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Looks like I get to make a "choice" post too! And here I thought I was going to be left out...


Here is my current situation:

WL:
UC Irvine
Loyola Law School

Accepted:
U of Arizona
San Diego


Assume that money plays no part in the decision. I am only taking out a 15% cost of education loan (rest is coming out of personal savings) and the cost of out of resident tuition at Arizona is less than in resident tuition at UC Irvine and USD. Also assume that living in Tucson and San Diego are equal as far as extraneous personal utility. I want to make this decision based almost solely on future potential in law.

I would like to end up practicing in Southern California. Is the ~20 ranks that Arizona has on USD enough to overcome USD's southern California home court advantage? Would being from Arizona help me if I wanted to transfer out of first year to say UCLA or USC as compared to San Diego? Anything else I am missing?

Thank you!

USD. Interesting to see UCI and LLS WL the same candidate.

Arizona is a better school. SD is better for southern california. There are a small number of Arizona grads practicing in SoCal, but do not delude yourself- going from UA to SoCal is very hard. AZ for AZ, SD for CAL.

Thank you for the replies so far! I appreciate it.

I should have stipulated that I want to practice in the Los Angeles area though not anywhere in SoCal. That mitigates the USD regional power by a fair margin. Any change in advice?

Danteshek wrote:USD. Interesting to see UCI and LLS WL the same candidate.

I have publishing background in environmental economics which fit in really well with Irvine's push into environmental law. I am pretty sure that is the only reason they waitlisted me given my numbers and non URM status.

You should really try to get off LLS wait-list.

dtl wrote:

Danteshek wrote:USD. Interesting to see UCI and LLS WL the same candidate.

I have publishing background in environmental economics which fit in really well with Irvine's push into environmental law. I am pretty sure that is the only reason they waitlisted me given my numbers and non URM status.

Or, UCI is getting a lot less competitive. If you look at LSN, far fewer people are applying to UCI than LLS, USD etc.

It depends on where you want to work after you graduate. Go to your preferred firms' websites and see where they do on campus interviews.