BU ($) vs. BC ($$) Forum

[fingersxd]

I have a slight preference for BU, but could be happy at either. BC will be cheaper and their job placement stats appear to be almost identical.

I've already visited both and their are obvious pros/cons to each. No strong gut feeling in one direction vs. another, so would love to get some thoughts.

Edit: sorry to extend this thread, but just got bu to match - does this change anyones vote? Just curious.

P.s. gotta love the bu/bc back and forth. School pride at it's finest.

[Cupidity]

Same exact situation last year, I ended up choosing BU and I have never regretted it. Everything they say about the quality of our faculty is true, and it has resulted in a wonderful 1L experience.

[zonto]

Call up both admissions directors on a three-way call and have them participate in an all-out bidding war for your seat deposit with scholarship money.

[alumniguy]

Call/write BU and tell them that BC has offered a slightly higher scholarship and that money is a concern and that it if BU could match or beat BC, it would lead you to matriculate at BU.

I can't imagine a 5k bump is going to break the bank at BU. However, they may tell you no. Either way, if you don't ask, then you won't receive.

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

BC has better biglaw placement stats, better clerkship stats and is cheaper (not just tuition, but COL given its location). Sounds like a no brainer.

[fingersxd]

Call up both admissions directors on a three-way call and have them participate in an all-out bidding war for your seat deposit with scholarship money.

Wish it were that easy!

I wonder if somebody has actually tried that before? Ha-Ha

[fingersxd]

Call/write BU and tell them that BC has offered a slightly higher scholarship and that money is a concern and that it if BU could match or beat BC, it would lead you to matriculate at BU.

I can't imagine a 5k bump is going to break the bank at BU. However, they may tell you no. Either way, if you don't ask, then you won't receive.

Already tried and got turned down (surprising as I had other similar and/or higher offers from schools in the 15-20 range).

[alumniguy]

Call up both admissions directors on a three-way call and have them participate in an all-out bidding war for your seat deposit with scholarship money.

Wish it were that easy!

I wonder if somebody has actually tried that before? Ha-Ha

It is pretty much that easy. Just write a letter. I did it at BC and got 5K per year. It really isn't that hard. You've already been accepted. If they have the money and they really want you, then they'll throw a little more money your way. If not, then they'll tell you that they unfortunately cannot offer you anymore aid. Done. In my opinion, anyone who doesn't try this potentially wasting money on tuition that they otherwise wouldn't need to spend.

[fingersxd]

BC has better biglaw placement stats, better clerkship stats and is cheaper (not just tuition, but COL given its location). Sounds like a no brainer.

Slevin, can you send me where you are getting this info? I had been under the impression that their stats re: biglaw and clerkship were almost identical.

I don't expect COL to be much different (I have heard students at both live at similar areas) and I would want to live somewhere halway between BC and downtown Boston. Plus, I think I would need a car at BC (personal preference), but not so at BU. Am I off base?

Also, what degree is more transferable? Say I want to end up working in DC, Chi, or West coast? I know BU has the higher ranking and I've heard younger lawyers prefer it over BC (does this mean it has better odds of maintaining its ranking and/or moving up?).

[alumniguy]

Call/write BU and tell them that BC has offered a slightly higher scholarship and that money is a concern and that it if BU could match or beat BC, it would lead you to matriculate at BU.

I can't imagine a 5k bump is going to break the bank at BU. However, they may tell you no. Either way, if you don't ask, then you won't receive.

Already tried and got turned down (surprising as I had other similar and/or higher offers from schools in the 15-20 range).

Well, than that solves the question. I guess people here interpreted your question as asking whether you should ask for more money.

Have you looked at the total cost of tuition? I've read that BU is slightly higher. Not sure if that is accurate or not. Either way, if you are looking at 15k or less overall debt I don't think money should be an issue here. Go to the school you felt better about. If we are talking 20k or more, then I think you go where the money is at.

[dakatz]

BU will be cutting class size pretty soon, and a new additional building will hopefully begin construction soon, though the timeframe isn't set in stone. These factors should combine to boost BU's ranking up a bit, hopefully into the teens within a few years. Can't speak for BC's ranking trend.

No you don't need a car for BU, and the COL is going to probably end up being the same. As for the placement stats, they are nearly identical, with BC ahead by a hair. Don't the homer play up the difference too much. When it comes to hiring and placement stats, the schools are essentially identical, though BC has a deeper and more connected alumni network in Boston, which BU doesn't match.

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandr ... ngs/page+2

[alumniguy]

BC has better biglaw placement stats, better clerkship stats and is cheaper (not just tuition, but COL given its location). Sounds like a no brainer.

Slevin, can you send me where you are getting this info? I had been under the impression that their stats re: biglaw and clerkship were almost identical.

I don't expect COL to be much different (I have heard students at both live at similar areas) and I would want to live somewhere halway between BC and downtown Boston. Plus, I think I would need a car at BC (personal preference), but not so at BU. Am I off base?

Also, what degree is more transferable? Say I want to end up working in DC, Chi, or West coast? I know BU has the higher ranking and I've heard younger lawyers prefer it over BC (does this mean it has better odds of maintaining its ranking and/or moving up?).

Last year, BC place about 4% better in the NLJ placement study. The year before I think BU placed slightly higher. The year before that BC placed slightly higher. People who claim that either school has higher placement are offbase (and this is coming from a BC grad). Neither degree is more transferable than the other. It is going to come down to your drive to make it transferable and how well you actually do. Assuming everything else is constant (i.e., you get the same grads and are involved in the same activities), I find it incredibly hard to believe that either will offer better opportunities. BC may have placed slightly higher in clerkships, but even this really is even at this point. I don't think BU or BC will ever be more than a top 20 school. They are the two schools that consistently beat almost every other school other than the T14s when it comes to biglaw placement, yet they still are ranked behind the likes of Minnesota and WUSTL. BU has done very well in the rankings since they cut their class size and it is possible that they will move up (equally as possible as BC moving up I guess). Either way, I wouldn't make my law school decision based on where I perceive a school to be ranked 10 years down the road. It is just silly.

[alumniguy]

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandr ... ngs/page+2

We are talking less than 1% of Article III judges (BC 4.3, BU 3.5). Overall clerkship is misleading because anything other than Art. III is self-selection. Historically, BC had a clear advantage, but BU has caught up and is equal now (and will continue to be equal for the foreseeable future).

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

BU will be cutting class size pretty soon, and a new additional building will hopefully begin construction soon, though the timeframe isn't set in stone. These factors should combine to boost BU's ranking up a bit, hopefully into the teens within a few years. Can't speak for BC's ranking trend.

No you don't need a car for BU, and the COL is going to probably end up being the same. As for the placement stats, they are nearly identical, with BC ahead by a hair. Don't the homer play up the difference too much. When it comes to hiring and placement stats, the schools are essentially identical, though BC has a deeper and more connected alumni network in Boston, which BU doesn't match.

BU can't cut its class size again, regardless of what you think. It was a 30-40 school in the 1990s and early 2000s until it cut its class size down to compete with BC. Now it has one of the smaller programs in the country. It has no plans in dropping its class size.

BU should construct a new building. It won't be any time soon given that they just did a restoration on the current building, so the new building won't be coming in the next few years. That is good though, as I would hate to be a student at that time. Construction can really put a strain on your study environment. While BU doesn't really have a library (more of a dark basement w/ books), you want to have a comfortable study environment during law school. Construction of a new building could take three years.

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

BC has better biglaw placement stats, better clerkship stats and is cheaper (not just tuition, but COL given its location). Sounds like a no brainer.

Slevin, can you send me where you are getting this info? I had been under the impression that their stats re: biglaw and clerkship were almost identical.

I don't expect COL to be much different (I have heard students at both live at similar areas) and I would want to live somewhere halway between BC and downtown Boston. Plus, I think I would need a car at BC (personal preference), but not so at BU. Am I off base?

Also, what degree is more transferable? Say I want to end up working in DC, Chi, or West coast? I know BU has the higher ranking and I've heard younger lawyers prefer it over BC (does this mean it has better odds of maintaining its ranking and/or moving up?).

Last year, BC place about 4% better in the NLJ placement study. The year before I think BU placed slightly higher. The year before that BC placed slightly higher. People who claim that either school has higher placement are offbase (and this is coming from a BC grad). Neither degree is more transferable than the other. It is going to come down to your drive to make it transferable and how well you actually do. Assuming everything else is constant (i.e., you get the same grads and are involved in the same activities), I find it incredibly hard to believe that either will offer better opportunities. BC may have placed slightly higher in clerkships, but even this really is even at this point. I don't think BU or BC will ever be more than a top 20 school. They are the two schools that consistently beat almost every other school other than the T14s when it comes to biglaw placement, yet they still are ranked behind the likes of Minnesota and WUSTL. BU has done very well in the rankings since they cut their class size and it is possible that they will move up (equally as possible as BC moving up I guess). Either way, I wouldn't make my law school decision based on where I perceive a school to be ranked 10 years down the road. It is just silly.

Not sure BU ever outplaced BC in biglaw. Pretty sure they were equal last year.

[BCLS Alum]

BC has better biglaw placement stats, better clerkship stats and is cheaper (not just tuition, but COL given its location). Sounds like a no brainer.

The stats are close, but I see the point. Why go to a more expensive school with a slightly less successful track record. Still, the stats are pretty close.

Taking cost into consideration though, I don't see a point spending any more on either school.

[alumniguy]

BU can't cut its class size again, regardless of what you think. It was a 30-40 school in the 1990s and early 2000s until it cut its class size down to compete with BC. Now it has one of the smaller programs in the country. It has no plans in dropping its class size.

BU should construct a new building. It won't be any time soon given that they just did a restoration on the current building, so the new building won't be coming in the next few years. That is good though, as I would hate to be a student at that time. Construction can really put a strain on your study environment. While BU doesn't really have a library (more of a dark basement w/ books), you want to have a comfortable study environment during law school. Construction of a new building could take three years.

This seems ridiculous to me. You have no idea if BU plans to cut its class size. If BU does plan to cut its class size, then it is obviously making a play to move up the rankings. It will be an expensive endeavor to cut the class size because of the lost tuition dollars that they would see. If that is what they are planning, then BU is willing to put money into its law program. That sounds like a school that I would want to attend. However, whether this is actually going to happen is quite difficult to ascertain (see construction of new building discussion below). I'm not sure I would believe anecdotal comments on this forum as proof though.

BU has been discussing their desire to build a new law school building for years. I applied to law schools in 2005 and they said they were planning a new law school building back then, too. I would hope they are further along the process now then back in 2005. My understanding is that the interior of the law tower has been renovated and that the classrooms are as state of the art as at BC. There are other places to study than the law library and that would probably not factor into my decision. If ascetics is important to OP, then BC should have a slight edge over BU. However, I believe OP said s/he liked BU better. If that is the case, then s/he should go to BU.

[alumniguy]

Not sure BU ever outplaced BC in biglaw. Pretty sure they were equal last year.

Last year (class of 2009) was equal, the year before (class of 2008) BC place more, the year before that (class of 2007) BU placed more. Again, in every instance it was less than 5% difference. It is just disingenuous to suggest that one school clearly outplaces the other. I wouldn't make my decision on less than 5% placement difference.

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

BU has made no assertion that it will cut its classize any time soon. It just cut its class size and will not likely do it again. Not sure why this is so hard to understand. The poster who posted this was just flaming.

The building was just renovated. There are no plans to put in a new building within the next two-three years, so it won't affect any current applicants. That was the point of the post. They have been trying to get a new building for years, as the current facilities are horrendous, but there are no plans to put a new building up any time soon. Again, flamebate.

I agree, if you like BU, go for it. But don't do so on the flamebate posted by Dakatz.

[aliarrow]

.

[aliarrow]

.

[dakatz]

BU has made no assertion that it will cut its classize any time soon. It just cut its class size and will not likely do it again. Not sure why this is so hard to understand. The poster who posted this was just flaming.

The building was just renovated. There are no plans to put in a new building within the next two-three years, so it won't affect any current applicants. That was the point of the post. They have been trying to get a new building for years, as the current facilities are horrendous, but there are no plans to put a new building up any time soon. Again, flamebate.

I agree, if you like BU, go for it. But don't do so on the flamebate posted by Dakatz.

Sorry, I don't "flame". Next year's class size will be 30 less than the one before. I got this directly from the mouth of someone who works in admissions. Went to a presentation on the new building. Got to see the floorplans, artist renditions, etc. Looks really beautiful, and includes a full renovation of the existing tower. While it isn't set in stone yet, the plan it to get the construction started during the next school year, as to ensure that the class of 2014 gets one year in the building, though they won't publicly talk about this until it is certain.

[Cupidity]

I agree, if you like BU, go for it. But don't do so on the flamebate posted by Dakatz.

Welcome to TLS, now piss off. I read through your posts, 170+ posts of you acting like you have a crystal ball and telling people they are stupid for deciding one way or not deciding the other, with posts seldom straying over a half sentence. Dakatz offered valuable and accurate insight into the future of BU and your response is that he is flaming? Now stop trolling against BU, I need to go study for finals.

[aliarrow]

.