Gun for Cardozo or somewhere else? Forum

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:08 pm

Reading through these threads, NALP reports, Lawschool transparency, etc,. has made me more jaded about the law school process. I'm a NY resident and I'm trying to figure out the most realistic route to get a JD and an MA in International Affairs.

The best options would be Georgetown, GW, or T7; however, I've started to consider Syracuse (good MA/ nightmare JD) American (good MA/??JD) and -more importantly- Cardozo!

Cardozo would interest me, if I could get a scholarship that would keep me out of debt. Cardozo also has an accelerated January start date, and someone inthe admissions office has told me that an Oct LSAT would give me a chance for scholarship money.

Surely, 'Dozo is a sleeping giant that will soon be crushing everything in its local path...How likely is it that Cardozo grads will be worse off by the time I graduate?

I know Cardozo gives me an 85% chance of failing to get "biglaw," but is it a good option if I can secure a JD for something close to fullride, then do an MA somewhere else?

Any advice is massively appreciated!

Nova · Post by **Nova** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:25 pm

jas1503 & Nova wrote:Reading through these threads, NALP reports, Lawschool transparency, etc,. has made me more jaded about the law school process. I'm a NY resident and I'm trying to figure out the most realistic route to get a JD and an MA in International Affairs. So you want to practice International Lawl?

The best options would be Georgetown, GW, or T7; however, I've started to consider Syracuse (good MA/ nightmare JD) American (good MA/??JD) and -more importantly- Cardozo! Subtle Cornell trolling

Cardozo would interest me, if I could get a scholarship that would keep me out of debt. Cardozo also has an accelerated January start date, and someone inthe admissions office has told me that an Oct LSAT would give me a chance for scholarship money. What about COL? How will you cover that and still stay out of debt, even with a full ride?

Surely, 'Dozo is a sleeping giant that will soon be crushing everything in its local path... Wut. How likely is it that Cardozo grads will be worse off by the time I graduate? Probably about the same.

I know Cardozo gives me an 85% chance of failing to get "biglaw," but is it a good option if I can secure a JD for something close to fullride, then do an MA somewhere else? No. Not worth it to split it up into 5 years, IMO.

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:48 pm

Honestly, before I found this website 'international law' was my goal. I wanted to do international law so badly that I told a professor, then she wrote a LOR mentioning my goal, ...Not sure how it's going to look when someone reads about my love for international law.

My long-term goal is to someday work for an embassy/NGO in some kind of legal capacity, so I think the two degrees would make me marketable. If someone knows better, pleeease chime in!

Actually wasn't trying to troll Cornell, just didn't look into any of their MA programs + I don't really like my chances of getting in from Cornell up tbh.

COL would not be an issue for me as long as the school is in New York City

ETA: never proof-read.

dingbat · Post by **dingbat** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:51 pm

you might have a better chance working for a consulate than for an embassy

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:01 pm

I would be interested in a consulate position or UN/UNICEF in the long-term also. I'm trying to figure out the safest way to reach those goals WITHOUT 200k in debt. Big law would be nice, because of the thankless-lack of emotion that seems to be involved, but the chances at biglaw looks grim from GW downward.

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 1:54 pm

Does anyone know if a Masters in "UN studies" would be useful, or is it just a gimmick degree?

ETA:Sorry, just double-checked. It would be a MA in Political Science or Public Administration

dixiecupdrinking · Post by **dixiecupdrinking** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:44 pm

I really don't know what the JD gets you in this scenario.

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:33 pm

The various foreign service officers/consulate members mostly have JDs. Many of them who are posted in the areas where I would like to work have JD/MA combos from Georgetown; understandably, one is not a necessity for another, but I'm thinking that an MA and a JD would help more than hurt.

I'm not in love with the idea of practicing law, so I'm also hoping I can transition into pursuing a PHD/JD in order to teach--if I don't find the type of employment that I mentioned before.

I'm reading a lot of posts that say a MPA/MA in Poli-sci would be almost useless, can this really be true?

dingbat · Post by **dingbat** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:12 pm

jas1503 wrote:I'm not in love with the idea of practicing law,

then why are you gonna get a JD? (from a mediocre school)

2012JayDee · Post by **2012JayDee** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:28 pm

jas1503 wrote:The various foreign service officers/consulate members mostly have JDs. Many of them who are posted in the areas where I would like to work have JD/MA combos from Georgetown; understandably, one is not a necessity for another, but I'm thinking that an MA and a JD would help more than hurt.

I'm not in love with the idea of practicing law, so I'm also hoping I can transition into pursuing a PHD/JD in order to teach--if I don't find the type of employment that I mentioned before.

I'm reading a lot of posts that say a MPA/MA in Poli-sci would be almost useless, can this really be true?

A lot of things can be read into this. A number of those people may have been poli/sci majors and the joint JD/MA was just one more year in what was likely a graduate degree anyway. What people are saying is that you seem to want a job that doesn't require a JD and yet you're willing to consider spending a lot of money at a school on a JD that isn't worth it.

If you can get a job with the MA then get the MA and get the job. If, while you're at a school pursuing your MA that school offers a joint JD then sure apply for the JD and see if you get in. If you get in then knock out the joint degree. If you don't get in then continue your MA studies and try and get a job where you really want to work.
Some schools will take your money if you've already completed a year of graduate/professional work in another college at the university and are willing to pay them for an additional year or two.

BaiAilian2013 · Post by **BaiAilian2013** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:28 pm

Don't get an MA. In anything.

Find out whether this very specific job you want is in fact a real thing, and then approach the people who have that job about how they got there.

Renzo · Post by **Renzo** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:30 pm

You need to skip the JD and get into into an international affairs graduate program. Nothing you've said in this thread has shown that you have nay interest in practicing law, and that's what a JD is good for.

Edit to add:

BaiAilian2013 wrote:Don't get an MA. In anything.

Find out whether this very specific job you want is in fact a real thing, and then approach the people who have that job about how they got there.

Also a good answer, so I would amend my answer to say, "don't go to any graduate school, until you figure out if the job you want is a real thing, and then figure out what you need to get there."

2012JayDee · Post by **2012JayDee** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:36 pm

BaiAilian2013 wrote:Don't get an MA. In anything.

Find out whether this very specific job you want is in fact a real thing, and then approach the people who have that job about how they got there.

I would also like to amend my answer to this.

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:54 am

I guess international human rights law isn't going to happen

. I'm guessing it's immigration law or bust, if I go to law school.

You guys are right, I looked at some positions and a Political Science MA + exp is enough to gain entrance. However, a JD is also mentioned as an alternative to the MA in some cases. The MA would be cheaper. I don't know how much it matters (the rankings) where I go for my MA/MPA...

I'm scheming a bit here, Syracuse's JD is Fail at the moment, however they have one of the strongest ranked Poli-sci/ international affairs graduate program.

Realistically, how hard would it be to get a free-ride scholly to Syracuse law solely for the sake of doing their MA program and hedging my bets with a JD?

Tom Joad · Post by **Tom Joad** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:22 am

I thought this was going to be a 2nd Amendment fight thread. Severely disappointed.

Nova · Post by **Nova** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:38 pm

jas1503 wrote: Realistically, how hard would it be to get a free-ride scholly to Syracuse law solely for the sake of doing their MA program and hedging my bets with a JD?

According to LSN, it doesnt look like they give many full rides. Those that do recieve them are well above both 75th %iles.

162/3.75 150k

160/3.97 99k
160/3.39 99k
162/3.47 99k
163/3.66 99k
163/3.14 URM 99k
166/3.2 99k
166/3.22 99K
171/3.2 99k

http://syracuse.lawschoolnumbers.com/applicants

jas1503 · Post by **jas1503** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:38 pm

Considering an MPA program at a no-name school that will be partially focused on UN studies, and taught by some employees...Still want to get a law degree, but I'm starting to think that not having 75-100% tuition scholly would be crazy.

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