Top Law Schools

Updating (again) because of new offer.
I'm looking at starting this fall at law school, looking towards a career in public interest law. Specifically looking at helping children's and families in poverty as child/poverty advocate. Whether this happens at a nonprofit, a government agency, or somewhere else has yet to be seen. I have no desire for "Big Law." I've been accepted to a few schools (and rejected from a good number of others).
What are your thoughts on my choices keeping these things in mind.
1. I want to go to the BEST school possible.
2. Since making money is not my biggest concern, a school with a good LRAP would be a good fit.
3. If possible, I'd like to stay close to the east coast (NJ) as I have an ill mother. Would probably prefer to practice somewhere in the northeast Like New York down to Washington DC area. I'm currently in PA.
4. I want the school with the best track record/program in public interest.
5. I wouldn't mind a judicial clerkship after graduation.
6. I want to work hard and have a job soon after graduating.

Now- Here's my current offers:
Boston U (Waiting on scholarship offer)
University of Illionis (with 11k scholly per year)
Notre Dame (20k scholly per year)
Washington and Lee (20k scholly per year)
U Maryland (4k scholly per year)
American (20k scholly per year)
Penn State (15k scholly per year) *Note: Penn State has no in-state tuition break

I appreciate your help. If I could hear some of your thoughts on your vote, that would be terrific as well.

For what ti's worth- I have visited Notre Dame and W&L, and am leaning heavily towards Notre Dame. I have a visit scheduled for BU next week.

Did you apply to Temple? Temple would be a pretty good option especially because it seems like you'd get in-state and they have a great reputation in Philly which would keep you close to your mother.

Go to the best school you get into in the geographic area where you want to practice. You'll just end up on IBR and use PSLF anyway, so who cares what your debt load is.

GSCgold wrote:Did you apply to Temple? Temple would be a pretty good option especially because it seems like you'd get in-state and they have a great reputation in Philly which would keep you close to your mother.

I did not apply to Temple, as it didn't seem like a good fit. They are fairly low in the rankings and are in a bad neighborhood. If I wanted to stay local at all cost, it would probably be Penn State. (I do notice that Penn State is now ranked below Temple, I was not anticipating that kind of drop...)

chiwachiwa wrote:Go to the best school you get into in the geographic area where you want to practice. You'll just end up on IBR and use PSLF anyway, so who cares what your debt load is.

I can feel that. I'm guessing your vote is BU? Or W&L? Both are good schools and closer to my area.

You do know that
a) Rankings really don't matter
and
b) In the public interest world, rankings matter even less
oh, and
c) Temple is an excellent choice for public interest work

tarp wrote:You do know that
a) Rankings really don't matter
and
b) In the public interest world, rankings matter even less
oh, and
c) Temple is an excellent choice for public interest work

a. Rankings don't matter really when you're comparing peer schools. Notre Dame vs. W&L vs. BU. Pretty much all the same, trade places every few years, etc, etc. But- nobody is going to argue that Temple is a better school than Notre Dame or some other school ranked consistently above it. I agree on premise that the rankings are an inflated factor in law school decisions. But schools ARE ranked that way for a reason. There is a reason that Temple is ranked below Harvard (to use an extreme example). Typically, the higher the law school is ranked the more prestige attached to it, the better the job opportunities, and probably the better education. If your argument is that Temple is just as good a school as Notre Dame, W&L, or BU, I would respectfully disagree. If your argument is that I should GO to Temple, well, for better or worse, I did not apply.

b. This is simply false. If you're comparing BigLaw to Public Interest perhaps you're right. But everybody I have talked to has mentioned that the job market in public interest has become increasingly difficult to break into. The chances of landing a decent job in public interest are pretty difficult right now, some have mentioned that it can be just as hard as landing a job in biglaw. The reason behind this might be the poor job market for lawyers, so people who were not interested in public interest initially will take the jobs, because hey, it's a job.

c. You may be right, I had not looked into it. I'm sure Temple is a great school, but it's not for me.

Bump.