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I thought I had chosen my school but I just got the e-mail from Notre Dame. I want big law/politics in DC and want to have as many options as possible.

I am down to these 2 choices.

SrLaw wrote:I thought I had chosen my school but I just got the e-mail from Notre Dame. I want big law/politics in DC and want to have as many options as possible.

I am down to these 3 choices.

Your three choices look a lot like two choices.

I would go with option 3

psych

Edited. My bad, got a little excited.

scholarship stipulations should play a role here. what are they?

SrLaw wrote:I thought I had chosen my school but I just got the e-mail from Notre Dame. I want big law/politics in DC and want to have as many options as possible.

I am down to these 2 choices.

Do a cost of living analysis for a better answer. I have a feeling South Bend might be cheaper, though I have no legit idea.

Notre Dame has a stronger lay reputation and its reach is exaggerated due to its rabid alumni base.

I'd give Notre Dame the decided edge given your goals. I don't think you're getting much difference in Big Law, but probably will get a boost for politics/non-legal work.

Wake Forest - top 2/3s of the class

Notre Dame- Good standing



I would really appreciate some more responses.

I think ND by a comfortable margin here with a political interest. Lay prestige starts factoring in and, justified or not, the ND name perks up ears.

Also the current congressman from south bend, joe donnelly, is a ND undergrad and JD and does a lot of intern hiring from the school so there might be a good 1L summer staff position for you.

ND all day.

SrLaw wrote:Wake Forest - top 2/3s of the class

Notre Dame- Good standing



I would really appreciate some more responses.

Those arent too tough. Still the edge goes to ND for this. Plus a slight CoL edge. The difference is only maybe 7-10 thousand a year. Up to you how that feels to you. I would probably go to ND but not by much. Also think about which area you'd rather end up in an a backup or first option Midwest vs South. But I dont think either choice is obvious.

Edit to say that I dont know that much about either of these schools so my advice may only be somewhat accurate.

Law Sauce wrote:

SrLaw wrote:Wake Forest - top 2/3s of the class

Notre Dame- Good standing



I would really appreciate some more responses.

Those arent too tough. Still the edge goes to ND for this. Plus a slight CoL edge. The difference is only maybe 7-10 thousand a year. Up to you how that feels to you. I would probably go to ND but not by much. Also think about which area you'd rather end up in an a backup or first option Midwest vs South.

Yeah, but there's no disputing Notre Dame is the stronger "national" brand. That might not help for legal placement, but it will help once OP steps outside of legal work.

danquayle wrote:

Law Sauce wrote:

SrLaw wrote:Wake Forest - top 2/3s of the class

Notre Dame- Good standing



I would really appreciate some more responses.

Those arent too tough. Still the edge goes to ND for this. Plus a slight CoL edge. The difference is only maybe 7-10 thousand a year. Up to you how that feels to you. I would probably go to ND but not by much. Also think about which area you'd rather end up in an a backup or first option Midwest vs South.

Yeah, but there's no disputing Notre Dame is the stronger "national" brand. That might not help for legal placement, but it will help once OP steps outside of legal work.

Yea, definitely. But how much that is worth depends on you and your career goals and politics is a pretty vague and possibly unrealistic goal. (not sure)

Anyone have any other thoughts? Anyone pro Wake Forest?

You my stance on your previous decision. With the new data, I say ND all the way.

UGA or IU-B.

MrKappus wrote:UGA or IU-B.

Why is that?

Just a bad joke. You should go to ND. This isn't even close.

SrLaw wrote:Anyone have any other thoughts? Anyone pro Wake Forest?

The only argument for Wake would be less debt. I don't know the COAs but assuming they are roughly equal you will be looking at around a 36,000 difference.

If you are extremely risk averse then maybe Wake but if that's the case you probably shouldn't want to go into politics.

Given your goals I think the difference is well worth the money.

Go to Notre Dame and don't look back. Congrats!

It's already been said several times, but for biglaw: ND, no question

I would still have chosen IUB with 40k... (if that was you), but nd is probably the better school

Good Standing is a ridiculously better condition than top 33%. You have no way of knowing that you will be in the top 33% for certain... but you can pretty much expect that you will keep Good Standing. Even if Notre Dame didn't have the better prestige, this would be important. Together? ND all the way.

geoduck wrote:Good Standing is a ridiculously better condition than top 33%. You have no way of knowing that you will be in the top 33% for certain... but you can pretty much expect that you will keep Good Standing. Even if Notre Dame didn't have the better prestige, this would be important. Together? ND all the way.

Top 2/3 = Top 66%

geoduck wrote:Good Standing is a ridiculously better condition than top 33%. You have no way of knowing that you will be in the top 33% for certain... but you can pretty much expect that you will keep Good Standing. Even if Notre Dame didn't have the better prestige, this would be important. Together? ND all the way.

I agree with you, but Wake's stips are actually top 66% not 33%. And I think you keep half if you fall below top 66%.

Still tho! ND

Notre Dame still placed just shy of a third of its Class of 2010 grads into Biglaw + Article III, and as much as I love to be pessimistic, the shit's only going to get better. Wake Forest placed 15% into Biglaw, though I don't have the figures for Article III clerkships.

I think you should come to ND (I'm a 1L here). Have you visited yet?