Top Law Schools

Anyone have any thoughts? I'm mainly concerned about placement and the law school experience (competitiveness, etc.). I really like the fact that Penn has a small class, not sure how NYU's 400+ students affects the experience. Any advice would be great! Thanks!

NYU:

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Although Penn's small class size is appealing, unless you are deciding between $$$ money at Penn v. sticker at NYU, NYU is the credited response!

Without significant money, Penn hands down...

starstruck393 wrote:Without significant money, Penn hands down...

elaborate ...

I had to think about them same thing (as did a lot of others in my section). Most pointed to the small class size @ Penn & Ivy league name (lay prestige). If yowant to work in NYC, then I would say NYU...but i wanted DC, i think Penn does just as well there.

NYU, ceteris paribus

The two have similar stats in general. NYU is usually a little better in most categories though I think Penn does a little better in clerkships. COL is less for Penn and NYC is a different experience than Philadelphia. NYU has a PI focus that is well known, but Penn has a lot of PI programs and seems to encourage it. FWIW I got into both and will probably take Penn, even if it is a few spots lower on the rankings.

puppins wrote:The two have similar stats in general. NYU is usually a little better in most categories though I think Penn does a little better in clerkships. COL is less for Penn and NYC is a different experience than Philadelphia. NYU has a PI focus that is well known, but Penn has a lot of PI programs and seems to encourage it. FWIW I got into both and will probably take Penn, even if it is a few spots lower on the rankings.

But... but.... it's a few spots lower ranked. What the fuck is the matter with you? What the hell is happening here???!!!!

--ImageRemoved--

OMG THE WORLD IS GOING TO END! THAT'S SO IRONIC!

babaghanouj wrote:NYU, ceteris paribus

Penn, mutatis mutandis

I made the decision but it was NYU sticker v. $$ at Penn and chose Penn. If NYU had offered money or if Penn hadn't I'm not sure much would have changed. I really liked NYU when I visited but I didn't love the idea of living in NYC. I figured the COL is lower in Philly and I wouldn't have to live in 2k+/month closet. I also didn't want to work in NYC after LS. I also like the smaller class size at Penn but the library at NYU is fantastic. Its a tough choice and I don't think picking one over the other is a poor choice. Just think about what you want out of your LS experience and visit both schools to get a feel for it. I also felt that there were a lot more hippie "save the world" types at NYU and I didn't really want that vibe (maybe this makes me a terrible person but whatever).

The school's placement and placement focus (both schools focus on the same markets) are so similar that I would go with the money. Whichever school ends up costing less is the school that you should attend barring any strong personal feels. In NYC NYU is going to somewhat outplace Penn, outside of that there isn't much difference. If NYU ends up costing more and you don't want to work in NYC (even if you do want NYC Penn's placement there is amazingly close to NYU's) , it's not worth the extra money.

The two have similar stats in general. NYU is usually a little better in most categories though I think Penn does a little better in clerkships. COL is less for Penn and NYC is a different experience than Philadelphia. NYU has a PI focus that is well known, but Penn has a lot of PI programs and seems to encourage it. FWIW I got into both and will probably take Penn, even if it is a few spots lower on the rankings.

More important than the overall US News numerical rank is the fact that the lawyer judge assessment scores are 4.4 for Penn, and 4.5 for NYU, basically they are closer in reputation/placement than the overall rank would lead you to believe.

Joan Manuel Serrat wrote:

babaghanouj wrote:NYU, ceteris paribus

Penn, mutatis mutandis

thanks for all the responses. yeah, initially i thought it was nyu hands down, but the more i thought about it, the harder this decision will be. a big factor for me, however, is that i am already at upenn undergrad, so a part of me really wants to get away and see someplace new. i do like penn's interdisciplinary approach, particularly with the education school and what not. need to spend more time researching nyu as well.

hopefullaw27 wrote:thanks for all the responses. yeah, initially i thought it was nyu hands down, but the more i thought about it, the harder this decision will be. a big factor for me, however, is that i am already at upenn undergrad, so a part of me really wants to get away and see someplace new. i do like penn's interdisciplinary approach, particularly with the education school and what not. need to spend more time researching nyu as well.

Being a penn undergrad should be all the more reason to attend somewhere else for law school ... in so doing, you'll be able to expand your networks / markets comes job-search time!

UVA

chadwick218 wrote:

hopefullaw27 wrote:thanks for all the responses. yeah, initially i thought it was nyu hands down, but the more i thought about it, the harder this decision will be. a big factor for me, however, is that i am already at upenn undergrad, so a part of me really wants to get away and see someplace new. i do like penn's interdisciplinary approach, particularly with the education school and what not. need to spend more time researching nyu as well.

Being a penn undergrad should be all the more reason to attend somewhere else for law school ... in so doing, you'll be able to expand your networks / markets comes job-search time!

+1

Joan Manuel Serrat wrote:

babaghanouj wrote:NYU, ceteris paribus

Penn, mutatis mutandis

Honestly (cuz it is something that is constantly on my mind) How well does NYU outplace a school that is in the lower t14 (i.e. duke or virginia)? Both schools, especially duke, seem to brag of there job placement. Informed input would be greatly appreciated

I suggest you go and visit. I've got nothing against NYU, but I get hipster nightmares thinking about living in the village.

yup, plan on visiting over winter break. georgiana, i know that penn is going to be renovating their law school, think that'll have an impact on the experience there over the next 3 years?

hopefullaw27 wrote:yup, plan on visiting over winter break. georgiana, i know that penn is going to be renovating their law school, think that'll have an impact on the experience there over the next 3 years?

ummmm... I think it'll have an impact in that there will be construction going on. But the building they are renovating isn't really used by students (except P100 which NO ONE wants to be in anyway). It's all administrative offices (dean's suite, registrar, business offices, public interest office). It depends on where they focus the work. If they take over the courtyard it would suck, but if they take over Sansom I think it'll be fine.

hopefullaw27 wrote:thanks for all the responses. yeah, initially i thought it was nyu hands down, but the more i thought about it, the harder this decision will be. a big factor for me, however, is that i am already at upenn undergrad, so a part of me really wants to get away and see someplace new. i do like penn's interdisciplinary approach, particularly with the education school and what not. need to spend more time researching nyu as well.

Go to NYU over Penn (unless Penn is just blowing NYU away with the fin aid). I really against going to the same school for undergrad and grad if you can avoid it and it makes sense.

TheWire wrote:Honestly (cuz it is something that is constantly on my mind) How well does NYU outplace a school that is in the lower t14 (i.e. duke or virginia)? Both schools, especially duke, seem to brag of there job placement. Informed input would be greatly appreciated

First off UVA really isn't a "lower" (and has had a higher or equal lawyer/judge assessment score in US News than NYU for some years now) top 14, it's a solid top 10. DCGN are "lower" top 14s.

Here's the deal with UVA or MBP vs. NYU, if you aren't looking to work in NYC NYU isn't going to outplace those schools. NYU will outplace Duke everywhere outside of NYC other than the south. If you are looking to work in NYC NYU will outplace all of the aforementioned schools, however depending on the money they do well enough for you to pick them over NYU with NYC being the easiest market to break into (especially Penn).

there are like 5 hipsters at the law school