Help! Duke v. UPenn Forum

[legallyblonde11]

Sorry to bother all of you TLS-ers with this, but I am still agonizing over this decision and my deposit deadline at Duke is coming up really soon. As in the day after tomorrow.

Here's a brief rundown of where my head is at:

I attended Penn's ASW and really enjoyed myself. I liked the people (even though I did not necessarily expect to) and it seems that their reputation for being "collegial" really is legit. I also love Philly and Penn has offered me more money (although I'm willing to remove this from the equation for now).

I also love Duke. I would be doing the JD/LLM and while I don't think it would do anything to improve my job prospects, I find the curriculum so exciting that I think I would really be happiest there. I also really liked the people and I feel like Career Services at Duke is fantastic. I might also be interested in government work and it seems like that is much more prevalent at Duke than at Penn. But, I sort of hated Durham.

I feel like it's comparing apples and oranges and I can't do it!

I mainly want to know if job prospects really differ between Penn and Duke? I know Penn is #7 and Duke is #11, but I keep hearing the difference is negligible. I would be open to NY, DC, or Chicago placement.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[bk1]

Isn't JD/LLM 4 years? Do you have scholarship offers?

If cost is equal and JD/LLM is 4 years then go to Penn so you don't have to pay for an extra years worth of tuition.

[legallyblonde11]

Thanks!

The JD/LLM is only 3 years, plus basically 1 1/2 summers. Duke will end up costing me a bit more

[bk1]

Thanks!

The JD/LLM is only 3 years, plus basically 1 1/2 summers. Duke will end up costing me a bit more

The LLM is going to have you going to school during summer? That seems like a bad idea imo when everybody else will be working during the summer.

[legallyblonde11]

From what I understand, you have 5 weeks of classes during the summer between 1L and 2L. I think they are pretty successful at finding an internship for you at a foreign firm for the remainder of that summer.

You make a valid point though

[DorianGray89]

Durham isn't that bad. I was skeptical about it until I visited this past weekend and loved it. I also got into the JD/LLM program, and while I'm not THAT interested in the LLM, the curriculum and the program is very cool and exciting. You can still work during the summer between 1L and 2L, you just have to split the summer, do half at a firm and half abroad in geneva or hong kong. It's a great program. I also believe that there is no difference in terms of ranking between Penn and Duke. Choose the one you feel more comfortable at, and the one you want to spend three years at. Good luck!

[blank403]

http://i.imgur.com/KicEA.png


See: art 3 clerkship placement + nlj 250 placement

[bk1]

http://i.imgur.com/KicEA.png


See: art 3 clerkship placement + nlj 250 placement

So you're saying that they are very comparable?

[showNprove]

Penn, but I think doing the JD/LLM is a dumb idea. Even if I didn't, I'd still think being happy where you're at (Philly vs. Durham) is more important than the curriculum.

[Georgiana]

Why do you want the LLM (other than more letters after your name)? (serious question, not snarky)