WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC Forum

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:44 pm

My options are as indicated in the poll. The debt represents sholarship combined with family support which will total about 20k a year. (BTW, I haven't been offered anything at GULC yet and I'm not really expecting anything either although I will at least let them know about my offers from Vandy and Texas. Anyone have thoughts on what that will yield?)

Career goals: I don't care where I practice but I'm interested in white collar litigation, an AUSA or DOJ position would be amazing, internal investigations interest me. I'd def like to do a federal clerkship after graduation. I realize that these I'd have to do super well in law school to accomplish any of these goals so I want to go somewhere where I'd have decent options for if my dream career doesn't come to fruition. I'd like to do biglaw or some cool PI stuff.

I think that's all the relevant info, hopefully this topic is helpful to others facing a similar decision.

Thanks in advance

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:53 pm

Oh, wait. I'll add that right now I'm leaning towards Vandy (and also Texas to a lesser extent). Their job prospects seem to be a significant step up from WUSTLs and I like Vandy's small class size and the fact that they have a very hands-on, involved CSO.

Also, as a very minor consideration, I'd like to have the option of moving back to my hometown at some point later in my career (think Cleveland, Comlubus, Pittsburgh).

I know GULC has the best network for BigGov, which I'm interested in but idk if I'm comfortable with that level of debt. Although I am interested in Curiculum B.

lawyerwannabe · Post by **lawyerwannabe** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:55 pm

I would choose Vandy. However, if the jobs that you mentioned is all that you would be happy with after law school, I would not choose any of these schools. The only schools that seem to really give you a good chance at BigGov is HYS.

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:16 pm

I wouldn't expect BigGov out of law school. The typical career path for an AUSA focused on white collar crime is: federal clerkship+biglaw doing white collar crime, then apply with an agency. I think for this to be realistic out of texas or vandy I'd need top 15%, although that could be total bullshit.

As I said though, I realize this career path is somewhat of a long shot. There are other career paths that interest me that aren't so hard to get.

chiwachiwa · Post by **chiwachiwa** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:26 pm

Top 15% is pushing it from Texas/Vandy for an A3 clerkship. I think it's between Texas and Vanderbilt. If you'd rather work in the southeast, choose Vandy. If you'd rather work in Texas, choose Texas.

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:58 pm

chiwachiwa wrote:Top 15% is pushing it from Texas/Vandy for an A3 clerkship. I think it's between Texas and Vanderbilt. If you'd rather work in the southeast, choose Vandy. If you'd rather work in Texas, choose Texas.

Really? I know top 15% doesn't make you a lock for A3 but what do you mean by "pushing it"? I read in an observationalist post somewhere that Vandy has done about 10% per year A3... and I figure there are lots of people who don't want to clerk because of debt load or whatever. Do most people who can get clerkships take them?

chiwachiwa · Post by **chiwachiwa** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:16 pm

auntjulia wrote:
chiwachiwa wrote:Top 15% is pushing it from Texas/Vandy for an A3 clerkship. I think it's between Texas and Vanderbilt. If you'd rather work in the southeast, choose Vandy. If you'd rather work in Texas, choose Texas.
Really? I know top 15% doesn't make you a lock for A3 but what do you mean by "pushing it"? I read in an observationalist post somewhere that Vandy has done about 10% per year A3... and I figure there are lots of people who don't want to clerk because of debt load or whatever. Do most people who can get clerkships take them?

I'm saying I think 15% is quite high these days from Vanderbilt. It puts you in the running, but I'd say it's 50/50.

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:24 pm

Thanks Chiwachiwa.

Anyone who voted WUSTL care to share their reasoning?

And Texas and Vandy are in a dead heat... anyone want to say what factored into their decision

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 10:34 pm

bump?

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:16 pm

So, Texas is ahead now... What led some of you to choose Texas over Vandy?

chiwachiwa · Post by **chiwachiwa** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:45 pm

It really just comes down to regional preference. They are very similar schools.

drylo · Post by **drylo** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:25 am

chiwachiwa wrote:
auntjulia wrote:
chiwachiwa wrote:Top 15% is pushing it from Texas/Vandy for an A3 clerkship. I think it's between Texas and Vanderbilt. If you'd rather work in the southeast, choose Vandy. If you'd rather work in Texas, choose Texas.
Really? I know top 15% doesn't make you a lock for A3 but what do you mean by "pushing it"? I read in an observationalist post somewhere that Vandy has done about 10% per year A3... and I figure there are lots of people who don't want to clerk because of debt load or whatever. Do most people who can get clerkships take them?
I'm saying I think 15% is quite high these days from Vanderbilt. It puts you in the running, but I'd say it's 50/50.

What makes you say this stuff? I know a lot of people in the top 15% who are not clerking (because they didn't want to)--myself included--and Vandy is still going to put 10-15% of its students into Art. III clerkships. If you were talking about top 25% as being pushing it, that would at least be a more reasonable guess. (I'm not saying that everyone in the top 15% will get a clerkship if they want one--my understanding is that it depends a lot on how you apply, and of course on old-fashioned luck--just saying that you don't know what you are talking about if you think that everybody at Vandy is trying to get a clerkship.)

auntjulia · Post by **auntjulia** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:39 pm

Thanks for the info Drylo... At this point, I'm really deciding between Texas and Vandy. But leaning Vandy. Visiting all these schools by early April, I'll post my impressions up here.

Btw, Drylo, it looks like you passed up some incredible options for Vandy. What motivated your choice?

de5igual · Post by **de5igual** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:59 pm

auntjulia wrote:Oh, wait. I'll add that right now I'm leaning towards Vandy (and also Texas to a lesser extent). Their job prospects seem to be a significant step up from WUSTLs and I like Vandy's small class size and the fact that they have a very hands-on, involved CSO.

Also, as a very minor consideration, I'd like to have the option of moving back to my hometown at some point later in my career (think Cleveland, Comlubus, Pittsburgh).

I know GULC has the best network for BigGov, which I'm interested in but idk if I'm comfortable with that level of debt. Although I am interested in Curiculum B.

Vandy because of the bolded. Your outcomes from UT/Vandy aren't going to be that different, so choose whichever one you feel best about.

charliep · Post by **charliep** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:05 am

gulc gives you the best shot at returning to ohio

drylo · Post by **drylo** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:49 am

auntjulia wrote:Thanks for the info Drylo... At this point, I'm really deciding between Texas and Vandy. But leaning Vandy. Visiting all these schools by early April, I'll post my impressions up here.

Btw, Drylo, it looks like you passed up some incredible options for Vandy. What motivated your choice?

A combination of things. In my case, money played a part, obviously. But it was more than that, too, because for most of my cycle I was planning to be in Cambridge the next year. I just really got a good feeling about Vandy when I came down, and I felt that Vandy offered me plenty of opportunity to get where I wanted to go in my career. PM me if you want to know more.

f0bolous wrote:
auntjulia wrote:Oh, wait. I'll add that right now I'm leaning towards Vandy (and also Texas to a lesser extent). Their job prospects seem to be a significant step up from WUSTLs and I like Vandy's small class size and the fact that they have a very hands-on, involved CSO.

Also, as a very minor consideration, I'd like to have the option of moving back to my hometown at some point later in my career (think Cleveland, Comlubus, Pittsburgh).

I know GULC has the best network for BigGov, which I'm interested in but idk if I'm comfortable with that level of debt. Although I am interested in Curiculum B.
Vandy because of the bolded. Your outcomes from UT/Vandy aren't going to be that different, so choose whichever one you feel best about.

I think there is a lot to be said for this. I am a believer that at some point, you really do have to go with your gut.

charliep wrote:gulc gives you the best shot at returning to ohio

Well, maybe... but why do you say this? I have several friends from Vandy who are either already practicing in Ohio or are headed to firms there next year. It doesn't seem particularly hard to get a job in Ohio if you are from there (I mean, not harder than anywhere else). Maybe GULC makes it easier, but I'd like to know what makes you say that.

WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC Forum

Which school should I choose

WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Register for access!

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Re: WUSTL v Vanderbilt v Texas v GULC

Register now!