Top Law Schools

Hi all,

So I got into USC Law with some money, and recently got off the waitlist of UCLA Law. I'm out of state, but even assuming I get in-state for 2L and 3L, USC would be around 35 k cheaper overall than UCLA (UCLA has been going up a lot).

I'm not sure if I want to stay and practice in LA, but I see no reason why I wouldn't. At first I was thinking UCLA because of the ranking (15 vs 18), but now I'm scared about the budget crisis and its effect on the UC's. Also, I have talked to some people who have said that they think USC places better in SoCal.

I'd be upset if I chose USC and UCLA has a significant prestige difference, or if UCLA cracks the T14.

I'd also be upset if I chose USC, and they were comparable schools (yet I paid more), or if UCLA significantly declines or moves below USC (because of the budget crisis, and UCLA's sky rocketing costs, [UCLA is now 50,000 out of state and 40,000 in and is going up 5 k a year expected, and 33 percent increase in fees last year]). I’m afraid the caliber of kids will go down because of this. Will UCLA Law cut classes like UCLA undergrad is?

Also, for a side note, if UCLA and USC are comparable in placement, but UCLA kids are have significantly higher GPA’s and LSATs (median USC 3.63 167 vs UCLA 3.77 and 168) then wouldn’t USC be the smarter choice since it would be easier to rank highly?

Oh, and I have to decide by TOMORROW!!!! Thanks

Hi all,

So I got into USC Law with some money, and recently got off the waitlist of UCLA Law. I'm out of state, but even assuming I get in-state for 2L and 3L, USC would be around 35 k cheaper overall than UCLA (UCLA has been going up a lot).

I'm not sure if I want to stay and practice in LA, but I see no reason why I wouldn't. At first I was thinking UCLA because of the ranking (15 vs 18), but now I'm scared about the budget crisis and its effect on the UC's. Also, I have talked to some people who have said that they think USC places better in SoCal.

I'd be upset if I chose USC and UCLA has a significant prestige difference, or if UCLA cracks the T14.

I'd also be upset if I chose USC, and they were comparable schools (yet I paid more), or if UCLA significantly declines or moves below USC (because of the budget crisis, and UCLA's sky rocketing costs, [UCLA is now 50,000 out of state and 40,000 in and is going up 5 k a year expected, and 33 percent increase in fees last year]). I’m afraid the caliber of kids will go down because of this. Will UCLA Law cut classes like UCLA undergrad is?

Also, for a side note, if UCLA and USC are comparable in placement, but UCLA kids are have significantly higher GPA’s and LSATs (median USC 3.63 167 vs UCLA 3.77 and 168) then wouldn’t USC be the smarter choice since it would be easier to rank highly?

Oh, and I have to decide by TOMORROW!!!! Thanks

You can't be serious.

Go to the one that you like more. Any shifts in ranking will not affect the placement power or the regionality of the two schools.

1. The place equally in the same market(s)
2. They are ranked about the same
3. Employers generally consider them interchangeable (firm preferences here and there)

USC being way cheaper would seal the deal for 99% of individuals looking at only these two schools.

Ultimately, go to the one that you like more (or if no preference, the cheaper one).

Dude op what the shit you asked a million questions that nobody has a way of answering... I would pick Usc simply because of the cost differential they are peer schools.. Not to mention Ucla is becoming more and more overpriced thanks to the ca financial situation

architect88 wrote:Hi all,

So I got into USC Law with some money, and recently got off the waitlist of UCLA Law. I'm out of state, but even assuming I get in-state for 2L and 3L, USC would be around 35 k cheaper overall than UCLA (UCLA has been going up a lot).

I'm not sure if I want to stay and practice in LA, but I see no reason why I wouldn't. At first I was thinking UCLA because of the ranking (15 vs 18), but now I'm scared about the budget crisis and its effect on the UC's. Also, I have talked to some people who have said that they think USC places better in SoCal.

I'd be upset if I chose USC and UCLA has a significant prestige difference, or if UCLA cracks the T14.

I'd also be upset if I chose USC, and they were comparable schools (yet I paid more), or if UCLA significantly declines or moves below USC (because of the budget crisis, and UCLA's sky rocketing costs, [UCLA is now 50,000 out of state and 40,000 in and is going up 5 k a year expected, and 33 percent increase in fees last year]). I’m afraid the caliber of kids will go down because of this. Will UCLA Law cut classes like UCLA undergrad is?

Also, for a side note, if UCLA and USC are comparable in placement, but UCLA kids are have significantly higher GPA’s and LSATs (median USC 3.63 167 vs UCLA 3.77 and 168) then wouldn’t USC be the smarter choice since it would be easier to rank highly?
Oh, and I have to decide by TOMORROW!!!! Thanks

The bolded and underlined part are not true.

Also, I'm not sure why you would be choosing between these two schools if your not sure that you want to practice in CALI, because cali is where you are going to be practicing out of these schools. And I think UCLA probably places a little better in biglaw, but the difference is marginal.

Go to USC. Your two choices are nearly identical for employment prospects. The minor ranking gap is really insignificant and the year to year ranking shifts won't suddenly render either school obsolete. Save some money and get a great education at USC.

Also, USC doesn't rank its students, does it?

JOThompson wrote:Go to USC. Your two choices are nearly identical for employment prospects. The minor ranking gap is really insignificant and the year to year ranking shifts won't suddenly render either school obsolete. Save some money and get a great education at USC.

Also, USC doesn't rank its students, does it?

this.

and no, USC doesn't rank it's students.

architect88 wrote:
Also, for a side note, if UCLA and USC are comparable in placement, but UCLA kids are have significantly higher GPA’s and LSATs (median USC 3.63 167 vs UCLA 3.77 and 168) then wouldn’t USC be the smarter choice since it would be easier to rank highly?

you're not serious with this are you? "significantly higher"?

no. just.... no.

papercranes wrote:

architect88 wrote:
Also, for a side note, if UCLA and USC are comparable in placement, but UCLA kids are have significantly higher GPA’s and LSATs (median USC 3.63 167 vs UCLA 3.77 and 168) then wouldn’t USC be the smarter choice since it would be easier to rank highly?

you're not serious with this are you? "significantly higher"?

no. just.... no.

+1

lol...alright take that section off, just in general is ucla law better than usc law, and if so by how much?

UCLA

Although I'm not sure I want you attending my school if the decision is this difficult for you. Kidding.

UCLA.

35K more tuition over the course of a law career is easily managable. USC has no chance of ever cracking the T-14, while UCLA is on the cusp. Congrats on getting into UCLA.

architect88 wrote:lol...alright take that section off, just in general is ucla law better than usc law, and if so by how much?

Just ask the students at USC. 95 percent of them would've gone to UCLA if they had the choice. This is a well-known fact. Why? Because UCLA Law is affiliated with the more prestigious university, it's higher ranked, has a better faculty, has a stronger student body, has better lay and national prestige, it's in a much nicer location, and it has nicer facilities.

Also, the Dean at UCLA Law doesn't make Freudian slips like this. Lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-mq0DN ... utube_data

Hopefullawstudent wrote:
Just ask the students at USC. 95 percent of them would've gone to UCLA if they had the choice. This is a well-known fact. Why? Because UCLA Law is affiliated with the more prestigious university, it's higher ranked, has a better faculty, has a stronger student body, has better lay and national prestige, it's in a much nicer location, and it has nicer facilities.

As a USC student transferring out, I second this. I'd take UCLA, but that's just me.

That's not to say USC is a bad school. It's actually pretty great - and if you believe what the administration says, the great amazing super fantastic "trojan network" will be very helpful as you search for jobs ITE. I don't know how much I buy into that but everyone seems to think its pretty neat.

Hopefullawstudent wrote:

architect88 wrote:lol...alright take that section off, just in general is ucla law better than usc law, and if so by how much?

Just ask the students at USC. 95 percent of them would've gone to UCLA if they had the choice. This is a well-known fact. Why? Because UCLA Law is affiliated with the more prestigious university, it's higher ranked, has a better faculty, has a stronger student body, has better lay and national prestige, it's in a much nicer location, and it has nicer facilities.

Also, the Dean at UCLA Law doesn't make Freudian slips like this. Lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-mq0DN ... utube_data

yeah i'd go to UCLA over USC even with the 35k

If you know you want firm work in SoCal USC is likely a better choice than UCLA based on the lower cost and similar placement. UCLA will provide slightly more geographic flexibility and gets more respect in gov't/non profit circles (particularly outside of socal or CA). Unless the market picks up significantly you are gonna need to to place roughly in the top 1/3 of your class at either school to have good "big law" chances.

UCLA is basically done with the large fee increases. School policy caps tuition at levels similar to comparable public institutions. WIth our latest round of increases UCLA has reached that level (it used to be a bargain. no longer).

Full disclosure: I'm a 2L at UCLA and randomly logged on to TLS for old times sake. Good luck with your decision. They are both good schools.

Alright, but isn't the budget crisis a very scary thing for UCLA? I was reading that UCLA undergrads might not be able to graduate in 4 years anymore and hundreds of classes are being cut, wouldn't this carry over to UCLA Law. With UCLA no longer being a deal pricewise won't less qualified people go? Or am I over thinking this and its not as big a deal?

Alright, but isn't the budget crisis a very scary thing for UCLA? I was reading that UCLA undergrads might not be able to graduate in 4 years anymore and hundreds of classes are being cut, wouldn't this carry over to UCLA Law. With UCLA no longer being a deal pricewise won't less qualified people go? Or am I over thinking this and its not as big a deal?

architect88 wrote:Alright, but isn't the budget crisis a very scary thing for UCLA? I was reading that UCLA undergrads might not be able to graduate in 4 years anymore and hundreds of classes are being cut, wouldn't this carry over to UCLA Law. With UCLA no longer being a deal pricewise won't less qualified people go? Or am I over thinking this and its not as big a deal?

The law school is a separate entity from the university at large. Yes, it too has been impacted by the economic downturn and some professors have had their pay reduced slightly as with professors within the entire UC system and at many other law schools nationwide. It's ridiculous that people think the budget crisis in CA is going to impact their legal education. If anything the only short run effect will be a tuition increase like we've seen, and even so, UCLA is STILL cheaper than USC.

Congratulations on getting into UCLA. You should feel extremely privileged. Now stop wasting everyone's time and quit double posting in the forums.

Call USC and tell them to get lost. If you're uncomfortable with that I will do it for you.

Have a good day.

architect88 wrote:
Alright, but isn't the budget crisis a very scary thing for UCLA? I was reading that UCLA undergrads might not be able to graduate in 4 years anymore and hundreds of classes are being cut, wouldn't this carry over to UCLA Law. With UCLA no longer being a deal pricewise won't less qualified people go? Or am I over thinking this and its not as big a deal?


The law school is a separate entity from the university at large. Yes, it too has been impacted by the economic downturn and some professors have had their pay reduced slightly as with professors within the entire UC system and at many other law schools nationwide. It's ridiculous that people think the budget crisis in CA is going to impact their legal education. If anything the only short run effect will be a tuition increase like we've seen, and even so, UCLA is STILL cheaper than USC.

Congratulations on getting into UCLA. You should feel extremely privileged. Now stop wasting everyone's time and quit double posting in the forums.

Call USC and tell them to get lost. If you're uncomfortable with that I will do it for you.

Have a good day.

UCLA and USC have equal placement in LA, while UCLA beats USC outside of LA (even as close as SF). This fact alone should make your decision easy.

I'm not sure I totally agree with USC's reputation as a "regional" school. No doubt, it's reputation in L.A. is better than anywhere else. With that said, I'm from the Bay Area and the respect level between USC and UCLA seems pretty much equal. In fact, in Northern Cali the general trend seems to be that private>public if it's close in education quality. It seems clear that UCLA places better in the Bay Area, but I would attribute that to the diversity of the student body, not it's reputation.

35K is 35k. You can justify anything if you are looking at things relatively. "200K in terms of a whole lifetime is really just a drop in the bucket!" IMHO it comes down to the feel of the school. As an individual who has visited both, I can say there are some real differences. Go to the school that you feel most comfortable with. If you feel equally comfortable go with the cash.

Hopefullawstudent wrote:

architect88 wrote:lol...alright take that section off, just in general is ucla law better than usc law, and if so by how much?

Just ask the students at USC. 95 percent of them would've gone to UCLA if they had the choice. This is a well-known fact. Why? Because UCLA Law is affiliated with the more prestigious university, it's higher ranked, has a better faculty, has a stronger student body, has better lay and national prestige, it's in a much nicer location, and it has nicer facilities.

Also, the Dean at UCLA Law doesn't make Freudian slips like this. Lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-mq0DN ... utube_data

Not true!! I am a 1L this fall and I actually have already met 3 other people who chose USC over UCLA (and at equal price) including myself and Im sure we are not the only 3... smaller classes, trojan network, more stable tuition... confident in my decision

ajauffret wrote:

Hopefullawstudent wrote:

architect88 wrote:lol...alright take that section off, just in general is ucla law better than usc law, and if so by how much?

Just ask the students at USC. 95 percent of them would've gone to UCLA if they had the choice. This is a well-known fact. Why? Because UCLA Law is affiliated with the more prestigious university, it's higher ranked, has a better faculty, has a stronger student body, has better lay and national prestige, it's in a much nicer location, and it has nicer facilities.

Also, the Dean at UCLA Law doesn't make Freudian slips like this. Lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-mq0DN ... utube_data

Not true!! I am a 1L this fall and I actually have already met 3 other people who chose USC over UCLA (and at equal price) including myself and Im sure we are not the only 3... smaller classes, trojan network, more stable tuition... confident in my decision

Agreed. I know someone with a 172 LSAT that chose USC over other schools. The stats for students from both schools are pretty similar, so I wouldn't be surprised if you guys had multiple cross-admits.

I also chose USC over UCLA for money reasons. And I wanted a smaller school and knew I would be in LA after graduation.

So far? I wouldn't choose differently. The network is incredible and the students are terrific. Sorry to say but the UCLA law kids I've met are anti-social and weird. But I admit it's probably a small sample.