. Forum

[URMSenator52]

If you can't retake scoring 173+ for at least CLS or HYS. Then I would pick GULC for better NYC big law prospects, and or reg/gov agency work prospects. Even though GULC dropped a spot in the USNWR rankings. Mainly because of large transfer class. Since you don't "vibe" with UVA tech culture...

[trebekismyhero]

If you can't retake scoring 173+ for at least CLS or HYS. Then I would pick GULC for better NYC big law prospects, and or reg/gov agency work prospects. Even though GULC dropped a spot in the USNWR rankings. Mainly because of large transfer class. Since you don't "vibe" with UVA tech culture...

No. GULC isn't even the most affordable option and not even close to the best big law prospects of his options. Stop giving bad advice

[AJordan]

Is academia with your current PhD impossible? Law school seems like a rather roundabout way to get to academia when you already have a PhD.

Also, I think your outcomes are good and you should seriously consider Michigan. Go visit. It has a ton of what you're looking for wrt "nerdy" types as opposed to what you saw at UVA.

[URMSenator52]

If you can't retake scoring 173+ for at least CLS or HYS. Then I would pick GULC for better NYC big law prospects, and or reg/gov agency work prospects. Even though GULC dropped a spot in the USNWR rankings. Mainly because of large transfer class. Since you don't "vibe" with UVA tech culture...

No. GULC isn't even the most affordable option and not even close to the best big law prospects of his options. Stop giving bad advice

The Op inferred being in D.C. is a weighing factor. While also stating he didn't like UVA. So obviously, WUSTL and Vandy are the cheapest options. But not for academia or particularly NY Big Law, or Fed non clerking Gov/Agency work. So obviously locations matters,combined with price. My advice is pure speculation,based on analogous information/goals. You added great constructive information/numbers oh wait...

[cavalier1138]

If you can't retake scoring 173+ for at least CLS or HYS. Then I would pick GULC for better NYC big law prospects, and or reg/gov agency work prospects. Even though GULC dropped a spot in the USNWR rankings. Mainly because of large transfer class. Since you don't "vibe" with UVA tech culture...

No. GULC isn't even the most affordable option and not even close to the best big law prospects of his options. Stop giving bad advice

The Op inferred being in D.C. is a weighing factor. While also stating he didn't like UVA. So obviously, WUSTL and Vandy are the cheapest options. But not for academia or particularly NY Big Law, or Fed non clerking Gov/Agency work. So obviously locations matters,combined with price. My advice is pure speculation,based on analogous information/goals. You added great constructive information/numbers oh wait...

Was that supposed to be a set of coherent thoughts? Because it didn't quite get there. Your initial post was utter nonsense. GULC has dismal NYC biglaw prospects compared to the OP's other choices.

OP: what are you planning on getting your doctorate in? Let's say you really gun for academia and buck the numbers. You didn't mention any kind of PhD, and that's starting to become a requirement for anyone who wants to get into legal academia.

[A. Nony Mouse]

You state, your academic interests, but what kind of career path are you hoping for?

I'm interested in being a law professor eventually. To be completely honest --- I am not 100% sure what this path would look like for me. I know that many law professors have gone to Yale/Harvard and are on Law Review and then have a prestigious clerkship. I'm not totally sure whether other less traditional paths are gaining steam or not (particularly in the tech/egr law areas). Since I'm already 30 and spent many years in academia as a graduate student I feel pretty comfortable with this as my interest. However, I don't want to close off all other options. So, I would entertain other paths, such as big law with an engineering company or government regulation agency, but I really am drawn to the freedom of academia from an intellectual point of view. I am mainly interested post-grad in whatever opportunities let me work on the types of problems I am interested in and help me get closer to legal academia, a position I think will enable me to further explore my intellectual curiosities. I could expand on my specific legal academia and tech/engineering interests (as I actually have very specific interests and goals) but do not want to get too specific here so pm me if it would help you give advice!

If you want academia, you need to retake, get a 175+, go to Harvard, work your ass off and try to get law review/clerkships/etc. Otherwise, it is essentially impossible.

I didn't get much past this comment but I want to say that the above isn't strictly true. It *is* true that Harvard and Yale grads dominate in academia (S too, I'm sure), and that legal academia is extremely difficult, just generally. But you *can* do academia from one of the other top schools. For someone who already has a PhD and understands what a research agenda is and how to develop one, and who has been working in this direction for a while already, you will need to be very proactive about turning law school - which is very much a professional program - into something academic/more intellectual, but you should have the tools to do that. Your chances at academia will depend more on placing articles in well-regarded law reviews than the specific name on the diploma. Now, I can see an argument that H&Y (particularly) provide more resources/opportunities/support for publishing and becoming an academic, but there's also a lot of self-selection going on.

I mean, I probably wouldn't tell the average K-JD who wants academia that they can get it out of non-HYS schools, but someone who already is an academic, for whom a JD is an appropriate academic step and fits with your research agenda (presuming from what you say about your interests that this is true), is in a different position. (For one thing, I would imagine you would have non-legal academic options - I don't think there is a huge glut of electrical engineering PhDs running around.) Have you spoken to the career offices at each school about what kind of support they offer for academic paths? You would probably want to aim for a fellowship/VAP after the JD, and I would ask them about their history of placement for these programs. (My sense is that, yes, Yale and Harvard and probably Chicago place a TON of people in these programs, but in part that's because Chicago and Harvard host two of the biggest academic fellowship programs.)

As to your post - I would probably say Chicago if you get in, or Michigan as it stands now. But again, I would talk to the individual career offices.

(Also, cav, the OP states that s/he has a PhD in electrical engineering.)

[cavalier1138]

(Also, cav, the OP states that s/he has a PhD in electrical engineering.)

Whoops, missed that. I'm on the Chicago train, then. Academia is a rough track, but that degree would give the OP a shot at teaching IP somewhere.

[wtfNYU]

Thanks everyone!