Top Law Schools

Okay I'm looking to ultimately practice in CA but would like some flexibility in case I can't find something there. No idea what type of law I want to practice at this point.
Davis seems like the obvious choice but the tuition is high, COL is the highest out of the four and I really liked Alabama and W&L. Also Davis seems to treat their applicants like crap. I'm wondering if that continues for three years. (their facilities are brutal too) That full ride is also VERY blinding because coming out with very little debt looks quite nice.
Indiana was more-so just for the ranking, though I did like the city and facilities.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I voted W&L but I'm an idiot. If you want CA you MUST go to Davis.

If you're not set, or unsure, then enjoy W&L.

You want to practice in California . . . why is there a poll?

I forgot to mention that I have a large number of contacts already in CA. My thought was that would help me if I went to the other schools.

watwat wrote:I forgot to mention that I have a large number of contacts already in CA. My thought was that would help me if I went to the other schools.

Then ask a couple of your contacts what they think if they are the ones that will be getting you a job. It won't "help" you to go elsewhere; the only reason you would do so is because of debt load of Davis vs. the $$$ elsewhere.

I wish they all could be California girls..

If you're 100% sure that you want to practice in CA, then without considering finances UC Davis is the best school on this list, bar none. Because you claim to have a lot of contacts within the legal community here (I'll take your word for it), then you might be better off taking the money at 'Bama if those contacts are good enough that they can actually get you a real no-bullshit interview at their firm. This is a big if. In other words, if you're referring to your buddy's older brother who you used to play JV basketball with, go to Davis. If your dad is an equity partner, I'd go to 'Bama.

It's not that local firms won't hire you if you go to school somewhere else, it's that they won't go out of their way to. Also, you'll need to show why someone from Bama would want to work in CA, but if you have extensive ties to the area that will pretty much take care of the problem for you. Just be prepared for your school's OCI to be NO HELP in getting you a job if you take that route.

As for being "treated like crap," I have to admit that I too was pissed by how slow the UCD Law admissions process is, but take my word for it that once you get here everyone really goes out of their way to make it a good 3 years for you. I've had nothing but positive interactions with the staff here. Pre-remodel, some of the facilities are a bit dated, but honestly, who cares? You will be a 1L. You'll be too busy sweating your balls off over contracts and civpro to even notice that you're sitting in a chair, let alone an ugly plastic one.

Are you OOS in cali? BC Davis's tuition rates this year just went UP UP UP. Out of staters are paying over 50k for tuition...that's insanity. In state is still insane at 41k....and it's liable to get worse as time passes unless cali gets its budget together....

I would vote Davis but I'm on the waitlist and so I don't want you to choose it...

Tough call. Davis, like everyone else has said, is the obvious choice for CA. That said, being a native, you would have a plausible reason to come back and, ITE, it wouldn't be that difficult to explain to an employer why you made the choice that you made -- Full Ride. For this reason, it would be either Alabama or Davis. W&L is cool but it doesn't have legs and it's not free. Bama doesn't either but it's free. IU is out because it's expensive and it doesn't help you achieve your goals.

Determining the strength of your connections will be the determining factor here. I think the quality of the education at all four schools is pretty close. It comes down to money and job prospects.

Good luck.

megaTTTron wrote:I voted W&L but I'm an idiot. If you want CA you MUST go to Davis.

If you're not set, or unsure, then enjoy W&L.

I voted Alabama, and I am also an idiot.

Go to Davis if you are set on California. If not, I would personally take the full ride at Alabama (although I don't know much about their job prospects TBH, so that may not be as enticing as I think... W&L would be a solid choice as well, just don't take IUB @ sticker).