H vs. S vs. C vs. C ($$) vs. P ($$$$) Forum

[toothbrush]

Do the stupid coin flip thing. H is heads, S is tails. You'll know in the air what you want the coin to land on. That's your decision. Trust the gut.

pretty much

or visit both and then go home and pick whichever you felt bad about leaving (aka which you want to go back to)

S v H is absolutely splitting hairs. *tls hates what I'm about to say but..* op seems like a smart person. they'll do fine wherever they go.

[Simplicity]

Why are you even going to law school if you've got a PE job?

Not a smart move, IMO, unless you're just crazy interested in law. I've got two interviews lined up at banks in the coming weeks that are hiring off-season because some analysts recently left, and if I get an IB job, I will take it over law school.

I wish I would have done banking straight out of school, like you did. I didn't even try for it.

[az21833]

not interested in finance long term as a career although yeah staying in either banking or pe would be the best financial route and its not even close. But I made that decision a while ago - PM if you'd like more details or need any help preparing for your interviews (i gave ton of them at columbia while in banking haha)

il be deciding tonight guys, thanks for all your help.

if i decide to go corporate, i'd probably enjoy deleware chancery clerkship. if i go litigation il prob target a3 federal. SLS or HLS should position me extremely well for either I would imagine.

[spicyyoda17]

not interested in finance long term as a career although yeah staying in either banking or pe would be the best financial route and its not even close. But I made that decision a while ago - PM if you'd like more details or need any help preparing for your interviews (i gave ton of them at columbia while in banking haha)

il be deciding tonight guys, thanks for all your help.

if i decide to go corporate, i'd probably enjoy deleware chancery clerkship. if i go litigation il prob target a3 federal. SLS or HLS should position me extremely well for either I would imagine.

You got this AZ - choose with confidence. You'll be great at either school.

[banjo]

Good luck on the decision. As someone who knows what your UG experience was like, I say pick Stanford. It's different. I've never regretted the times I put myself in a slightly uneasy/uncomfortable position. It's the times I got too cozy that I regret.

[UtilityMonster]

I'd pick Harvard but then again I've been called an anti-Stanford troll so don't listen to me.

[Yukos]

If you liked Stanford at ASW (you went didn't you?) then I would definitely go with it, since it seems to have objectively "better" outcomes (really splitting hairs at that point though) and you can spend every summer on the East Coast anyway. If you didn't feel like you fit in at S then it's an easy call -- enjoy dropping the H-bomb the rest of your life.

[az21833]

Guys, I'll be Harvard Law School C/O 2017. This was an agonizing decision to the point where HLS/SLS were SO close that seemingly small factors likely ended up playing a big role. I have a number of personal considerations (including a likely soon-to-be-fiance) that make me prefer staying on the east coast fairly strongly from the beginning. The school's very large size continues to make me apprehensive, but I think the section system makes it feel much more intimate. After closely examining a number of school's course offerings/faculty/clinics, it become apparent to me that HLS is truly unsurpassed in the way of financial law/securities regulation/M&A/ banking law/ private Equity Law and I think that giant realm is my primary academic interest. SLS is absolutely no slouch in this arena but I think where SLS is a cut above is in Patent Law/ Intellectual Property/ Tech Law/ Entrepreneurship/ Venture Capital which are not fields I am as interested in. I came to terms with the fact that an A3 clerkship is more difficult from HLS. This is fine with me now, as I realize an A3 clerkship is far from crucial to my career goals. If I kill it and it happens - terrific. If not, perhaps head over to Delaware or just straight to biglaw and I am comfortable with all of these outcomes. Lastly, I know I want to work in either the northeast or midwest. I understood there will be significantly less competition from SLS, but (odd as it may sound) I'd personally rather have close friends and classmates targeting the same firms as me that I can use as resources and prepare with etc., not to mention the first/second year associates from HLS. I know this helped me a lot at Columbia UG when I was going through banking interviews. And obviously, once my career begins, I think having a solid, extensive network of HLS alums in the market will pay dividends for a long time.

I know im going pretty strongly against TLS wisdom on this decision but at the end of the day I just went with my gut and where I thought I would be most comfortable and happiest. I thank you all for all of your guidance, support, love and swift-kick-in-the-asses when necessary. Couldn't have gotten here without you.


future HLS/SLS deciders coming across this thread - good fucking luck. but be sure to PM and I can try to help out as much as possible.

[jbagelboy]

Congratulations Az. You'll be amazing at Harvard. Keep in touch how everything goes and good luck.

[dawyzest1]

Guys, I'll be Harvard Law School C/O 2017. [...] I know im going pretty strongly against TLS wisdom on this decision but at the end of the day I just went with my gut and where I thought I would be most comfortable and happiest.

Congratulations az and I'm happy to see another member of the HLS c/o 2017 (I'm deferring too), I know these champagne choices seem ridiculous to complain about from the outside, but when you actually have to make them, the stress/worry/etc. is quite real.