UF Law v. FSU Law Forum

[The Dark Shepard]

Would going to UF/FSU without ties to FL but also no debt be a very bad idea?

probably imo. Why do you want to work on Florida? And if you don't it is def a bad idea.

Weather

eww

[tortsandtiaras]

Anyone want to use my FSU fee waiver? It's a code number (Not sure if it'll work on someone else's account). I already applied and they just now sent me one, but the e-mail states, "If you apply, submit payment and do not use this code, neither FSU Law nor LSAC can refund your application fee." Let me know!

[Roberrrrto]

Hey guys! I just started my second semester at UF Law and wanted to pass along another great reason why in hindsight I am very happy I chose UF over FSU (If you look back to page 1 of the thread, I'm the OP and it was a tough decision). As I'm sure you know, jobs are hard to find. Finding a summer jobs as a 1L is even harder.

UF Law has an amazing academic externship program that is really beneficial. You get academic credit for interning. This summer, I will be interning for a Federal Judge and earning 6 academic credits (requires 8 weeks, 40 hours per week). The link to the 2 part guide is below. It contains all of the employers that have agreed to be a part of the program. It truly is incredible.


Part 1: http://www.law.ufl.edu/wordpress/wp-con ... 4-2014.pdf
Part 2: http://www.law.ufl.edu/wordpress/wp-con ... er-PG2.pdf

[BigZuck]

Hey guys! I just started my second semester at UF Law and wanted to pass along another great reason why in hindsight I am very happy I chose UF over FSU (If you look back to page 1 of the thread, I'm the OP and it was a tough decision). As I'm sure you know, jobs are hard to find. Finding a summer jobs as a 1L is even harder.

UF Law has an amazing academic externship program that is really beneficial. You get academic credit for interning. This summer, I will be interning for a Federal Judge and earning 6 academic credits (requires 8 weeks, 40 hours per week). The link to the 2 part guide is below. It contains all of the employers that have agreed to be a part of the program. It truly is incredible.


Part 1: http://www.law.ufl.edu/wordpress/wp-con ... 4-2014.pdf
Part 2: http://www.law.ufl.edu/wordpress/wp-con ... er-PG2.pdf

Finding a summer job as a 1L is easy

[sublime]

..

[TheSpanishMain]

Finding a summer internship is not hard when you're offering to work for free.

Really prestigious, sought after stuff is competitive, but beyond that it's pretty cake.

[Cicero76]

Paying money out of my pocket to work 40 hours/week for free sounds more like my idea of a nightmare than a reason to choose a school

[A. Nony Mouse]

Also, I'm pretty sure every school lets you intern for credit.

[Cicero76]

Also, I'm pretty sure every school lets you intern for credit.

Not mine lol

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, but you get smiley faces.

[sublime]

..

[lsfox86]

you're a dumb ass for posting that guide

[lawschoolbound94]

OP you actually posted the overall school rankings, not the law schools rankings.

UF and FSU law ranking is actually just a few spots apart and are peers. FSU is actually ranked higher.

Pick the cheapest one.

[Mr.Scoops]

The general consensus is UF is better for private practice, FSU for government jobs. This is reflected in their stats. While FSU has higher employment a good portion of these are lower paying government jobs, hence why UF has higher salaries. Not a bad thing at all it just comes down to preference of what you want your career path to be. UF has a considerably higher rep throughout the state and therefore does better in the major markets such as South Florida, Tampa Bay, Orlando and Jax. FSU dominates the capital and government offices throughout the state. I know a lot of attorneys throughout the state. The really well off ones are the UF grads. Maybe that tide is turning a bit with recent grads but it definitely has not effected the state-wide reps of either school yet.

There was mention of the social aspect earlier in the thread, which in this state is all people seem to care about. FSU girls are hotter, they have a better campus IMO and Tallahassee is overall a much better, more interesting city to live in but saying you're from UF will undoubtedly help you more with the opposite (or same) sex after you're done with school. Again, it all comes down to UF being much more prestigious and the whole "went to FSU only because you didn't get into UF" thing people have down here.

They're both good values especially for in-staters at ~22K per year. Just don't go to either if you want to work outside of the state. If you want to do private sector work in the state UF is a terrific choice. If you want to do govt work in Florida, then FSU is a terrific choice.

[wat]

FSU Law is much newer than UF Law. This is probably a factor in the perception that UF is better for private sector work.

FSU Law has a much younger alumni network. There are more legacies and children (and grandchildren) of Gator attorneys, who have the inherent networking advantages and connections of coming from that background. If you are not from that walk of life, I doubt one school is better than the other.

[sanjola]

You'll be marked if you go to either school.

Stetson is TCR.

[medtolaw]

Is UF or FSU more generous with scholarships?

[FuturePanhandler]

Is UF or FSU more generous with scholarships?

FSU used to be more generous, but UF has stepped it up the last couple years, and announced that they're tripling scholarship amounts this cycle. I posted a link to the article in the UF applicants thread.
'

[FuturePanhandler]

You'll be marked if you go to either school.

Stetson is TCR.

I'm assuming this is trolling, but in case someone sees this later on, this is wrong.

Even if you really are "marked" by FSU alums if you go to UF and vice versa, Stetson is even worse because you'd be marked by both FSU AND UF alums.

[Roberrrrto]

OP here. Now a 2L at UF Law. I wanted to give an update that may assist some people making a decision.

First, Dean Rosenbury, the new dean, is awesome! She has made it her personal mission to raise UF Law's US News ranking to the level of the school's perceived prestige, somewhere in the 30s. She has already started working on this by modernizing the admissions process and replacing the old Assistant Dean of Admissions. The academic statement requirement (vice personal statement) is gone and decisions are going out much faster. The admissions office has also been given $3,000,000 for scholarships with the directive of improving our median LSAT.

In addition, she is really focused on finding students jobs. She has already travelled the state meeting alumni and is working on regional hire a Gator events for firms that don't want to make the trip to Gainesville.

Second, just so everyone knows my status, I did end up getting a big law summer associate position. Last summer, I interned with a federal judge in South Florida (side note: more than half the interns in the federal courthouse were from UM, about 25% UF, a few from the T-14, and then 1 from FSU). Would either of these things have happened were my class rank not so good? Probably not. Yet, at least the opportunity is there if you apply yourself.

Good luck to all the future students that have the opportunity to attend either UF or FSU for law school. It's a tough decision.

[medtolaw]

Is UF or FSU more generous with scholarships?

FSU used to be more generous, but UF has stepped it up the last couple years, and announced that they're tripling scholarship amounts this cycle. I posted a link to the article in the UF applicants thread.
'

Thanks for the info!

[zerato5]

Bumping this for updates

[l3g@l33s3]

Bumping this for updates

+1

[RParadela]

Bumping this for updates

Update: don't listen to the bullshit Roberto spews lol

[lavarman84]

Bumping this for updates

+1

What sort of updates do y'all want?