Top Law Schools

OK, what would you guys do? I could go to the University of Utah for $17k/year with no cost-of-living or I could go to Illinois
Do you think the ranking and programs offered at Illinois are worth spending the extra money per year? I know Illinois would probably open more doors for me, but I am having trouble justifying the added expenses. I just don't want to be in the situation of saving too much and having a degree that will be too limiting. Thoughts?

pepsi wrote:OK, what would you guys do? I am in-state in Utah and I could go to the University of Utah for $17k/year with no cost-of-living or I could go to Illinois out-of-state for $30k/year (10k/year scholarship) plus I would have to pay cost-of-living. I am not sure where I want to practice. I am from Utah and I am thinking that I will likely move back upon graduating from law school, but I am willing to live and work elsewhere. As far as career pathways, I am currently leaning toward in-house counsel or contracts.

Do you think the ranking and programs offered at Illinois are worth spending the extra money per year? I know Illinois would probably open more doors for me, but I am having trouble justifying the added expenses. I just don't want to be in the situation of saving too much and having a degree that will be too limiting. Thoughts?

If you want to end up in Utah, my vote is for Quinney. It doesn't make much sense to go to UIUC for placement in Utah.

I'm wondering the same thing about Illinois and the regional school in my state. What question do you ask yourself when justifying if it is worth it to go OOS for the higher-ranked school when you're not interested in Big Law?

msbeautifulbasham wrote:I'm wondering the same thing about Illinois and the regional school in my state. What question do you ask yourself when justifying if it is worth it to go OOS for the higher-ranked school when you're not interested in Big Law?

That is essentially my question here. Anyone have any thoughts?

Also, feel free to respond to the poll so I know what you're thinking

gatorlion wrote:

pepsi wrote:OK, what would you guys do? I am in-state in Utah and I could go to the University of Utah for $17k/year with no cost-of-living or I could go to Illinois out-of-state for $30k/year (10k/year scholarship) plus I would have to pay cost-of-living. I am not sure where I want to practice. I am from Utah and I am thinking that I will likely move back upon graduating from law school, but I am willing to live and work elsewhere. As far as career pathways, I am currently leaning toward in-house counsel or contracts.

Do you think the ranking and programs offered at Illinois are worth spending the extra money per year? I know Illinois would probably open more doors for me, but I am having trouble justifying the added expenses. I just don't want to be in the situation of saving too much and having a degree that will be too limiting. Thoughts?

If you want to end up in Utah, my vote is for Quinney. It doesn't make much sense to go to UIUC for placement in Utah.

Do you think it would be hard for me to come back to Utah if I go to Illinois? Does it put me at a disadvantage to go OOS or is it essentially the same options except I paid more for the education?

How does Utah place outside of Utah? That would be important to consider in case you decide to work elsewhere.

Sometimes questions like this make me really wish they never came out with rankings.

You are putting too much importance on the rankings. It would really be irrelevant to go to Illinois because it is ranked 23 if you want to practice in Utah. If you want to work in UT, a Utah Law degree is going to be seen as much more prestigious while an Illinois Law Degree is not going to be seen all that well in Utah. For people in Utah, the best schools are probably HYS, Utah & BYU. Most people there probably think Illinois is a T3.

Plus, Utah is cheaper. Go to UU.

Between these schools, and with a desire to stay in the area, it's Utah, no question. The question I have is what other options you have. If you got into Illinois, you can probably get into BYU, CU Boulder and others in the area. Utah is definitely going to place better than Illinois in the state, but BYU may place better still, and either BYU or CU will likely give you more options in the region, outside of Utah.

deadpanic wrote:Sometimes questions like this make me really wish they never came out with rankings.

I totally agree. Its just I worry if I go to Utah, I am NEVER leaving Utah.

Utah is tcr here.

pepsi wrote:

deadpanic wrote:Sometimes questions like this make me really wish they never came out with rankings.

I totally agree. Its just I worry if I go to Utah, I am NEVER leaving Utah.

Possibly true, though you could still easily get to exotic locales like Boise and Las Vegas with a UU degree. If you have good numbers (and an IP background) come Cali firms interview here and take top students. Utah, no doubt, is a very regional school.

I'm from the area, I go to Utah Law, and I would say: go T-14, go UU/BYU, go free (to a lower ranked school though I don't recommend this) or go home. UIUC will buy you less in Utah than a Utah degree will.

I totally understand the desire to get out of Utah for a few years--even if you want to come back eventually. Law school is not the time to do that. I know your dental/medical/optometrist friends all went out to the midwest somewhere, but it doesn't work the same for law school.

wardboro wrote: I totally understand the desire to get out of Utah for a few years--even if you want to come back eventually. Law school is not the time to do that. I know your dental/medical/optometrist friends all went out to the midwest somewhere, but it doesn't work the same for law school.

Wardboro, can you expound on that thought a little bit? I'd like to know why it's "not the time to do that" because I'm in the same boat, and this could help push me one way or another.

Law schools are regional.

C=MD--it also doesn't matter where you went to school, you can get a job about anywhere in the US. Maybe not in the most prestigious hospitals, but you can find a good job in any metro area where you want to live. Dentists, optometrists, even chiropractors have more degree portability than a law student.

If you're going to Chicago or something, then great, go for it. That degree travels anywhere. A UIUC degree? That won't buy you much out West. Unless you're in the T14 neighborhood, if you want to stay out here, go to school out here.

I see kids who are from Utah and want to get out. They say--hey, I just want to have the experience outside the bubble--but I want to come back in a few years. That's fine, but it will make your job hunt in Utah harder. Just remember that law school isn't like many other professional schools, and that the job hunt might be tough coming from a regional school in another region.

reebtoor wrote:Between these schools, and with a desire to stay in the area, it's Utah, no question. The question I have is what other options you have. If you got into Illinois, you can probably get into BYU, CU Boulder and others in the area. Utah is definitely going to place better than Illinois in the state, but BYU may place better still, and either BYU or CU will likely give you more options in the region, outside of Utah.

BYU is a straight prison. Read their school's profile page. No tobacco, coffee, alcohol, sex, or any of that shit. If they find you in violation of the school's get you get in big trouble.

No dips during study break? I don't think so.

Illinois in my personal favorite nont14, and I still wouldn't go there if I were you. Probably not even for free.

Illinois is pretty much only good for the state of Illinois.

wardboro wrote:

pepsi wrote:

deadpanic wrote:Sometimes questions like this make me really wish they never came out with rankings.

I totally agree. Its just I worry if I go to Utah, I am NEVER leaving Utah.

Possibly true, though you could still easily get to exotic locales like Boise and Las Vegas with a UU degree. If you have good numbers (and an IP background) come Cali firms interview here and take top students. Utah, no doubt, is a very regional school.

I'm from the area, I go to Utah Law, and I would say: go T-14, go UU/BYU, go free (to a lower ranked school though I don't recommend this) or go home. UIUC will buy you less in Utah than a Utah degree will.

I totally understand the desire to get out of Utah for a few years--even if you want to come back eventually. Law school is not the time to do that. I know your dental/medical/optometrist friends all went out to the midwest somewhere, but it doesn't work the same for law school.

I'm a bio PhD planning on biotech IP. I'm still waiting on a lot of acceptances and scholarship offers, but I'm expecting that my choice will come down to T-14 at sticker vs. BYU for cheap (I have acceptances at both at this point). I'm not real picky about where I end up practicing, but it doesn't look like there is much bio IP work in the Mountain West, which makes me worried about my prospects coming out of BYU. It seems that I would have to count on the degree to travel to somewhere where they do biotech IP. Do you have any sense of how a bio PhD would fare coming out of UofU/BYU? Would one still have to have top grades to get a chance in IP in California or Texas? I realize that these questions may be outside of the realm of your knowledge/experience, but I'm casting a wide net because this is pretty much the last bit of data that I need in order to make an informed decision and I'm having a hard time finding people with experience directly relevant to my situation.

Every post in this thread supports Utah. How are there so many votes for Illinois?

Halibut6 wrote:Every post in this thread supports Utah. How are there so many votes for Illinois?

anyone on the Illinois team care to explain why they would Illinois over Utah?

More than 1/3 respondents chose Illinois... Got any reasons for me?

Desert Fox wrote:Illinois in my personal favorite nont14, and I still wouldn't go there if I were you. Probably not even for free.

Illinois is pretty much only good for the state of Illinois.

Desert Fox -
Out of curiosity, why is Illinois your favorite nonT14?

pepsi wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Illinois in my personal favorite nont14, and I still wouldn't go there if I were you. Probably not even for free.

Illinois is pretty much only good for the state of Illinois.

Desert Fox -
Out of curiosity, why is Illinois your favorite nonT14?

I want to practice in Chicago, and they are the best nont14 for that.

yeast master wrote:Do you have any sense of how a bio PhD would fare coming out of UofU/BYU? Would one still have to have top grades to get a chance in IP in California or Texas? I realize that these questions may be outside of the realm of your knowledge/experience, but I'm casting a wide net because this is pretty much the last bit of data that I need in order to make an informed decision and I'm having a hard time finding people with experience directly relevant to my situation.

Anecdotally, UU has a few IP shops from out-of-state that come to OCI (they even came last Fall which is a big deal) I know a kid (class of 2011) with very strong grade credentials and a engineering undergrad that got a good summer 2L job in Cali. I would expect that BYU would likely give you a slightly better shot than even UU because it seems to get a few more out-of-state firms. It can be done. I know others who have less impressive GPAs but at least engineering undergrad degrees who are having a tougher time finding IP jobs in and out of state. That's all I know. You'd have to ask someone who knows IP better than me--it's not really my area. At least it can be done, but I don't know if it's easy.

I am a 2L at Illinois. I'm from California. I had no problem going back to California for my summers (Los Angeles to be more specific). Lawyers back west know Illinois. It's a very old law school that has been ranked well for many years. Actually, I think since the rankings first came out. So, my two cents; if you want to live in Utah, then UU should probably be your pick. Anywhere else, especially any major city, probably Illinois.

solrac84 wrote:I am a 2L at Illinois. I'm from California. I had no problem going back to California for my summers (Los Angeles to be more specific). Lawyers back west know Illinois. It's a very old law school that has been ranked well for many years. Actually, I think since the rankings first came out. So, my two cents; if you want to live in Utah, then UU should probably be your pick. Anywhere else, especially any major city, probably Illinois.

Do you know why some people in CA are interested in U of I? Is it just because a lot of people from Chicago now live in the West or because of the school's specific programs?