Top Law Schools

UCLA is about 10-12k a year cheaper (correct me if im wrong please)

How much $ would usc have to give to make it the smarter choice over ucla?

This is the same as the BC/BU debate. At equal cost, visit the schools and pick which school you like better. Niether is really much better than the other in terms of biglaw placement and prestige.

JD=Doctor wrote:UCLA is about 10-12k a year cheaper (correct me if im wrong please)

How much $ would usc have to give to make it the smarter choice over ucla?

I think you are wrong re: the $ (check their projected CoA. I don't think it's all that different).

JD=Doctor wrote:UCLA is about 10-12k a year cheaper (correct me if im wrong please)

How much $ would usc have to give to make it the smarter choice over ucla?

The cost difference is smaller than 10K, and the gap is shrinking every year because UCLA is increasing tuition at a higher rate than USC. IIRC, UCLA's tuition and fees this year is approximately $44K, and USC's is around $48K. UCLA does include health insurance as part of that 44K whereas USC does not, so the difference this year is probably around 6K for in-staters.

Between the two schools, if they were at equal cost, I would say take UCLA because it is has a slightly better reputation nationally than USC. If UCLA were $5K more per year than USC, I personally would take USC b/c I think the two schools are pretty equal, but I could definitely see the argument of someone who would still choose UCLA. If UCLA costs 10K more per year than USC, definitely pick USC.

Retake for T14

monarchylover wrote:Retake for T14

That's not necessarily the credited answer. UCLA or USC will outperform much of the T14 in Southern California. Depends really on where the OP wants to work and what he/she wants to do. I'll agree that a retake for T14 is a good idea if the person wants portability and access to certain types of jobs.

JOThompson wrote:

monarchylover wrote:Retake for T14

That's not necessarily the credited answer. UCLA or USC will outperform much of the T14 in Southern California. Depends really on where the OP wants to work and what he/she wants to do. I'll agree that a retake for T14 is a good idea if the person wants portability and access to certain types of jobs.

Retake for HYS

monarchylover wrote:Retake for HYS

You are quite lulzy.

UCLA would be my choice. But I imagine HYS, Columbia, and Berkeley all outperform UCLA and USC in Southern California, so retaking isn't necessarily a bad idea.

monarchylover wrote:

JOThompson wrote:

monarchylover wrote:Retake for T14

That's not necessarily the credited answer. UCLA or USC will outperform much of the T14 in Southern California. Depends really on where the OP wants to work and what he/she wants to do. I'll agree that a retake for T14 is a good idea if the person wants portability and access to certain types of jobs.

Retake for HYS

I thought this thread was about UCLA vs. USC...

OP never asked what schools place best in LA or whether he/she should retake to get into a T14...

UCLA sounds more glamorous, I'd go there.

monarchylover wrote:

JOThompson wrote:

monarchylover wrote:Retake for T14

That's not necessarily the credited answer. UCLA or USC will outperform much of the T14 in Southern California. Depends really on where the OP wants to work and what he/she wants to do. I'll agree that a retake for T14 is a good idea if the person wants portability and access to certain types of jobs.

Retake for HYS

You will make no friends in law school. Mark it down.

Peer schools are peer.

I think UCLA has an almost imperceptible edge at the margins, but it is so minimal that at equal cost you should really pick your preference.

I'd go to UCLA. It's literally across the street from Bel-Air and the area is awesome. If you can afford it, you'll be living the good life.

How about for a person who plans to practice in Los Angeles? Would the USC Alumni network give an edge?

UCLA places better in Biglaw. http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/goto%20l ... s_main.pdf

Like someone already posted, UCLA is in a much better neighborhood.

Disclaimer: I'm at UCLA.

USC offered 1/2 tuition....

JD=Doctor wrote:USC offered 1/2 tuition....

Make UCLA pony up. The schools at this level better pay to play.

It's not necessarily correct that the big-name schools outperform LA in the SoCal legal market. UCLA graduates stay in Los Angeles - it may be self-selection, especially since a huge chunk of their class comes from CA and the UC system. These people will look to their alma mater when they consider hiring. If you want to practice in LA, performing well at UCLA/USC will arguably do better. The UCLA-Cal gap has closed a bit in the rankings, and while you may have Stanford graduates moving down to LA, I imagine many people go to Stanford for national portability and capitalize on that.

Source: faculty at "big-name" schools

At = cost, I'd take UCLA.

The small class loads at USC made me think they'd place big law better with less in-school competition, but upon researching vault, this isn't accurate.

Both these schools at sticker are scary.

I don't think Berkley would outperform UCLA/USC in so-cal. It is not ranked THAT much higher than them.