Top Law Schools

qbid250ks wrote:Ultimately, I would like to work in the New York City area[strike]and I would like to study international law. US news ranks GW's International Law program as number 6 in the nation, but I'm not sure if I would be able to find a job in NY with a degree from GW?[/strike]

holydonkey wrote:

qbid250ks wrote:Ultimately, I would like to work in the New York City area[strike]and I would like to study international law. US news ranks GW's International Law program as number 6 in the nation, but I'm not sure if I would be able to find a job in NY with a degree from GW?[/strike]

Fordham.

holydonkey wrote:

qbid250ks wrote:Ultimately, I would like to work in the New York City area[strike]and I would like to study international law. US news ranks GW's International Law program as number 6 in the nation, but I'm not sure if I would be able to find a job in NY with a degree from GW?[/strike]

Fordham.

qbid250ks wrote:THank you all! So GW's current national ranking (20), which is higher than Fordham's, will not help me secure a job in NY?

umichgrad wrote:It really depends on what you mean by "international law". If you mean international business transactions, int'l trade & development, etc (basically Biglaw with an international focus), and you want to do this in NYC, than Fordham is really the best choice. If you mean international law in the sense of war tribunals and ICC, you're dreaming.

Fordham

+1

elmagic wrote:Uh, I think you have to take all the

Fordham

+1

[strike]credited with a lump of salt.[/strike]
[strike]First of all you are looking to work in the most saturated legal market.[/strike]Yes Fordham places the majority of its class in NY and a good portion of that class places into biglaw. [strike]But you want to practice international law, which basically given your options limits you to, corporate international law, which means biglaw in NYC. Fordham at sticker is a bad idea given its market and cost associated with attending.[/strike]Brooklyn isn't the greatest school in the world [strike]but has a respected alumni network in NY. What are your scholarship stipulations?

To simplify things look at it this way:
Fordham- Optimistically 1/3 chance at landing biglaw and being able to pay off 200K+ in loans or 2/3 chance at 200k+ in loans and no biglaw.

Brooklyn- Optimistically 1/3 chance at keeping full ride after 1L, or 100K+ in loans along with a 1/10 chance at biglaw.

I mean best case scenario would be for you to go to Brooklyn keep the scholarship and land biglaw, but even then simply keeping the scholarship leaves you in a better position than no biglaw at Fordham.

So the real question is: Are you a betting man?[/strike]

JCougar wrote:This is a tough one since you shouldn't bank on getting biglaw from either school. Personally, I think your chances of being able to do what you want to do (international law) given your school options are pretty low. Either prepare to bust your but and study smarter than the majority of your peers, or readjust your expectations.

If you finish in the bottom half of your class for either school, you're probably going to be in the same boat, and being debt-free will help you out tremendously. If you have reason to believe you can finish in the top thrid at Fordham (I mean a solid reason, not just blind optimism), than it may be worth the debt. If you can't get top third, though, it's a pretty steep dropoff, and you'll be stuck where most Brooklyn students will be stuck, except with a ton of debt.

gwuorbust wrote:

JCougar wrote:This is a tough one since you shouldn't bank on getting biglaw from either school. Personally, I think your chances of being able to do what you want to do (international law) given your school options are pretty low. Either prepare to bust your but and study smarter than the majority of your peers, or readjust your expectations.

If you finish in the bottom half of your class for either school, you're probably going to be in the same boat, and being debt-free will help you out tremendously. If you have reason to believe you can finish in the top thrid at Fordham (I mean a solid reason, not just blind optimism), than it may be worth the debt. If you can't get top third, though, it's a pretty steep dropoff, and you'll be stuck where most Brooklyn students will be stuck, except with a ton of debt.

what you think some of those reasons are ?

gwuorbust wrote: what you think some of those reasons are ?

gwuorbust wrote:

JCougar wrote:This is a tough one since you shouldn't bank on getting biglaw from either school. Personally, I think your chances of being able to do what you want to do (international law) given your school options are pretty low. Either prepare to bust your but and study smarter than the majority of your peers, or readjust your expectations.

If you finish in the bottom half of your class for either school, you're probably going to be in the same boat, and being debt-free will help you out tremendously. If you have reason to believe you can finish in the top thrid at Fordham (I mean a solid reason, not just blind optimism), than it may be worth the debt. If you can't get top third, though, it's a pretty steep dropoff, and you'll be stuck where most Brooklyn students will be stuck, except with a ton of debt.

what you think some of those reasons are ?

JCougar wrote:

gwuorbust wrote:

JCougar wrote:This is a tough one since you shouldn't bank on getting biglaw from either school. Personally, I think your chances of being able to do what you want to do (international law) given your school options are pretty low. Either prepare to bust your but and study smarter than the majority of your peers, or readjust your expectations.

If you finish in the bottom half of your class for either school, you're probably going to be in the same boat, and being debt-free will help you out tremendously. If you have reason to believe you can finish in the top thrid at Fordham (I mean a solid reason, not just blind optimism), than it may be worth the debt. If you can't get top third, though, it's a pretty steep dropoff, and you'll be stuck where most Brooklyn students will be stuck, except with a ton of debt.

what you think some of those reasons are ?

That's a really good question. I just threw that out there. There's probably no one good reason why someone should think this; success in law school seems to be due to a confluence of factors. Maybe you have a combination of a couple good friends that have graduated top 5% themselves and are willing to mentor you on how to properly study for/take an exam, have an LSAT above the school's 75th percentile, have already vowed to yourself that you're going to treat law school like a full time job, are older and have developed a lot of maturity and self-discipline over the years, and you've committed yourself to begin law school already humbled and ready to adapt your style of thinking to whatever the endeavor requires. Even if you have all those things going for you, it seems, you might still be in for a surprise.

gwuorbust wrote:

JCougar wrote:

gwuorbust wrote:

JCougar wrote:This is a tough one since you shouldn't bank on getting biglaw from either school. Personally, I think your chances of being able to do what you want to do (international law) given your school options are pretty low. Either prepare to bust your but and study smarter than the majority of your peers, or readjust your expectations.

If you finish in the bottom half of your class for either school, you're probably going to be in the same boat, and being debt-free will help you out tremendously. If you have reason to believe you can finish in the top thrid at Fordham (I mean a solid reason, not just blind optimism), than it may be worth the debt. If you can't get top third, though, it's a pretty steep dropoff, and you'll be stuck where most Brooklyn students will be stuck, except with a ton of debt.

what you think some of those reasons are ?

That's a really good question. I just threw that out there. There's probably no one good reason why someone should think this; success in law school seems to be due to a confluence of factors. Maybe you have a combination of a couple good friends that have graduated top 5% themselves and are willing to mentor you on how to properly study for/take an exam, have an LSAT above the school's 75th percentile, have already vowed to yourself that you're going to treat law school like a full time job, are older and have developed a lot of maturity and self-discipline over the years, and you've committed yourself to begin law school already humbled and ready to adapt your style of thinking to whatever the endeavor requires. Even if you have all those things going for you, it seems, you might still be in for a surprise.

that is a reasonable answer. I am assuming, simply so I do not set unreasonable expectations, that where I go I am going to graduate slightly above median. While I have been way above median thoughout undergrad, obv LS is nothing like undergrad. people that assume they are going to be at the top 10% and transfer from a TTT are prob in for a big surprise and JDU.