Emory Vs. BC (Have to decide by Tuesday) Forum

[twintipping_bumps]

I have a real tough choice now that is making me a touch nauseous. I have been planning to enroll at Emory with an 18k a year scholarship, but Boston College has just offered me 14k a year.

Here are the relevant details. I am from Massachusetts. My father got his JD from Boston College, and my mother got her MSW from Boston College. In the New England area, Boston College is very prestigious. However, I get the feeling like it is always in the shadow of Harvard to some extent.

Emory, on the other hand, is the top dog in its area. Furthermore, its undergrad ranking is considerably higher than BCs: 17th compared to 34th.

I know rankings shouldn't matter much in the decision making process. But they affect me to a degree. The other thing that shouldn't play any role in the decision making process but does is the rec center at Emory. I like to stay very active, and I haven't seen a better rec facility than the one at the Claremont Campus at Emory.

More appropriate to consider are the job placement statistics. It looks like BC does a far superior job of placing its grads in Big Law Firms. But some people suggest that is because there are more Big Law Firms in the North East as compared to the South East and Emory grads can still get high paying jobs at firms that do not necessarily qualify as big firms.

My background is in Film Producing and Music. Emory has a Transactional Law Certificate program. That would be useful if I can end up working with contracts, which is my goal. But I wonder if my local ties to the community in the Boston area would help me get better summer type experiences while in school.

The big wild card for me is Emory's future. With its large endowment and the growth in Atlanta and south in general, it seems like it is poised to become one of the premier schools in the nation, if it is not already. Looking at its UG rankings, it is situated amongst schools most people in the North East respect very much. Yet many people have not heard of it, and if I do return to a small town community ten years down the road, that could be an important issue. BC is behind 4 other Massachusetts schools in the National Rankings. Yet people around here love it, and in a small community, the name would carry alot more weight than Emory's.

So I guess some my consternation has to do with how confident I am I can take whatever advantages Emory might have and use them. I am really struggling with this. Does anyone think it is a no brainer in favor of Emory? How about people that think my ties to the region should make me go to BC? Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[TheBigMediocre]

Do you want to work in the Southeast? Emory
Do you want to work in the Northeast? BC

And to the people saying "omg Emory places in NYC/DC etc etc etc!", that's only if OP is top 10% in his class.

[Bosque]

There is only one question you need to ask yourself: do you want to work in the South, or in the North East?

EDIT: Darn, beaten to the punch. It really is the only question that matters at this point though.

[uk4220]

It sounds like Emory would be a good choice given your goals (and the extra $$$).

[twintipping_bumps]

Yeah, I want top 10% in my class. But even if I work as hard as I plan, I know there are many reasons I can't be assured I will achieve that goal. But it does raise another issue: to transfer into the T10, does Emory give me a slight bit more wiggle room in terms of class rank? Or is that washed by a slightly more competitive class, as judged by class profile statistics?

I am interested in working wherever I can get the best job, in terms of my own specific interests and pay. I also have read elsewhere that BC may place better in California than Emory. Anyone have thoughts on that?

[holydonkey]

I also have read elsewhere that BC may place better in California than Emory. Anyone have thoughts on that?

[twintipping_bumps]

I also have read elsewhere that BC may place better in California than Emory. Anyone have thoughts on that?

I can't remember if another person corrected the previous person and said it was actually BU that places well in Cali. But I was reading just yesterday that one of the two does surprisingly well in Cali.

[Bosque]

Yeah, I want top 10% in my class. But even if I work as hard as I plan, I know there are many reasons I can't be assured I will achieve that goal. But it does raise another issue: to transfer into the T10, does Emory give me a slight bit more wiggle room in terms of class rank? Or is that washed by a slightly more competitive class, as judged by class profile statistics?

I am interested in working wherever I can get the best job, in terms of my own specific interests and pay. I also have read elsewhere that BC may place better in California than Emory. Anyone have thoughts on that?

If you want California, you shouldn't be going to either school. You should be going to a T14 or a school in California. Emory could probably reliably get you as far west as Texas, and I think BC would give you a shot at Chicago, but the West Coast is likely out. There are enough law schools and lawyers in California already, they don't need grads from the east coast. That said, I don't think either of them is particularly better or worse than the other for California.

Also, I know this bit of advice gets thrown around on here more than the word "dude" at a surfing contest, but you should never go to a school with the intent of transferring. Not only is it unlikely to happen, but it also could have the opposite effect you think it will: It could make you worse instead of better. Because you think you will be gone in a year, you see less reason to engage with the student body, and in turn you might engage less inadvertently with the school work. If you go, go in whole hog and commit to the full three years. Then at the end of your first year if you look around and find that you are surprisingly in the top 5% of your class, THEN think about maybe transferring. But keep in mind, you might not be that high at your new school, and all of your new classmates will have known each other and the system at that school for a year.

Given your background, I assume you want to do some form of entertainment law, right? In that case, I suggest going to Emory and shooting for Nashville.

[forty-two]

I also have read elsewhere that BC may place better in California than Emory. Anyone have thoughts on that?

I can't remember if another person corrected the previous person and said it was actually BU that places well in Cali. But I was reading just yesterday that one of the two does surprisingly well in Cali.

BU places about 10% in CA, but about 10% of the class every year is from CA. Neither BC or Emory has great CA placement, but it's possible to get there from either with good grades and ties to the state.

As for your decision, which school and location do you like more? I chose Emory over a slightly better scholarship at BC because I got a better vibe when I visited and prefer Atlanta to Boston. They're both good schools, so I'd suggest going where you think you would be happier.

[ze2151]

Disclosure: I'm going to Emory in the Fall.

Go to BC. You said you don't care where you work, but in this economic climate, I think you will be very well served to stay close to home, make friends with your dad's friends, and start working now to set up a job in the future.

TBM has an axe to grind against Emory, I do not. Emory is a super school, and I bet you could do well here and be happy. But I'm not a risk-taker. If I had my own dad as an alum of a school that offered me money? Where do I sign?

[TheBigMediocre]

Disclosure: I'm going to Emory in the Fall.

Go to BC. You said you don't care where you work, but in this economic climate, I think you will be very well served to stay close to home, make friends with your dad's friends, and start working now to set up a job in the future.

TBM has an axe to grind against Emory, I do not. Emory is a super school, and I bet you could do well here and be happy. But I'm not a risk-taker. If I had my own dad as an alum of a school that offered me money? Where do I sign?

Regardless of my personal feelings towards Emory, please let me know what part of my post isn't true?

[funkblaster]

I'm at Emory, and I have a music background, too. There are several people in my section that have similar backgrounds. Atlanta is great, and I was surprised to learn that much of the entertainment law for Nashville takes place at a couple of firms down here. The entertainment lawyers I have met are good people, and they are willing to meet and talk about the biz. I'm happy with my decision, but I plan to practice in Atlanta or Nashville, which is a little closer to home. If I can answer any questions for you, feel free to PM.

[funkblaster]

By the way, as much as I love Atlanta, I have seen very little of it since school started. I would catch a daily glance of the skyline on my way to class, but I could have had the same social life at a law school on a desert island. It was my choice to work as much as I did. Many of my classmates were able to enjoy the city and still performed quite well. Basically, the rec facilities are great, but I probably wouldn't give them too much weight in your decision.

[twintipping_bumps]

I also have read elsewhere that BC may place better in California than Emory. Anyone have thoughts on that?

I can't remember if another person corrected the previous person and said it was actually BU that places well in Cali. But I was reading just yesterday that one of the two does surprisingly well in Cali.

BU places about 10% in CA, but about 10% of the class every year is from CA. Neither BC or Emory has great CA placement, but it's possible to get there from either with good grades and ties to the state.

As for your decision, which school and location do you like more? I chose Emory over a slightly better scholarship at BC because I got a better vibe when I visited and prefer Atlanta to Boston. They're both good schools, so I'd suggest going where you think you would be happier.

I am interested in your feeling in regards to the Vibe of the school. I love the reputation of BC in the area, but I am not thrilled about the location and its proximity to the school's Rec Center. Truth be told, I would like to spend about 2 hours a day with athletics. If the rest of the day is classes, eating, and sleeping only then that is fine with me.

Is the Emory Rec Center as great as it looks. Do you have any familiarity with the tennis courts or pool. Does the pool just get swamped and over crowded or is it pretty relaxed? The idea of going to classes and then going to the pool for some dives and a swim and then sitting in the sun to do course readings seems pretty ideal. But maybe it is too wild of a scene there for that?

[ze2151]

TBM- For one, why are Emory's placement #'s in DC relevant to this discussion? Second, is your top 10% statement accurate (It may well be, but cite something if you're going to give someone advice. Class of 2010 may be a completely different animal, but Emory's Class of 09 Employment report claims 22% are working in "Middle Atlantic" and this does not include DC)? Third, I don't really appreciate you placing words in the mouths of Emory people, making us sound like credulous know-nothings who parrot the party line.

/thread hijack.

[Grizz]

Is the Emory Rec Center as great as it looks. Do you have any familiarity with the tennis courts or pool. Does the pool just get swamped and over crowded or is it pretty relaxed? The idea of going to classes and then going to the pool for some dives and a swim and then sitting in the sun to do course readings seems pretty ideal. But maybe it is too wild of a scene there for that?

Pool can get crowded, especially if it's a nice day. Tons of people use the facility. Emory students as well as people from the community who have memberships at the facility. Keep in mind also that it closes Nov. 1 and reopens April 1.

Do you want to work in the Southeast? Emory
Do you want to work in the Northeast? BC

TCR

[TheBigMediocre]

TBM- For one, why are Emory's placement #'s in DC relevant to this discussion? Second, is your top 10% statement accurate (It may well be, but cite something if you're going to give someone advice. Class of 2010 may be a completely different animal, but Emory's Class of 09 Employment report claims 22% are working in "Middle Atlantic" and this does not include DC)? Third, I don't really appreciate you placing words in the mouths of Emory people, making us sound like credulous know-nothings who parrot the party line.

/thread hijack.

PM'd.

[Informative]

If you want to work in Atlanta, go to Emory.
If you want to work anywhere else, go to BC.

[dukelawguy144]

retake and reapply to a t14 or dont go, my advice

if you must. BC has better placement

[Informative]

And please stop looking at undergraduate rankings. No one in law cares about the undergraduate ranking of a law school. They care about the law school itself, its reputation and how recent graduates have fared at the firm. GW has a horrible undergrad but a great law school.

[electricfeel]

If you want to work in Atlanta, go to Emory.
If you want to work anywhere else, go to BC.

Seems like you would have much better networking opportunities @ BC given your dad's education and the fact that you are from there.

[twintipping_bumps]

If you want to work in Atlanta, go to Emory.
If you want to work anywhere else, go to BC.

Do you really think BC places better everywhere except Atlanta? Also, wouldn't it be reasonable to think the following:

Let's say I am right at top 35% in my class. If I am at BC applying in New England, there are a ton of BC people with higher grades and then also many BU grads as well as the other local schools. So that top 35% might not be very unique relative to the rest of the applicants. If I am from Emory, however, wouldn't that be something that separates me from the pack? Perhaps the person making the hiring decision would think something like 'well there are a ton of applicants from the top 35% from the top schools in our area, and we already have many people like that in our firm, but we have very few - if any - Emory grads, so maybe we should take him to add another prestigious school name in our Attorney profile page.

Any weight there?

[Grizz]

If you want to work in Atlanta, go to Emory.
If you want to work anywhere else, go to BC.

This advice is terrible.

[Informative]

If you want to work in Atlanta, go to Emory.
If you want to work anywhere else, go to BC.

Do you really think BC places better everywhere except Atlanta? Also, wouldn't it be reasonable to think the following:

Let's say I am right at top 35% in my class. If I am at BC applying in New England, there are a ton of BC people with higher grades and then also many BU grads as well as the other local schools. So that top 35% might not be very unique relative to the rest of the applicants. If I am from Emory, however, wouldn't that be something that separates me from the pack? Perhaps the person making the hiring decision would think something like 'well there are a ton of applicants from the top 35% from the top schools in our area, and we already have many people like that in our firm, but we have very few - if any - Emory grads, so maybe we should take him to add another prestigious school name in our Attorney profile page.

Any weight there?

Perhaps. Or you could just look at placement statistics. Your call.

[twintipping_bumps]

If you want to work in Atlanta, go to Emory.
If you want to work anywhere else, go to BC.

Do you really think BC places better everywhere except Atlanta? Also, wouldn't it be reasonable to think the following:

Let's say I am right at top 35% in my class. If I am at BC applying in New England, there are a ton of BC people with higher grades and then also many BU grads as well as the other local schools. So that top 35% might not be very unique relative to the rest of the applicants. If I am from Emory, however, wouldn't that be something that separates me from the pack? Perhaps the person making the hiring decision would think something like 'well there are a ton of applicants from the top 35% from the top schools in our area, and we already have many people like that in our firm, but we have very few - if any - Emory grads, so maybe we should take him to add another prestigious school name in our Attorney profile page.

Any weight there?

Perhaps. Or you could just look at placement statistics. Your call.

Do you know of any resources that also indicate how many people applied for a work in a specific region? It's one thing to say x amount of people from Emory ended up in New England. Left unanswered are the questions: how many people actually applied for work in the area and also how many people got a job in the area but chose to go elsewhere. What would be useful for me is to see stats on how applicants faired in terms of getting the job or not in a particular region, not where they finally began working. I haven't come across any info like that yet.