Tulane vs. UF (last minute!) Forum

[Skyhook]

I voted Tulane.

You mentioned your interest in the programs at Tulane are a better fit - great!
And with your ties to the company based in NO that seems to be a good move.
Seems like employment stats are similar for both.

Your SO needs to find work and will have much better chance in Nawlins than Gainesville, especially in the hospitality scene (I think you mentioned that before).
Tulane IS well-known.
Going to Tulane gives you access to more areas than just FL, where you do already have ties.

I haven't lived in G-ville or NO, but from visiting both, NO seems infinitely better. Way more stuff to do, still the warm weather, not just a collegetown. I like vibrant cities. Pity I can't get into a law school that's in one and a good price

[FeelTheHeat]

I voted Tulane.

You mentioned your interest in the programs at Tulane are a better fit - great!
And with your ties to the company based in NO that seems to be a good move.
Seems like employment stats are similar for both.

Your SO needs to find work and will have much better chance in Nawlins than Gainesville, especially in the hospitality scene (I think you mentioned that before).
Tulane IS well-known.
Going to Tulane gives you access to more areas than just FL, where you do already have ties.

I haven't lived in G-ville or NO, but from visiting both, NO seems infinitely better. Way more stuff to do, still the warm weather, not just a collegetown. I like vibrant cities. Pity I can't get into a law school that's in one and a good price

This is a big one. If you are already determined to live in FL (like me), then I think UF is the right choice.

The thing was, if you were going to go to another school for the new markets and so forth, I think Illinois would have been a far better choice.

[Aberzombie1892]

This is a big one. If you are already determined to live in FL (like me), then I think UF is the right choice.

The thing was, if you were going to go to another school for the new markets and so forth, I think Illinois would have been a far better choice.

I would say that attending Tulane automatically gives her access to New Orleans (and increased chances of NY and TX - dependent on grades).

EDIT: There are the off campus programs too, but I have no experience with them (NY/DC/GA/MA/CA).

[BarbellDreams]

If CoA is equal and you have no regional preference between the two I really suggest visiting and seeing which feels like the better environment. I think this is really the only way to answer your question (unless you want to do Tax, then its UF by a mile).

[FeelTheHeat]

The access to the NO legal market is definitely a plus, as it grants another option. I'm uninformed as to how ITE is there, however.

I don't know if I'll concede that it gives any substantial difference with jobs in TX and especially NY. Besides, in my time of knowing her Barbie doesn't strike me as an NY type of girl lol. Back to my point, Given the consensus that everything outside the T14 is totally regional (btw, I'm not a stickler for rankings at all; I believe once you get past the T20 or so you should pick the best school in the market you want to work in), I have a hard time believing that Tulane would be the exception in that it provides a considerable difference with mobility compared to other schools of its stature.

I'm split pretty even on this, for the record. I think the school she feels most comfortable at should be the primary factor, followed by her hub's job opportunities/offers/whatever.

[lawboy81]

I, and many people I know, have no clue how good Tulane Law is, or even that it exists. In fact, I would have believed it was TTTT. I know that might sound dumb, but it is how the majority of America would react to hearing you went to law school there (not the case for UF). The University of Florida is on a whole other level compared to Tulane, and I don't care what the employment, or rankings, tells us (which is nothing anyway). So go to the bigger, better known/nationally recognized, just as affordable, in a better state, better sports, bigger alumni base, and BETTER EVERYTHING school!

Unless it’s for family reasons, you would have to be crazy to go T>UF, IMO.

Plus, you seem like a really nice person, and you should go to UF and chill with us cool kids.

PHT

I grew up in a Southern state that is not Louisana or Florida. I definitely knew of both Tulane and Florida but my impression was that Tulane is a great school for academics and Florida is a football school. I hd no idea that Florida was any better than Florida State and, in fact, wuld probably hve guessed the opposite. I think this is pretty typical. Outside of the few top public schools like Berkely, UCLA, Virginia, and maybe UNC and Michigan, they don't realy get much respect outsde of their state. I think this is pretty true for law schools as well. I'm not saying Tulne i actually ay better than Florida, but i propbably gives you a littlemore mobility. I'm certainly not saying it will give you a lot of mobility though.

[lawboy81]

PS, just b/c you go to Tulane doesn't mean you have instant access to NO market. New Orleanians are suspicious of outsiders and will assume you don't want to stay there if you're not from there.

[LSATmakesMeNeurotic]

I, and many people I know, have no clue how good Tulane Law is, or even that it exists. In fact, I would have believed it was TTTT. I know that might sound dumb, but it is how the majority of America would react to hearing you went to law school there (not the case for UF). The University of Florida is on a whole other level compared to Tulane, and I don't care what the employment, or rankings, tells us (which is nothing anyway). So go to the bigger, better known/nationally recognized, just as affordable, in a better state, better sports, bigger alumni base, and BETTER EVERYTHING school!

Unless it’s for family reasons, you would have to be crazy to go T>UF, IMO.

Plus, you seem like a really nice person, and you should go to UF and chill with us cool kids.

PHT

I grew up in a Southern state that is not Louisana or Florida. I definitely knew of both Tulane and Florida but my impression was that Tulane is a great school for academics and Florida is a football school. I hd no idea that Florida was any better than Florida State and, in fact, wuld probably hve guessed the opposite. I think this is pretty typical. Outside of the few top public schools like Berkely, UCLA, Virginia, and maybe UNC and Michigan, they don't realy get much respect outsde of their state. I think this is pretty true for law schools as well. I'm not saying Tulne i actually ay better than Florida, but i propbably gives you a littlemore mobility. I'm certainly not saying it will give you a lot of mobility though.

anecdotal evidence!!!
I think the reason UF is known as a football school in the south is because in the south, football is a religion, and the SEC is God. I had the opportunity to go to both for undergrad and didn't even think twice about Tulane (although to be fair, I graduated two years after Katrina and NO was still recovering). To counter your anecdotal evidence, I have had multiple people come up to me in NYC and ask me what I'm studying etc. and have gotten many a "Go Gators" thrown my way. I think UF is pretty well known in other states.

[Barbie]

I appreciate the feedback! I've made a Pros/Cons list, obviously pre-Tulane visit:

PROS:

Tulane- 1. Programs better for my interests. 2. Better environment for hubby to get a job which could potentially make a big difference in my amt of debt. 3. A bit more mobility through other states in the south east (my #1 target markets are GA/Bama/NC/Tenn etc). 4. Better curve? (need this verified)

Florida- 1. Home sweet home (possibly ties) and close to our FAMILIES! 2. Decently cheap no matter what. 3. I already have a deposit on a sweet ass house.

CONS:

Tulane- 1. Far away from my family and home. 2. Could possibly lose scholarship and have to pay $$$$$.

Florida- 1. Living in Florida foreverrrr. 2. No programs specific to my interests.


Need verified/question: Tulane curve vs. UF curve? COL differences?

[snapdragon]

Barbie, just wanted to add that I voted for Tulane and my main reason for doing so was your husband. I think he'll have a much better time finding a job in a metropolitan area and that will probably make a large difference both to your COL and your quality of life.

Also it seems like Tulane is a good compromise between getting out of FL for a bit and opening up new markets (the Southeast) that you know, have connections in and would be happy living in (as opposed to going to a school that places regionally in a region that you're uncertain of and is very far away from FL).

Either way though, I think you'll be happy!

[Sandro]

Illinois

[Aberzombie1892]

Barbie,

Also ask practicing attorney's outside of both Louisiana and Florida what they think (primarily in the states you are looking to work in). If you miss employment through OCI, these are the people who you will be sending your resume to.

Also, why has no UF person commented on Florida's curve?

[FeelTheHeat]

Its 3.1-3.2

Also, I'm with Sandro. If you are going to leave FL (which is part of the reason you picked UF), might as well do it right and go to a more prestigious school than either UF or Tulane.

[FeelTheHeat]

Also, I think earlier it was posted that a higher curve is more beneficial to being hired. Is there any proof of this? If it were true, hiring statistics would significantly different, and they are practically identical.

[Barbie]

Its 3.1-3.2

Also, I'm with Sandro. If you are going to leave FL (which is part of the reason you picked UF), might as well do it right and go to a more prestigious school than either UF or Tulane.

But thats a whole different region. I don't want to work in the midwest... I want to work in the south! Just not FL nor LA specifically... but pretty much any other south-east state

[Sandro]

in that case, I vote Emory !

[Barbie]

in that case, I vote Emory !

You're annoying Go prepare your face of distraught for the FL/GA game.

[Aberzombie1892]

Also, I think earlier it was posted that a higher curve is more beneficial to being hired. Is there any proof of this? If it were true, hiring statistics would significantly different, and they are practically identical.

Tulane's first class with the new curve won't graduate until 2013.

You won't believe how many employers I interviewed with that actually told me they had 3.0 hard floors (mid law and gov).

EDIT: Haha. I feel like FeelTheHeat and I are playing tug-of-war with Barbie's soul. Barbie, I know it can be a hard decision, and I'm certain FeelTheHeat will agree. Because you have ties to FL, it simply comes down to had badly you want to work outside of FL. That's essentially it. Every other factor, outside of personal reasons, is just the differences between the schools. They do different things.

I will say that Tulane recently instituted an new externship program to get 1L's internships that they will receive academic credit for. While most of the internships are instate (Courts[including fifth Cir. COA], government, and public interest), some are international (we have about 11 1L's overseas for the summer). I think it's pretty neat and it's actually a sign that the new dean takes employment seriously here.

[Barbie]

Also, I think earlier it was posted that a higher curve is more beneficial to being hired. Is there any proof of this? If it were true, hiring statistics would significantly different, and they are practically identical.

Tulane's first class with the new curve won't graduate until 2013.

You won't believe how many employers I interviewed with that actually told me they had 3.0 hard floors (mid law and gov).

What is the new curve? and the old one?

[Aberzombie1892]

Our old one was worse than UF's.

It was a 2.9-3.1. But it generally landed at roughly 3.0. UF's apparently has been 3.1-3.2 for awhile.

Our new one is 3.2-3.3. We don't have a first year median with it yet. It will likely be about 3.25.

Don't let their similarity fool you. GPA's are clustered around the median. So, under our new curve, about 75% of the class will have above a 3.0 first year.

[lawboy81]

barbie -- you're right about Illinois. Just because it's higher ranked than Tulane or Florida doesn't mean it's more national and certainly doesn't mean you'll have more opportunities in the Southeast. I think Tulane will have slightly better opportunities through the SE, but it's no guarantee by a long shot. Whichever school you go to, do well. Sounds like yu're really torn. What does your fiance want? I mean, isn't it partl up to him.

[Barbie]

barbie -- you're right about Illinois. Just because it's higher ranked than Tulane or Florida doesn't mean it's more national and certainly doesn't mean you'll have more opportunities in the Southeast. I think Tulane will have slightly better opportunities through the SE, but it's no guarantee by a long shot. Whichever school you go to, do well. Sounds like yu're really torn. What does your fiance want? I mean, isn't it partl up to him.

He won't tell me a thing! He loves Florida because he is born and raised here, but we both want to end up somewhere like Georgia or NC or the other states I mentioned in the long run because we both think the school systems in Florida are absolutely awful. Other than that, he seriously won't tell me he favors one over the other. He completely wants me to choose on my own and says he will support me no matter what. I wish he cared more! Neither of us have ever been to new orleans though.

[lawboy81]

barbie -- you're right about Illinois. Just because it's higher ranked than Tulane or Florida doesn't mean it's more national and certainly doesn't mean you'll have more opportunities in the Southeast. I think Tulane will have slightly better opportunities through the SE, but it's no guarantee by a long shot. Whichever school you go to, do well. Sounds like yu're really torn. What does your fiance want? I mean, isn't it partl up to him.

He won't tell me a thing! He loves Florida because he is born and raised here, but we both want to end up somewhere like Georgia or NC or the other states I mentioned in the long run because we both think the school systems in Florida are absolutely awful. Other than that, he seriously won't tell me he favors one over the other. He completely wants me to choose on my own and says he will support me no matter what. I wish he cared more! Neither of us have ever been to new orleans though.

New Orleans is its own world. Visit it.

[Barbie]

So my aunt who is a ballin attorney in Atlanta told me that she would hire the applicant (one Tulane and one Florida) with the better grades, plain and simple. Will Tulane's better curve have an impact on this? Two applications side my side, same rank, but Tulane a better GPA.... hmmm

[suzee401]

All things being equal - go whereever you feel you fit in. You have said you like the programs at Tulane more - you're not going into Tax law. You don't necessarily want to stay either place after graduation - but somewhere in the Southeast. Costs are now equalized. I love NOLA more than any place on earth and it feels like home whenever I am there. Just go and visit and if you don't love it - stay in Florida. That keeps moving costs down and you're still near family.