Top Law Schools

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From everything I've heard about the TX market, you're better off going to UT. UT students have better shots at 1L SAs and the market seems to favor them. Gtown is in one of the toughest markets to break into. Being the best school in DC doesn't mean as much b/c so many T14 and top grads from others are trying to get DC. Gtown also has such a huge class size that even if you do well, there's no guarantee that you even get a job in DC. I went to UG in DC and love it but the COL can't be justified compared to your other options. NY is probably the one market you can break into if you do well at a good school but Cornell and UT are polar opposites. Upstate NY is miserable for much of the year. Overall, UT gives you the least amount of debt and best job prospects compared to Gtown and Cornell.

I know Cornell students who landed 1L SAs in Texas and had several options. Also, if NYC is even an option, Cornell >>>> UT.

If you are in-state at UT, the calculation may be a bit different. Saving significant $$ may be worth it to select out of NYC.

Cornell is TTT and in a terrible place to live. Go to UT

If you prefer Texas then go to UT. This is a no-brainer.

Depends on how much you prefer Texas to NYC. If you really really prefer TX to NY, then UT. If NYC is something you could see yourself liking, think about Cornell. Throw GULC out of contention right now.

Hawkeye Pierce wrote:If you prefer Texas then go to UT. This is a no-brainer.

This. If you're highly ranked at UT, you also have options in NYC and DC.

anti-cornell trolls are weak...Ithaca/upstate is awesome.

Thank you for your input. For those who participated solely in the poll, do you mind letting me know the reasons why you would choose Cornell or UT?

All other things equal, I would want to be able to land a market rate job, even if it is not "BigLaw" per se.

There is nothing wrong with Cornell -- and I really liked my visit at the school -- but there is a NY focus there, which is something you should consider even if it isn't as if TX is closed to Cornell grads.

Since TX is your top choice then I think it should be a no brainer since UT is stronger for that and If you would like to live in TX and are able to get a job your quality of life will be much greater for the money.

My biggest concern is that I will spend all this money on law school and find myself jobless and screwed for the rest of my life, which seems to be the general attitude towards law school on this forum.

Cornell's biggest appeal to me lies in the fact a much greater percentage of its graduating class got decent jobs (a la NLJ250) than that of UT Austin. I think that if UT had the same number, I would go there in a heartbeat.

Instead, I have resorted to asking you smart folks

It kind of depends on if you're instate at Texas or not, because that changes things a great deal. However, I would say Texas either way, since you slightly prefer living in Texas, and the difference in cost of living and buying power is greatly in Texas' favor.

You may be interested in this article- http://www.nalp.org/buying_power_index_class_of_2010.

Yes I've actually seen that article and it is very interesting to say the least. I'm not in state for Texas so I will be paying the OOS tuition. Does that change your opinions?

ocuviper wrote:Yes I've actually seen that article and it is very interesting to say the least. I'm not in state for Texas so I will be paying the OOS tuition. Does that change your opinions?

What are your ties to TX? Because if you don't have any, go to Cornell and get a job in NYC or wherever you are actually from.

If you want to work in TX, I think you should go to UT. I know people here (Cornell) who are going back to TX or want to go NYC to TX at some point in the future, but if you really want to work in TX, and can go for a decent discount, I think that is the way to go.

What do you mean by ties? I don't have any legal ones but have some family there. Do I need to know someone to work there?

ocuviper wrote:Yes I've actually seen that article and it is very interesting to say the least. I'm not in state for Texas so I will be paying the OOS tuition. Does that change your opinions?

Doesn't UT offer an in-state waiver with all scholarships? Meaning your small scholarship really is at least 45K on top of whatever they gave you.

ocuviper wrote:What do you mean by ties? I don't have any legal ones but have some family there. Do I need to know someone to work there?

"Ties" are usually things like did you grow up there, do you have immediate family there, do you have a SO/SO's family there, did you go to undergrad there and want to stay, etc. It's basically some reason you want to live in TX besides "I think it would be cool". And based on your response to that question, I think you should go to Cornell and just aim for NYC and whatever state's market you are actually from, and if you get good grades you can give TX a shot.

I see. I sort of figured that I would need to go to UT if i didn't have any or very limited ties to TX, not the other way around. Maybe my logic was incorrect..

To the poster who said that all scholarships get in-state: i wish!

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ocuviper wrote:My biggest concern is that I will spend all this money on law school and find myself jobless and screwed for the rest of my life, which seems to be the general attitude towards law school on this forum.

Cornell's biggest appeal to me lies in the fact a much greater percentage of its graduating class got decent jobs (a la NLJ250) than that of UT Austin. I think that if UT had the same number, I would go there in a heartbeat.

Instead, I have resorted to asking you smart folks

The question is 100% about geography. If you want NY, Cornell, if you want TX, UT. The difference is jobs is non-existent-- NY has more famous and prestigious law firms, so Cornell places more than UT in famous and prestigious law firms. The thing is that this fact doesn't matter at all: If you live in TX, no one cares about famous and prestigious northern law firms.... The most famous and prestigious law firms in TX are dominated by UT grads. Texas is its own little world.

Cornell grads make more, slightly, but they have higher taxes and have to pay higher rent. Trust me it is a wash. If you want NY/Boston/Philly go to Cornell-- super school will open up all those doors. If you want TX, go to UT.

In fact, UT is way more prestigious than just about every school outside of HYS (and even more prestigious to some there than those schools..) in the state of Texas. If you work in NY and you went to Cornell, the culture at a big firm is not going to hand you prestige. People from Harvard and Yale will be working with you. However, in Texas, you will have gone to the Harvard or Yale equivalent by going to UT. Again, Texas is its own little (actually, quite large) world.

If you want anywhere besides TX, and the costs are similar, I would go to Cornell. I think Cornell has a better national reputation than UT, but many would argue that the gap is so close that it isn't meaningful. I just picture a Cornell grad telling a California law firm about his experience and that having a more favorable impact that a UT grad talking about Austin. Take this with a grain of salt.

Good luck.

ocuviper wrote:Yes I've actually seen that article and it is very interesting to say the least. I'm not in state for Texas so I will be paying the OOS tuition. Does that change your opinions?

Well, then it depends on how debt adverse you are and if you have any money saved up. UT is still going to be cheaper than GT or Cornell, but I guess the difference comes into effect. Also, with acceptance to Cornell and GT, you may be able to squeeze a few more bucks out of UT. I would probably see how much more you could get and go from there. You may be able to get something from GT or Cornell if you play your cards right (Cornell may be a little difficult to get more from).

And, like a few other people have said, it would be easier to go to Texas and get a good job in Texas than go to Cornell or GT and get a job in Texas.

Also, I'll probably be looking into a similar decision, except with instate. It will probably depend on how much GT sends me (if any) and if they really impress me when I visit lol.

HTH

So I am currently in this dilemma as well. I have been accepted to both Cornell and Gtown and UT with a measly 21,000 ( over three years still have to pay OOS tuition) ...but I suppose I am lucky to have gotten anything at all. Cornell and Gtown typically don't start giving out offers until February, so can I negotiate with Texas about $$ by just saying I have been accepted to higher ranked schools?

patrickd139 wrote:

Hawkeye Pierce wrote:If you prefer Texas then go to UT. This is a no-brainer.

This. If you're highly ranked at UT, you also have options in NYC and DC.

Agreed. These are all good schools, and doing well at any of them gives you options. It really depends on your personal preferences, and scholarship money is always a good thing. I'm in a similar situation, but I went to UT for undergrad and grew up in Houston, so I'm a bit ready to leave now. Austin's great though, and UT law students are generally pretty normal and not insanely competitive (definite pluses). Best of luck!!