Top Law Schools

So seat deposit due tomorrow for W&L...scholarship acceptance at W&M due tomorrow as well.

I'm somewhat undecided about what I want to do after law school (due mostly to the wide variety of options rather than lack of interest in practice areas), but along with many, I'm interested in government/public service.

W&L pros:
Interesting third year program (but this also worries me...)
Small, comfortable atmosphere like my undergrad
Strong alum network

Cons:
Location sucks
Hiring in DC doesn't look great
Continued rankings slide (from 18 to 34 last several years?)

W&M pros:
Stronger DC hiring prospects

Impressive faculty
More curriculum options/more options in general

Cons:
Larger, less personal feel
More $$$ (due to scholarships)

Unknowns: W&L seems to have a bigger reputation, despite W&M's ranking. Am I imagining this?

Also...still riding a higher-ranked waitlist and waiting to hear from others.

Would love to have input :)

In VA, W&M is slightly more renowned in my circles. Most people I know here think of it as something like U.Va Jr.

Borhas wrote:In VA, W&M is slightly more renowned in my circles. Most people I know here think of it as something like U.Va Jr.

UVA Jr. haha I like that. When I visited W&M many of the students seemed to think UVA was too much stress/competition/backstabbing for the higher rank. Also, many of them wanted to stay in VA/DC and had really strong summer plans-- in other words it didn't seem like UVA overshadowed them too badly.

I never applied, so I guess I will never know...but. Anyway-- thanks for your response!

georgetown.hopeful wrote:Unknowns: W&L seems to have a bigger reputation, despite W&M's ranking. Am I imagining this?

i think so

That higher ranked waitlist is quite a mystery huh?

GordonBombay wrote:That higher ranked waitlist is quite a mystery huh?

Haha I think I know what you're getting at, but unfortunately, no. Haven't heard anything yet, taking this is as a bad sign...

bitlrc wrote:

georgetown.hopeful wrote:Unknowns: W&L seems to have a bigger reputation, despite W&M's ranking. Am I imagining this?

i think so

You think so personally, or you've also gotten the same sense from some other source?

georgetown.hopeful wrote:

Borhas wrote:In VA, W&M is slightly more renowned in my circles. Most people I know here think of it as something like U.Va Jr.

UVA Jr. haha I like that. When I visited W&M many of the students seemed to think UVA was too much stress/competition/backstabbing for the higher rank. Also, many of them wanted to stay in VA/DC and had really strong summer plans-- in other words it didn't seem like UVA overshadowed them too badly.

I never applied, so I guess I will never know...but. Anyway-- thanks for your response!

please don't rely too much on my opinions (I'm sure you won't), my general impression is very isolated, but I didn't mean overshadowed I meant more like approaching in reputation.

Borhas wrote:

georgetown.hopeful wrote:

Borhas wrote:In VA, W&M is slightly more renowned in my circles. Most people I know here think of it as something like U.Va Jr.

UVA Jr. haha I like that. When I visited W&M many of the students seemed to think UVA was too much stress/competition/backstabbing for the higher rank. Also, many of them wanted to stay in VA/DC and had really strong summer plans-- in other words it didn't seem like UVA overshadowed them too badly.

I never applied, so I guess I will never know...but. Anyway-- thanks for your response!

please don't rely too much on my opinions (I'm sure you won't), my general impression is very isolated, but I didn't mean overshadowed I meant more like approaching in reputation.

That's fair- and yeah I know most of this is going to be anecdotal, I'm just really kind of torn. Except I forgot to mention that I think W&M was a better fit for me personally. I can actually see myself going there, whereas Lexington and W&L students just didn't seem like a great fit. I don't often rely on this kind of "feeling" though, haha.

For undergrad, W&M is highly regarded in VA, only slightly less so than UVA. So it will have more lay prestige than W&L in VA.

When it comes to the law schools it's not really close. UVA is head and shoulders above W&L and W&M. W&L and W&M are close enough that you should go where you feel the most comfortable/where it's cheapest for you.

In other news, I'm getting sick of hitting the & key.

Look man.

Do what you want to do. BUT! Basically you are saying the following:

-"I think W&M was a better fit for me personally. I can actually see myself going there, whereas Lexington and W&L students just didn't seem like a great fit." Sounds prety black and white. You liked one. You didnt like the other.

-The difference is 6K relatively small. Honestly, as someone terrified of debt Im telling you, that doesnt seem like a lot. Thats like a Nissan altima versus a maxima or something. Just doesnt seem like a lot to me.

-You seem to think W&M gives you the best chance to do what you want to do.

-Everything you've listed outside of 6,000 dollars seems to point to W&M. Is it anything besides that 6K keeping you from making this call?

It just seems like you've already made the call

georgetown.hopeful wrote:

bitlrc wrote:

georgetown.hopeful wrote:Unknowns: W&L seems to have a bigger reputation, despite W&M's ranking. Am I imagining this?

i think so

You think so personally, or you've also gotten the same sense from some other source?

i think so personally and based on what i've heard from attorneys i've spoken with. i live in NJ and here w&m has a better (or at least more widely known) reputation than w&l, which i think speaks to its portability

georgetown.hopeful wrote:
Unknowns: W&L seems to have a bigger reputation, despite W&M's ranking. Am I imagining this?

Yes, I think you're imagining this. Even when W&L was ranked higher, general consensus seemed to be that W&M had the better rep.

Plus, Williamsburg > Lexington (even if neither is exactly the most exciting place on Earth).

GordonBombay wrote:Look man.

Do what you want to do. BUT! Basically you are saying the following:

-"I think W&M was a better fit for me personally. I can actually see myself going there, whereas Lexington and W&L students just didn't seem like a great fit." Sounds prety black and white. You liked one. You didnt like the other.

-The difference is 6K relatively small. Honestly, as someone terrified of debt Im telling you, that doesnt seem like a lot. Thats like a Nissan altima versus a maxima or something. Just doesnt seem like a lot to me.

-You seem to think W&M gives you the best chance to do what you want to do.

-Everything you've listed outside of 6,000 dollars seems to point to W&M. Is it anything besides that 6K keeping you from making this call?

It just seems like you've already made the call

+1
When it comes down to it, you should stop relying on TLSers who know nothing about you or schools' future career prospects and just go to whatever school at which you feel the most comfortable. Nobody can tell you what school is better for you. It's your decision, and it seems you've already made it.

whatchootalkinbout wrote:

GordonBombay wrote:Look man.

Do what you want to do. BUT! Basically you are saying the following:

-"I think W&M was a better fit for me personally. I can actually see myself going there, whereas Lexington and W&L students just didn't seem like a great fit." Sounds prety black and white. You liked one. You didnt like the other.

-The difference is 6K relatively small. Honestly, as someone terrified of debt Im telling you, that doesnt seem like a lot. Thats like a Nissan altima versus a maxima or something. Just doesnt seem like a lot to me.

-You seem to think W&M gives you the best chance to do what you want to do.

-Everything you've listed outside of 6,000 dollars seems to point to W&M. Is it anything besides that 6K keeping you from making this call?

It just seems like you've already made the call

+1
When it comes down to it, you should stop relying on TLSers who know nothing about you or schools' future career prospects and just go to whatever school at which you feel the most comfortable. Nobody can tell you what school is better for you. It's your decision, and it seems you've already made it.

1. woman, not man : )
2. yes, maybe I was just looking for validation, but I also thought something might come up that I hadn't thought of previously.
3. more $$ at W&L/the "imagined" prestige over W&M (this might be from my Roanoke connections...W&L is huge there)
4. For some reason my pre-law advisor is pointing me to W&L, acting like W&M has much less to offer in alumni connections.


overall, y'all are right...i've pretty much decided. Just needed to work through it with some smart people. Thanks for your input, all.

georgetown.hopeful wrote:

whatchootalkinbout wrote:

GordonBombay wrote:Look man.

Do what you want to do. BUT! Basically you are saying the following:

-"I think W&M was a better fit for me personally. I can actually see myself going there, whereas Lexington and W&L students just didn't seem like a great fit." Sounds prety black and white. You liked one. You didnt like the other.

-The difference is 6K relatively small. Honestly, as someone terrified of debt Im telling you, that doesnt seem like a lot. Thats like a Nissan altima versus a maxima or something. Just doesnt seem like a lot to me.

-You seem to think W&M gives you the best chance to do what you want to do.

-Everything you've listed outside of 6,000 dollars seems to point to W&M. Is it anything besides that 6K keeping you from making this call?

It just seems like you've already made the call

+1
When it comes down to it, you should stop relying on TLSers who know nothing about you or schools' future career prospects and just go to whatever school at which you feel the most comfortable. Nobody can tell you what school is better for you. It's your decision, and it seems you've already made it.

1. woman, not man : )
2. yes, maybe I was just looking for validation, but I also thought something might come up that I hadn't thought of previously.
3. more $$ at W&L/the "imagined" prestige over W&M (this might be from my Roanoke connections...W&L is huge there)
4. For some reason my pre-law advisor is pointing me to W&L, acting like W&M has much less to offer in alumni connections.


overall, y'all are right...i've pretty much decided. Just needed to work through it with some smart people. Thanks for your input, all.

I hear you about seeking some validation, seeing if others point out something you may have missed. I've been doing the same dance with W&L and Richmond for about a month. Need to decide by noon tomorrow and it's killing me. Leaning towards W&L but I loved Richmond and cant shake it. Plus they do great in that market. Plus, I'm facing a difference in money waaay bigger than 6k. WL at W&M for what that's worth. Congrats on the great choices. I think W&L is regarded highly in Roanoake and more south, while it seems W&M has a slight edge in DC, if only for more alumni.

Wanna help me make my choice?

GordonBombay wrote:

georgetown.hopeful wrote:

whatchootalkinbout wrote:

GordonBombay wrote:Look man.

Do what you want to do. BUT! Basically you are saying the following:

-"I think W&M was a better fit for me personally. I can actually see myself going there, whereas Lexington and W&L students just didn't seem like a great fit." Sounds prety black and white. You liked one. You didnt like the other.

-The difference is 6K relatively small. Honestly, as someone terrified of debt Im telling you, that doesnt seem like a lot. Thats like a Nissan altima versus a maxima or something. Just doesnt seem like a lot to me.

-You seem to think W&M gives you the best chance to do what you want to do.

-Everything you've listed outside of 6,000 dollars seems to point to W&M. Is it anything besides that 6K keeping you from making this call?

It just seems like you've already made the call

+1
When it comes down to it, you should stop relying on TLSers who know nothing about you or schools' future career prospects and just go to whatever school at which you feel the most comfortable. Nobody can tell you what school is better for you. It's your decision, and it seems you've already made it.

1. woman, not man : )
2. yes, maybe I was just looking for validation, but I also thought something might come up that I hadn't thought of previously.
3. more $$ at W&L/the "imagined" prestige over W&M (this might be from my Roanoke connections...W&L is huge there)
4. For some reason my pre-law advisor is pointing me to W&L, acting like W&M has much less to offer in alumni connections.


overall, y'all are right...i've pretty much decided. Just needed to work through it with some smart people. Thanks for your input, all.

I hear you about seeking some validation, seeing if others point out something you may have missed. I've been doing the same dance with W&L and Richmond for about a month. Need to decide by noon tomorrow and it's killing me. Leaning towards W&L but I loved Richmond and cant shake it. Plus they do great in that market. Plus, I'm facing a difference in money waaay bigger than 6k. WL at W&M for what that's worth. Congrats on the great choices. I think W&L is regarded highly in Roanoake and more south, while it seems W&M has a slight edge in DC, if only for more alumni.

Wanna help me make my choice?

Unfortunately I know almost nothing about Richmond...so I am not qualified...if you want to stay in that area, though, it sounds like that would work out well for you with minimal debt...but that W&L is going to provide more options overall. Either way, best of luck to you with your choice!

made the call myself. Lexington

GordonBombay wrote:made the call myself. Lexington

Well congrats! I'm sure it feels great to know your plans, now.

Very different school cultures. It should be an easy decision after visiting each school, in my opinion.

CanadianWolf wrote:Very different school cultures. It should be an easy decision after visiting each school, in my opinion.

Care to elaborate? I visited W&L over Easter break and didn't attend a class, so I'm not sure I got the strongest sense of this as far as the student body goes.

Can't speak to W&M, but I went to ASW at W&L and was very impressed by the quality of the students - bright, fun, and enthusiastic. I also found the faculty that met met to be overall very solid. It's a good choice, but I decided against it.

I'm with the others - follow your instinct - go to W&M.