BC vs. BU - Is there really a difference? Forum

[84Sunbird2000]

Can anyone interpret this link: http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1 under MA? It seems like BC places better in NLJ 250 firms?

Yes, BC placed about 5% better in the NLJ250. It's always weird seeing some of the schools near the bottom of this list - schools way outside the Top 100 place more than 5% into NLJ250 firms. Franklin Pierce, West Virginia, Duquesne, Syracuse, Cleveland State, and Loyola (New Orleans) are the main surprses. Howard's is the most out-of-place, but realizing it is a HBC, it makes more sense

Back to Boston. If you look at slightly older rankings, BC and BU can flip-flop year to year, they are probably the two most similar schools in T1. Same metro, very nearly same medians for acceptance, same salary medians, same Biglaw placement, BC a bit more gov't, BU a bit more PI.

[tram988]

Can anyone interpret this link: http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1 under MA? It seems like BC places better in NLJ 250 firms?

Yes, BC placed about 5% better in the NLJ250. It's always weird seeing some of the schools near the bottom of this list - schools way outside the Top 100 place more than 5% into NLJ250 firms. Franklin Pierce, West Virginia, Duquesne, Syracuse, Cleveland State, and Loyola (New Orleans) are the main surprses. Howard's is the most out-of-place, but realizing it is a HBC, it makes more sense

Back to Boston. If you look at slightly older rankings, BC and BU can flip-flop year to year, they are probably the two most similar schools in T1. Same metro, very nearly same medians for acceptance, same salary medians, same Biglaw placement, BC a bit more gov't, BU a bit more PI.

Thanks! It is true that the schools are ridiculuously similar. I guess it really comes down to which school you get the better vibe from. For me, so far at least, it is BC. I went to the campus and fell in love. I also took a tour of BU with a meeting with an admissions counselor and that woman had to be the coldest individual I have ever met (not that I would solely rule out a school because of a bad meeting with a single person).

I think we all need to visit both campus/sit in on classes and then make a decision.

[Blindmelon]

That data is a little old, and yes BC/BU flip flop in firm placement year to year. Its probably from self selection. Last year, BU beat out BC by about the same margin. If you look at Leiter's rankings, BU actually does better consistently at top firms than BC does.

Also, according to that data, BU places more grads in Boston, even though it places less in New England overall. So maybe that BC larger Boston alumni network is just a TLS urban legend?

[tram988]

That data is a little old, and yes BC/BU flip flop in firm placement year to year. Its probably from self selection. Last year, BU beat out BC by about the same margin. If you look at Leiter's rankings, BU actually does better consistently at top firms than BC does.

Also, according to that data, BU places more grads in Boston, even though it places less in New England overall. So maybe that BC larger Boston alumni network is just a TLS urban legend?

I dont know about this. Isnt that data from 2008? Also I have heard consistently that BC is stronger in Boston than BU. However, it is true that BU is a tiny bit more national (if you can call decent placement in CA and NY national). I still think the schools are absolutely equivalent.

EDIT-- the data is from 2005 not 2008.

[tram988]

Additionally I think the reason why BC many be a tiny bit more prestigious to the layman in Boston is simply due to undergrad prestige. BC is ranked as a tier one (I think 34 nationally) while BU is a tier 2 (56 I believe).

[starstruck393]

Additionally I think the reason why BC many be a tiny bit more prestigious to the layman in Boston is simply due to undergrad prestige. BC is ranked as a tier one (I think 34 nationally) while BU is a tier 2 (56 I believe).

Sports may play into that some, as BC is much more in the mainstream with basketball and football (and hockey), and BU is really only a hockey power. It took me a long time to realize that BU even existed (I think the first few times I heard it I thought it was someone screwing up the name of BC). I think BU suffers from the University of Chicago / Penn-Penn St. syndrome in that sense where those unfamiliar with it confuse it with something else, underestimate its quality or simply don't know it exists. BC definitely has more lay prestige.

Really though, these schools are twins. They're exactly the same. Minor fluctuations in placement are just caused by random statistical variation, and job prospects in any area (biglaw, midlaw, govt, pi, etc) will be dependent much more so on grades than on which school you attend. So if the costs will be about the same go to the one you think you'll enjoy more, and if there's a sizable difference weigh whether the cost difference outweighs the happiness difference...

[tram988]

Additionally I think the reason why BC many be a tiny bit more prestigious to the layman in Boston is simply due to undergrad prestige. BC is ranked as a tier one (I think 34 nationally) while BU is a tier 2 (56 I believe).

Sports may play into that some, as BC is much more in the mainstream with basketball and football (and hockey), and BU is really only a hockey power. It took me a long time to realize that BU even existed (I think the first few times I heard it I thought it was someone screwing up the name of BC). I think BU suffers from the University of Chicago / Penn-Penn St. syndrome in that sense where those unfamiliar with it confuse it with something else, underestimate its quality or simply don't know it exists. BC definitely has more lay prestige.

Really though, these schools are twins. They're exactly the same. Minor fluctuations in placement are just caused by random statistical variation, and job prospects in any area (biglaw, midlaw, govt, pi, etc) will be dependent much more so on grades than on which school you attend. So if the costs will be about the same go to the one you think you'll enjoy more, and if there's a sizable difference weigh whether the cost difference outweighs the happiness difference...

Couldn't have worded it better myself.

[Blindmelon]

Additionally I think the reason why BC many be a tiny bit more prestigious to the layman in Boston is simply due to undergrad prestige. BC is ranked as a tier one (I think 34 nationally) while BU is a tier 2 (56 I believe).

Sports may play into that some, as BC is much more in the mainstream with basketball and football (and hockey), and BU is really only a hockey power. It took me a long time to realize that BU even existed (I think the first few times I heard it I thought it was someone screwing up the name of BC). I think BU suffers from the University of Chicago / Penn-Penn St. syndrome in that sense where those unfamiliar with it confuse it with something else, underestimate its quality or simply don't know it exists. BC definitely has more lay prestige.

Really though, these schools are twins. They're exactly the same. Minor fluctuations in placement are just caused by random statistical variation, and job prospects in any area (biglaw, midlaw, govt, pi, etc) will be dependent much more so on grades than on which school you attend. So if the costs will be about the same go to the one you think you'll enjoy more, and if there's a sizable difference weigh whether the cost difference outweighs the happiness difference...

Couldn't have worded it better myself.

I agree with this as well... except BU is ranked higher, boo yaaaa

[fivestarsoul]

No one seems to have mentioned two distinctive factors (one for each school):

(1) BC's Jesuit affiliation

(2) BU's building (which is a brutalist cement nightmare)

Do either of these matter?

[daniel5215]

No one seems to have mentioned two distinctive factors (one for each school):

(1) BC's Jesuit affiliation

(2) BU's building (which is a brutalist cement nightmare)

Do either of these matter?

(1) No. From my correspondence with BC regarding its Jesuit affiliation:

BC Law’s Jesuit and Catholic heritage is primarily expressed in the Jesuit commitment to social justice and education—as far as doctrinal issues go, BC Law doesn’t really promote the Catholic mainline viewpoint very aggressively.

(2) No idea.

[Blindmelon]

No one seems to have mentioned two distinctive factors (one for each school):

(1) BC's Jesuit affiliation

(2) BU's building (which is a brutalist cement nightmare)

Do either of these matter?

(1) No. From my correspondence with BC regarding its Jesuit affiliation:

BC Law’s Jesuit and Catholic heritage is primarily expressed in the Jesuit commitment to social justice and education—as far as doctrinal issues go, BC Law doesn’t really promote the Catholic mainline viewpoint very aggressively.

(2) No idea.

I don't think it matters much... but I have 2 openly gay friends at BU who said they preferred BU over BC because BU seemed much more open-minded/gay friendly. It could have a lot to do with the religious affiliation.