Top Law Schools

This poll is made assuming I don't get into Cardozo (I think I will get in, but if I don't then all of these schools become a legit option) or get accepted off the Fordham waitlist.

Currently a senior at a pretty solid public school (should be obvious by my username), I got a 164 in the june lsat and have a 3.4 LSAC gpa. Journalism major.

I am from pittsburgh, but would like to make the move to NY sooner rather than later.

What does the scholly at Pitt make the overall cost with in-state tuition?

Maybe it's not my place, but I might suggest you move to New York after graduation, try to work for a year and then apply to Brooklyn (or if you're already in, maybe you could defer). From my understanding, it's a great school if and only if you want to be in NYC long term, and living here a year would qualify you for in-state tuition.

j.wellington wrote:Maybe it's not my place, but I might suggest you move to New York after graduation, try to work for a year and then apply to Brooklyn (or if you're already in, maybe you could defer). From my understanding, it's a great school if and only if you want to be in NYC long term, and living here a year would qualify you for in-state tuition.

Brooklyn is a private school, only one, very expensive, tuition option. But there would be other in-state options (Albany, Buffalo, etc.)

I would either take Pitt or St. John's if I were you.

seems like with a 164 you could try a few higher ranked schools...from the list though id say definitely St Johns...nothing else trumps it enough to cancel out all that money

As long as there aren't major stipulations on the scholarship, take the full ride. Employment prospects from those schools are going to be generally the same for a given class rank/GPA, so minimize your debt load

j.wellington wrote:Maybe it's not my place, but I might suggest you move to New York after graduation, try to work for a year and then apply to Brooklyn (or if you're already in, maybe you could defer). From my understanding, it's a great school if and only if you want to be in NYC long term, and living here a year would qualify you for in-state tuition.

Wrong on both counts. Brooklyn is private and its about the worst value of nearly all the law schools in the Country.

Of that list, St. Johns FTW.

I'd probably still vote for St. Johns if you get into Cardozo or Fordham w/out money. NYC is expensive, yo!

reasonable_man wrote:

j.wellington wrote:Maybe it's not my place, but I might suggest you move to New York after graduation, try to work for a year and then apply to Brooklyn (or if you're already in, maybe you could defer). From my understanding, it's a great school if and only if you want to be in NYC long term, and living here a year would qualify you for in-state tuition.

Wrong on both counts. Brooklyn is private and its about the worst value of nearly all the law schools in the Country.

All law schools are overpriced relative to what law school cost even 10-15 years ago so I won't argue that BLS is worth what they charge....the bashing it gets though is a bit much. I work with an attorney, went to an average (large) college for undergrad, was in the lower portion of the top 1/3 at BLS, got a ADA job in BK, now works for the state making 80-90k. I would say most that attend BLS would be more than happy with that life/job before theyre 35. Sure this can be dismissed as anecdotal, but theres nothing about his story that is especially strange or based on some weird luck. Its a respected (respected, not amazing)school in NYC. period.

hank44 wrote:

reasonable_man wrote:

j.wellington wrote:Maybe it's not my place, but I might suggest you move to New York after graduation, try to work for a year and then apply to Brooklyn (or if you're already in, maybe you could defer). From my understanding, it's a great school if and only if you want to be in NYC long term, and living here a year would qualify you for in-state tuition.

Wrong on both counts. Brooklyn is private and its about the worst value of nearly all the law schools in the Country.

All law schools are overpriced relative to what law school cost even 10-15 years ago so I won't argue that BLS is worth what they charge....the bashing it gets though is a bit much. I work with an attorney, went to an average (large) college for undergrad, was in the lower portion of the top 1/3 at BLS, got a ADA job in BK, now works for the state making 80-90k. I would say most that attend BLS would be more than happy with that life/job before theyre 35. Sure this can be dismissed as anecdotal, but theres nothing about his story that is especially strange or based on some weird luck. Its a respected (respected, not amazing)school in NYC. period.

It's hard to pay back $150k of debt when you're living in NYC and start out making $60-70k/yr, and it's hard to justify a school where that would be the fate of the average student...

why not fordham pt? i think i would pick that over all of those.

Agreed. I'm not arguing that its the smartest of moves to make. What I AM saying is that BLS is no worse than just about EVERY school in a big city that isnt the number 1/2 game in town.

hank44 wrote:Agreed. I'm not arguing that its the smartest of moves to make. What I AM saying is that BLS is no worse than just about EVERY school in a big city that isnt the number 1/2 game in town.

That's true, but I'd say that it's not all that much better than St. John's, and especially not at full price when St. John's offers a full ride. Fordham PT might be the other other advisable option besides looking at Pitt with the $$, but you still will be coming out with a lot of debt, and not nearly the job prospects that were available a few years ago

starstruck393 wrote:

hank44 wrote:Agreed. I'm not arguing that its the smartest of moves to make. What I AM saying is that BLS is no worse than just about EVERY school in a big city that isnt the number 1/2 game in town.

That's true, but I'd say that it's not all that much better than St. John's, and especially not at full price when St. John's offers a full ride. Fordham PT might be the other other advisable option besides looking at Pitt with the $$, but you still will be coming out with a lot of debt, and not nearly the job prospects that were available a few years ago

I think we're in agreement lol : theres not much of a difference between SJU/BLS so if one gives you a full ride its a no brainer, OP. I also agree with the Fordham PT option if you get in. What I was getting at, and admittedly it was a bit off topic, was that BLS is no worse than SJU and similar schools in the area - assuming we're talking about going with sticker price. I hardly think it could be called one of the worst value options in the country, as a previous post argued.

hank44 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote:

hank44 wrote:Agreed. I'm not arguing that its the smartest of moves to make. What I AM saying is that BLS is no worse than just about EVERY school in a big city that isnt the number 1/2 game in town.

That's true, but I'd say that it's not all that much better than St. John's, and especially not at full price when St. John's offers a full ride. Fordham PT might be the other other advisable option besides looking at Pitt with the $$, but you still will be coming out with a lot of debt, and not nearly the job prospects that were available a few years ago

I think we're in agreement lol : theres not much of a difference between SJU/BLS so if one gives you a full ride its a no brainer, OP. I also agree with the Fordham PT option if you get in. What I was getting at, and admittedly it was a bit off topic, was that BLS is no worse than SJU and similar schools in the area - assuming we're talking about going with sticker price. I hardly think it could be called one of the worst value options in the country, as a previous post argued.

Oh, I think what the other posters were getting at is how expensive BLS is compared to the job prospects. It is a crime for a school like that to charge $40k+/yr, for any school like that to do so. If BLS were public and cost $20k/yr, I don't think it would get anywhere near the scorn it garners...

So, can I ask, why do you want to leave Pittsburgh? It's an incredible city - it's more like 20 small cities and a peninsula (literally) of major commerce and industry - and Pitt dominates the market there. Plus it has a great campus.

I mean if they offered bigger rides, I'd go to Pitt no questions asked, but it seems like they give that 12k to everyone above their median, but no more than it.

However, St. John's full ride is your best bet for desiring work in NYC. Cardozo is solid, but without a scholarship it's incredibly expensive.

Thanks for all the input so far everyone.

As far as the Fordham PT option goes, keep in mind I am a journalism major so there is pretty much no legitimage job option for me.

I am still thinking I want Cardozo if I get in there, but you guys have really opened my eyes to the St. John's over Brooklyn option.

And as for Pittsburgh being a great city- I 100% agree (city of champions for a few more weeks!). But because of college the vast majority of my friends and connections are from the NY area at this point in my life.

Veritas wrote:What does the scholly at Pitt make the overall cost with in-state tuition?

about 14 grand/year living at home

Terp22 wrote:

Veritas wrote:What does the scholly at Pitt make the overall cost with in-state tuition?

about 14 grand/year living at home

Ok, then definitely this option over St. John's, I think.

St. Johns, no question, considering the scholarship and the fact that you want to live in NY. Just curious, why are you still considering Hofstra?

My vote went to Pitt. If NYC doesn't end up working out, you should be able to get an alright job in Pittsburgh and have very limited debt. If you go to St. Johns, there's no dominant market for you to retreat to if things don't work out like you hoped as far as grades are concerned. Frankly, I'd take Pitt over Cardozo--and I think it makes more sense financially in the long (and short) run--but I have no desire to move to NYC.

If you want to work in NYC then St Johns. All the schools you listed have pretty equally poor employment prospects in this economy so you may as well take the free ride. Then at least you will have no debt. I'd even take St John's for that reason over Cardozo.

I don't know enough about the Pittsburgh market to comment on that.