Top Law Schools

First and foremost I'm debt averse as are most of us who are considering TT.

My goal is to eventually practice in the Bay Area.

I've been accepted to Santa Clara with $ and Oregon with $. Total COA is about 20k less per year at Oregon.

I also think Oregon would be a more enjoyable experience for me because of the collegiate atmosphere in Eugene.

However, I don't know how easily I can get back to The Bay from Oregon and Santa Clara provides really good job prospects in the South Bay where I leave and want to start my career.

I'm having difficulty making a decision because of my emotional attachment to the idea of going to Oregon.

I appreciate any feedback and/or advice

Haha, I just posted the exact same thread a couple spots down. I'm basically in the same position as you. Thinking that the program at SCU might be better than UO, but UO is so much cheaper.

From a Hastings 1L who has had zero luck in landing summer employment (and I have decent grades too), I can tell you that Bay Area legal work is exceptionally hard to find. If this area is your only goal, I think Santa Clara is the only real choice here. In the new economy, grades for those of us out of the non-T20 don't seem to matter much. Networking and connections are everything.

How much debt are you looking at with Santa Clara? I don't recommend going over 100k in debt if you are seeking private sector work. If you are thinking of public interest, SCU is a good choice even at significant debt levels. SCU might also be good for IP/patents, although I think their USNWR specialty rank is probably overrated.

If it were me, I'd forget the Bay Area and take the cheaper degree at Oregon. The PNW is arguably a nicer place to live, although the cities are smaller and the career options are fewer.

Why do you think the IP at Santa Clara is overrated?

Just go to Oregon. Be happy with the fact it is very much an outdoor state and clean. In a few years (2012) Cali will break off into the ocean anyway after the massive Earthquake heading its way.

darknightbegins wrote:Why do you think the IP at Santa Clara is overrated?

Just go to Oregon. Be happy with the fact it is very much an outdoor state and clean. In a few years (2012) Cali will break off into the ocean anyway after the massive Earthquake heading its way.

I think specialty rankings in general are overrated. It's not like most employers are going to know about them and say "hey...this guy went to Seattle Univ! they have the #1 legal writing program according to USNWR!!"

I think SCU is a good school, but I probably wouldn't go there over a T1 school just for the IP program, unless SCU was significantly cheaper.

swheat wrote:

darknightbegins wrote:Why do you think the IP at Santa Clara is overrated?

Just go to Oregon. Be happy with the fact it is very much an outdoor state and clean. In a few years (2012) Cali will break off into the ocean anyway after the massive Earthquake heading its way.

I think specialty rankings in general are overrated. It's not like most employers are going to know about them and say "hey...this guy went to Seattle Univ! they have the #1 legal writing program according to USNWR!!"

I think SCU is a good school, but I probably wouldn't go there over a T1 school just for the IP program, unless SCU was significantly cheaper.

thanks for the feedback above. I keep going back and forth between the two schools. Hopefully both options become moot and I get into Hastings, Davis or both.

swheat wrote:

darknightbegins wrote:Why do you think the IP at Santa Clara is overrated?

Just go to Oregon. Be happy with the fact it is very much an outdoor state and clean. In a few years (2012) Cali will break off into the ocean anyway after the massive Earthquake heading its way.

I think specialty rankings in general are overrated. It's not like most employers are going to know about them and say "hey...this guy went to Seattle Univ! they have the #1 legal writing program according to USNWR!!"

I think SCU is a good school, but I probably wouldn't go there over a T1 school just for the IP program, unless SCU was significantly cheaper.

Well I don't think a speciality ranking will help a student out a HUGE deal, but if you have two similar applicants from schools that are of the same stature I don't see why a relevant speciality ranking would not help out.