Top Law Schools

r6_philly wrote:

Nelson wrote:

r6_philly wrote:Just to add, they didn't match mine, but they gave a good offer. I don't know anyone who received an exact match, but the sample is small.

You were negotiating with an MVB offer(s)? I'm pretty annoyed that I'm not going to have any leverage with Penn since I'm not going to get into UVA or Mich. I would really prefer to go to Penn but don't think it's smart over CC if they're all at sticker or roughly equivalent.

I had a substantially larger V offer. I think enough for most people to choose V. Penn did changed the initial offer, but maybe most people would have chosen the V offer still. I had my personal preferences, so it worked out well for me. My M offer was smaller. My B offer was comparable. I had pretty much a full offer from UT. I was not really successful with negotiating with MVBD, but I can tell you B was more willing to listen. I appreciate that Penn took my negotiation seriously, but don't expect a full match.

Was your Penn decision based totally on personal reasons, or do you think Penn gave you better prospects than Michigan or Virginia? I really really like Penn and am looking for reasons to choose it over Michigan, haha.

Nobody wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

Nelson wrote:

r6_philly wrote:Just to add, they didn't match mine, but they gave a good offer. I don't know anyone who received an exact match, but the sample is small.

You were negotiating with an MVB offer(s)? I'm pretty annoyed that I'm not going to have any leverage with Penn since I'm not going to get into UVA or Mich. I would really prefer to go to Penn but don't think it's smart over CC if they're all at sticker or roughly equivalent.

I had a substantially larger V offer. I think enough for most people to choose V. Penn did changed the initial offer, but maybe most people would have chosen the V offer still. I had my personal preferences, so it worked out well for me. My M offer was smaller. My B offer was comparable. I had pretty much a full offer from UT. I was not really successful with negotiating with MVBD, but I can tell you B was more willing to listen. I appreciate that Penn took my negotiation seriously, but don't expect a full match.

Was your Penn decision based totally on personal reasons, or do you think Penn gave you better prospects than Michigan or Virginia? I really really like Penn and am looking for reasons to choose it over Michigan, haha.

I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

lsdream wrote:

Nobody wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

Nelson wrote: You were negotiating with an MVB offer(s)? I'm pretty annoyed that I'm not going to have any leverage with Penn since I'm not going to get into UVA or Mich. I would really prefer to go to Penn but don't think it's smart over CC if they're all at sticker or roughly equivalent.

I had a substantially larger V offer. I think enough for most people to choose V. Penn did changed the initial offer, but maybe most people would have chosen the V offer still. I had my personal preferences, so it worked out well for me. My M offer was smaller. My B offer was comparable. I had pretty much a full offer from UT. I was not really successful with negotiating with MVBD, but I can tell you B was more willing to listen. I appreciate that Penn took my negotiation seriously, but don't expect a full match.

Was your Penn decision based totally on personal reasons, or do you think Penn gave you better prospects than Michigan or Virginia? I really really like Penn and am looking for reasons to choose it over Michigan, haha.

I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

I'm just a 0L but the main reason I chose to ED to Penn over UVA or Michigan was job prospects. Check out LawSchoolTransparency.com if you haven't.

lsdream wrote:I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

Assuming equal cost of attendance for all three, where do you want to work?

Penn offered similar or better job prospects nationally over MV, plus has a huge advantage in Philly, so for me it meant a lot. Philly also offered more things for me than A2 or Cville, which also mattered a lot for me. I don't simply mean student life type of things, but in terms of opportunity to do community service and part-time work.

ASW info up. I am excited about this:

Saturday, March 24, 2012
8:30 a.m. Morning Run – Schuylkill River Trail (all levels welcome)

Awesome. I love Penn already.

Nelson wrote:

lsdream wrote:I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

Assuming equal cost of attendance for all three, where do you want to work?

I believe the mid atlantic area is where I prefer to work and live. I'm very interested in a clerkship after LS. I currently have a substantial scholly offer from UVA.

lsdream wrote:

Nelson wrote:

lsdream wrote:I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

Assuming equal cost of attendance for all three, where do you want to work?

I believe the mid atlantic area is where I prefer to work and live. I'm very interested in a clerkship after LS. I currently have a substantial scholly offer from UVA.

With that big money from UVA (which I saw on LSN) I would most likely go with that. Penn won't match that unless you get one of the named scholarships, so then it's a matter of how much you value (monetarily) a Chicago degree over a UVA degree. I don't think it's worth the amount that you've been offered at UVA. But isn't Chicago known for/big on clerkships?

I have the same options except UVA didn't give me the money upfront. At this point I'm trying to set parameters for how much I'm putting the UChi degree over MVPB (mostly Penn since that's my preference of them), and I'm personally valuing at UChicago education at about 30-50k (maximum) more than UPenn. So we'll see what happens. But in your situation, I would take UVA money and run.

lsdream wrote:

Nelson wrote:

lsdream wrote:I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

Assuming equal cost of attendance for all three, where do you want to work?

I believe the mid atlantic area is where I prefer to work and live. I'm very interested in a clerkship after LS. I currently have a substantial scholly offer from UVA.

Where specifically in the Mid-Atlantic area?

SO HAPPY to be joining you guys here!

Jewel628 wrote:SO HAPPY to be joining you guys here!

Yay, more classmates! 5 years WE also, Jewel? You're an oldy, like myself

Smumps wrote:

Jewel628 wrote:SO HAPPY to be joining you guys here!

Yay, more classmates! 5 years WE also, Jewel? You're an oldy, like myself

Yep--will be 5 years in July Still amazed about all this!

HeavenWood wrote:

lsdream wrote:

Nelson wrote:

lsdream wrote:I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between UVA, Penn, and UChicago. Very difficult decision.

Assuming equal cost of attendance for all three, where do you want to work?

I believe the mid atlantic area is where I prefer to work and live. I'm very interested in a clerkship after LS. I currently have a substantial scholly offer from UVA.

Where specifically in the Mid-Atlantic area?

Probably DC, but I moved often growing up so I'm fairly flexible.

checking in - was accepted on Friday! Definitely in for ASW - this will be a tough decision...

Jewel628 wrote:

Smumps wrote:

Jewel628 wrote:SO HAPPY to be joining you guys here!

Yay, more classmates! 5 years WE also, Jewel? You're an oldy, like myself

Yep--will be 5 years in July Still amazed about all this!

I'm an oldy as well

5 years do not make an oldy. Are you guys old enough to post in the oldies thread? If so post there!

Does oldies mean 30 and over . . . then probably not . . .

Does anyone have any housing suggestions for someone who would like to be close to Penn but pay about $1000 or less in rent?

Is looking at apts during ASW too early?

Jewel628 wrote:Does oldies mean 30 and over . . . then probably not . . .

Does anyone have any housing suggestions for someone who would like to be close to Penn but pay about $1000 or less in rent?

Is looking at apts during ASW too early?

+1 also interested in this!

Hey, for Penn ASW, we should do a TLS dim sum on that Saturday. Imperial Inn is cheap and delicious

justicefishy wrote:Hey, for Penn ASW, we should do a TLS dim sum on that Saturday. Imperial Inn is cheap and delicious

So down!

ETA: Someone internet-savvy should set up a google docs/excel spreadsheet like the NU kids did.

Just booked my ticket for ASW! Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Edit: Anyone know of any places within walking distance of the school that are reasonably priced besides Sansom?

Hey everybody. I just got my acceptance packet from Penn in the mail today. I'm starting to get excited about Penn, even though I sort of applied on a whim.

A question for those in the know (lookin' at you, R6): Penn places well in NYC, yeah? Well, I want to avoid NYC biglaw like the plague. Do you have any thoughts about how far the Penn name carries outside the Northeast? I know it's an Ivy, but most people here haven't heard of it. I would think lawyers at least would know the reputation of Penn. I really want to work in the Pacific Northwest, either in Seattle or Portland. What do you think? Is Penn a good place for someone who doesn't want to work in New England or DC? Is it self-selection?

Finally: why is it Harvard and Georgetown that people here in the Pac NW know of? What gives?

It's because of self-selection, and the fact that NYC is the only safe market. Jobs in the other far away markets are so limited, I think sometimes people end up in NYC because their first choice city is hard to get into. It's just simply easier to get jobs in NYC compared to other places.

That said, many people with ties to secondary markets go back to the markets. If you have specific questions about PNW, email/call admissions and ask them to refer you to some alums working in the area and get their perspective. They matched me with a couple of people when I was considering, and it turned out to be really helpful.

While the lay reputation isn't as widely recognized as we'd like, all legal employers know what Penn is about. So you shouldn't worry about the brand.

r6_philly wrote:It's because of self-selection, and the fact that NYC is the only safe market. Jobs in the other far away markets are so limited, I think sometimes people end up in NYC because their first choice city is hard to get into. It's just simply easier to get jobs in NYC compared to other places.

That said, many people with ties to secondary markets go back to the markets. If you have specific questions about PNW, email/call admissions and ask them to refer you to some alums working in the area and get their perspective. They matched me with a couple of people when I was considering, and it turned out to be really helpful.

While the lay reputation isn't as widely recognized as we'd like, all legal employers know what Penn is about. So you shouldn't worry about the brand.

Thank you!

I asked the admissions office for some names, but they were only able to give me people to contact in Seattle (not Portland), but said they would keep looking. On a related note, I already booked a trip to see GULC and Cornell before hearing back from Penn. Now that I'm in, I would like to visit, but can only squeeze in a Saturday afternoon. I assume the law building will be open. Is it worth walking around? If I only have 6 hours, what should I do to get a feel for the place? Obviously, this isn't how I'd like to visit, but my hand is forced.

Campagnolo wrote:

r6_philly wrote:It's because of self-selection, and the fact that NYC is the only safe market. Jobs in the other far away markets are so limited, I think sometimes people end up in NYC because their first choice city is hard to get into. It's just simply easier to get jobs in NYC compared to other places.

That said, many people with ties to secondary markets go back to the markets. If you have specific questions about PNW, email/call admissions and ask them to refer you to some alums working in the area and get their perspective. They matched me with a couple of people when I was considering, and it turned out to be really helpful.

While the lay reputation isn't as widely recognized as we'd like, all legal employers know what Penn is about. So you shouldn't worry about the brand.

Thank you!

I asked the admissions office for some names, but they were only able to give me people to contact in Seattle (not Portland), but said they would keep looking. On a related note, I already booked a trip to see GULC and Cornell before hearing back from Penn. Now that I'm in, I would like to visit, but can only squeeze in a Saturday afternoon. I assume the law building will be open. Is it worth walking around? If I only have 6 hours, what should I do to get a feel for the place? Obviously, this isn't how I'd like to visit, but my hand is forced.

I'm just a 0L from the Philly area, so I have no idea about the law building itself, but I'd suggest splitting your time roughly 50/50 between exploring University City and Center City. And get a cheesesteak.