Top Law Schools

Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

musicfor18 wrote:Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

ITE biglaw isnt too likely from either, so I would take IU.

sfdreaming09 wrote:

musicfor18 wrote:Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

ITE biglaw isnt too likely from either, so I would take IU.

From USC? I'd say you have a pretty good shot if you're in the top 30% of your class. By the time you graduate, perhaps top 50. In LA, of course.

quickquestionthanks wrote:

sfdreaming09 wrote:

musicfor18 wrote:Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

ITE biglaw isnt too likely from either, so I would take IU.

From USC? I'd say you have a pretty good shot if you're in the top 30% of your class. By the time you graduate, perhaps top 50. In LA, of course.

Really? ITE?

I chose USC too, mostly because I don't think IUB deserves its rank and its not as portable as USC. ITE, you'd prbly want to be top 5-10% at USC for a SHOT a biglaw, not top 30%

Edit:
Do either scholarships come with GPA requirements??

roadkilllaw wrote:

quickquestionthanks wrote:

sfdreaming09 wrote:

musicfor18 wrote:Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

ITE biglaw isnt too likely from either, so I would take IU.

From USC? I'd say you have a pretty good shot if you're in the top 30% of your class. By the time you graduate, perhaps top 50. In LA, of course.

Really? ITE?

I chose USC too, mostly because I don't think IUB deserves its rank and its not as portable as USC. ITE, you'd prbly want to be top 5-10% at USC for a SHOT a biglaw, not top 30%

Edit:
Do either scholarships come with GPA requirements??

Nope. Both scholarships are guaranteed for all 3 years.

On the subject of job placement, USC placed 15th on the 2009 NLJ250 charts with 41.6% of grads placed. IUB doesn't even appear in the top 50 of that chart. Of course, this placement happened before the big downturn.

I still go for USC.
Honestly, before I started researching law schools, I didn't even know that IUB had a law school. I think that USC gives far more opportunities than IUB so even though i'm debt adverse, i'd still choose USC --> it's going to be the most portable of the two

Can anyone else chime in with their thoughts?

Like, if you have to think about this, then you are probably the type of person who'd do better in Indiana or whatever.

Ok, interesting, Puffy. Now can anyone with manners chime in?

.

jonnodotsg wrote:I'd say that it really depends on where you'd like to practice. As has been mentioned countless times in this forum, take USC if you want LA, and IU if you want the Midwest. However, if none of these two markets appeal to you, then I'd go with IU. The significant reduction in debt would allow you a bit more flexibility in terms of career options upon graduation.

+1. Well said.

thinkbig wrote:

jonnodotsg wrote:I'd say that it really depends on where you'd like to practice. As has been mentioned countless times in this forum, take USC if you want LA, and IU if you want the Midwest. However, if none of these two markets appeal to you, then I'd go with IU. The significant reduction in debt would allow you a bit more flexibility in terms of career options upon graduation.

+1. Well said.

Except USC is in a far more dominate position relative to its market than IU. I'm big for keeping debt down, and I'm big on IU, but I'd take USC... easily.

You're looking at a school thats essentially tied for first in its market with said market being one of the largest in the country...

Although, that USC scholarship will be pretty much offset by the cost of living in LA.

Thanks for the constructive responses! Anyone else?

musicfor18 wrote:Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

It sounds like you want USC. More portable, plus if you were to get stuck in CA or IN, personally I'd much rather be stuck in CA.

bump

beef wellington wrote:

musicfor18 wrote:Which would you choose? I want to leave big law open as an option, and would generally like as much portability as possible. Should I take the full scholarship or undertake more debt for USC? Please vote and leave your thoughts.

It sounds like you want USC. More portable, plus if you were to get stuck in CA or IN, personally I'd much rather be stuck in CA.

+1,000,000.

Why is IU ranked so high at 23 if so many people think it should be lower? Or....why do you think it should be ranked lower than it is?

musicfor18 wrote:Why is IU ranked so high at 23 if so many people think it should be lower? Or....why do you think it should be ranked lower than it is?

I think I remember reading something like they got a huge one time donation that pushed up their expenditure per student number.

beef wellington wrote:

musicfor18 wrote:Why is IU ranked so high at 23 if so many people think it should be lower? Or....why do you think it should be ranked lower than it is?

I think I remember reading something like they got a huge one time donation that pushed up their expenditure per student number.

Yes, well it's definitely true they got a huge donation. I think that's how they're able to give out a bunch of full scholarships.

Anyone else?

bunp

roadkilllaw wrote:ITE, you'd prbly want to be top 5-10% at USC for a SHOT a biglaw, not top 30%

This is a ridiculous underestimation.

JSUVA2012 wrote:

roadkilllaw wrote:ITE, you'd prbly want to be top 5-10% at USC for a SHOT a biglaw, not top 30%

This is a ridiculous underestimation.

How so? Are you saying that you don't need to be as high as top 5-10%? Or are you saying that you need to be even higher?

musicfor18 wrote:

JSUVA2012 wrote:

roadkilllaw wrote:ITE, you'd prbly want to be top 5-10% at USC for a SHOT a biglaw, not top 30%

This is a ridiculous underestimation.

How so? Are you saying that you don't need to be as high as top 5-10%? Or are you saying that you need to be even higher?

To have a SHOT at BigLaw? I'm sure anyone in top quarter at USC still has a SHOT.

In the good economy, probably around half (or more) of USC had a shot at BigLaw. There are about half as many BigLaw SA positions now than there were a few years ago. So top quarter is a decent estimation.

Aha, thanks for the clarification. Are you currently in law school or a 0L?