Top Law Schools

tOSU - in-state, 10k/yr scholarship - ~ 12k/yr
UGA - in-state equalization scholly - ~ 14k/yr

I definitely like Atlanta over Columbus as a place to work and live in but wouldn't kill myself if I had to live in in Cbus. I'm just looking for the best career prospects. I'm interested in IP / patent law. ATL obviously has a bigger legal market but also more competition from higher ranked schools. But I've that UGA owns the ATL market from various sources.

The complication is that my wife is attending dental school at tOSU. She will be graduating in the same year I will be in (2013). But she prefers working in ATL to Cbus after graduation.

Both are ranked the same (35) and have great reputation in their respective home state. The cost of living is about the same (Maybe slightly cheaper at UGA). Is attending UGA for 2k/yr more with connection to ATL market worth it over attending tOSU?

PS: I currently live in Cbus.

anyone?

If you can stand to be apart from your wife for the three years you're in school I think UGA is probably a better option. Sounds like you'd both like to be in ATL and while I don't know anything about OSU or CBus ... I'm about 90% heading to UGA myself so obvi I think it's a good school!

There is my fairly biased opinion

I think I would go for UGA. I think Ohio is generally in a state of decline or at least slower than average growth (not the school, but the state).

The one thing I don't agree with is that UGA dominates the ATL legal market. It has a significant presence, but the competition is intense with some of the graduates of higher-ranked schools eyeing the market (Duke, Vandy, UVA).

I'm going against the grain here but I'd choose OSU.

I think that these choices are as equal as you can find. I can see why its a difficult decision. With that being said I think this is just a matter of personal preference.

I hate long distance relationships. To me UGA wouldn't be worth it. But whatever decision you make will be a good one.

Congrats on both of these great options.

Thank you all the replies. My wife and I have never lived separately for more than 2 months at a time so I'm not sure how we will handle it.

I agree that UGA has a significant presence in ATL rather than owning it.

If you hate your wife, choose UGA. If you love your wife, choose OSU. This is absolute common sense.

ainzabo7 wrote:If your wife loves you, choose whichever will meet your guys' long-term goals better. If your wife doesn't life you, choose OSU. This is absolute common sense.

Fixed.

This is absolutely a no-brainer. The schools and costs are as equal as you're going to find. If you were considering Yale and being away from your wife it's one thing, but here there is simply no reason to make that sacrifice. Stay where she is. Period.

Thank you all for the advice. My wife and I had a good laugh at some of the comments.

OSU w/ your wife. Duhhh. Unless you secretly hate her?

The post above by shawty18ga is 100% correct to the best of my knowledge.

ATL market is really tough, btw, and UGA in no way dominates it in any meaningful sense. They have the most grads I'm pretty sure, but at most firms, UVA/Duke, Vandy, and Emory people will all get their feet in the door before you, in that order. The chairmen of King & Spalding and Alston & Bird are both Vandy grads, for example. You have to do really well at UGA to compete for the good jobs.

OSU. You can't live apart from your wife for three years.

Also, UGA grads are struggling. There was an article on Above the Law a while back about how UGA's Dean was begging alumni to hire more of their grads.

I had this same decision and chose OSU, fwiw, but I have an attachment to the midwest.