Tell me all you know about Idaho Law Forum

[EscapeIdaho]

I can't wait to get out of Idaho, but I can see why people would want to live here. Parts of it are beautiful (although huge portions are hideously ugly) and the fishing/camping/outdoors is good. Idaho grads aren't going to make gobs of money but they are likely to be employed in a place that they like. If you like Idaho then it's cheap, close to family (I don't know how close), and will still offer you a fine education. Doesn't sound too bad.

On the other hand, UConn is a much better school and is more highly though of than an Idaho degree almost everywhere. UConn is much more selective with applicants so you are likely to have brighter classmates, if that's important to you. I have also heard that Idaho grads compete for the best jobs with BYU students who are looking to move back home. Since BYU is the Harvard of Utah/Idaho it's supposedly pretty tough for U of I grads to beat them out. So if hte position you want is also a position that some BYU grad wants then you are out of luck.

This may be true, but UConn isn't exactly the top school in its region either. Competition could be stiff in both places, though less so in Idaho I'd imagine.

The only reason I mentioned it is because often a perceived advantage of Idaho is that there won't be competition and that's not really true. With UConn I think competition from other schools is a given.

[M_Cool]

Just have to say that BYU is -not- the Harvard of Utah / Idaho. You need to be at the top of your class to be competitive for the best jobs coming out of any Utah/Idaho/mountain state school.

[dapoetic1]

A'nold what are you saying?!?!
Get a hold of yourself Man!

Seriously--Idaho--Seriously

If you want to practice in Idaho then by all means go to Idaho, but I don't think you really want that for your family.
You know there's a lot of other schools in that region that I'm sure would give you access to the booming Boise market and allow you to have some measure of a life.

UNLV, Utah, U of Denver, Colorado, Pacific McG
I would even go so far as to say some Tier 3 and 4 schools in Cali (Chapman, Southwestern) could probably get it done!

BTW: There's a Uconn 1L taking question on here. Ask him how well Uconn Places in Idaho

[gardners2]

What the hell is an Idaho?

[coolkatz321]

Do they even have a website? I tried to search for kicks but couldn't even find it...

[gardners2]

Check on wiki's info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University ... ege_of_Law
Lots of good info there.

[dapoetic1]

Do they even have a website? I tried to search for kicks but couldn't even find it...

Holy crap!! I thought you were being sarcastic.

I can't find the website either

[Mr. Matlock]

Idaho is literally the dullest state in the country.

Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota would like to have a word with you.

EASY THERE BUDDY! You ever been to the Corn Palace or Wall Drug?

Game, Set, Match my friend.

[dapoetic1]

<-------Has been to the Corn Palace...unfortunately!

On a serious one A'nold I don't know how important diversity is to you in a law school. But, something to consider is that Idaho (and I think Montana and the Dakota's) are listed as the least diverse law schools in the country. Now..obviously nobody would expect these schools to do anything but mirror their actual environment but it's something to think about.

Not just in terms of racial diversity, but in terms of faculty diversity. A lot of learning the law is about a range of perspectives and being able to hear other people's opinions (much like this forum) and applying that to your theories of the law.

For me...I value a diverse legal education and access to a diverse legal profession afterwards. So for me Idaho wouldn't do it. If you're planning on practicing in Idaho then the university is probably as diverse as it's going to get. But...there is a large military population in Idaho and that can lead to unexpected area of growing racial minorities and people from all over the world. A Law school should prepare you to work with a growing cultural population.

[WSULeifJ]

A'nold,
I think some of the bashing on Idaho is pretty unfair here, I went to undergrad just across the border from U of I and I absolutely love the region. I root for the Vandals (futile as that may be) whenever possible, especially now that the annual series with WSU has been put on hold. I applied to their law school as a safety because I loved the thought of going back. I think it's beautiful out there, and I love the environment of the Palouse region. As far as people saying it's an awful place to live go...don't listen to them.

With that said, I never came close to picking U of I over the T1 schools I got accepted to, and I would encourage you to choose UConn between the two. Idaho's career prospects worried me greatly...it's a cheaper place to go to school, but you get what you pay for; I think your investment will go further at Connecticut, even if it requires paying some dues out east at first before finding a job out west.

I hope you can attain your goal of working as a prosecutor, but as a 0L you don't know for absolute certain that you'll want to go into that line of work when you're done. You might have a strong leaning, but once you get into the study of law your mind could change as to what type of practice you want to do. UConn would keep more doors open...I'm not sure how many doors Idaho would keep open at all.

Advantages to Idaho: It's cheaper and you can watch the Seahawks on TV at home rather than having to go seek out a sports bar with NFL Sunday Ticket.
Advantages to UConn: Everything else.

Best of luck in your decision.

[J-Money]

Do they even have a website? I tried to search for kicks but couldn't even find it...

Holy crap!! I thought you were being sarcastic.

I can't find the website either

It's not a very good website, but here it is: http://www.uidaho.edu/law/

[wardboro]

<-------Has been to the Corn Palace...unfortunately!

On a serious one A'nold I don't know how important diversity is to you in a law school. But, something to consider is that Idaho (and I think Montana and the Dakota's) are listed as the least diverse law schools in the country. Now..obviously nobody would expect these schools to do anything but mirror their actual environment but it's something to think about.

Not just in terms of racial diversity, but in terms of faculty diversity. A lot of learning the law is about a range of perspectives and being able to hear other people's opinions (much like this forum) and applying that to your theories of the law.

For me...I value a diverse legal education and access to a diverse legal profession afterwards. So for me Idaho wouldn't do it. If you're planning on practicing in Idaho then the university is probably as diverse as it's going to get. But...there is a large military population in Idaho and that can lead to unexpected area of growing racial minorities and people from all over the world. A Law school should prepare you to work with a growing cultural population.

If you mean that the faculty is too conservative, then I think you're wrong. Even in these conservative mountain states, most professors on law school faculties are left-leaning. At the very least you'd have a chance of hearing a conservative faculty opinion or two at Idaho, which is more than you'd likely hear at other places.

If you mean the faculty is too white, that's true. It's hard to get heavily-sought-after minority faculty to even come to Salt Lake, let alone Moscow, Idaho.

Also, if you think that law school is going to teach you anything about practicing law, or how to deal with minority clients, or other things like that, then you're dreaming. Law school is about taking theory classes.

For the record, at least during your class time, most professors do not indoctrinate, they teach. Even if your prof. rabidly leans toward one political view, s/he will likely give you a very evenhanded view of the law. Black-letter tort law doesn't really care whether you vote red, blue, or green.

As a kid from the West looking to stay in the West, I went to my Western in-state T2 (now T1) because it was the most affordable option. If, however, I was choosing between Idaho and UConn, I'd probably bite the bullet, go out East, get some experience and come back West. I think you'll get more respect out West with the UConn degree even if you have to do more legwork.

Good luck.

[awesomepossum]

A'nold what are you saying?!?!
Get a hold of yourself Man!

Seriously--Idaho--Seriously

If you want to practice in Idaho then by all means go to Idaho, but I don't think you really want that for your family.
You know there's a lot of other schools in that region that I'm sure would give you access to the booming Boise market and allow you to have some measure of a life.

UNLV, Utah, U of Denver, Colorado, Pacific McG
I would even go so far as to say some Tier 3 and 4 schools in Cali (Chapman, Southwestern) could probably get it done!

BTW: There's a Uconn 1L taking question on here. Ask him how well Uconn Places in Idaho

I would rather be in Idaho than Newark NJ.

[jwkempf]

Do they even have a website? I tried to search for kicks but couldn't even find it...

Holy crap!! I thought you were being sarcastic.

I can't find the website either

It's not a very good website, but here it is: http://www.uidaho.edu/law/

Let's hope dapoetic1 and coolkatz321's legal research will be stronger than their ability to do internet research...

[coolkatz321]

Do they even have a website? I tried to search for kicks but couldn't even find it...

Holy crap!! I thought you were being sarcastic.

I can't find the website either

It's not a very good website, but here it is: http://www.uidaho.edu/law/

Let's hope dapoetic1 and coolkatz321's legal research will be stronger than their ability to do internet research...

I just think it's a bit absurd that searching for "Idaho Law" on Google doesn't come up with any relevant links. I'm sorry if I didn't feel like going directly to Idaho's website to find out that info.

[ugchicago]

A'nold, if you go to Idaho you'll miss this:



I admittedly am biased, but go for UConn!

[dapoetic1]

@Wardboro--I wasn't saying "diverse" to mean anything specific. I intentionally left it broad because everyone's version of diversity is different. But like you mentioned due to the area the faculty is not exactly going to be the rainbow of cultures that you would get from a larger school. For some diversity of faculty could just be where they got their legal training. A lot of people (myself included) look for a diversity of legal education from their profs as to not all be 'in-bred' for lack of a better term.

@awesomepossum- I think where people live, learn and work is a personal choice. There are some people that relish large, open, rural areas where they can concentrate and study and have very few distractions and interferences. There are some that enjoy the hustle of large, urban populations where they can be entangled with all a big city has to offer. Newark is just one city in NJ, much like Moscow is one city in Idaho. Both have their attractions and both are the right cities for the right people.

@jwkempf--a quick google search actually turns up the Idaho Law Journal before it actually turns up the Law school website--unlike most schools. I assure you I had no trouble getting to the website. It was mere sarcasm.

@A'nold--you mentioned family was one of the decision behind you considering Idaho. I've followed you for some time on this forum and never have I heard you speak about having family out west or even considering Idaho as a prospect. Where exactly is your family and are there any other school's you're considering in order to be closer to them?

[jwkempf]

I just think it's a bit absurd that searching for "Idaho Law" on Google doesn't come up with any relevant links. I'm sorry if I didn't feel like going directly to Idaho's website to find out that info.

Understandable...I simply searched "University of Idaho College of Law" on Google and it was the second link. Granted, it is weird that the first hit on Google is the U of I College of Natural Resources.

[jwkempf]

Do they even have a website? I tried to search for kicks but couldn't even find it...

Holy crap!! I thought you were being sarcastic.

I can't find the website either

dapoetic 1, I guess I missed the sarcasm here, my bad?

[OperaSoprano]

[dapoetic1]

Well now how can you say NO to that

To be fair an unbiased OperaSoprano you should post one of Idaho

[WSULeifJ]

Well now how can you say NO to that

To be fair an unbiased OperaSoprano you should post one of Idaho

She's not unbiased, she wants him to go to UConn.

I did try to find a picture of Idaho's law school and couldn't, the campus is nice though.

[gardners2]

Idaho is literally the dullest state in the country.

Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota would like to have a word with you.

No, swheat is right.

Montana > Wyoming > South Dakota > Guns and Roses > a grilled cheese sandwich > stepping on a rusty nail > your parents catching you masturbating > Idaho

HAHA, Guns and Roses is so awful. I love it.

[OperaSoprano]

--ImageRemoved--

[sbalive]

Well now how can you say NO to that

To be fair an unbiased OperaSoprano you should post one of Idaho

She's not unbiased, she wants him to go to UConn.

I did try to find a picture of Idaho's law school and couldn't, the campus is nice though.