Top Law Schools

Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

It seems as if this would be an easy choice due to the considerable difference in their respective law school environments. Beyond that observation, it is difficult to offer any reasonable suggestions because your post offers no information about you or your career goals.
P.S. If you are really torn, then consider matriculating at Yale & transferring after the first year of law school or arranging to study at Harvard Law for a portion of your law school years.

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

I think about the only other thing that people routinely bring up is Harvard's supreme "lay prestige" and how it might help in political, non-legal, or international careers.

tgir wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

I think about the only other thing that people routinely bring up is Harvard's supreme "lay prestige" and how it might help in political, non-legal, or international careers.

This, or perhaps JD/MBA or JD/PhD.

In no particular order (and some are obviously related):

1. If you are interested in certain faculty at Harvard.

2. If you prefer a large school to a small one.

3. The aforementioned Boston/Cambridge versus New Haven issue.

4. Harvard's tends to have better cross-disciplinary programs.

5. From what I understand, there is a certain culture at both schools. You can decide for yourself which you prefer or what they are, but given the magnitude of the decision I think visiting for ASW is worth it.

6. Strength of brand especially internationally.

Double congrats on the acceptances.

CanadianWolf wrote:It seems as if this would be an easy choice due to the considerable difference in their respective law school environments. Beyond that observation, it is difficult to offer any reasonable suggestions because your post offers no information about you or your career goals.
P.S. If you are really torn, then consider matriculating at Yale & transferring after the first year of law school or arranging to study at Harvard Law for a portion of your law school years.

LOL this is actually a really good idea; this may be the one transfer that you can actually go into 1L year counting on! LOL

CanadianWolf wrote:It seems as if this would be an easy choice due to the considerable difference in their respective law school environments. Beyond that observation, it is difficult to offer any reasonable suggestions because your post offers no information about you or your career goals.
P.S. If you are really torn, then consider matriculating at Yale & transferring after the first year of law school or arranging to study at Harvard Law for a portion of your law school years.

Easy because one's environment is better than the other's? As for my goals, I'm not completely sure yet; I could go to academic, biglaw, or government work, though I think my immediate goal is a clerkship.

The Real Jack McCoy wrote:In no particular order (and some are obviously related):

1. If you are interested in certain faculty at Harvard.

2. If you prefer a large school to a small one.

3. The aforementioned Boston/Cambridge versus New Haven issue.

4. Harvard's tends to have better cross-disciplinary programs.

5. From what I understand, there is a certain culture at both schools. You can decide for yourself which you prefer or what they are, but given the magnitude of the decision I think visiting for ASW is worth it.

6. Strength of brand especially internationally.

Double congrats on the acceptances.

Thanks! I have wondered about the culture differences. I think visiting would be a good idea, I wish the ASWs weren't so far off.

See http://www.law.yale.edu/admissions/6483.htm for the perspective of a then-Yale 2L who got into both, chose Harvard, regretted the decision, and transferred to Yale. You may already be familiar with it, but Yale's Student Perspectives site (http://www.law.yale.edu/admissions/stud ... ctives.htm) is enormously helpful.

If you go to Harvard, you could get LORs from some of the newest Justice's besties. Instant SCOTUS clerkship.

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

No. Going to Harvard over Yale is just dumb. Ever hear of Yale COAP? It's WAY better than Harvard's LIPP. You could pretty much go to YLS, graduate, get drunk off skol vodka, slip and fall under a dumpster for 10 years, wake up, and your law school loans will have repaid themselves.

Also, the following is a pretty compelling reason to go to YLS over HLS: --LinkRemoved--
(cliffs: 1/3 of HLS students stuck out at EIP, probably largely due to HLS's massive class size).

XxSpyKEx wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

No. Going to Harvard over Yale is just dumb. Ever hear of Yale COAP? It's WAY better than Harvard's LIPP. You could pretty much go to YLS, graduate, get drunk off skol vodka, slip and fall under a dumpster for 10 years, wake up, and your law school loans will have repaid themselves.

Also, the following is a pretty compelling reason to go to YLS over HLS: --LinkRemoved--
(cliffs: 1/3 of HLS students stuck out at EIP, probably largely due to HLS's massive class size).

A) Choosing Harvard over Yale is not dumb..

B) dont ever use numbers from autoadmit to make a point. Despite what everyone is yelling, those numbers are not inconsistent with the usual. We cant really interpret those numbers exactly but taking out 3Ls and the few who may have turned down EIP offers and you end up with a percentage around 70-75%. Given the state of the economy thats pretty outstanding. Plus, Harvard students get good jobs outside EIP.

What's the difference between Harvard and Yale students?

They all got in to Harvard.

Go to Yale.

It's the same exact thread with same exact arguments and answers year after year...

Not easy because one environment is better, but because the environments are so different that most would have a preference.

"I don't know why Harvard bothered showing up. They barely even won."

Mr. Burns after watching Harvard v. Yale.

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

This a guy who chose Harvard over Yale.
--LinkRemoved--

I think you know him.

deadpoetnsp wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

This a guy who chose Harvard over Yale.
--LinkRemoved--

I think you know him.

Who dat?

tkgrrett wrote:

XxSpyKEx wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

No. Going to Harvard over Yale is just dumb. Ever hear of Yale COAP? It's WAY better than Harvard's LIPP. You could pretty much go to YLS, graduate, get drunk off skol vodka, slip and fall under a dumpster for 10 years, wake up, and your law school loans will have repaid themselves.

Also, the following is a pretty compelling reason to go to YLS over HLS: --LinkRemoved--
(cliffs: 1/3 of HLS students stuck out at EIP, probably largely due to HLS's massive class size).

A) Choosing Harvard over Yale is not dumb..

B) dont ever use numbers from autoadmit to make a point. Despite what everyone is yelling, those numbers are not inconsistent with the usual. We cant really interpret those numbers exactly but taking out 3Ls and the few who may have turned down EIP offers and you end up with a percentage around 70-75%. Given the state of the economy thats pretty outstanding. Plus, Harvard students get good jobs outside EIP.

A) Very persuasive argument...

B) You work so hard to squeeze the numbers in Harvard's favor as much as possible, but it still doesn't in any way show how Harvard if better than Yale (and it's not). Yale has a smaller class size, no meaningful grades (including straight credit/fail grading on 1st semester courses, which is all the 1L courses they take), way better loan repayment program, way better shot at prestigious clerkships, generally better job prospects, a much larger percentage of the class gets on law review, and all YLS students are guaranteed a spot on the non-law review journals. I can't think of many good reasons why anyone would pick Harvard of Yale (there are a few reasons, but nothing that overcomes everything Yale has going in Harvard's favor).

This is not even a question. Yale.

XxSpyKEx wrote:

tkgrrett wrote:

XxSpyKEx wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

No. Going to Harvard over Yale is just dumb. Ever hear of Yale COAP? It's WAY better than Harvard's LIPP. You could pretty much go to YLS, graduate, get drunk off skol vodka, slip and fall under a dumpster for 10 years, wake up, and your law school loans will have repaid themselves.

Also, the following is a pretty compelling reason to go to YLS over HLS: --LinkRemoved--
(cliffs: 1/3 of HLS students stuck out at EIP, probably largely due to HLS's massive class size).

A) Choosing Harvard over Yale is not dumb..

B) dont ever use numbers from autoadmit to make a point. Despite what everyone is yelling, those numbers are not inconsistent with the usual. We cant really interpret those numbers exactly but taking out 3Ls and the few who may have turned down EIP offers and you end up with a percentage around 70-75%. Given the state of the economy thats pretty outstanding. Plus, Harvard students get good jobs outside EIP.

A) Very persuasive argument...

B) You work so hard to squeeze the numbers in Harvard's favor as much as possible, but it still doesn't in any way show how Harvard if better than Yale (and it's not). Yale has a smaller class size, no meaningful grades (including straight credit/fail grading on 1st semester courses, which is all the 1L courses they take), way better loan repayment program, way better shot at prestigious clerkships, generally better job prospects, a much larger percentage of the class gets on law review, and all YLS students are guaranteed a spot on the non-law review journals. I can't think of many good reasons why anyone would pick Harvard of Yale (there are a few reasons, but nothing that overcomes everything Yale has going in Harvard's favor).

a) i wouldnt say its dumb, but in most situations, esp. if you arent sure, YLS is prob TCR; for some people though, HLS is just a better fit (for a lot of the reasons jack mccoy mentioned) [ex: me lol] -- but yeah granted, like i said, in general i think YLS is a 'safer' bet in almost all regards

b) ok, stop spreading misinformation -- at least address the extremely valid points i brought up before linking to autoadmit's probably faulty analysis; ive prob posted my response to it like 5x and every time autoadmit trolls just ignore my post and continue to talk around it. its like a trolling thread killer.

XxSpyKEx wrote: A) Very persuasive argument...

B) You work so hard to squeeze the numbers in Harvard's favor as much as possible, but it still doesn't in any way show how Harvard if better than Yale (and it's not). Yale has a smaller class size, no meaningful grades (including straight credit/fail grading on 1st semester courses, which is all the 1L courses they take), way better loan repayment program, way better shot at prestigious clerkships, generally better job prospects, a much larger percentage of the class gets on law review, and all YLS students are guaranteed a spot on the non-law review journals. I can't think of many good reasons why anyone would pick Harvard of Yale (there are a few reasons, but nothing that overcomes everything Yale has going in Harvard's favor).

There's one pretty big reason to pick Harvard over Yale: if you think you might want to leave the legal field. HLS carries more weight in the business and political world.

On top of that the whole thing about Yale being better for jobs is a bit much. There is obviously a difference for clerkships, but outside of that I've never seen any meaningful difference for firm or government jobs. And again, it seems to be better for business.

Dex wrote:

deadpoetnsp wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

This a guy who chose Harvard over Yale.
--LinkRemoved--

I think you know him.

Who dat?

Obama.

deadpoetnsp wrote:

Dex wrote:

deadpoetnsp wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

This a guy who chose Harvard over Yale.
--LinkRemoved--

I think you know him.

Who dat?

Obama.

--ImageRemoved--




I was being sarcastic.

Yale is the cr, Harvard is great but the class is ridiculously large and not as prestigious... just make your life easy and go to yale

deadpoetnsp wrote:

brunonian wrote:Other than the obvious appeal of Cambridge/Boston over New Haven, and assuming the cost is the same, is there a reason to choose Harvard over Yale?

This a guy who chose Harvard over Yale.
--LinkRemoved--

I think you know him.

Obama is kidding (lol at barry getting a perfect LSAT), yale probably straight up rejected him

Barack even needs Yale grads to field question for him, this shows Yale provides a much better education

http://www.therightscoop.com/obama-walk ... -at-podium

jcunni5 wrote:Yale is the cr, Harvard is great but the class is ridiculously large and not as prestigious...

most of your post is fine, cept the bolded

you mean prestigious in the legal field right? lol cuz it aint even close outside of that (for general things or int'l)

yeah in the legal field that's what matters for a law school