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I am sorry if a similar topic has already been posted, but I have searched and not found a similar thread. I am trying to decide between Michigan and Georgetown. I am originally from the state of Michigan but have been living and working in the DC area for the past 1.5 years and love it here. Ideally I'd like to practice in southern California or DC/New York (not keen on Chicago). Michigan has given me a partial scholarship (15k per year) and Georgetown has not offered anything as of yet. I know that Michigan is a more highly regarded school in general, but is it better to the extent that I should leave DC (which I love) and return to Michigan?

Considering where you want to work, Michigan

doesn't georgetown place better in dc and ny than michigan?

promike1 wrote:doesn't georgetown place better in dc and ny than michigan?

Lol.

Kind of hard to turn down money at a T10. I don't know if GULC negotiates scholarships, but you might want to approach them for some if you really want to stay in D.C. Their placement compared to Michigan's (http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1) would definitely warrant a trump offer from them.

Personally I'm with you on not wanting to move out of a great city for some college town bullshit. Michigan is a great school though.

Not to mention, Michigan's most popular market for its grads is NYC, not Chicago. (NYC, Chicago, DC, and California are the 4 most common markets.)

Georgetown has the worst placement out of the top 14 (and apparently has worse placement than Vanderbilt). To me, it's a no-brainer.

promike1 wrote:doesn't georgetown place better in dc and ny than michigan?

Georgetown may place more people in NY DC, but not because those cities prefer GTown grads. Michigan kids tend to go everywhere so they are just really spread out all over the big markets. To me, Michigan seems like the best 7-14 for self selection.

unless GTown comes over the back with a bigger offer than Mich, go with Mich.

At first I thought it was Michigan vs GULC + $45k, which seems like a reasonable dilemma. Upon second glance, you're trying to decide between a T10 with lower COL + $45k vs the worst T14? This is a no-brainer.

If OP really does not want to leave D.C., already has a place, is established, etc. it is actually kind of foolish to advise him/her to uproot their life.

You guys have no idea how much I love Mich. Law so this is definitely unbiased advice.

A'nold wrote:If OP really does not want to leave D.C., already has a place, is established, etc. it is actually kind of foolish to advise him/her to uproot their life.

You guys have no idea how much I love Mich. Law so this is definitely unbiased advice.

Agreed on all counts

A'nold wrote:If OP really does not want to leave D.C., already has a place, is established, etc. it is actually kind of foolish to advise him/her to uproot their life.

1.5 years? Doubt it.

fortissimo wrote:

A'nold wrote:If OP really does not want to leave D.C., already has a place, is established, etc. it is actually kind of foolish to advise him/her to uproot their life.

[strike]1.5 years? Doubt it.[/strike]

csh9337 wrote:working in the DC area for the past 1.5 years and love it here. Ideally I'd like to practice in southern California or DC/New York (not keen on Chicago).

1.5 years + Southern California or DC/New York? Doubt it.

FTFY.

I made this decision last year with about equal $ from both. Although I didn't live in DC, I had tons of family and friends there and was dead set on picking Gtown because I am an uber city girl. In the end, the visit (and the no-room-for-gambling economy) sealed the deal. Have you visited yet? If not, do so!!! Talk to students who are not hired to convince you

So many of the students I spoke to at GULC's open house either seemed indifferent to or unhappy with the quality of the school. Even some of the ones who had volunteered to talk to students! I was even told by three GULC 2L's to go to Michigan instead. Everyone there seemed like they were only there because they couldn't be somewhere better. I kept hearing the phrase, "It's law school, I mean, it's not fun." I left feeling soooo underwhelmed.

Michigan's preview was the exact opposite. Everyone - staff, students, faculty - seemed so generally happy to be there. The students there all were eager to talk to us, even the ones who weren't working preview, and they all seemed to be having so much FUN and loved being in school. Not to mention they were all generally awesome ppl and seemed to be the kinds of ppl I could actually be friends with (all hail Dean Z, awesomest Dean of Admissions and selector of the coolest, most chill, most fun student body on the planet, no bias whatsoever ). I spent most of the ride home wishing GULC could have been like that.

So there's my completely anecdotal reasoning for why you should come party it up at Mich w/ me and Flightoftheearls (srsly, we had the BEST time at Preview, didn't we?), but I definitely advise you to visit and maybe you'll see, as I did, that the best choice on paper (and yes, this is Michigan, hands down!) may also be the best choice quality-of-life-wise. I've been there, though, so I know the decision-making process is tough, good luck!

GT has no access to SOcal compared to Michigan, 1.5 years is not establishing yourself, and 45k plus COL savings makes Michigan BY FAR a better deal

GT has no access to SOcal compared to Michigan

That's not true at all. Tons of Socal firms show up to OCI at Georgetown. I know several people heading out that way.

That said, as much as I love attending Georgetown, the money makes this a no-brainer: Michigan.

Michigan is the better overall school, plus its the cheaper option. That's what I would pick.

summertimechi wrote:I made this decision last year with about equal $ from both. Although I didn't live in DC, I had tons of family and friends there and was dead set on picking Gtown because I am an uber city girl. In the end, the visit (and the no-room-for-gambling economy) sealed the deal. Have you visited yet? If not, do so!!! Talk to students who are not hired to convince you

So many of the students I spoke to at GULC's open house either seemed indifferent to or unhappy with the quality of the school. Even some of the ones who had volunteered to talk to students! I was even told by three GULC 2L's to go to Michigan instead. Everyone there seemed like they were only there because they couldn't be somewhere better. I kept hearing the phrase, "It's law school, I mean, it's not fun." I left feeling soooo underwhelmed.

Michigan's preview was the exact opposite. Everyone - staff, students, faculty - seemed so generally happy to be there. The students there all were eager to talk to us, even the ones who weren't working preview, and they all seemed to be having so much FUN and loved being in school. Not to mention they were all generally awesome ppl and seemed to be the kinds of ppl I could actually be friends with (all hail Dean Z, awesomest Dean of Admissions and selector of the coolest, most chill, most fun student body on the planet, no bias whatsoever ). I spent most of the ride home wishing GULC could have been like that.

So there's my completely anecdotal reasoning for why you should come party it up at Mich w/ me and Flightoftheearls (srsly, we had the BEST time at Preview, didn't we?), but I definitely advise you to visit and maybe you'll see, as I did, that the best choice on paper (and yes, this is Michigan, hands down!) may also be the best choice quality-of-life-wise. I've been there, though, so I know the decision-making process is tough, good luck!

Were you at Mich's Preview Weekend? I met a Mich student there who said she'd heard that from GULC students.

For the reasons everyone has said (money, better school, nicer people, etc), I'd pick Michigan if I were you unless GULC offers more money.

Were you at Mich's Preview Weekend? I met a Mich student there who said she'd heard that from GULC students.

OP talked to the wrong GULC students. I know plenty of people who have been happy about the experience and the school.

i didnt even have to read this

nealric wrote:

Were you at Mich's Preview Weekend? I met a Mich student there who said she'd heard that from GULC students.

OP talked to the wrong GULC students. I know plenty of people who have been happy about the experience and the school.

Oh, I'm sure. A friend's brother IRL went there and loved it, and obviously there are people on TLS who do too. I bet it's a lot of what you make of it, same as it'd be anywhere.