Top Law Schools

I'm currently deciding between Chicago (30k) and Northwestern (75k). I'd like to stay in Chicago after law school. Thoughts?

Have you visited both schools? What are your career goals?

Visit both, then decide.

P.S. You've won the law school lottery regardless of your ultimate decision. Congratulations !

I'm hoping to work at a firm for awhile right after and then maybe transition in to public interest work. I've had the chance to visit both, which unfortunately hasn't helped my decision much.

Thanks for your input!

If you just look at the NLJ 250 data, Chicago and Northwestern seem to have similar placement percentages:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=179039

If you look more closely at the school-published employment statistics, though, Chicago seems to have a distinct edge - a significantly larger percentage in both federal clerkships and big law firms.

If you don't have a personal preference for one school over the other, the only question is how risk-adverse you are: are you willing to pay $45k more for a slightly better chance at big law?

Of course, at either school you have a great chance, and in your position I would decide on personal preference. My personal preference would be to pick Chicago over any school below YSH (perhaps just YS), but I am aware that I have a strange and unnatural love for Chicago.

I would think 45k is worth the extra money considering all of the benefits that come with it (better clerkship placement, better LRAP, etc), but it's your call and determined by how debt averse you are.