Top Law Schools

Hey guys, long time lurker here. Would appreciate any input. My cycle is pretty late, so I'm still waiting to hear back from a few schools.

Vandy gave me 30K total and WUSTL gave me 75K total. My goal is BigLaw, preferrably in NYC. Looking to do IP Law. I have no undergrad debt. What do you guys suggest?

Is the difference in placement between the two schools worth 45K?

stylishlaw wrote:Hey guys, long time lurker here. Would appreciate any input. My cycle is pretty late, so I'm still waiting to hear back from a few schools.

Vandy gave me 30K total and WUSTL gave me 75K total. My goal is BigLaw, preferrably in NYC. Looking to do IP Law. I have no undergrad debt. What do you guys suggest?

Is the difference in placement between the two schools worth 45K?

Vandy

stylishlaw wrote:Is the difference in placement between the two schools worth 45K?

Yes.

Enjoy Vandy.

Ask WashUStL for more money, then, after you receive a refusal, pack your bags for Nashville.

Vandeee

dpk711 wrote:Vandeee

At that price choose Vandy. On a related note, the schools are close enough to peers that you have a (very) slim chance of getting more $ from them with the WUSTL scholly (though I'm not sure what Vandy's policy on negotiation is and they seem to not give out a ton of $).

You need to visit both law schools while in session to determine whether one is a better fit.

First of all, neither school places very well in New York city firms. You'd be better off at Fordham/BU/BC. However, if these are your only options, take Vandy. You have almost no chance at a NY firm from WUSTL, but at least a small chance from Vandy (which is also a better school).

Probably Vandy unless you can get more money from WUSTL. 150k in debt for a school lot Vandy is a LOT though.

Any cheaper options or better New York options?

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:First of all, neither school places very well in New York city firms. You'd be better off at Fordham/BU/BC. However, if these are your only options, take Vandy. You have almost no chance at a NY firm from WUSTL, but at least a small chance from Vandy (which is also a better school).

2nd highest # of grads from Vandy go to NYC (after TN).

And how many is that? 20 students? Not very significant. NY is the second highest market for most of the top placing biglaw schools, as there are a lot of jobs available in NY. Second highest for BC, BU, GW, etc.

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:And how many is that? 20 students? Not very significant. NY is the second highest market for most of the top placing biglaw schools, as there are a lot of jobs available in NY. Second highest for BC, BU, GW, etc.

Vandy places pretty well in NYC.

romothesavior wrote:Probably Vandy unless you can get more money from WUSTL. 150k in debt for a school lot Vandy is a LOT though.

$150k is a lot, but with IP, I'd pay it.

Any cheaper options or better New York options?

I would think Fordham maybe, but it's gonna be super expensive.

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:And how many is that? 20 students? Not very significant. NY is the second highest market for most of the top placing biglaw schools, as there are a lot of jobs available in NY. Second highest for BC, BU, GW, etc.

It's pretty damn good for a school where most people don't actually want NYC. It's fairly common knowledge around here that NYC has been a pretty strong market for us.

rad law wrote:

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:And how many is that? 20 students? Not very significant. NY is the second highest market for most of the top placing biglaw schools, as there are a lot of jobs available in NY. Second highest for BC, BU, GW, etc.

It's pretty damn good for a school where most people don't actually want NYC. It's fairly common knowledge around here that NYC has been a pretty strong market for us.

Interesting logic.

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:

rad law wrote:

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:And how many is that? 20 students? Not very significant. NY is the second highest market for most of the top placing biglaw schools, as there are a lot of jobs available in NY. Second highest for BC, BU, GW, etc.

It's pretty damn good for a school where most people don't actually want NYC. It's fairly common knowledge around here that NYC has been a pretty strong market for us.

Interesting logic.

There's no problem with that logic.

This is a tough call. When I was the $$ sign, I thought it'd be a bigger differential. 45k is sizable, but I really don't know. I can see it going both ways.

Rad, what percentage of Vandy grads get NYC?

romothesavior wrote:Rad, what percentage of Vandy grads get NYC?

Not sure. My list is around here somewhere, but I can't find it. I'm not sure a straight percentage would be all that helpful anyways considering that many many people don't bid there to begin with.

rad law wrote:

romothesavior wrote:Rad, what percentage of Vandy grads get NYC?

Not sure. My list is around here somewhere, but I can't find it. I'm not sure a straight percentage would be all that helpful anyways considering that many many people don't bid there to begin with.

Well if it is the second largest market, it has gotta be pretty decent. More than 10%, I would think. I mean, not THAT many people stay in TN, do they? Not a huge legal market there by any means.

Unless the school posts stats, not sure I am going to take some 1Ls assertion on an anonymous message board.

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:Unless the school posts stats, not sure I am going to take some 1Ls assertion on an anonymous message board.

just because everything you post is wrong, doesn't mean everything on the site is wrong. and yes, it would be extremely foolish to make a life changing decision based on what anonymous internet users say. it can be helpful however.

ETA: I did find this http://law.vanderbilt.edu/employers-cs/ ... index.aspx stating that 33% found employment in the northeast, but that isn't really specific enough. Not sure where else to find this data. Rad might know.

LST (LinkRemoved) has 13% of Vandy's class of 2008 going to 'South Atlantic' (NY, NJ, and PA).

LSAC (LinkRemoved) has 33 students (out of 188 JDs, or 17.5%) taking the NY bar; I think this is for class of '09, but I don't think it specifies.

Slevin Kelevra 2011 wrote:Unless the school posts stats, not sure I am going to take some 1Ls assertion on an anonymous message board.

Put your money where your mouth is and call Vandy to ask them for the packet that shows at what organizations the class of 2010 got jobs. You can ask them for 2009 and previous years too. I lost my list, but I've run the numbers.

I don't know why you think I have an incentive to lie to you about where my own classmates want to work.

JusticeHarlan wrote:LST (LinkRemoved) has 13% of Vandy's class of 2008 going to 'South Atlantic' (NY, NJ, and PA).

LSAC (LinkRemoved) has 33 students (out of 188 JDs, or 17.5%) taking the NY bar; I think this is for class of '09, but I don't think it specifies.

there we go. nice.