Best Quality of Life in the Top 30 Forum

[irishman86]

on the other hand the Bay Area in the winter is cold as hell.

Yeah, maybe if you're used to life in L.A.!

This is my first winter in the Bay and I've never needed more than a hoodie on any single day. Given decades of truly cold winters in my past, it's amazing.

It's funny hearing people from CA (NoCal or SoCal) talk about how cold it is in SF. I mean I know the sun isn't out for 12 hours a day, but where I live now we sometimes go a couple weeks without getting out of the single digits in the winter. Sometimes without getting above 0.

e: the answer is yes, when people talk about the "bad" weather in CA it really strikes a nerve to me. I'm just jealous.

SF is just really, really windy most times of the year. I prefer NYC with the snow over windy places.

[heyguys]

Going into law school, I would have said Stanford; however, in this economy I have to say Yale--it's extremely laid back.

[umichgrad]

The QOL at Michigan is insane. Aside from a couple months of sub-freezing temps and "frostbite days" (which really can take some getting used to), the overall atmosphere is phenomenal. I would go back in a heartbeat if I had the #s to get in.

And to the poster that asked about "fratty-ness", the law school and grad school at Mich in general is not that closely linked with undergrad. UG kids mostly ignore the grad students, and grad students have their own bars/restaurants and housing in different areas.

Michigan FTW

[holborn]

What sort of atmosphere does Michigan project? How integrated is the law school with the university community on the whole? I go to a New England LAC and while I don't mind the idea of a (much) bigger school, I'm not interested in a really fratty state school-type atmosphere.

If I had to use a word I would say 'friendly'. Most people are really excited to be there and LOVE Michigan. Just look at all the UofM undergrads/alumni on this site (me included) who come out of the woodwork everytime Michigan is mentioned to gush about it. Because its so big, there is every type. There are fratty people. And I would be lying if I said drinking and partying werent a big scene. But the 'intellectual life' (cant think of better phrase) there is just as good as the party scene. There are always lectures, talks, concerts, plays, museums, etc. Not like nyc but great of a town of its size. People there are enthusiastic about Michigan and about learning. It really is a great collegial atmosphere.

[zizou]

I would say GW and GULC. After living in DC, my opinion is that it is big enough that there is a lot to do (plus good public transportation), while not so big that it is unliveable.