Top Law Schools

Hey guys,

Long time reader but first time poster here. Duke and UVA (both sticker, at least at this point) are the two top schools I've gotten into so far. I feel like the general sentiment is that UVA is the favorite of the two (maybe of all?) in the forum but I just wanted to start a thread to get opinions on those two specifically. I'm looking to work for a big firm, mostly likely in NY. I also like the idea of a fratty school...which I feel like I could find at both but perhaps more at UVA?

Thanks for the input

Well, I went to UVA law briefly in 2005. Liked it very much, excellent faculty, most had clerked at the Supreme court. Students were friendly, overall it lived up to all the hype.
I live in Chapel Hill, Duke nearby and I think Duke is very good but doesn't have the breath/depth of UVA and we are not as plugged into NY and DC as UVA.

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Don't PM, I am also interested in this. I feel as if I would pick Duke because of personal preference, however I think I could be convinced if there are serious considerations for Virginia.

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I'll keep the questions coming here so others can potentially benefit too.

I'm likely to visit both schools and make a choice on what seems like the best fit culture wise. I'm in a frat in undergrad and I do like the idea of UVA as the beer and softball school. How much does this actually matter? What is the social life like at Duke?

wittyscreenname10 wrote:I'll keep the questions coming here so others can potentially benefit too.

I'm likely to visit both schools and make a choice on what seems like the best fit culture wise. I'm in a frat in undergrad and I do like the idea of UVA as the beer and softball school. How much does this actually matter? What is the social life like at Duke?

Tucker Max had a good time.

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This one comes down to "feel". Definitely try to visit both of them and see how they feel to you.

I haven't gotten into UVa, but I'm tempted to think that I'll favor Duke because of...
Location: RDU much easier to get to than Charlottesville for me and Durham is a little warmer
Smaller Class Size
Less Fratty
3 years of games at Cameron Indoor
Much better Lay Prestige

mcm1211 wrote: Tucker Max had a good time.

+1. Can't believe how much he flaunts his Duke Law pedigree. Whatta black-eye.

Eliminate games at Cameron from your list. You will never get in as a Law Student if you take your studies even half seriously. Kids camp out for hours for most games, months for some just to get into that tiny stadium. It turns into tent city. Crazy place. Great games. But you won't be a part of it.

Basketball tickets for grad students are completely different...there's just one camp out that lasts a few days at the beginning of the season. If you make it through those few days, you're entered into a lottery for tickets for the rest of the season (at least that's how it was explained to me by a 3L).

firstgenlaw wrote:Basketball tickets for grad students are completely different...there's just one camp out that lasts a few days at the beginning of the season. If you make it through those few days, you're entered into a lottery for tickets for the rest of the season (at least that's how it was explained to me by a 3L).

this is also what the duke law website says.

mcm1211 wrote:

wittyscreenname10 wrote:I'll keep the questions coming here so others can potentially benefit too.

I'm likely to visit both schools and make a choice on what seems like the best fit culture wise. I'm in a frat in undergrad and I do like the idea of UVA as the beer and softball school. How much does this actually matter? What is the social life like at Duke?

Tucker Max had a good time.

Actually, Tucker Max kinda hated it here.

someones alt wrote:

firstgenlaw wrote:Basketball tickets for grad students are completely different...there's just one camp out that lasts a few days at the beginning of the season. If you make it through those few days, you're entered into a lottery for tickets for the rest of the season (at least that's how it was explained to me by a 3L).

this is also what the duke law website says.

This is true. However, there is also a grad student line you can wait on to get into games. You don't tent for it like the undergrads do (and even then the tenting is only REALLY necessary for a few games, most notably UNC), and it is usually pretty short. Which makes sense, seeing as how most grad students are busy, and most have stronger ties to their undergrad's athletic program. I have only been to one game so far, but I had a lot of fun.

showNprove wrote:

wittyscreenname10 wrote:What is the social life like at Duke?

Not good. From my understanding, there is one popular bar in the university area. Most nightlife happens in Chapel Hill, which is an expensive 20-minute cab ride away. Last time I traveled from Chapel Hill to Durham after a night out, I shared a cab with a group of Fuqua students on their way back to Duke.

Charlottesville, on the other, is littered with bars and restaurants. It might be the city's best quality. Thursday Bar Review for the law students is usually at the same few bars on the corner, but people tend to venture out to the other ones quite a bit on their own.

Not true. I can think of a number of good bars in the area around the school: the James Joyce, Tyler's Taproom, and Satisfactions just to name a few. The difference is those are bars, not clubs. If you like clubs, you have to go down to Franklin Street. Which really is not very far. Chapel Hill and Durham are essentially the same city. If you can stand to drive for more than 5 minutes to get somewhere, you have plenty of options of places to go in order to drink. Just don't be an idiot and take a cab, they are a rip off pretty much anywhere but NYC (and even there they are too expensive). Designated Drivers are the way to go.

But I am pretty sure alcohol is not all that "social life" means.

It all comes down to which one you like better at a personal level and what your career goals are.

jawsthegreat wrote:It all comes down to which one you like better at a personal level and what your career goals are.

This. My impression (though biased by TLS) is that UVa has better prestige in the legal community and a slight edge in placement all around, but its bigger class size mitigates some of that edge ITE.

I am wondering about this as well. It seems like because of smaller class size, Duke has way more firms visiting per student than UVA. Any other lifestyle considerations?

Scholarship $$$

I will say that the thing I don't like about UVA is the preselect interview system for OCI. It helps those who would already get a job anyway at the detriment of those who need the opportunities to wow interviewers during screenings.

AP-375 wrote:I am wondering about this as well. It seems like because of smaller class size, Duke has way more firms visiting per student than UVA. Any other lifestyle considerations?

In addition to everything previously mentioned in this thread, Duke has graded LRW and UVA has pass/fail LRW. But when it comes down to it, the two are similar enough in placement that your choice should be made based on the "feel" of each school (i.e. Large, frattier student body v. small, more academic student body, Durham v. Charlottesville).

FWIW, I was debating which of these schools to ED at, and I've decided to go with Duke.

beachbum wrote:

AP-375 wrote:I am wondering about this as well. It seems like because of smaller class size, Duke has way more firms visiting per student than UVA. Any other lifestyle considerations?

In addition to everything previously mentioned in this thread, Duke has graded LRW and UVA has pass/fail LRW. But when it comes down to it, the two are similar enough in placement that your choice should be made based on the "feel" of each school (i.e. Large, frattier student body v. small, more academic student body, Durham v. Charlottesville).

FWIW, I was debating which of these schools to ED at, and I've decided to go with Duke.

I'll chime in only to say the following:

1. Duke is awesome. You should visit. We also play copious amounts of softball. 1st base is the best position because you can bring your beer into the field and still play the position.

2. Graded LARW is kind of a good thing. It forces you to take it seriously and really cultivate your writing skills. Almost every upper-level I've talked to feels that good writing is a great way to stand out in a summer job, so I'm glad that they grade it to turn the screws a little bit. I sure as hell wouldn't have spent as much time on my open research memo if it wasn't graded....

Any other questions, feel free to PM.

thickfreakness wrote:

beachbum wrote:

AP-375 wrote:I am wondering about this as well. It seems like because of smaller class size, Duke has way more firms visiting per student than UVA. Any other lifestyle considerations?

In addition to everything previously mentioned in this thread, Duke has graded LRW and UVA has pass/fail LRW. But when it comes down to it, the two are similar enough in placement that your choice should be made based on the "feel" of each school (i.e. Large, frattier student body v. small, more academic student body, Durham v. Charlottesville).

FWIW, I was debating which of these schools to ED at, and I've decided to go with Duke.

I'll chime in only to say the following:

1. Duke is awesome. You should visit. We also play copious amounts of softball. 1st base is the best position because you can bring your beer into the field and still play the position.

2. Graded LARW is kind of a good thing. It forces you to take it seriously and really cultivate your writing skills. Almost every upper-level I've talked to feels that good writing is a great way to stand out in a summer job, so I'm glad that they grade it to turn the screws a little bit. I sure as hell wouldn't have spent as much time on my open research memo if it wasn't graded....

Any other questions, feel free to PM.

I don't want to wade into the UVa v. Duke argument because I think they are both wonderful schools (though I'm biased towards UVA). However, ungraded LRW is an amazingly wonderful thing. Grades are so important and LRW is such a pain in the ass that its very, very nice not having the added pressure of graded LRW.

Even though it (legal research & writing) is probably the second most important skill for an attorney ?