BU vs Notre Dame Forum

[tallgaloot]

Where did you get those employment statistics?

If those came from the schools, I would be EXTREMELY skeptical of them. Are some of those "full-time" students employed by the school? Are they jobs that required a JD? All the usual questions. Secondly, you want PI, which can be in some ways tougher than your other avenues of employment (firms, judges) depending on what you want to practice and where.

You mentioned you got into Penn State, since BU and ND suck at PA placement, have you looked harder into Penn State and their placement? Granted they are ranked about 50 spots lower, but you might find they place better in PA just because they are bound to be more Penn State grads in the area. I'm completely ignorant of Penn State, its quality, and its placement, but its an idea I would consider.

http://placementsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/home.aspx

I don't necessarily think that BU and ND's PA placement "sucks." I think it's far more likely that students are just self-selecting out of that area. I really don't need to be in PA, I don't mind anywhere int he area, NJ, NY, etc. NY is BU's second highest placement and ND's 3rd. Both of the schools seem to have national placement.

As far as Penn State. It's not really in the same league as ND or BU and I feel like I owe it to myself to go to a better school.

[tallgaloot]

BU, not even close.

Why?

[tallgaloot]

Which has a better LRAP program, as you are interested in PI?

Similar. It's a toss-up really. IN addition, both BU and ND have great public interest programs, but ND's seems more in line with what I'm interested in.

The only caveat with ND's LRAP is that you cannot work for a org. that goes against the teachings of the catholic church. Re: Planned parenthood, etc.

[Nelson]

If you really prefer Notre Dame, just go there. Neither of these schools have a particular advantage in the Philly market (though I wouldn't pay that much for either, especially for PI). While Penn State is a bad idea, if you really want Philly PI, Temple or Villanova on a full ride would put you in a better position.

[JCUGuy0428]

Where did you get those employment statistics?

If those came from the schools, I would be EXTREMELY skeptical of them. Are some of those "full-time" students employed by the school? Are they jobs that required a JD? All the usual questions. Secondly, you want PI, which can be in some ways tougher than your other avenues of employment (firms, judges) depending on what you want to practice and where.

You mentioned you got into Penn State, since BU and ND suck at PA placement, have you looked harder into Penn State and their placement? Granted they are ranked about 50 spots lower, but you might find they place better in PA just because they are bound to be more Penn State grads in the area. I'm completely ignorant of Penn State, its quality, and its placement, but its an idea I would consider.

http://placementsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/home.aspx

I don't necessarily think that BU and ND's PA placement "sucks." I think it's far more likely that students are just self-selecting out of that area. I really don't need to be in PA, I don't mind anywhere int he area, NJ, NY, etc. NY is BU's second highest placement and ND's 3rd. Both of the schools seem to have national placement.

As far as Penn State. It's not really in the same league as ND or BU and I feel like I owe it to myself to go to a better school.

I understand that NY/NJ or whatever might be Boston's second highest placement and ND's third. But you need to read behind the numbers. Just because it's their second or third highest placement doesn't mean they place well there. I could say Columbus is Toledo Law's second highest placement, but that doesn't mean much if they put 3 people there a year, and only if they have a 3.9 GPA or better, and those 3 people are temps making crap money. The website says ND places 20 people in NY in 2011, but it doesn't tell you what they are doing, how much they make, etc. There's no details there. And sure, self-selection certainly takes place, but it also might indicate difficulty in placing in that market, the numbers you provided don't tell that story.

I think you should pick a market, and go to a school with that market as its home market. Even if its not "a better school" because schools like Fordham, Cardozo, Brooklyn, Temple place above 75% of their students (who get jobs) into those markets. Never underestimate a home market.

But if you want to go to Notre Dame, go for it. They do have some nice PI clinics.