Top Law Schools

I'm sorry... I'm sure this topic has been done before but I couldn't find one that matched my dilemma exactly when searching.

Basically I'm pretty sure I want to practice in Southern California. Both schools gave me the exact same scholarship (90k).

So it's a tough decision between the two of them.

UCLA is in a much nicer area, is slightly higher-ranked, and I think has a little more national prestige than USC. But I've heard so many times about how awesome the Trojan Network is in helping USC students secure employment. I think its alumni network is better than UCLA's. Plus there is a smaller class size so you get more attention when searching for jobs.

I also was offered a full ride at Irvine FWIW. And was accepted to Duke and Cornell (don't know about $ yet there). But I think UCLA and USC are better for SoCal.

I am in a similar situation. Insight would be appreciated.

Duke is better. Ivy is Ivy.

To clarify: After almost competing my first year of law school I feel that rank and prestige matter in this industry beyond anything else and even though you want to work in SoCal the market is constricted in CA and Duke would give you access to any legal market in the U.S. UCLA and USC I do not know.


This is a snobby snobby industry and Duke is one hell of a name. Most people in the legal field probably would not shelve your resume because they saw Duke on it but may for the other schools

Duke isn't an Ivy league school...

OP, if you already have ties to LA, it might be worth considering going to a t14 if you can get some money out of them. Otherwise, visit UCLA and USC and attend the one you like better. The difference in job prospects from those two schools is negligible. They are both good choices.

jarofsoup wrote:Duke is better. Ivy is Ivy.

To clarify: After almost competing my first year of law school I feel that rank and prestige matter in this industry beyond anything else and even though you want to work in SoCal the market is constricted in CA and Duke would give you access to any legal market in the U.S. UCLA and USC I do not know.


This is a snobby snobby industry and Duke is one hell of a name. Most people in the legal field probably would not shelve your resume because they saw Duke on it but may for the other schools

This is terrible advice. First, Duke is not an Ivy school. Second, your wisdom from having almost completed your 1L year is ill-informed (OP do not listen to a 1L for employment advice). While rank and prestige matter to a certain extent, regional ties are far more important with respect to employment opportunities. Duke does place some graduates in CA, but Duke is far stronger and better-recognized on the east coast. And its alumni network has little strength in CA. I would deem it unwise to attend Duke with the hope of landing employment in CA. UCLA and USC, by contrast, are superior options because (1) they overwhelmingly place in CA and (2) their respective alumni networks are concentrated in CA (the market in which you hope to practice). I would visit both of those schools and see which you like better, as both are excellent options. All things equal, I would go with UCLA because it is a marginally better school.

$90,000 scholarship offers from UCLA & USC make both more attractive than Duke or Cornell at sticker price since you want to work in Southern California.

Between UCLA & USC it's a tie unless the determining factor is the neighborhoods.

Try bargaining for higher scholarships from UCLA & USC based on your Duke & Cornell acceptances & on your identical scholarship offers from both Southern California powerhouses.

CanadianWolf wrote:$90,000 scholarship offers from UCLA & USC make both more attractive than Duke or Cornell at sticker price since you want to work in Southern California.

Between UCLA & USC it's a tie unless the determining factor is the neighborhoods.

Try bargaining for higher scholarships from UCLA & USC based on your Duke & Cornell acceptances & on your identical scholarship offers from both Southern California powerhouses.

I'd pick UCLA for the much better location. I'd much rather live in Westwood for 3 years than downtown.

I'm in a similar situation - UCLA with 60k and USC with hopeful scholarship ( just got in a few weeks ago). I definitely want to go to UCLA, though, because Westwood is just so much better.

However, I'm also accepted at Michigan at sticker. Since it's gone down in rankings and I for sure want to practice in southern California, does UCLA make sense for me?

fakehunter wrote:I'm in a similar situation - UCLA with 60k and USC with hopeful scholarship ( just got in a few weeks ago). I definitely want to go to UCLA, though, because Westwood is just so much better.

However, I'm also accepted at Michigan at sticker. Since it's gone down in rankings and I for sure want to practice in southern California, does UCLA make sense for me?

It makes sense for you because 1) you want to practice in southern California and 2) you got a large scholarship. Not because Michigan fell down in rankings.

Pick the school that ends up being cheapest out of USC/UCLA. If they end up costing the same, visit both, do research, and pick the one you like better.

ph14 wrote: I'd pick UCLA for the much better location. I'd much rather live in Westwood for 3 years than downtown.

Westwood is a shit hole. It's primary feature is a massive cemetery. The rest of Westwood is devoid of culture and character; it's sterile and boring. To clarify, this is not an argument to go to USC, it's an argument not to live in Westwood (if you go to UCLA).

moneybagsphd wrote:

ph14 wrote: I'd pick UCLA for the much better location. I'd much rather live in Westwood for 3 years than downtown.

Westwood is a shit hole. It's primary feature is a massive cemetery. The rest of Westwood is devoid of culture and character; it's sterile and boring. To clarify, this is not an argument to go to USC, it's an argument not to live in Westwood (if you go to UCLA).

This is honestly the first time I've ever heard anyone say this. I haven't been to Westwood in a while, but, from what I can remember, it's far from a shit hole.

moneybagsphd wrote:

ph14 wrote: I'd pick UCLA for the much better location. I'd much rather live in Westwood for 3 years than downtown.

Westwood is a shit hole. It's primary feature is a massive cemetery. The rest of Westwood is devoid of culture and character; it's sterile and boring. To clarify, this is not an argument to go to USC, it's an argument not to live in Westwood (if you go to UCLA).

I would love to know the dividing line of "shit hole" if Westwood is considered one.

FryBreadPower wrote:

moneybagsphd wrote:

ph14 wrote: I'd pick UCLA for the much better location. I'd much rather live in Westwood for 3 years than downtown.

Westwood is a shit hole. It's primary feature is a massive cemetery. The rest of Westwood is devoid of culture and character; it's sterile and boring. To clarify, this is not an argument to go to USC, it's an argument not to live in Westwood (if you go to UCLA).

I would love to know the dividing line of "shit hole" if Westwood is considered one.

+1

fakehunter wrote:

FryBreadPower wrote:

moneybagsphd wrote:

ph14 wrote: I'd pick UCLA for the much better location. I'd much rather live in Westwood for 3 years than downtown.

Westwood is a shit hole. It's primary feature is a massive cemetery. The rest of Westwood is devoid of culture and character; it's sterile and boring. To clarify, this is not an argument to go to USC, it's an argument not to live in Westwood (if you go to UCLA).

I would love to know the dividing line of "shit hole" if Westwood is considered one.

+1

TITCR

I can see how Westwood would be considered a shithole. I'm not a big fan of the area, not a lot of culture, felt a lot of pretention from hosts/management. It just feels soulless.

I will never understand why people like Westwood. Perhaps "shit hole" is the wrong choice of words. Westwood is certainly clean, to the point of being sterile. There's no culture. Shopping/dining in Westwood is like going to a dumpy suburban mall where you can eat some chipotle, go to starbucks, and shop at UBO. All of those things-- save chipotle-- suck ass big time. For the record, Diddy Reiss is to Westwood as Top Dog is to Berkeley; shitty and overrated. I've spent a lot of time in Westwood and it's an unbelievably ho-hum place.

skitlets wrote:I can see how Westwood would be considered a shithole. I'm not a big fan of the area, not a lot of culture, felt a lot of pretention from hosts/management. It just feels soulless.

You have a ridiculously privileged definition of "shithole."

Fark-o-vision wrote:

skitlets wrote:I can see how Westwood would be considered a shithole. I'm not a big fan of the area, not a lot of culture, felt a lot of pretention from hosts/management. It just feels soulless.

You have a ridiculously privileged definition of "shithole."

I'm not sure if you're deliberately missing the point... Westwood is just so fucking vanilla it bores me to tears.

moneybagsphd wrote:

Fark-o-vision wrote:

skitlets wrote:I can see how Westwood would be considered a shithole. I'm not a big fan of the area, not a lot of culture, felt a lot of pretention from hosts/management. It just feels soulless.

You have a ridiculously privileged definition of "shithole."

I'm not sure if you're deliberately missing the point... Westwood is just so fucking vanilla it bores me to tears.

Then you'll love South Central lol

chimp wrote:

moneybagsphd wrote:

Fark-o-vision wrote:

skitlets wrote:I can see how Westwood would be considered a shithole. I'm not a big fan of the area, not a lot of culture, felt a lot of pretention from hosts/management. It just feels soulless.

You have a ridiculously privileged definition of "shithole."

I'm not sure if you're deliberately missing the point... Westwood is just so fucking vanilla it bores me to tears.

Then you'll love South Central lol

There are nice parts of LA that are clean/affluent- e.g. Santa Monica. WW is not one of them.

Fark-o-vision wrote:

skitlets wrote:I can see how Westwood would be considered a shithole. I'm not a big fan of the area, not a lot of culture, felt a lot of pretention from hosts/management. It just feels soulless.

You have a ridiculously privileged definition of "shithole."

I live near shitholes, actual shitholes. I'm simply saying I understand where the original point came from, that WW is a soul sucking and boring place.

Thank you all for the insight.

I did not anticipate how much I would love UCI after attending the ASW. And that full scholarship I got is even more tempting now in that context.

But in a previous thread I made about a full scholarship at UCI vs. 90k at UCLA, UCLA won by miles. I'm guessing TLSers know what they are talking about. This is just so difficult, though.

Anyway I e-mailed both UCLA and USC and am trying to negotiate my scholarship up a little, though I don't know how much good it will do. If Duke or Cornell by some miracle offers me a decent amount of aid it will be in the running as well, making my decision even more difficult than it already is.

Gah.