Top Law Schools

Well, here is my situation. Prior to taking the LSAT, I really wanted to go Pitt because I freaking love the city. I could definitely see myself living there. Then I did fairly well on the LSAT (nothing stellar) and now it kind of seems like it would be a waste going to pitt when I could go to better schools. I got into Emory, which despite its recent fall is still a much better school than Pitt. I admittedly have a stigma against the south, but Atlanta doesnt seem too bad if you are middle class or better. I guess my question is what would others do in my boat with deposits due so soon. From Western NY. Not really sure what kind of law I am interested in.

Pitt- 14,000/yr (40,000 total tuition)
Emory- 10,000/yr (110,000 total tuition)
Case Western- 18,000/yr (60,000 total tuition)
Seton Hall- 35,000/yr (30,000 total tuition)
W&M- WL
UMaryland- preferred WL

PENDING:
Bama
Uconn
Temple
BC - def not getting into
IUB

I have a stigma against the midwest/northeast. Whats your stigma?

Haha, no offense to anyone, but a lot of the people I have met from the south just seem of below average intelligence. I know there are dumb people everywhere and that there is likely no difference, but idk, id be willing to admit that its an irrational stigma. It might be the drawl. Whats with the midwest/northeast. Im actually interested to know and am not trying to be confrontational FWIW.

When did you apply? You have a 166 and that's the magic # at IUB. You should get $100k+ if they are still giving those schollys out. If that happens, I think that's your best choice.

Otherwise, I think Emory would be your best choice.

It would help if you would put in the total cost of attendance for each school b/c I don't know Pitt's tuition vs. Emory's tuition vs. the Others off the top of my head. Also, If you really don't like the south, you should be able to use your Emory scholarship to negotiate for more $ out of Pitt.

I think the biggest problem with the schools you've listed is that you're a mets fan.

...

Go to Pitt. Emory is marginally better, but is not clearly the best school in town.

MrAnon wrote:Go to Pitt. Emory is marginally better, but is not clearly the best school in town.

Do you really think that Emory is only marginally better than pitt?

bport hopeful wrote:Haha, no offense to anyone, but a lot of the people I have met from the south just seem of below average intelligence. I know there are dumb people everywhere and that there is likely no difference, but idk, id be willing to admit that its an irrational stigma. It might be the drawl. Whats with the midwest/northeast. Im actually interested to know and am not trying to be confrontational FWIW.

Choke on shit you horse fucker

rad law wrote:

bport hopeful wrote:Haha, no offense to anyone, but a lot of the people I have met from the south just seem of below average intelligence. I know there are dumb people everywhere and that there is likely no difference, but idk, id be willing to admit that its an irrational stigma. It might be the drawl. Whats with the midwest/northeast. Im actually interested to know and am not trying to be confrontational FWIW.

Choke on shit you horse fucker

Credited.

rad law wrote:

bport hopeful wrote:Haha, no offense to anyone, but a lot of the people I have met from the south just seem of below average intelligence. I know there are dumb people everywhere and that there is likely no difference, but idk, id be willing to admit that its an irrational stigma. It might be the drawl. Whats with the midwest/northeast. Im actually interested to know and am not trying to be confrontational FWIW.

Choke on shit you horse fucker

LOL

A man who wants to live in Pittsburgh rips on the south for low IQs: why?

Hey now, im not ripping. I admitted that its not rational, its just a mental block. I was in pittsburgh today, seemed pretty pleseant and everyone I came in contact with seemed to be of average intelligence. Have you ever been there?

bport hopeful wrote: Have you ever been there?

Haha, no offense to anyone, but a lot of the people I have met from the Pittsburgh just seem of below average intelligence. I know there are dumb people everywhere and that there is likely no difference, but idk, id be willing to admit that its an irrational stigma. It might be the Pittsburgh accent.

rad law wrote:

bport hopeful wrote: Have you ever been there?

Haha, no offense to anyone, but a lot of the people I have met from the Pittsburgh just seem of below average intelligence. I know there are dumb people everywhere and that there is likely no difference, but idk, id be willing to admit that its an irrational stigma. It might be the Pittsburgh accent.

fair enough.

MrAnon wrote:Go to Pitt. Emory is marginally better, but is not clearly the best school in town.

lol

bport hopeful wrote:

MrAnon wrote:Go to Pitt. Emory is marginally better, but is not clearly the best school in town.

Do you really think that Emory is only marginally better than pitt?

Yes. Maybe more than marginally better in terms of student quality, but there are as many positives as there are negatives associated with that. Law schools break down according to the top couple schools, the rest of the T14, the best local schools, and the other local schools. In practice, that's how they are viewed even though US news tries to attach further ranking to them within those groups.

Essentially, if you were blindfolded and led into a classroom at Pitt and told you were in Emory you'd believe it. The employment results, local prestige, and quality of professors will be the same in both schools.

MrAnon wrote:Essentially, if you were blindfolded and led into a classroom at Pitt and told you were in Emory you'd believe it. The employment results, local prestige, and quality of professors will be the same in both schools.

Not to be an Emory troll b/c really, I'm not, but Emory put just over 21% of its graduates into NLJ 250 firms. What percentage of Pitt grads get into NLJ 250? (not to imply that is the end all be all, it's just one of the most transparent guages we have)... I mean, seriously, Pitt is ranked #71 and Emory is ranked #30. While the difference isn't as big as Yale vs. Emory (30 spots) I don't think you can reasonably argue that Emory and Pitt are only marginally different.

MattThiessen wrote:

MrAnon wrote:Essentially, if you were blindfolded and led into a classroom at Pitt and told you were in Emory you'd believe it. The employment results, local prestige, and quality of professors will be the same in both schools.

Not to be an Emory troll b/c really, I'm not, but Emory put just over 21% of its graduates into NLJ 250 firms. What percentage of Pitt grads get into NLJ 250? (not to imply that is the end all be all, it's just one of the most transparent guages we have)... I mean, seriously, Pitt is ranked #71 and Emory is ranked #30. While the difference isn't as big as Yale vs. Emory (30 spots) I don't think you can reasonably argue that Emory and Pitt are only marginally different.

This was my feeling. But an 80,000 dollar difference is quite a bit.

That there happen to be more NLJ250 offices in Emory's hometown than there are in Pitts' hometown does not reflect on the quality of the schools. Emory grads are not filling up NLJ250 offices in LA and NY. Atlanta may have more NLJ250 firms and if this sort of job appeals to OP then go for it. But realize that you will be laying out 80K more for the 1 out of 5 chance and that Atlanta is a more expensive town than Pittsburgh. So if things work out with the NLJ250 firm then you have to live in the more expensive town with a better job and more debt. if things don't work out then you just have the more expensive town plus the debt. In Pittsburgh you have less debt, cheaper COL, and the same job as 79% of Emory grads.

79% of Emory grads will tell you they doubt their lives would be any worse off if they went to Pitt.

MrAnon wrote:That there happen to be more NLJ250 offices in Emory's hometown than there are in Pitts' hometown does not reflect on the quality of the schools. Emory grads are not filling up NLJ250 offices in LA and NY. Atlanta may have more NLJ250 firms and if this sort of job appeals to OP then go for it. But realize that you will be laying out 80K more for the 1 out of 5 chance and that Atlanta is a more expensive town than Pittsburgh. So if things work out with the NLJ250 firm then you have to live in the more expensive town with a better job and more debt. if things don't work out then you just have the more expensive town plus the debt. In Pittsburgh you have less debt, cheaper COL, and the same job as 79% of Emory grads.

79% of Emory grads will tell you they doubt their lives would be any worse off if they went to Pitt.

What if the OP doesn't plan on going to school and living in that same city for the rest of his life? The Emory name will do better by him in more places than Pitt will. I live in Texas, and I can guarantee you Emory will go a lot further here as I think it will in pretty much every other part of the country besides Pittsburgh and MAYBE Philly.

IF OP is certain he wants to stay in Pitt forever, then I would say that he should save the 80k. BUT, if OP isn't entirely sure about that, then I think Emory is the smarter move. Of course, this all depends on OPs level of debt aversion and desire to actually be an attorney.

MrAnon wrote:79% of Emory grads will tell you they doubt their lives would be any worse off if they went to Pitt.

Why did twice as high a percent of Emory grads supply salary data than Pitt grads?

Since you love Pittsburgh and its a lot cheaper than Emory, I think Pitt has gotta be the right call for you given your current options.

adt231 wrote:Since you love Pittsburgh and its a lot cheaper than Emory, I think Pitt has gotta be the right call for you given your current options.

This is pretty much where I was going until the Knights of Emory showed up. Again, it's not like you are passing up Harvard.

JusticeHarlan wrote:

MrAnon wrote:79% of Emory grads will tell you they doubt their lives would be any worse off if they went to Pitt.

Why did twice as high a percent of Emory grads supply salary data than Pitt grads?

I already said Pittsburgh is going to have a lower average salary. No secret and no doubt pittsburgh wants to keep that under wraps as much as possible. The number doesn't mean much; its much cheaper to live there; but when it shows up in print in US news, oh horror of horrors. It does reflect poorly on the school but people wont make sense of the information if you give it to them.

Just got my admissions packet from seton hall. That might be hard for me to pass up. Better market, even though its got a ton of schools in it.