NYU vs HLS for someone who loves NYC Forum

[imchuckbass58]

I think this is exactly the problem with the OP's situation. This is not a situation where you have someone who loves NYC and wants to practice law there and who for that reason would rather go to law school there too. That person would be in a much better situation to pick NYU over Harvard.

I think one of the problems with "think about where you want to end up" is that, eventually, you have to stop thinking like that, otherwise you won't enjoy any of your life. OP wants to enjoy life sooner rather than later, and if OP ends up hating life at Harvard, that will be a very big deal. You could say that "it's only 3 years," but think about the number of years you're a healthy, energetic adult. It's not that many.

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.

These are good points. I think it depends on strong OP's desire to live in NYC is. If it's just "I prefer NYC to Boston," I would not choose NYU. If it is "there are several tangible things in NYC that would make my life better and I feel I would be actively unhappy in Boston," then it's another story.

[MJS83]

3 years goes by quickly... you can handle Cambridge. Besides, as others have pointed out, it's a 4 hour drive (less if you drive like you're from New England). Besides, we need more Yankees fans up this way (assuming you like them ) Good luck!

[09042014]

Plus you can spend the summers in NYC anyway.

I can see taking NYU, but only in exchange for money.

[BlueCivic]

Yankees fan? Ouch! Im not a Red Sox fan either. Living among both fans is just something i will have to deal with.

I think microsoft ceo (bill gates?) is right about valuing enjoying your life now. I guess my major question is how much better HLS is for Academia/FedGov. I think I already know that its a pretty good edge.

I'm leaning to HLS, but I want to do due dilligence and make sure its the smart decision seeing that I think i'd enjoy my life in NYC a lot more. But then again, who knows? That's why I'd be interested to hear from people who go to school i both places.

Thanks for all the input folks.

[liberty]

I say go with Yale.

[Series70]

First of all congratulations on HLS and NYU. Based on what you've said so far, I'd probably go Harvard if I were you.

Boston is a great town, and I think you'll enjoy your time there (assuming you're not too familiar with the area). My biggest complaint was dealing with Red Sox fans (Go Yanks!), but since you don't seem to care, it shouldn't matter. The parks are beautiful, you can literally walk from one end of the city to another, you've got great cinemas and cafes, and the nightlife is decent (you need to study and shouldn't stay in bars past 2am anyway). Personally, I prefer living in NYC, but I can say from experience that it's tough as a poor student, in many ways. Boston/Cambridge/Somerville is much easier. You'll probably get more out of NYC as a late-twenty-something with an income (and a Harvard degree) than as a poor NYU law student.

From your interests (academia/federal government in DC), it seems like you see NYU as perhaps your only chance to live in NYC. But even if you end up working for the DOJ in DC, you could certainly do a few years in NYC after school as an ADA, clerking, or working for the city law department, right? Even if you're set on not working in the city after school, you could still sublet a place every summer and intern here.

If I were lucky enough to have to make your decision, I would choose NYU, but only because my wife has a job here. Otherwise, we'd be packing our bags to spend 3 years at Harvard.

(Edited to change "2pm" to "2am." Yet another sign that I am getting old!)

[Kronk]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

[DoubleChecks]

The parks are beautiful, you can literally walk from one end of the city to another, you've got great cinemas and cafes, and the nightlife is decent (you need to study and shouldn't stay in bars past 2pm anyway). P

man you get your drink on early!

[APimpNamedSlickback]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

good point lol. do you think them being in a less saturated market (chicago) might to some extent cancel out some of nyu's other advantages over it though? i mean just in terms of finding jobs.

[DoubleChecks]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

good point lol. do you think them being in a less saturated market (chicago) might to some extent cancel out some of nyu's other advantages over it though? i mean just in terms of finding jobs.

Uchicago, UIUC, Northwestern, Chicago-Kent...it isnt that unsaturated (not to mention how many more biglaw spots are open at the NYC main offices)

[Kronk]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

good point lol. do you think them being in a less saturated market (chicago) might to some extent cancel out some of nyu's other advantages over it though? i mean just in terms of finding jobs.

I thought the Chicago market was hit the hardest?

I don't know, really. I DO know that Chicago grads are rocking it still. The graduating class of 2010 placed 72% into V50 firms. But I don't know how Northwestern would do. That there are A.) many more main firm offices in NYC and B.) that CLS / NYU are more of peers than Chi / NU probably both factor it.

[Kronk]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

good point lol. do you think them being in a less saturated market (chicago) might to some extent cancel out some of nyu's other advantages over it though? i mean just in terms of finding jobs.

Uchicago, UIUC, Northwestern, Chicago-Kent...it isnt that unsaturated (not to mention how many more biglaw spots are open at the NYC main offices)

Isn't Depaul in Chicago as well? Not to mention Chicago is the target market for WUSTL and Notre Dame.

[APimpNamedSlickback]

aside from nyu and cls, it seems like there is a huge number of students at every t14 that want to work in new york.

narrowly thinking about the v100 type jobs, aren't uchicago and nwestern the only game in town for chitown? i mean, even adjusting for the size of the two cities' legal markets, i'd guess the competition is way fiercer in the big apple.

[Kronk]

aside from nyu and cls, it seems like there is a huge number of students at every t14 that want to work in new york.

narrowly thinking about the v100 type jobs, aren't uchicago and nwestern the only game in town for chitown? i mean, even adjusting for the size of the two cities' legal markets, i'd guess the competitions is way fiercer in the big apple.

Michigan. Notre Dame. But NYC still has like three times as many main offices as Chi. But I see your point.

[09042014]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

I am worried. I wouldn't want to finish below median anywhere but YHS.

[rayiner]

I don't think NYU is as dire as one would think. Several 1Ls on here that are right around the median have V50 or V100 SA jobs.

DF--if NYU is struggling, you better be worried about your prospects out of Northwestern.

good point lol. do you think them being in a less saturated market (chicago) might to some extent cancel out some of nyu's other advantages over it though? i mean just in terms of finding jobs.

I thought the Chicago market was hit the hardest?

http://lawvibe.com/how-the-slumping-eco ... law-firms/

Chicago-based firms accounted for 15% of the NLJ250 and 21% of job losses; NYC-based firms accounted for 25% of the NLJ250 and 49% of job losses. So NYC got hit substantially harder than Chicago on a per-capita basis, though out of the three primary markets DC did by far the best.

I don't know, really. I DO know that Chicago grads are rocking it still. The graduating class of 2010 placed 72% into V50 firms. But I don't know how Northwestern would do. That there are A.) many more main firm offices in NYC and B.) that CLS / NYU are more of peers than Chi / NU probably both factor it.

Those folks did Fall 2008 OCI, which dipped a bit from Fall 2007, but wasn't nearly as bad as Fall 2009 OCI was, or as bad as Fall 2010 and Fall 2011 OCI probably will be. The figure also almost certainly doesn't include deferred associates --- which represent 42% of those who received offers.

As for "struggling", it depends on how you define it I suppose. I've heard CLS is at 2/3 with biglaw SAs, and my guess is that the number here is around 1/2. I'd say both are "struggling", though obviously folks at NYU have reason to feel somewhat safer.

[lightbulb1986]

.

[Kronk]

Those folks did Fall 2008 OCI, which dipped a bit from Fall 2007, but wasn't nearly as bad as Fall 2009 OCI was, or as bad as Fall 2010 and Fall 2011 OCI probably will be. The figure also almost certainly doesn't include deferred associates --- which represent 42% of those who received offers.

As for "struggling", it depends on how you define it I suppose. I've heard CLS is at 2/3 with biglaw SAs, and my guess is that the number here is around 1/2. I'd say both are "struggling", though obviously folks at NYU have reason to feel somewhat safer.

I realize the layover you're referencing. But I think we have reason to believe that it will be a lot better in 2010 and 2011 (knock on wood). If there is a rise in new jobs in major financial corporations, I think we can assume that the legal market is slowly on the rise as well. I've also heard--about a different T14 not NYU / Chi / NU--that several big firms are canceling their deferrals and accepting their associates right away. So something must be going right. Which seems consistent with the fact that NYU median-dwellers are getting V100 summer associate positions.

[im_blue]

I know that the jobs that I am likely to want are better from HLS: i'd like to leave the door open for academia (depending on how much i like/am good at the law), and higher level federal government jobs.

HLS is the obvious choice for academia. The only reasons NYU should be considered are if you want NYC biglaw, and they're offering a full ride. Any reason Columbia isn't in the equation here?

[RVP11]

aside from nyu and cls, it seems like there is a huge number of students at every t14 that want to work in new york.

narrowly thinking about the v100 type jobs, aren't uchicago and nwestern the only game in town for chitown? i mean, even adjusting for the size of the two cities' legal markets, i'd guess the competition is way fiercer in the big apple.

You have to realize the sheer size of the NYC market. It dwarfs all others.

NYC is less competitive than every other major market if you're just trying to get any BigLaw job.

[BlueCivic]

Lets say I theoretically am going to interview for the Root-Tilden-Kern scholarship. If I get it then what say you all then?

[kittenmittons]

Harvard vs. ANYTHING on these forums will give you one answer. IT´S THE H-BOMB!!!

coaxing the panties off of BU UG since 1817

[imchuckbass58]

Lets say I theoretically am going to interview for the Root-Tilden-Kern scholarship. If I get it then what say you all then?

I would take RTK over Harvard in your situation.

[BlueCivic]

Thanks very helpful

[jonas]

i'd like to leave the door open for academia

This seals it for me. NYU has many strengths, but placing its alumni into law teaching jobs isn't one of them -- compared to Harvard, anyhow.

See, e.g., this:
http://www.leiterrankings.com/jobs/2009 ... hing.shtml

And this:
http://www.leiterrankings.com/jobs/2008 ... hing.shtml

If you're serious about an academic career, and if NYU isn't throwing a big scholarship or Furman Academic Fellowship your way, Harvard is the clear choice.