most of the ones I miss are after question 15... The question type varies but mostly 2N's I guess. For both sections combined I usually miss ~10 give or take 2. Thanks for the reply and I'm definitely going to try for 15 in 15 min. because 20 for the last 10 or 11 is awesome!

Yep, it definitely helped me. Although if you're missing ~10 on both LR sections combined i'd advise working through some LR sections untimed, and making sure you have the concepts down.

MrAdams wrote:Does Loyola have that good employment prospects? Honestly, I am a foreign student so all I can really go by is the rankings and numbers that the schools give (which I am throwing a pinch of salt in with).

I also cant give any GPA numbers as a result - I am heading for a 2:1 degree in English Law LLB though ha, could maybe get a 1:1. I am sitting the LSAT in December. I was going to take it in October but I read a couple of interviews with the deans of USC and UCLA who both said that although it is preferable to apply as early as possible, it is not a complete necessity, that they run a 'pseudo rolling admissions' scheme. So I am going to use the extra time to absolutely ensure a high LSAT score that I can couple with pretty extensive legal experience. Hopefully that'll see me through to 'somewhere' over there.

And Morrow Bay by farrrrrr has the best weather in California! Exactly the same overcast sky as in Scotland.... but not completely baltic in temperature ha.

In CA and LA especially - yes. Nationally - not great but you'll be fine.

lennonist wrote:

MrAdams wrote:Does Loyola have that good employment prospects? Honestly, I am a foreign student so all I can really go by is the rankings and numbers that the schools give (which I am throwing a pinch of salt in with).

I also cant give any GPA numbers as a result - I am heading for a 2:1 degree in English Law LLB though ha, could maybe get a 1:1. I am sitting the LSAT in December. I was going to take it in October but I read a couple of interviews with the deans of USC and UCLA who both said that although it is preferable to apply as early as possible, it is not a complete necessity, that they run a 'pseudo rolling admissions' scheme. So I am going to use the extra time to absolutely ensure a high LSAT score that I can couple with pretty extensive legal experience. Hopefully that'll see me through to 'somewhere' over there.

And Morrow Bay by farrrrrr has the best weather in California! Exactly the same overcast sky as in Scotland.... but not completely baltic in temperature ha.

In CA and LA especially - yes. Nationally - not great but you'll be fine.

It depends what you mean by "good." Is it likely the best T2 school for SoCal? Yes. A relative of mine graduated last year from Loyola with a judicial clerkship lined up, but he said that roughly half of his class did not have a job at graduation.

So is it the worst of the worst? No. But that doesn't mean things are okay by any stretch of the imagination.

bk187 wrote:

lennonist wrote:

MrAdams wrote:Does Loyola have that good employment prospects? Honestly, I am a foreign student so all I can really go by is the rankings and numbers that the schools give (which I am throwing a pinch of salt in with).

I also cant give any GPA numbers as a result - I am heading for a 2:1 degree in English Law LLB though ha, could maybe get a 1:1. I am sitting the LSAT in December. I was going to take it in October but I read a couple of interviews with the deans of USC and UCLA who both said that although it is preferable to apply as early as possible, it is not a complete necessity, that they run a 'pseudo rolling admissions' scheme. So I am going to use the extra time to absolutely ensure a high LSAT score that I can couple with pretty extensive legal experience. Hopefully that'll see me through to 'somewhere' over there.

And Morrow Bay by farrrrrr has the best weather in California! Exactly the same overcast sky as in Scotland.... but not completely baltic in temperature ha.

In CA and LA especially - yes. Nationally - not great but you'll be fine.

It depends what you mean by "good." Is it likely the best T2 school for SoCal? Yes. A relative of mine graduated last year from Loyola with a judicial clerkship lined up, but he said that roughly half of his class did not have a job at graduation.

So is it the worst of the worst? No. But that doesn't mean things are okay by any stretch of the imagination.

You're absolutely right. Sadly, I know several Loyola Law grads who are currently unemployed, while i know one who had an amazing federal clerkship which propelled him to a BigLaw firm job. Hence, bust your ass if you're there (regardless of how poorly the economy is doing).

From what I have been told in person by graduate recruiters from magic and silver circle firms and US firms (essentially what you guys consider 'biglaw' I think) in London, they consider a wide variety of factors other than which school you come from when handing out jobs, and so, as long as you excel you've got a shout. I come from an acceptable, by no means a top 5 school here in the UK, but I have still been entertained by some of the biggest firms in the world, including the biggest. I am sure it is the same in California.

Depending on my LSAT, I might punt a shot at Loyola given the replies here.

No-one giving Stanford a shot? I heard they are the most open of all the schools, looking at your application as a whole instead of focusing on LSAT/GPA?

I'm probably gonna throw an app to Loyola and UC Irvine regardless of my numbers, hoping to get a full ride at one of them. If I get full ride + COL anywhere, I'll probably go there regardless of tier.