Pitt / Duquesne / Akron Forum

[camron1111]

I was accepted at each of these three local schools. Akron offered almost full scholly; Duquesne offered approximately 50% tuition; and nothing from Pitt.

I know Pitt is "ranked" higher and carries more weight than the others... but given the costs and other considerations (quality of life), what would you recommend? My first choice would be Pitt (as a WVU graduate I'm almost sick that I just said that), but the scholarships are enticing.

Also, five years after graduation after you've been able to build experience... how much does the degree and institution from which you earned it limit you geographically? in other words... if I chose Akron and graduated, worked in eastern Ohio for a few years, and then tried to come back to somewhere like Western PA, would I still be at a large disadvantage because I didn't get my degree from Pitt or Duquesne?

Any input is greatly appreciated...

[eru2]

I can try to help you out here but I don't know if I will be the best at it...

I was a Pitt undergrad and loved it. I didn't really wander over to the Duquesne campus too often because it isn't in a good area and it is enclosed. As for people in Pittsburgh, I am pretty sure all employment prospects would know Pitt>Duquesne around the area. What would the yearly difference be between the two?

I don't know anything about Akron at all except for having been to Cleveland for a few concerts and it seems pretty boring. I would definitely recommend taking the chance and heading for Pittsburgh instead of Ohio.

PS. You better be ready to wear a Pitt jersey for the backyard brawl or you may be shot down at Heinz.

[reverendt]

Duquesne will get you a job in Pittsburgh. Akron may get you a job in Akron. Pitt will give you far more mobility throughout PA/much of Ohio, western NY and towards DC.
I don't know how much mobility you'll get out of Akron or Duquesne unless you wind up near the top of the class. But if you're fine with working in Pittsburgh or Akron, maybe take the money.

[camron1111]

That's part of my concern... quality of life during and years following graduation, both job prospects AND from a social aspect. I applied to WVU, too (I felt it was my duty to do so) and haven't heard about $$ from them yet, but I imagine I'd get some coin from them based on my credentials... however, good luck trying to get a job in Pittsburgh with a WVU JD

Pitt's in state tuition is a little more than 24K. Duquesne's is a little over 30K... but with scholly it drops to slightly over 15K. So a difference of roughly 9K per year.


... I'll be at the Brawl again this year.. hopefully we fair better than we did last time we visited Heinz.

[reverendt]

for the 9K a year...go to Pitt....(and get out of Akron!)

[jack duluoz]

I was accepted at each of these three local schools. Akron offered almost full scholly; Duquesne offered approximately 50% tuition; and nothing from Pitt.

I know Pitt is "ranked" higher and carries more weight than the others... but given the costs and other considerations (quality of life), what would you recommend? My first choice would be Pitt (as a WVU graduate I'm almost sick that I just said that), but the scholarships are enticing.

Also, five years after graduation after you've been able to build experience... how much does the degree and institution from which you earned it limit you geographically? in other words... if I chose Akron and graduated, worked in eastern Ohio for a few years, and then tried to come back to somewhere like Western PA, would I still be at a large disadvantage because I didn't get my degree from Pitt or Duquesne?

Any input is greatly appreciated...

try to leverage some money from pitt? Personally, i'd stay away from akron especially with your duq offer. Maybe u could get pitt to make up the difference or at least throw u something.

[camron1111]

try to leverage some money from pitt? Personally, i'd stay away from akron especially with your duq offer. Maybe u could get pitt to make up the difference or at least throw u something.

So just to reiterate, you think that a full scholly from Akron would still be your third choice behind Pitt (currently with no $$) and Duquesne (with 50% $$)... based on career prospects? Why, specifically, would you stay away from Akron? In other words, even with the the debt I might incur from 3 years at, say Pitt, there's still more of a net gain in the long term of going there? -- To be honest, that's what I think I want to hear, I just want to make the most advised decision with as little bias as possible....

Also, what did you mean by "leverage some money from Pitt"? Perhaps I'm just naive, but how would one go about doing that?

[KJ5490]

try to leverage some money from pitt? Personally, i'd stay away from akron especially with your duq offer. Maybe u could get pitt to make up the difference or at least throw u something.

So just to reiterate, you think that a full scholly from Akron would still be your third choice behind Pitt (currently with no $$) and Duquesne (with 50% $$)... based on career prospects? Why, specifically, would you stay away from Akron? In other words, even with the the debt I might incur from 3 years at, say Pitt, there's still more of a net gain in the long term of going there? -- To be honest, that's what I think I want to hear, I just want to make the most advised decision with as little bias as possible....

Also, what did you mean by "leverage some money from Pitt"? Perhaps I'm just naive, but how would one go about doing that?

You can contact MeMe Jeffries about trying to get some money. She'll ask that you provide copies of your current offers and she will send them and your request to the review committee. I received some money from them and I attempted to get more by leveraging the fact that I got more money from Duquesne and Case Western. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me, they denied my request, but it is worth a shot.

[jack duluoz]

i think if you really wanted to spend your career in ohio, then akron is your best bet.

However, from your post, it seems u would rather live in western pa. If that's the case then i'd go to duquesne, but i would go to pitt if u could leverage some money.

keep in mind you will have living expenses, too. So, akron you'd probably come out 35-45k in loans depending on how thrifty u are. Duquesne would be 45k in tuition and another 40-45k in living expenses=~85k. Pitt would be roughly 75k in tuition and another 40-45k in living= ~115k.

It's not an easy call. Possibly, u could contact duquesne about your scholly from akron to see if u could negotiate a better deal there, then take your better scholly from duq. to have a better shot at leveraging from pitt.--but be careful cause it's march. if duq sits on a decision, dont expect pitt to match an offer in may.

[sdv]

This doesn't help answer your question, but one of the most frustrating things to witness in town is that Duquesne's "lay prestige" is much greater than Pitt, even though Pitt law is obviously >> Duquesne law. I do think your quality of life will be much better in Pittsburgh than in Akron (blatant anti-Browns trolling? perhaps...)

Honestly, this is why I don't understand rankings after the T20 or so. So Pitt is 71 and Minnesota is 21. That's 50 points, a huge difference. But will a Minnesota JD, or any JD outside of the top 20, give you an advantage in getting a job if you want to practice in Pittsburgh? I don't see how.

However, as a WVU grad, you'll probably want to choose whichever school has the best couch-burning opportunities.

[reverendt]

This doesn't help answer your question, but one of the most frustrating things to witness in town is that Duquesne's "lay prestige" is much greater than Pitt, even though Pitt law is obviously >> Duquesne law. I do think your quality of life will be much better in Pittsburgh than in Akron (blatant anti-Browns trolling? perhaps...)

I haven't found that at all...they treat a Pitt degree like gold around here.
The Duquesne degree is also respected in town, but only the immediate area.

[Cole S. Law]

This list is rough. Akron is decent in IP law, but it is one of three law schools in Northeast Ohio. Akron is a distant 4th in trying to infiltrate Cleveland. Duquesne is T4 and in termoil. I would avoid it. It looks like Pitt. If you're looking at IP, you should give Akron serious thought, but otherwise...Go Panthers.

[Scurredsitless1]

This doesn't help answer your question, but one of the most frustrating things to witness in town is that Duquesne's "lay prestige" is much greater than Pitt, even though Pitt law is obviously >> Duquesne law. I do think your quality of life will be much better in Pittsburgh than in Akron (blatant anti-Browns trolling? perhaps...)

I haven't found that at all...they treat a Pitt degree like gold around here.
The Duquesne degree is also respected in town, but only the immediate area.

From a lifetime of living in and around the city, I think the lay prestige at Duquesne is greater than or equal to the lay prestige at pitt.

But who cares? People that make hiring decisions are not lay people.

[sdv]

This doesn't help answer your question, but one of the most frustrating things to witness in town is that Duquesne's "lay prestige" is much greater than Pitt, even though Pitt law is obviously >> Duquesne law. I do think your quality of life will be much better in Pittsburgh than in Akron (blatant anti-Browns trolling? perhaps...)

I haven't found that at all...they treat a Pitt degree like gold around here.
The Duquesne degree is also respected in town, but only the immediate area.

From a lifetime of living in and around the city, I think the lay prestige at Duquesne is greater than or equal to the lay prestige at pitt.

But who cares? People that make hiring decisions are not lay people.

Of course you're right. People's opinions don't actually matter. It's just that as a Penn grad, having to cope with the fact that 90% of the population thinks you went to a state school was a daily struggle, so I'm sensitive to these kinds of things.

"Where'd you go to school?"
"Penn."
"Where?"
"The University of Pennsylvania."
"Where's that?"
"Philadelphia."
"Oh...Well maybe if you work really hard you'll be able to transfer to main campus next year!"

[gator08]

This list is rough. Akron is decent in IP law, but it is one of three law schools in Northeast Ohio. Akron is a distant 4th in trying to infiltrate Cleveland. Duquesne is T4 and in termoil. I would avoid it. It looks like Pitt. If you're looking at IP, you should give Akron serious thought, but otherwise...Go Panthers.

+1, if you can afford it go to Pitt. I know a number of attorneys that went to Akron and, if you are looking for big law in Cleveland, they had real difficulties getting an interview with medium to large firms. One of the grads finished in the top 10% and scored the highest out of all takers on the Ohio State Bar Exam for that sitting and has since started his own IP firm because big law wouldn't give him a shot. To this day he is still salty. Go to Pitt.

[camron1111]

+1, if you can afford it go to Pitt. I know a number of attorneys that went to Akron and, if you are looking for big law in Cleveland, they had real difficulties getting an interview with medium to large firms. One of the grads finished in the top 10% and scored the highest out of all takers on the Ohio State Bar Exam for that sitting and has since started his own IP firm because big law wouldn't give him a shot. To this day he is still salty. Go to Pitt.

And you don't think +100K is too much debt to overcome and there's enough upside to Pitt? Interesting.

[Steven Perry]

From someone who spent 18 years living 10 minutes away from Akron, and is currently a WVU UG, go to Pitt. It's a good law school, and it has a pretty firm grasp on the market. It may be more expensive, but in the end I think it will pay off, and it will definitely pay off more than Akron. That place is a cesspool of economic failure, and Akron is the perpetual safety school for Ohioans.

[TTH]

Of course you're right. People's opinions don't actually matter. It's just that as a Penn grad, having to cope with the fact that 90% of the population thinks you went to a state school was a daily struggle, so I'm sensitive to these kinds of things.

lulz


Go to Pitt. It's far and away the best choice.

[camron1111]

From someone who spent 18 years living 10 minutes away from Akron, and is currently a WVU UG, go to Pitt. It's a good law school, and it has a pretty firm grasp on the market. It may be more expensive, but in the end I think it will pay off, and it will definitely pay off more than Akron.

Thanks guys... so out of curiosity, does anyone know of someone, or have themselves taken on the cost of a legal education without the assistance of scholarship $$ ?? If so, how are you (they) fairing now?

[gator08]

+1, if you can afford it go to Pitt. I know a number of attorneys that went to Akron and, if you are looking for big law in Cleveland, they had real difficulties getting an interview with medium to large firms. One of the grads finished in the top 10% and scored the highest out of all takers on the Ohio State Bar Exam for that sitting and has since started his own IP firm because big law wouldn't give him a shot. To this day he is still salty. Go to Pitt.

And you don't think +100K is too much debt to overcome and there's enough upside to Pitt? Interesting.

100K of debt will suck to overcome, but a Pitt law degree will carry you further than an Akron law degree. IMHO its worth it. And join the club bro, I have 80K from undergrad and will be taking on an additional 75K and thats with a scholly of 23K per yr. I would venture a guess that the majority of law students will graduate with debt upwards of at least +60K, welcome to law school.

[WithGrace23]

This doesn't help answer your question, but one of the most frustrating things to witness in town is that Duquesne's "lay prestige" is much greater than Pitt, even though Pitt law is obviously >> Duquesne law. I do think your quality of life will be much better in Pittsburgh than in Akron (blatant anti-Browns trolling? perhaps...)

Honestly, this is why I don't understand rankings after the T20 or so. So Pitt is 71 and Minnesota is 21. That's 50 points, a huge difference. But will a Minnesota JD, or any JD outside of the top 20, give you an advantage in getting a job if you want to practice in Pittsburgh? I don't see how.

However, as a WVU grad, you'll probably want to choose whichever school has the best couch-burning opportunities.

I second this. Du does seem to have more lay prestige and to some extent more prestige in the older generations of Pittsburgh lawyers. I think that this has something to do with the fact that back in the day of most older partners at pittsburgh law firms, duquesne used to have the better reputation. A lot of judges, pa supreme court judges in allegheny count went to du. Now of course we rely on US rankings, and Pitt is much more highly ranked. If you are planning to stay in Pittsburgh, du with a half scholarship may be your best bet. If you want a little more transportability,you will have to weigh greater debt against that.