Another TCR.

Will I be missing out on building a west coast network if I go to GW? Seems like there is a lot of west coast loyalty when hiring.

What if I got a good job like this in Cali? I'm going to interview with a big west coast firm (Vault top 25 firm) this Friday in San Diego. They will pay for the rest of my tuition at USD as well if I get in.

I beginning to think this doesn't make sense anymore. Why are so many people throwing money at you?

So if you get this job in California you could go to USD for free? I am not seeing numbers from you on how much this will cost.

Do you mean the law firms or the schools? Only USD is giving me 40%. Most patent law firms (especially in the DC area) will reimburse tuition for patent agents. A patent agent with a bachelors and masters in Electrical Engineering from a top school who has passed the patent bar and has years of work experience is usually in demand.

Yes, I'll go for almost for free (the new firm reiumburses tuition only after the first year I've been with them). If I stay in D.C. I can go for almost free as well (they reimburse tuition on a sliding scale over a number of years, pretty complicated). Keep in mind I'll have to bill 1500 hours at either firm to get the tuition benefits.

Are you going to go part time? Making that kind of billable hours will be nearly impossible as a full time 1L.

Yup, going to part-time program at night. Its gonna totally suck to make even 1500 though.

I was in San Diego yesterday and went to the UofSD campus. It is a place Im thinking about applying to. Its a nice place very "San Diego". Its not exactly a cheap school and living in Cali is expensive but the quality of life would be high..... ya know if you like 70 degree weather all year round.

Don't forget the sunny weekends. I think that during the 23 yrs I lived there there were like five weekends that didn't have at least one nice day in them.

I interviewed for the patent agent position at the SD firm this Friday. They pretty much said an offer is coming. The caveat is its a lot of soft-litigation type of work which means I'll have to bust some serious ass while going to USD (while building rapport and a reputation at the new job). The weather in SD is absolutely gorgeous today. I wonder if I'm going to get to enjoy any of it if I'm busting ass at work followed by part-time school.

The pro for GW is ranking, and I get to still work with my cushy job where I have built rapport and may not have a crazy schedule. Decisions decisions...

You should go to GW because the cost will be low - have you ever posted what it is really going to cost you to go to each of these schools. Cost is a big factor. Usually I saw no to GW - but you have a job, you are settled there and you have connections. You should keep the job you have - they will probably be more willing to work with you regarding time off for exams if they are helping you to pay for school. You have such a good thing going, don't give it up because San Diego has nice weather.

op sd firms want ip people with ties really bad.

Cost is not an issue. Both firms, in D.C. and SD will cover tuition. I don't know if its worth putting off moving for another 4 years for a GW degree...

Can you clarify on this? What kind of ties? Ties to DC or to local schools?

I think he means San Diego firms want people who have ties to San Diego. They want to be sure you won't leave, just like firms in other regions. If you already have a job in San Diego, maybe that helps with ties. If you buy a house and have your family living there, maybe that helps with ties too. Just going to a school somewhere is not in itself a sufficient tie.

Won't you have a job with the firm that is paying for your degree? You don't have to stay there to qualify for them to pay tuition?

I'm cautious so I would stick with the job I have, instead of relocating, starting a brand new job and going to law school all at once. Doing all of these at once is a huge adjustment. But you sound like you want to go to San Diego and get out of DC. If you are that unhappy with DC, you might have a better chance at a job from San Diego if you move now.

I guess you are asking if career wise is going to GW better than SD?

I'm sorry, but if you go to USD, you will have shown extremely poor judgment. Remember that once you become a lawyer, people will be PAYING YOU to give them ADVICE. Going to USD in your situation is BEYOND STUPID.

/rant

I have been relatively dismayed by this tread and the fantasy of San Diego.

Just look at the updated LST data. USD got a impressive 45% while GWU got a dismal 80%.

Yes, that is exactly it. Who knows 10 years down the line if I will want to be in San Diego. A GW degree might serve me better at the time.

While the numbers are in favor for GW, you have to realize I have so much experience that school and ranking might not matter. While USD may suck for other kinds of jobs, patent law is a different animal.

LOL good luck with that assumption, kid.

So you're saying its all about the ranking? I think you're right. Sigh, I might have to stick it out for another 4 years at GDubbs from what the data is suggesting. Oh, metro will you ever fix your escalators!

See, I don't necessarily think that rankings and employment prospects are mutually exclusive. That said, GW, in part due to its location and patent network, will likely afford you substantially more opportunities than SD. Certainly, if you have a connection that will guarantee you employment whether you go to SD or GW, choose SD if that floats your boat. OTOH, assuming that's not the case, it behooves you to consider what kinds of opportunities you're going to face when you finish 1L. Hopefully, you won't have done poorly. But if you do, you're going to have a significantly more difficult time attaining gainful employment from SD than GW. Moreover, as I intimated earlier, if you're a decent interviewer, being near-median at GW with great IP experience really isn't as scary as being similarly situated but without that experience. I strongly doubt the same could be said for SD, but as I have no personal experience, I digress.

I also mentioned before the sheer number of employers at GWs OCI that, on the symplicity listing, seek ONLY applicants with patent/hard science/etc. backgrounds. That cuts the pool to, and this is a guess so don't quote me, probably like 35% of the students in each class (e.g. your competitive cohort). Thus, when you boil it down, you should really get a good number of screening interviews. Then, it's on you, and your personality, to get you to the callback round, offer, etc.

Good luck with your decision, but don't let anyone else make it for you. Do your own research, call both schools, ask questions about OCI, etc. Presumably, you're an adult, so do your diligence and make an informed decision.

edit: I'm actually not sure to whom this is directed, but it addresses situations similar to that which the OP faces. Now back to bar study...