University of Illinois UC v. Other Schools Forum

[sonny]

Is UIUC a safe T35 school? Especially with a decent offer (such as 50%)?

I'm wondering if there is any projected fallout (beyond the recent drop in rankings) from recent happenings. I've seen articles noting the UIUC reputation in the legal community is still good.

Would another Tier 1 be advisable?

[Nova]

UIUC is weak.

•50.5% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs. This includes an unknown number school-funded jobs, but it is as high as 4.2%.
•62.1% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•69.5% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=illinois

Almost all other T1s blow UIUC's employment stats out of the water. T2s like UHLC and SMU have way better employment stats.

[blurbz]

That's not exactly true. You have to think regionally. If you want to work in the Midwest and you didn't get a T14, Illinois is one of your best options. It places better than the Chicago city schools (and you can take classes in Chicago your 3L year), Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, SLU, and to a lesser extent, WashU in the region.

Comparing it to UHLC/SMU isn't a real comparison.

That being said, Illinois IS weak, in large part because the legal economy is so weak. We have tremendous alumni support in Chicago, there are just fewer jobs in Chicago than there used to be. I guarantee that UHLC/SMU grads aren't taking jobs that may have gone to Illinois grads in the past.

From talking to people in my class (3L) here this year, I think about 10-15% have a biglaw offer, 15%ish have a clerkship of some sort. The rest are struggling. Like any school, you've got to be near the top to have choices.

If you MUST go to law school (do you have other options?) and you MUST end up in the midwest but you didn't get into a T14, Illinois with a good scholarship is one of the better options. If you don't have a substantial scholarship, don't come.

[Uncle.Joe]

I don't think there is a safe school outside of HYS. And even then. That being said if your looking at T1's and your goal is Chicago Biglaw it is a reasonable choice, so long as you do not pay anywhere near sticker.

[sonny]

That's not exactly true. You have to think regionally. If you want to work in the Midwest and you didn't get a T14, Illinois is one of your best options. It places better than the Chicago city schools (and you can take classes in Chicago your 3L year), Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, SLU, and to a lesser extent, WashU in the region.

Comparing it to UHLC/SMU isn't a real comparison.

That being said, Illinois IS weak, in large part because the legal economy is so weak. We have tremendous alumni support in Chicago, there are just fewer jobs in Chicago than there used to be. I guarantee that UHLC/SMU grads aren't taking jobs that may have gone to Illinois grads in the past.

From talking to people in my class (3L) here this year, I think about 10-15% have a biglaw offer, 15%ish have a clerkship of some sort. The rest are struggling. Like any school, you've got to be near the top to have choices.

If you MUST go to law school (do you have other options?) and you MUST end up in the midwest but you didn't get into a T14, Illinois with a good scholarship is one of the better options. If you don't have a substantial scholarship, don't come.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I'm movable, but Chicago is the only place not on the coasts I'd be interested in. Interested in clerkships and big law. Got a 50% scholarship which makes it somewhat appealing (especially since UIUC doesn't have stips). The job stats are worrisome, but sadly not worse than my other options right now.

I have some decent offers at other schools, but really it is between UIUC, Irvine, and Hawaii. I know all over, but like I said I'm movable. With the scholarship, both UIUC and Hawaii come out to the same price. Of course Hawaii doesn't provide access to big law. Even without big law there are still medium/large firms (50-100) with decent salaries ($90-100k). From what I hear the lifestyle and culture are also more manageable.

Currently waitlisted at GW, and if by some miracle I got in I'm not sure I could stomach sticker price there either. But that would change everything a bit.

[rad lulz]

Don't go to Hawaii if you're not from Hawaii. Place is super parochial. Don't go to UIUC if your goal is biglaw and clerkships. It's a coin flip shot at a job, to say nothing of big firms.

[XxSpyKEx]

Don't go to Hawaii if you're not from Hawaii. Place is super parochial. Don't go to UIUC if your goal is biglaw and clerkships. It's a coin flip shot at a job, to say nothing of big firms.

TITCR

UIUC with only a 50% scholly is nuts, imo. That's a boatload of debt when you factor in the cost of living, books, insurance, etc for a coin flip chance at any legal job. Chicago is a really competitive market right now, largely because of the current lack of legal jobs in Chicago. Definitely don't attend UIUC with hopes to get Chicago biglaw or a federal clerkship (art III clerkships are insanely competitive right now- think 1500 applications per clerkship for the ND of IL and 350-400 applications per clerkship at districts in places like Montana).

Hawaii without ties would be an epic fail. Biglaw firms care about ties a lot there.

[sonny]

Don't go to Hawaii if you're not from Hawaii. Place is super parochial. Don't go to UIUC if your goal is biglaw and clerkships. It's a coin flip shot at a job, to say nothing of big firms.

TITCR

UIUC with only a 50% scholly is nuts, imo. That's a boatload of debt when you factor in the cost of living, books, insurance, etc for a coin flip chance at any legal job. Chicago is a really competitive market right now, largely because of the current lack of legal jobs in Chicago. Definitely don't attend UIUC with hopes to get Chicago biglaw or a federal clerkship (art III clerkships are insanely competitive right now- think 1500 applications per clerkship for the ND of IL and 350-400 applications per clerkship at districts in places like Montana).

Hawaii without ties would be an epic fail. Biglaw firms care about ties a lot there.

Appreciate it.

I am from Hawaii. When I said "from what I hear the lifestyle and culture are also more manageable" should have specified the "law firm lifestyle and culture." Given the pay is lower, but those I've talked to with ties to large firms say its drastically different than their experiences in NY/elsewhere.

Plus, I feel more confident in my ability to rank at Hawaii than UIUC or elsewhere (yes, I know everyone plans on ranking top 25/10%, but I'm thinking it will be more feasible here than elsewhere). I do intend to (attempt to) work/live in Hawaii, but if unable to my only concern is that it would limit my mobility.

[BigZuck]

Read more about Hawaii in threads on this site. Going there without ties would be absolute lunacy. You would probably ruin yourself financially. Seriously. Don't go there.

[ndirish2010]

OP said he is from Hawaii, so what is with the "without ties" stuff? OP, go to Hawaii if you have to go this year. I would probably retake though.

[BigZuck]

OP said he is from Hawaii, so what is with the "without ties" stuff? OP, go to Hawaii if you have to go this year. I would probably retake though.

Wow, I read that post this morning and that was his very first sentence. Don't know how I missed that, my bad.

If I were from Hawaii and wanted to be a lawyer there then I'm pretty sure I would only attend Hawaii. Maybe a T14 but it sounds so parochial I'm not sure I would want to chance not attending the local school. But I would want to minimize cost in case my class rank was poor.