Ohio State vs. Case Western vs. Villanova vs. Syracuse? Forum

[thexfactor]

take syracuse. If you dont finish in the top 20% of your class. Drop out.
If you do, consider transferring.

[Case2L]

Many people enter law school with dreams of practicing 'international law,' then find out it is quite different than they expected. I still recommend Case, because at least Case will likely give you the most exposure to international law and provide the best opportunities for international internships and externships. A good number of Case grads work around the world in tribunals and human rights organizations. I know a number of these students, and they got these jobs because their passion for this field of law remained intact throughout law school and they made connections with the right professor. If you change your mind about international law, and there is a good chance you will, you will still have a JD from a school that is respected in Ohio, and will have saved quite a bit in tuition.

[rebexness]

[matye]

I thought I would put my two cents in. I visited syracuse last month because I got a large scholarship and thought it might be the best choice for me. Other people seemed to like it, the threads here spoke well of the admitted student event.

I was there, sitting right next to everyone, and I had a very different idea about the school. I did not like it. I won't take it too far, being too negative. I wouldn't go there if they gave me full tuition. It seemed sad to me, the school, the people, the things people were saying, they obvious way they attempted to sell the school. It all came together in my mind in about one hour that I would, personally, rather not to go law school than go to syracuse. It is always cloudy, and snows 160 inches per year. That's like 4 or five inches a day in winter. It's all too much for me. I wouldn't go there. I've heard other people speak poorly of the school, but had to see it for myself. In this case, in my view, the negative people were right. Good luck with your decision making! I hope you did not put a seat deposit on syracuse today!

I would pick ohio state if you like ohio, and case western is not a bad option either. Visit both, pick one...

[caleb1717]

My experience at Syracuse ASD two weeks ago was polar opposite - after visiting several peers schools I reluctantly visited and was really glad I did - I didnt know what to expect and ended up putting down a deposit for next year - I grew up and go to school in a big city and I felt I could easily survive the few years and winters not living in new york city or DC - the vibe was great - friendly, supportive and realistic - think it might be refreshing to not be in an uber-competitive environment for law school - there is something to being a "big fish in a small pond"!

[reverendt]

If the median at 'cuse is 2.8, a 3.0 is probably around top 1/3.
That is not something to take for granted. Just thought I'd point that out (alot of 0Ls have delusions of working hard + being smart = high class standing.)

[northwood]

Op check out syracuse's grading breakdown on their website. YOu will see how difficult it is to maintain a 3.0 there. If you lose that scholarship- your cost of attendance will skyrocket.

[StillHerexxx]

I have talked to a number of recent Cuse grads about the grading curve and stipulations. They all have good jobs and were among the top in their classes, so they aren't comparable to the whole student body, but I told them about my fear of the scholarship stipulations, and they basically said not to worry about it. If you work hard you will be able to keep your scholarship. The main thing I have heard is that a lot of the Syracuse students will be kids with rich parents paying sticker, or almost, so you can take advantage of that and hopefully help your class rank. I am still skeptical, but these opinions have made Syracuse seem a little bit better for me.

[Ersatz Haderach]

I go to CWRU. I turned down OSU but I hesitate to advise people to do the same, because for the majority of people, esp. Ohio residents, OSU is the better deal.

You want to do international law, great, but there are not many jobs there, and you will face stiff competition for the ones that exist. I am semi-involved in the international law program at Case Western. Brief summary: If you are interested in studying war crimes, writing about public international law, meeting important scholars in that field, doing int'l law moot court, and getting research experience as a 1L or writing onto the I Law journal, Case is really good. Also, there are guaranteed international law internships at the Hague and several tribunals throughout Africa and Southeast Asia. Do these translate into paid jobs? Sometimes. It's not something I'd rely on.

It's nice that Syracuse is giving you a big scholly, but I'd make your decision between OSU and CWRU, based chiefly on where you want to work after graduation, if your int'l law interest is so compelling that you're willing to sacrifice a job market boost for it, and which school you have a better feel for.