UMN, UIUC, or IU-B? Forum

[Verity]

Which one would you choose, assuming the same scholly at each, and taking mobility heavily into play (maybe wanting to practice in NYC or DC)?

[ndirish2010]

None of them if you want to practice on the East Coast. Unless you want Indianapolis, eliminate IU. Choose between the other two for location. Don't expect to make it back to the East Coast. Apply to Fordham and GW.

[showNprove]

I agree. Don't expect any of these schools to carry you to the East Coast. If you have high grades, you'll catch the eye of some NYC employers, though.

Minnesota definitely has the best and oldest reputation of these schools. Minneapolis is also the best location. Go UMinn.

[Verity]

Are they really that bad on the east coast? What about top 10% of their class? Don't they have a shot at NYC/Philly/DC?

[Hannibal]

Are they really that bad on the east coast? What about top 10% of their class? Don't they have a shot at NYC/Philly/DC?

Top 10% definitely have a shot. In order to make it to the east coast you need personal ties to the city, unless you get top 10% and resume blast biglaw in NYC.

[Verity]

What about transfer options? Let's say I go, and I want to come back east after the first year. I'm assuming that since they're all peer schools, top 5% at any would be the same at the others to the transfer school?

[AboveTheLawSchool]

=

[Verity]

Do not go in expecting to be at the top of your class, anticipate being at median. And do NOT going into law school expecting to transfer. Seriously. If you are unable to transfer because you weren't hot shit like you expected you don't want to be stuck somewhere you didn't want to go in the first place

I'm not expecting to transfer. I'm just taking this into consideration in case I want to move back to the east coast.

Can someone else answer this without a childish rant?

[Sandro]

He wasn't ranting. Talking about top 5% transfer options for next year is silly.

[Verity]

He wasn't ranting. Talking about top 5% transfer options for next year is silly.

I'm not asking for a lecture from 1Ls who have been intellectually cowered this year. I acknowledge the high unlikelihood of getting top 5%. Okay? Happy?

I just want to know if these three are true peer schools when it comes to transferring. That is, will someone in the top 5% at any one of them have the same chance at a transfer school than any of the other two?

[Lwoods]

I worked in a NY firm for a few years, and I got the impression that UIUC has a better rep out there.

However, Minnesota is in a real city with big companies (or Target, at least) and is probably a safer bet for getting a decent job at all post law school. Personally I'd go with UIUC (you couldn't pay me to move to Minnesota), but there's a certain risk with a) being in a small town and b) not being at the best school in the state.

Congrats on the offers!

[kings84_wr]

I think for transfer purposes they would all be very close.

For jobs there is an edge to UMN and UIUC.

In general people hate to answer transfer questions to 0l's but for what its worth everyone i know in the top 5%-15% at IU that wanted to transfer did well. (Acceptances at NYU, Northwestern, Penn, Berkeley, GULC etc.)

[danquayle]

With all of these schools you have to assume you're staying in the Midwest. There's negligible difference between them outside of the Midwest. Same for transferring. If all things are equal, the "blank person" would probably go with Minnesota because it's the most stable and UMinn owns it's pretty decently sized home market. That being said, Minnesota is fairly remote, so they may effect placement, not sure there. A lot of people would go to Illinois simply because they want to place in Chicago.

Indiana probably places the most people out of state, but I consider that to be out of necessity. Indiana is the weakest market, which probably hurts their job placement as well. Illinois is obviously placing the best of any of them in Chicago. In terms of class profile, Minnesota and Illinois both have better numbers. I'd say prestige wise they're Minnesota=Illinois>Indiana, but again that's going to be a fairly negligible difference. Both will place best in their home states, then the regions, with strong national opportunities for those who do well.

So in summation, unless you have a geographic preference for Minnesota, Chicago or Indiana, you're getting roughly the same deal at both. All will give you a shot at the major markets. If you're really looking to go back East and you're not going to an East Coast school, I'd go with whoever gives you the best financial deal. I'm assuming that will be Indiana.

[Sandro]

He wasn't ranting. Talking about top 5% transfer options for next year is silly.

I'm not asking for a lecture from 1Ls who have been intellectually cowered this year. I acknowledge the high unlikelihood of getting top 5%. Okay? Happy?

I just want to know if these three are true peer schools when it comes to transferring. That is, will someone in the top 5% at any one of them have the same chance at a transfer school than any of the other two?

You can search the transfer thread to see anecdotal evidence from the past few years. In all likelihood there is not enough data points to make a semi-accurate comparison of the three because all at some point during the last few years could say they were T25 and nobody likes to be too specific when listing where they transfered from.

I think that combined with the hypothetical nature of your question make it really meaningless in trying to decide between the three.

[shastaca]

UI
New England .06
Mid Atlantic 4.1
South Atlantic 9.9

Min
New England 1
Mid Atlantic 5
South Atlantic 11

UIUC
New England 0
Mid Atlantic 8
South Atlantic 6.4

Their alumni are next to non-existent in New England; UIUC best for Mid-Atlantic; and surprisingly all do reasonably well in South Atlantic, though MIN the best.

[danquayle]

UI
New England .06
Mid Atlantic 4.1
South Atlantic 9.9


Min
New England 1
Mid Atlantic 5
South Atlantic 11



UIUC
New England 0
Mid Atlantic 8
South Atlantic 6.4

Pretty much what I figured. My baseless impression is that Indiana is stronger in DC and Illinois is stronger in NYC. Not nearly as familiar with Minnesota.

What you really need to evaluate OP is what your preferences are in terms of debt versus location versus security. Depending on those variables any of these could be the right answer. These schools are not different enough to say X over Y and Z period.

[Verity]

Do not go in expecting to be at the top of your class, anticipate being at median.

You know, I'd just say that this is a losing strategy. If you expect to be at median in any of the aforementioned schools, don't even bother. Seriously, unless you have a job guaranteed after graduation, if that's what you're anticipating, then anticipate to be unemployed for some time.