H vs Y Forum

[gottago]

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[Elston Gunn]

NYC transactional is probably the easiest thing to get out of any of the top schools and I don't think Yale will benefit you in that regard over Harvard to any significant degree.

Yale will definitely benefit you if a) your grades aren't great and b) you care about what firm you're at. Almost literally everyone who bids heavily NYC gets a V10 and/or Debevoise/Paul Weiss. The chances of striking out are also lower. When there's money involved, that's not that big a deal, but for the same cost, I think it should be part of the calculus.

[gottago]

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[Pneumonia]

Why withdraw from Penn? And from these other schools even if you don't get a full named scholarship you're probably looking at close to it in Dean's awards + need. It does not make sense to me why you withdrew from the Levy but not the NYU award since the latter precludes you from your stated goals.

[iamgeorgebush]

as i understand it (and i do have some knowledge about this beyond TLS conventional wisdom), yale does confer a material advantage over harvard in terms of firms' minimum grade thresholds.

just go to yale.

[manu6926]

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[IAFG]

Clerkship for transactional? Why? Waste of time.

Like a 0L has any clue what they want.

[IAFG]

certain more prestige-oriented practice groups (trusts & estates at some biglaw firms).

Lolwat

[banjo]

Yale for gradeless first semester and no separate legal writing class. I'm a 1L though so these are things I care about right now. If I were a 2L or 3L with free time to explore a cool city, I'd probably say HLS. Everyone emphasizes different things based on where they are in their legal careers.

[gottago]

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[heythatslife]

Subject: H vs Y

Yale for gradeless first semester and no separate legal writing class. I'm a 1L though so these are things I care about right now. If I were a 2L or 3L with free time to explore a cool city, I'd probably say HLS. Everyone emphasizes different things based on where they are in their legal careers.

One of the student perspective blogs said that someone got into both HY on the first time around chose HLS. S/he didn't like it there, transferred to YLS after already getting in.

I also know someone who transferred from SLS to YLS for personal reasons (an S/O).

I'd rather not do this, but what you said about thinking differently as a 2L/3L made me think:

Would it be an option to do my 1L year @ YLS, reap the benefits, then transfer to HLS and do EIP there with my having gotten into YLS (which is most of the signaling anyway), a semester's worth of grades, get a firm SA, and just chill @ HLS for the last 2 years?

I know no one should plan to enter a school planning to transfer but this is a different situation. Again I realize it's ridiculous to plan to do that which is why I'd rather not do it. Also I might like it @ YLS and just stay and chill there for the full 3 years.

If I actually do pull off this ridiculous transferring stunt, I will

1. miss out on developing my YLS 1L friendships
2. miss out on HLS's 1L section bonding
3. since HLS won't take any old schmoe as a transfer, I might actually have to get good grades my 2nd semester @ YLS, which negates the "just chill in a gradeless environment" advantage. Even though I got in as a senior in undergrad, having spurned them once doesn't look good and I don't help their medians anymore if they care about that sort of thing.
Also, I heard I have to come up with a compelling reason for wanting to leave my current institution to join HLS, and it'll be hard to make that argument coming from YLS.

On the one hand, doing this allows me to get the best of both worlds. On the other, LOL at explaining this in an interview @ EIP, and my consideration of the 3 drawbacks above should tell people that doing the YLS->HLS thing is a remote possibility.

However, I could make the most informed decision I could possibly make on 4/30/14, but if a year in it turns out I'm miserable there because I chose wrongly, which I doubt will be the case, then I'll feel no qualms about transferring to the other one.

You're overthinking this. The issue here is not whether you can feasibly transfer from YLS to HLS or vice versa, but why you would set yourself up for a significant amount of hassle and stress for benefits that are marginal at best.

No matter whether you go to YLS or HLS, you will get a great legal education and job opportunities.

[unc0mm0n1]

OP I had the same choice and i don't regret choosing HLS. Our situations are different but most people on TLS were telling me to take Yale, because it's Yale. My reasons for choosing HLS

1) I wanted to go to a great business school as well as law school.
2) Cambridge > New Haven
3) I had a SO and it was much easier for her to find a job in Boston than New Haven.
4) Harvard was about 40K cheaper.
5) I was interested in working internationally and H is great to have on your resume.
6) The alumni network is huge, esp internationally.
7) Being able to study at other amazing schools, i.e. The Kennedy school, The Fletcher school, HBS,

[Cicero76]

OP I had the same choice and i don't regret choosing HLS. Our situations are different but most people on TLS were telling me to take Yale, because it's Yale. My reasons for choosing HLS

1) I wanted to go to a great business school as well as law school.
2) Cambridge > New Haven
3) I had a SO and it was much easier for her to find a job in Boston than New Haven.
4) Harvard was about 40K cheaper.
5) I was interested in working internationally and H is great to have on your resume.
6) The alumni network is huge, esp internationally.
7) Being able to study at other amazing schools, i.e. The Kennedy school, The Fletcher school, HBS,

OP, these are some interesting reasons if they apply to you. Number 1 is a good reason, if business is your thing. 3 doesn't make sense to me because it's only 3 years. 4 is almost never true, but if it were then it's a good reason. 5/6 aren't much advantage over Y. 7 might be true if you actually want to study at those schools.

That's my $0.02 anyway

[gottago]

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[unc0mm0n1]

OP I had the same choice and i don't regret choosing HLS. Our situations are different but most people on TLS were telling me to take Yale, because it's Yale. My reasons for choosing HLS

1) I wanted to go to a great business school as well as law school.
2) Cambridge > New Haven
3) I had a SO and it was much easier for her to find a job in Boston than New Haven.
4) Harvard was about 40K cheaper.
5) I was interested in working internationally and H is great to have on your resume.
6) The alumni network is huge, esp internationally.
7) Being able to study at other amazing schools, i.e. The Kennedy school, The Fletcher school, HBS,

OP, these are some interesting reasons if they apply to you. Number 1 is a good reason, if business is your thing. 3 doesn't make sense to me because it's only 3 years. 4 is almost never true, but if it were then it's a good reason. 5/6 aren't much advantage over Y. 7 might be true if you actually want to study at those schools.

That's my $0.02 anyway

I agree with everything you say except I think 6 is a huge deal if you decide to do no legal things or work internationally. Maybe you haven't researched it much but talking to my friends at Yale, their alumni network in foreign countries is significantly less than ours and we have more resources overseas. Also in the OPs situation number three isn't a big deal because he's k-jd but for some it's a much bigger deal. My SO has a good career, I worked for 6 years in between law school and my SO is far along in her field. Taking three years off now could be devastating to here future career plans. Also because of my previous job we were apart for a couple of years and didn't want another three years apart.

[Elston Gunn]

certain more prestige-oriented practice groups (trusts & estates at some biglaw firms).

Lolwat

It's possible people in T&E practices are old fogies who demand dat Ivy League prestige??? It'd be great, you can ride your Yale degree to one year of easyish work on a Biglaw salary, and then get fired after your firm realizes T&E is completely unprofitable.

[Elston Gunn]

OP I had the same choice and i don't regret choosing HLS. Our situations are different but most people on TLS were telling me to take Yale, because it's Yale. My reasons for choosing HLS

1) I wanted to go to a great business school as well as law school.
2) Cambridge > New Haven
3) I had a SO and it was much easier for her to find a job in Boston than New Haven.
4) Harvard was about 40K cheaper.
5) I was interested in working internationally and H is great to have on your resume.
6) The alumni network is huge, esp internationally.
7) Being able to study at other amazing schools, i.e. The Kennedy school, The Fletcher school, HBS,

OP, these are some interesting reasons if they apply to you. Number 1 is a good reason, if business is your thing. 3 doesn't make sense to me because it's only 3 years. 4 is almost never true, but if it were then it's a good reason. 5/6 aren't much advantage over Y. 7 might be true if you actually want to study at those schools.

That's my $0.02 anyway

I agree with everything you say except I think 6 is a huge deal if you decide to do no legal things or work internationally. Maybe you haven't researched it much but talking to my friends at Yale, their alumni network in foreign countries is significantly less than ours and we have more resources overseas. Also in the OPs situation number three isn't a big deal because he's k-jd but for some it's a much bigger deal. My SO has a good career, I worked for 6 years in between law school and my SO is far along in her field. Taking three years off now could be devastating to here future career plans. Also because of my previous job we were apart for a couple of years and didn't want another three years apart.

In practice, most SOs work in NYC or in Hartford or Stamford or whatever. That obviously sucks if it means you only live together on weekends or have a huge commute.

[achilles470]

I was telling someone that as a K-JD, I thought about applying to HBS via 2+2 but got lazy with brushing up on quant stuff for the GMAT. I had an 800 on the SAT Math section so I thought it would be nbd but that was almost 4-5 years ago and when I opened up the GMAT math book I realized I was clueless. So I sat on the GMAT for too long. Today is actually the last day to take the GMAT to still sneak in under 2+2 but looks like I won't be applying via 2+2. I probably wouldn't get in anyway.

Also, if I'm just looking to stay longterm in NYC biglaw, an MBA might not help me that much other than maybe doing more than just in-house counseling for F500/banks/w.e.

So I may or may not apply to HBS as a 1L if I go there.

Assuming I don't choose to get an MBA, would the "business education" I get at HLS under its un-formalized law&business "track" be an advantage over YLS? I'd imagine YLS is just as good at corporate law. At least that's what its brochure said.

OP, in a similar boat, at least $$$ wise. Don't have the stats to get a Hamilton/Ruby so the decision is really a Butler/equivalent aid at NYU or YLS. I know the Butler is a lot of money, but I'm reluctant to live in NYC off student debt for 3 years if I'm not getting a full ride. I already live here and may have developed spending habits that are incompatible w/being an indebted student. Three years of New Haven house parties doesn't sound awful & will be easier on the wallet.

[lawschool22]

You should have tried to negotiate your Chicago scholarship and then gone there.

ETA: Wait, you were listed as an alternate for the Levy and you withdrew? Why did you do that?

[wtrc]

You should have tried to negotiate your Chicago scholarship and then gone there.

ETA: Wait, you were listed as an alternate for the Levy and you withdrew? Why did you do that?

Wondering the same question, particularly given your goals.

Re H or Y, H has advantages with international and lay prestige. Y has the advantage with legal prestige, obviously. H >Y in terms of social life and city to live in. Y > H in terms of ridiculous opportunities for some people. You won't go wrong with any of your options*, just take one and don't look back.

* except for the transfer after 1L idea. Don't do this.

[lawschool22]

1. Do not transfer, that would be objectively dumb
2. Since the costs will be similar, and you will not close any doors by going to Yale, go to Yale. You mentioned some opportunities that Yale would have an advantage for. Also, no grades.
3. You should have tried to get CCNP $$$, but since you didn't do that, go to Yale.

[gottago]

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[iamgeorgebush]

once again

go to yale

/thread

[09042014]

More academia jobs, UN, etc. jobs abroad, certain more prestige-oriented practice groups (trusts & estates at some biglaw firms).

Lets all reflect for a moment, that this was said in 100% seriousness.

[gottago]

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