Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools? Forum

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speedwagon

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Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools?

Post by speedwagon » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:02 pm

I know the general wisdom is "get as high as you can up that rankings ladder" and that's good. But aside from that, what are you all thinking about?

I am working on my list as I wait for my LSAT score and am interested how other people are parsing this and finding their info. All these admissions e-tours and websites and videos sound very similar on some level and I'm curious what other people are thinking about to choose between schools. I find myself thinking things like "oh, this center on democracy and human rights seems very interesting, but is it better than that other one on voting rights?" Are you selecting on straight ranking and who gives you money? Are you thinking about anything else as well?

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stego

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Re: Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools?

Post by stego » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:06 pm

Location, job placement statistics, and cost of attendance

littlewing67

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Re: Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools?

Post by littlewing67 » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:08 pm

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Last edited by littlewing67 on Sat Mar 11, 2017 1:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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mwells56

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Re: Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools?

Post by mwells56 » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:13 pm

For me, location/comfortability mostly are the biggest factors outside of prestige.

I grew on Long Island suburbs so Columbia and NYU are the dreams, I've always wanted to spend my 20's in New York. My mom grew up in Brooklyn, my brother lives there now, etc.

I go to Michigan for undergrad right now, and I really do love it here. People in southeast Michigan are really nice, Ann Arbor is a great town, cost of living is cheaper than NY, and I like the life I've set up here. Also wouldn't mind staying for another three years to watch Jimmy-H take home the national 'ship.

I also wouldn't mind Penn. I went to sleepaway camp and played a lot of hockey in the Philly area, and my grandpa whom I'm very close with went to Wharton. So I'm pretty comfortable there as well.

I'd say those are probably my top four choices. Other than those? Not really sure. I really like DC, so maybe Georgetown would be cool.

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bmathers

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Re: Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools?

Post by bmathers » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:17 pm

speedwagon wrote:I know the general wisdom is "get as high as you can up that rankings ladder" and that's good.
Unless if you are looking at the T14, or schools very close to it, I tend to think that "get as high up on the rankings" is sub-par advice. The #80 vs. the #50 school isn't going to be viewed differently by employers... it could be a very good choice, depending on the regions. Schools are very regional - look at schools in the area(s) that you would like to possibly live and the employment outcomes that every school typically produce.

For example, if you want to live and work in Pittsburgh, it would be much smarter to attend Duquesne (a TTT), over a borderline T1 like Georgia State... and it would come with a very nice scholarship as well.

Outside of the T14, LSs are very regionalized... advice I definitely get both on and off this forum

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TripTrip

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Re: Aside from rankings, what are you considering/how are you evaluating schools?

Post by TripTrip » Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:08 pm

bmathers wrote:
speedwagon wrote:I know the general wisdom is "get as high as you can up that rankings ladder" and that's good.
Unless if you are looking at the T14, or schools very close to it, I tend to think that "get as high up on the rankings" is sub-par advice. The #80 vs. the #50 school isn't going to be viewed differently by employers... it could be a very good choice, depending on the regions. Schools are very regional - look at schools in the area(s) that you would like to possibly live and the employment outcomes that every school typically produce.

For example, if you want to live and work in Pittsburgh, it would be much smarter to attend Duquesne (a TTT), over a borderline T1 like Georgia State... and it would come with a very nice scholarship as well.

Outside of the T14, LSs are very regionalized... advice I definitely get both on and off this forum
TITCR.

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