Top Law Schools

I attended one of the most conservative undergraduate schools in the country. I am trying to avoid this for law school at all costs. Does anyone have any thoughts as to which of the T-14 are known to be the most conservative? I left YHSC off the poll, because most people would attend these schools if admitted.

UVA and Chi probably

Just based on reputation, how could you ever vote Berkeley?

Regardless of what people will tell you, and a lot of them will jump on Chi and UVA, there are no conservative top 14 schools. Maybe in comparison to the others, but in general they're all liberal.

What is it about conservativism that you're looking to avoid? I don't think any T14 is dominated by conservative philosophies, but a few have stronger FedSoc contingents and the like. That said legal theory conservativism is quite different than mainstream Republican conservativism, IME.

IAFG wrote:What is it about conservativism that you're looking to avoid? I don't think any T14 is dominated by conservative philosophies, but a few have stronger FedSoc contingents and the like. That said legal theory conservativism is quite different than mainstream Republican conservativism, IME.

That's another thing. There is plenty of the former at all top 14's, but there's not a whole lot of the latter.

BruceWayne wrote:

IAFG wrote:What is it about conservativism that you're looking to avoid? I don't think any T14 is dominated by conservative philosophies, but a few have stronger FedSoc contingents and the like. That said legal theory conservativism is quite different than mainstream Republican conservativism, IME.

That's another thing. There is plenty of the former at all top 14's, but there's a whole lot of the latter.

if you're looking for "ARE COUNTRY" conservatives, they'll most likely be at Virginia and Duke.

I would argue that conservative schools are much more likely to have intolerant climates on their campuses. As a URM, I don't feel like being around that for three years.

f0bolous wrote:

BruceWayne wrote:

IAFG wrote:What is it about conservativism that you're looking to avoid? I don't think any T14 is dominated by conservative philosophies, but a few have stronger FedSoc contingents and the like. That said legal theory conservativism is quite different than mainstream Republican conservativism, IME.

That's another thing. There is plenty of the former at all top 14's, but there's a whole lot of the latter.

if you're looking for "ARE COUNTRY" conservatives, they'll most likely be at Virginia and Duke.

There not really here either. But there are a lot of Federalist society elite type conservatives.

bizzybone1313 wrote:I would argue that conservative schools are much more likely to have intolerant climates on their campuses. As a URM, I don't feel like being around that for three years.

FYI I warn you now, as a URM myself, that in a lot of ways the race part of this really belongs in a separate discussion. There are plenty of places that are extremely politically liberal, but really aren't great places to be URM.

bizzybone1313 wrote:I would argue that conservative schools are much more likely to have intolerant climates on their campuses. As a URM, I don't feel like being around that for three years.

FYI I warn you now, as a URM myself, that in a lot of ways the race part of this really belongs in a separate discussion. There are plenty of places that are extremely politically liberal, but really aren't great places to be URM.[/quote]

My professor who wrote one of my LOR claims that the University of Michigan is one of these places. It would seem that the University of Michigan would still be a better place than Duke and the University of Virginia.

bizzybone1313 wrote:I would argue that conservative schools are much more likely to have intolerant climates on their campuses.

If you're looking for tolerance, I'd look somewhere other than elite academia.

I'm guessing the votes for Berkeley are a joke ...

Come to NYU. The level of tolerance borders on intolerable

BruceWayne wrote:
FYI I warn you now, as a URM myself, that in a lot of ways the race part of this really belongs in a separate discussion. There are plenty of places that are extremely politically liberal, but really aren't great places to be URM.

That's a great point. It seems like city would matter a lot more than school. I really doubt any T14 has race relation problems.

WhiteyCakes wrote:Just based on reputation, how could you ever vote Berkeley?

+1

If you mean law school with the most conservative students in the T14, it is UVA for sure. I don't know why everyone assumes U of C is conservative because of their law and economics stuff.

BruceWayne wrote:
FYI I warn you now, as a URM myself, that in a lot of ways the race part of this really belongs in a separate discussion. There are plenty of places that are extremely politically liberal, but really aren't great places to be URM.

Vermont comes to mind.

ndirish2010 wrote:If you mean law school with the most conservative students in the T14, it is UVA for sure. I don't know why everyone assumes U of C is conservative because of their law and economics stuff.

Yes, this information is exactly what I am looking for. After undergrad, I went on a school sponsored trip to several law schools. It did seem as if the University of Chicago had a very conservative student body. I am surprised Duke hasn't received more votes. I always thought Duke was real conservative.

alwayssunnyinfl wrote:

BruceWayne wrote:
FYI I warn you now, as a URM myself, that in a lot of ways the race part of this really belongs in a separate discussion. There are plenty of places that are extremely politically liberal, but really aren't great places to be URM.

Vermont comes to mind.

I was thinking of it from the opposite perspective. Some places that are supposedly liberal and tolerant don't realize how there is always a subtle undertone of insult and superiority, and the constant emphasis on diversity and acceptance has the unintended effect of bringing attention to and putting too much focus on what makes other students different, sometimes to the point of discomfort.

Sure, some schools create hostile and unwelcoming environments, and that is no good. But the opposite end, where there is just so much focus on pointing out the difference for benevolent purposes, sometimes goes too far in the other extreme, and still creates a level of discomfort.

bizzybone1313 wrote:I am surprised Duke hasn't received more votes. I always thought Duke was real conservative.

I used to think this, too. Then I started classes at Duke.

Undergrads at Duke are not conservative at all. Law students are probably about the same as them.

The fact is that T14 students are unlikely to be conservative. The two most conservative tier ones are without question Notre Dame and BYU. After that, there are only a couple of other tier ones that could be described as somewhat conservative.

ndirish2010 wrote:Undergrads at Duke are not conservative at all. Law students are probably about the same as them.

The fact is that T14 students are unlikely to be conservative. The two most conservative tier ones are without question Notre Dame and BYU. After that, there are only a couple of other tier ones that could be described as somewhat conservative.

Agree with this. Its all very relative. Conservative, as far as top law schools go, simply means that the school isn't quite as unabashedly liberal as other school.

lol @ votes for Berkeley, Cornell and NYU

I wouldn't be surprised if Cornell is somewhat conservative, because it is located in a small town. But then again, it is located in the Northeast after all.

HBBJohnStamos wrote:lol @ votes for Berkeley, Cornell and NYU

Lol I clicked on NYU by accident. No place more liberal than NYU. The tolerance is all-encompassing (unless your views differ from the masses of course lol)