Top Law Schools

Hello everyone, hopefully I am not being too greedy by asking for advice with my first post.

I had been accepted to Penn State - Dickinson School of Law and was planning on attending in Carlisle in the fall. However, I have recently received an improved offer from Rutgers-Camden, and being a resident of New Jersey, I am currently reconsidering my decision.

PSU is offering me $10k/yr, top 50% stip. Rutgers-Camden is offering me $10k/yr also with a staggered GPA stip, although I would also be receiving in-state tuition, so overall I will be saving around $12k/yr if I choose Rutgers-Camden over PSU.

My first priority is having the best shot possible at biglaw. I know neither school does well in NYC, but NYC biglaw is where I would ultimately like to end up. I've heard that PSU mainly places in Harrisburg and Pittsburg, with somewhat weak placement in Philadelphia. I've heard Rutgers-Camden is much stronger in Philadelphia placement.

My second priority is the law school environment itself, and I would much rather go to school in Carlisle than in Camden.

Is it true that Rutgers-Camden does much better placing in Philadelphia, or is there really not a huge difference between the two schools in biglaw placement? Does either do better in NYC at all? And ultimately, what should I choose? Thanks for any feedback you can give.

JPudding wrote:My first priority is having the best shot possible at biglaw. I know neither school does well in NYC, but NYC biglaw is where I would ultimately like to end up.

Then the best thing you could do for yourself, if this is really what you want, would be to retake and reapply.

bk187 wrote:

JPudding wrote:My first priority is having the best shot possible at biglaw. I know neither school does well in NYC, but NYC biglaw is where I would ultimately like to end up.

Then the best thing you could do for yourself, if this is really what you want, would be to retake and reapply.

Wise words.

bk187 wrote:

JPudding wrote:My first priority is having the best shot possible at biglaw. I know neither school does well in NYC, but NYC biglaw is where I would ultimately like to end up.

Then the best thing you could do for yourself, if this is really what you want, would be to retake and reapply.

Yeah I've been considering this too, as it would be good to have time to actually study for the LSAT without finals/tests going on...the problem is I currently work in a law firm for the summer and I don't think they'd be able to keep me on for a full year, so I was really hoping to start school this fall.

I'd attend one of the two and try to transfer after a year if you have nothing else to do. Do you think you'd have a better shot at being top of your class or retaking the LSAT and getting a huge bump? If you take a year off and don't do much better on the LSAT you're going to be kicking yourself. On the other hand, I took a year off to retake the LSAT and am very happy I did.

watsonnyc wrote:I'd attend one of the two and try to transfer after a year if you have nothing else to do. Do you think you'd have a better shot at being top of your class or retaking the LSAT and getting a huge bump? If you take a year off and don't do much better on the LSAT you're going to be kicking yourself. On the other hand, I took a year off to retake the LSAT and am very happy I did.

The universal answer is that it is far easier and far less risky to try and increase your LSAT than it is to try and get grades good enough to transfer.

watsonnyc wrote:I'd attend one of the two and try to transfer after a year if you have nothing else to do. Do you think you'd have a better shot at being top of your class or retaking the LSAT and getting a huge bump? If you take a year off and don't do much better on the LSAT you're going to be kicking yourself. On the other hand, I took a year off to retake the LSAT and am very happy I did.

Well I was a splitter when applying, 3.75 GPA but 161 LSAT, and the LSAT was unreliable for me as I practiced consistently at 168-169 but ended up with what I have now. I think it's somewhat realistic that I could get top 10-15% of my class but I don't know how well that would translate into an NYC job

JPudding wrote:

watsonnyc wrote:I'd attend one of the two and try to transfer after a year if you have nothing else to do. Do you think you'd have a better shot at being top of your class or retaking the LSAT and getting a huge bump? If you take a year off and don't do much better on the LSAT you're going to be kicking yourself. On the other hand, I took a year off to retake the LSAT and am very happy I did.

Well I was a splitter when applying, 3.75 GPA but 161 LSAT, and the LSAT was unreliable for me as I practiced consistently at 168-169 but ended up with what I have now. I think it's somewhat realistic that I could get top 10-15% of my class but I don't know how well that would translate into an NYC job

1. It's not that realistic.
2. With that GPA, even a small increase in your score could result in a better school w/ money.
3. If you were able to score at your PT average, you could probably get one of the lower T14 to bite.
4. Even with top 10%, NYC biglaw is not going to happen out of those schools.

Well I was a splitter when applying, 3.75 GPA but 161 LSAT, and the LSAT was unreliable for me as I practiced consistently at 168-169 but ended up with what I have now. I think it's somewhat realistic that I could get top 10-15% of my class but I don't know how well that would translate into an NYC job[/quote]

I can't believe you didn't get into higher ranked schools with those scores. The previous poster is right that if your retake and get a 168 you would have a good change to get into georgetown or cornell. Did you take your PT timed just like the real exam? WITHOUT taking extra breaks?

Yes I followed the test restrictions, I scored as low as 161 and as high as 169 on PTs with an average of probably 166 but I think I just choked when it mattered lol

bk187 wrote:

JPudding wrote:My first priority is having the best shot possible at biglaw. I know neither school does well in NYC, but NYC biglaw is where I would ultimately like to end up.

Then the best thing you could do for yourself, if this is really what you want, would be to retake and reapply.

This, but if you "must" go, pick the cheaper (in-state) school. Both will give you an approximately equal (very small) shot at biglaw.

Realistically, neither will give you a strong chance at NYC big law. That's not to say that it can't happen, just that it probably won't. I'd go to whichever school.will put you in less debt (Ru-C). I'm a 1L there and the campus is actually quite safe although the area surrounding it (excluding Philly) is crap.

definitely retake, it could change your life

I visited PSU and it sucks. The building is freaking awesome and its the best law school building I have visited (out of the 4). BUT it is in the middle of nowhere. It is an awesome undergrad school, but doing an internship/externship during the year is nearly impossible because there is pretty much nothing around. I took one holistic look at this place and never looked back. I would never go here if you want big law, because you won't get big law since there is nothing around. You would have to drive at least 2 hours to get to any law firm.

Hope that helps!

JPudding wrote:Yes I followed the test restrictions, I scored as low as 161 and as high as 169 on PTs with an average of probably 166 but I think I just choked when it mattered lol

RETAKE. IT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Retake. Those options are horrible for your GPA.

Unless they are going to YHS or their top-choice school on a full ride, nobody should ever matriculate with an LSAT four or more points below their PT average.

JPudding wrote:

watsonnyc wrote:I'd attend one of the two and try to transfer after a year if you have nothing else to do. Do you think you'd have a better shot at being top of your class or retaking the LSAT and getting a huge bump? If you take a year off and don't do much better on the LSAT you're going to be kicking yourself. On the other hand, I took a year off to retake the LSAT and am very happy I did.

Well I was a splitter when applying, 3.75 GPA but 161 LSAT, and the LSAT was unreliable for me as I practiced consistently at 168-169 but ended up with what I have now. I think it's somewhat realistic that I could get top 10-15% of my class but I don't know how well that would translate into an NYC job

I applaud you for recognizing that neither PSU nor Rutgers-C are conducive to BigLaw, but you have a ridiculously higher chance at doing better on your LSAT retake than being in the top 10-15% of your class and successfully transferring. Law school grades are very unpredictable, as are class rankings. The LSAT is a learnable test. If you practice under timed conditions and can consistently score well, chances are you will do OK on the day of the test.

Retaking will be the best decision you ever made. Trust me on that.

This thread is two years old, dudes.

It looks like OP retook for a high-160-something and got to chill with Dingbat at Fordham.

North wrote:This thread is two years old, dudes.

It looks like OP retook for a high-160-something and got to chill with Dingbat at Fordham.

Shoulda retook again IMO.

BigZuck wrote:

North wrote:This thread is two years old, dudes.

It looks like OP retook for a high-160-something and got to chill with Dingbat at Fordham.

Shoulda retook again IMO.

Yeah.

BigZuck wrote:

North wrote:This thread is two years old, dudes.

It looks like OP retook for a high-160-something and got to chill with Dingbat at Fordham.

Shoulda retook again IMO.

Bummer.

North wrote:This thread is two years old, dudes.

Where does this rank in the "Oldest necro that it took the longest time for everyone to realize was a necro" all-time list?

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:

North wrote:This thread is two years old, dudes.

Where does this rank in the "Oldest necro that it took the longest time for everyone to realize was a necro" all-time list?

I've seen worse (we still have some 2009 threads floating around here), but this one got some solid, well thought out responses and that's lulzy.

Read page one for some vintage, pre-modship BK. Also note that OP's ridiculous LS/goals mismatch wasn't laughed out of town. TLS used to be so forgiving. It's better the way it is now, IMO.