Chicago vs. Virginia for NYC BIGLAW Forum

[Kaitlyn]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

[EbonyEsq]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

[A&O]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

If OP had that option, wouldn't he have said so in his first post?

[EbonyEsq]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

If OP had that option, wouldn't he have said so in his first post?

OP is in fact a she and she is a regular poster in the URM forum. Last I recall she is still waiting to hear back from a few schools.

[DEKOCARDS]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

This is bad advice. The only Tri-State schools that would improve OPs odds of NYC Big Law over U Chicago would be to go to Yale, NYU, or Columbia. Considering the initial question, I doubt that those are options for OP. Would you really suggest Fordham or Rutgers-N over Chicago, just because they are in the Tri-state or Northeast? Even Penn wouldn't have the placement power that Chicago has...

[RVP11]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

You don't know what the hell you're talking about.

OP: NYC is the easiest market to get from either of these schools. Go to Chicago (or the best school you get into) if you're willing to pay sticker and want to get the best (highest ranked in Vault) firm in NYC you can.

[EbonyEsq]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

This is bad advice. The only Tri-State schools that would improve OPs odds of NYC Big Law over U Chicago would be to go to Yale, NYU, or Columbia. Considering the initial question, I doubt that those are options for OP. Would you really suggest Fordham or Rutgers-N over Chicago, just because they are in the Tri-state or Northeast? Even Penn wouldn't have the placement power that Chicago has...

As someone working in BIGLAW for quite a few years, I can safely say UPenn has better placement in the NYC area than Chicago. And FYI, Tristate = NY/NJ/CT. OP is still awaiting word from a few NY schools and Yale.

[Kaitlyn]

I don't have ties to either Chicago or NYC. I'd like to work BIGLAW in NYC if I can, or for a mid-level firm in the northeast.

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

If OP had that option, wouldn't he have said so in his first post?

OP is in fact a she and she is a regular poster in the URM forum. Last I recall she is still waiting to hear back from a few schools.

And here I thought the name and picture would help with gender disambiguation.

Thanks, Susannah! I am still waiting for a few schools keeping a very close eye on NYU/Columbia in particular. I can see sticker at UVA not being ideal, but do you think Chicago at sticker would be a worse option than, say, Penn at sticker for the Northeast? I was under the impression that all the CCN schools trumped every school other than HYS for BIGLAW opportunities.

ETA: Oops, too slow!

[A&O]

As someone working in BIGLAW for quite a few years, I can safely say UPenn has better placement in the NYC area than Chicago.

How does working in biglaw make you qualified to say this?

And what if OP gets into HS? Shouldn't she attend those schools for NYC biglaw over Chicago/UVA even though they aren't in the tri-state area?

[RVP11]

I can safely say UPenn has better placement in the NYC area than Chicago

What's your basis for that?

[BruceWayne]

As someone working in BIGLAW for quite a few years, I can safely say UPenn has better placement in the NYC area than Chicago. And FYI, Tristate = NY/NJ/CT. OP is still awaiting word from a few NY schools and Yale.

More Penn students in NYC firms does not =Penn placing better into NYC firms (particularly when you look at how small UChicago's class size is). If that were the case then you'd have to say that Penn placed better into NYC firms than Yale and Stanford-it doesn't. UChicago is a better choice for NYC than Penn. Firms will go deeper into Chicago's class than they will Penn's.

[Aberzombie1892]

If Chicago and Virginia are your only options, and assuming sticker at both, Chicago by far.

However, strongly consider acceptances from Columbia/NYU/UPenn/Cornell if you get them - and there is no real reason to consider any other T14 schools beyond those listed above due to the fact that you have an acceptance to Chicago.

The order of importance of schools looks like this (for your goal):
1. Columbia/NYU
2. Chicago
3. Penn
4. Cornell

[EbonyEsq]

And here I though the name and picture would help with gender disambiguation.

Thanks, Susannah! I am still waiting for a few schools keeping a very close eye on NYU/Columbia in particular. I can see sticker at UVA not being ideal, but do you think Chicago at sticker would be a worse option than, say, Penn at sticker for the Northeast? I was under the impression that all the CCN schools trumped every school other than HYS for BIGLAW opportunities.

ETA: Oops, too slow!

Kaitlyn

I'm more than convinced you'll be in at Columbia or NYU and I'm pretty certain it won't come down to UVA or Chicago at sticker price. I'm also crossing my fingers for Stanford and Harvard for you!

One thing many of these non-URM folks don't understand is that if you are black and smart, you do not have to pay sticker price to attend a top law school. I'm more than certain better options will come your way WITH scholarship money.

[RVP11]

If Chicago and Virginia are your only options, and assuming sticker at both, Chicago by far.

However, strongly consider acceptances from Columbia/NYU/UPenn/Cornell if you get them - and there is no real reason to consider any other T14 schools beyond those listed above due to the fact that you have an acceptance to Chicago.

The order of importance of schools looks like this (for your goal):
1. Columbia/NYU
2. Chicago
3. Penn
4. Cornell

Why would you consider Penn and Cornell but not UVA?

[DEKOCARDS]

As someone working in BIGLAW for quite a few years, I can safely say UPenn has better placement in the NYC area than Chicago. And FYI, Tristate = NY/NJ/CT. OP is still awaiting word from a few NY schools and Yale.

More Penn students in NYC firms does not =Penn placing better into NYC firms (particularly when you look at how small UChicago's class size is). If that were the case then you'd have to say that Penn placed better into NYC firms than Yale and Stanford-it doesn't. UChicago is a better choice for NYC than Penn. Firms will go deeper into Chicago's class than they will Penn's.

This. I'm in nyc biglaw myself. Penn does not equal Chicago in terms of power. No way.

[A&O]

One thing many of these non-URM folks don't understand is that if you are black and smart, you do not have to pay sticker price to attend a top law school.

This sounds needlessly antagonizing.

The original post was about Chicago vs. UVA for NYC biglaw placement, not whether one should pay sticker for UVA. That discussion will be had when money is given and other opportunities are presented. There's not need to be hostile when people ask you to defend your statements.

[Kaitlyn]

If Chicago and Virginia are your only options, and assuming sticker at both, Chicago by far.

However, strongly consider acceptances from Columbia/NYU/UPenn/Cornell if you get them - and there is no real reason to consider any other T14 schools beyond those listed above due to the fact that you have an acceptance to Chicago.

The order of importance of schools looks like this (for your goal):
1. Columbia/NYU
2. Chicago
3. Penn
4. Cornell

Thanks for this! Yes, this is around what I thought myself (though I assume HYS would be at the top of the list). I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being foolish for throwing UVA out as an option, now that I have UChicago. I'm still waiting on HYSCNPB, so I have a while before I need make a final decision.

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

[bk1]

Why are people acting like ties matter for NYC?

[RVP11]

Why are people acting like ties matter for NYC?

Exactly. Also, why are they acting like school location matters?

[EbonyEsq]

How does working in biglaw make you qualified to say this?

Because unlike most of you, I'm in it to know how many NYC BIGLAW firms recruit.

And what if OP gets into HS? Shouldn't she attend those schools for NYC biglaw over Chicago/UVA even though they aren't in the tri-state area?

And was that not implied in my below response:

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

[A&O]

Because unlike most of you, I'm in it to know how many NYC BIGLAW firms recruit.

Working as a support staff member at a big law firm does not give necessarily give you an eye into how your firm recruits, to speak nothing of how NYC biglaw firms recruit in general.

And was that not implied in my below response:

Oh, OK! OP shouldn't attend SLS, then, right?

[bk1]

How does working in biglaw make you qualified to say this?

Because unlike most of you, I'm in it to know how many NYC BIGLAW firms recruit.

And what if OP gets into HS? Shouldn't she attend those schools for NYC biglaw over Chicago/UVA even though they aren't in the tri-state area?

And was that not implied in my below response:

I know you're still waiting on a few responses but if I was you, I won't pay sticker price for either Chicago or Virginia. If you want BIGLAW in NYC, your chances are greatly increased if you attend law school in the Tri-state/Northeast area.

AO said that Harvard/Stanford better for the northeast than any school in NJ/NY/CT (barring Yale, obv).

If you want NYC biglaw, I could easily see an argument for NYU/CLS over UVa/UChi, but any other school in the tri-state/Northeast area? Please, Cornell is a bit of a stretch over UVa/UChi and any other school (Fordham et al) is laughable to take over UVa/UChi.

[A&O]

If you want NYC biglaw, I could easily see an argument for NYU/CLS over UVa/UChi, but any other school in the tri-state/Northeast area? Please, Cornell is a bit of a stretch over UVa/UChi and any other school (Fordham et al) is laughable to take over UVa/UChi.

Yes.

There are so many ridiculous statements in this thread, I don't even know where to start. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the, "I'm a paralegal at this big firm, so I know how all big firms recruit," stuff.

[EbonyEsq]

Working as a support staff member at a big law firm does not give necessarily give you an eye into how your firm recruits, to speak nothing of how NYC biglaw firms recruit in general.

Whatever you say.

Oh, OK! OP shouldn't attend SLS, then, right?

OP presented her question as if it came down to UChicago and UVA. Of course TCR in such instance is UChicago, HOWEVER, what many of you did not know was OP is still awaiting word from higher ranked and better placed law schools for NYC BIGLAW.

But OP, even if it came down to UChicago at sticker and lets say, Cornell with $$$, I'd go with the latter.

IMHO, the only schools worth paying sticker price for is Yale or Harvard given their excellent LRAPs.

[EbonyEsq]

If you want NYC biglaw, I could easily see an argument for NYU/CLS over UVa/UChi, but any other school in the tri-state/Northeast area? Please, Cornell is a bit of a stretch over UVa/UChi and any other school (Fordham et al) is laughable to take over UVa/UChi.

Yes.

There are so many ridiculous statements in this thread, I don't even know where to start. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the, "I'm a paralegal at this big firm, so I know how all big firms recruit," stuff.

Who said I was a para and moreover, who said I did not have inside info on how recruitment works ?

Please go sit yo' a$$ down and stop assuming ish as if you know me.