Page 1 of 4
USCvUCLAvNYUvPennvUVA-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:36 pm
by mh013
At this point, I have narrowed it down to five main choices:
USC ($135,000)
UCLA (Full Ride)
NYU (Sticker)
Penn (?)
UVA ($105,000)
I definitely want to end up practicing in Southern California (LA ideally but I could do Orange County), but I wouldn't mind living in New York for a few years. My main concern is the ability to come back to California after going to NYU. I have some ties to California (I went to undergrad in LA). I will have financial assistance in paying for school (nice parents) but it would be great to cash in on a scholarship and relieve them of such a financial burden.
I am interested in Entertainment Law (yes, I understand that everyone wants to do this and it's not a definitive legal field). I know that USC and UCLA have good programs in this department, but from what I have heard, being in such a program is by no means a guarantee for getting an entertainment position.
(If entertainment law is an impossibility then I won't die-I am also interested in biglaw/corporate law).
I guess the main question would be: Is it worth it to stay in socal, start networking, and be in an entertainment program, or should I go to New York because of the better rank?
Thanks guys I appreciate the input.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:38 pm
by star fox
Don't screw over your parents. NYU isn't HYS. It's not going to give you a significantly better chance in LA than UCLA. Don't be a T14 prestige whore. Did you apply Berkely?
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:40 pm
by helix23
How sure are you that you will be paying sticker at NYU? If you got into NYU and got into USC/UCLA with schollies that big, you must have gotten in to other schools in the T14 with money. Did you apply to Boalt? Can you do any negotiating?
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:40 pm
by Big Dog
SoCal, networking, and jobs = USC. This is a no-brainer.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:42 pm
by Crowing
I'm curious why you narrowed your list down to these three choices specifically. With 120k @ USC and UCLA I would expect you to have other non-sticker T14 options.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:42 pm
by moneybagsphd
USC or UCLA, depending on your preference.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:45 pm
by mh013
Rejected from Berkeley, also got in to Penn, UVA with a decent scholarship, and some other lower t-14s.
NYU already got back and said I didn't get any money. Im sure I can try to negotiate a bit but I doubt I can get much.
I guess I'm just paranoid about the job market and have no interest in going to UCLA/USC and ending up bitterly unemployed.
I narrowed it down to these three basically because I'm pretty set on SoCal and I know NYU places decently back in California.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:45 pm
by Ludo!
Is USC better than UCLA now?
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:47 pm
by Crowing
mh013 wrote:Rejected from Berkeley, also got in to Penn, UVA with a decent scholarship, and some other lower t-14s.
NYU already got back and said I didn't get any money. Im sure I can try to negotiate a bit but I doubt I can get much.
I guess I'm just paranoid about the job market and have no interest in going to UCLA/USC and ending up bitterly unemployed.
I narrowed it down to these three basically because I'm pretty set on SoCal and I know NYU places decently back in California.
Unless CA is different from other secondaries I don't see any problems with getting back there with any T14 degree. UVA with a "decent scholarship" sounds like it could be a good choice.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:48 pm
by Big Dog
Academically, UCLA is probably still considered a notch over 'SC. But 'SC has better job prospects of the two-- and the 'Trojan Family' practically owns SoCal.
Personally, I'd take the money at USC over UVa (as much as I like Charlottesville).
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:50 pm
by guano
Ludovico Technique wrote:Is USC better than UCLA now?
I think that the two schools are equivalent, but USC is more business oriented while ICLA is more focused on government and public interest so when people only look at the firm placement it appears that USC is better
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:50 pm
by moneybagsphd
Crowing wrote:I'm curious why you narrowed your list down to these three choices specifically. With 120k @ USC and UCLA I would expect you to have other non-sticker T14 options.
Probably, but assuming HYS is out, he or she might might not want to live in Ithaca or Charlottesville or Ann Arbor or Durham, etc for 3 years. 3 years is not as short-lived as some people make it out to be. One caveat: I would rather go to school in Berkeley than LA. But if it's sticker at B v. 120@USC/UCLA, you know what the right call is.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:52 pm
by drive4showLSAT4dough
Get UCLA and USC in a bidding war and attend the one that leaves you with the least debt
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:54 pm
by mh013
Yeah I have already pitted them against each other and it has worked so far.
Staying at UCLA/USC would be great, and it's what I really want, but I just don't know how stupid I would be to turn down a t6.
Between UCLA/USC I'm leaning slightly towards USC due to the job prospects/Trojan network
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:55 pm
by moneybagsphd
Ludovico Technique wrote:Is USC better than UCLA now?
lol, let's not rehash this stupid argument.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:58 pm
by mr.hands
mh013 wrote:Yeah I have already pitted them against each other and it has worked so far.
Staying at UCLA/USC would be great, and it's what I really want, but I just don't know how stupid I would be to turn down a t6.
Between UCLA/USC I'm leaning slightly towards USC due to the job prospects/Trojan network
NYU at sticker is really scary. Employers just don't care about this "T6" distinction. It's a ton of money. Stay in LA, keep the two schools in a bidding war.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:58 pm
by John_rizzy_rawls
Big Dog wrote:SoCal, networking, and jobs = USC. This is a no-brainer.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:01 pm
by moneybagsphd
mh013 wrote:Yeah I have already pitted them against each other and it has worked so far.
Staying at UCLA/USC would be great, and it's what I really want, but I just don't know how stupid I would be to turn down a t6.
Between UCLA/USC I'm leaning slightly towards USC due to the job prospects/Trojan network
Turned down T6 for the same scholly at USC. Worth it imo. I can't tell you how good it feels not to be drowning in debt. But you have to choose the school that best suits your goals.
ETA: I'm not the only one in my section who turned down T6 for USC w/ $$$. USC this year seemed to be made up mostly of people running from debt at T14 schools.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:09 pm
by mh013
moneybags-Do you like USC?
I went to undergrad at the other major LA school so I'm down to switch it up.
In your experience does it seem that the Trojan network lives up to its reputation?
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:12 pm
by EvilClinton
Crowing wrote:Unless CA is different from other secondaries I don't see any problems with getting back there with any T14 degree. UVA with a "decent scholarship" sounds like it could be a good choice.
LOL, it is completely different and much harder to get back to than most secondaries. Mainly because of the insane number of people (both with ties and without) that want to go there.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:24 pm
by Crowing
EvilClinton wrote:Crowing wrote:Unless CA is different from other secondaries I don't see any problems with getting back there with any T14 degree. UVA with a "decent scholarship" sounds like it could be a good choice.
LOL, it is completely different and much harder to get back to than most secondaries. Mainly because of the insane number of people (both with ties and without) that want to go there.
That's interesting. So even if you have ties to CA leaving CA to attend a T14 like UVA will make it harder to get a job in CA than if you had just stayed and went to UCLA/USC?
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:24 pm
by John_rizzy_rawls
mh013 wrote:moneybags-Do you like USC?
I went to undergrad at the other major LA school so I'm down to switch it up.
In your experience does it seem that the Trojan network lives up to its reputation?
Don't know how this applies in the legal market but as a grad student the Trojan network actually exceeded my expectations.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:30 pm
by moneybagsphd
mh013 wrote:moneybags-Do you like USC?
I went to undergrad at the other major LA school so I'm down to switch it up.
In your experience does it seem that the Trojan network lives up to its reputation?
(1) On the whole, I really like USC. I've had some terrific professors and I'm very impressed with my classmates (who also happen to be cool, friendly people).
(2) My 1L class hasn't had any problem finding summer work, due in part to the Trojan Network I suppose.
There seem to be a lot of 3Ls with jobs lined up at big firms-- Latham, Gibson, O'Melveny, etc. There are even a few "fellowship" positions for 1Ls (USC hooks some 1LS up with SAs at big firms in LA (although I haven't been able to ascertain how students are chosen), and I have heard that most get job offers).
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:32 pm
by EvilClinton
Crowing wrote:EvilClinton wrote:Crowing wrote:Unless CA is different from other secondaries I don't see any problems with getting back there with any T14 degree. UVA with a "decent scholarship" sounds like it could be a good choice.
LOL, it is completely different and much harder to get back to than most secondaries. Mainly because of the insane number of people (both with ties and without) that want to go there.
That's interesting. So even if you have ties to CA leaving CA to attend a T14 like UVA will make it harder to get a job in CA than if you had just stayed and went to UCLA/USC?
Arguably, yes. But that really depends on grades and strength of ties. Median at UVA vs Median at USC is probably an advantage for he USC grad in SoCal (though the UVA grad has better chances nationally, and neither has a great shot at SoCal biglaw).
But if your only ambition is California, it is better to stay in state or attend HYS. When the market was better (i.e. more big law positions) you could make a case for Michigan or CCN but that really isn't true anymore.
Re: USC$$$vUCLA$$$vNYU-Want to practice in socal
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:44 pm
by moneybagsphd
Crowing wrote:EvilClinton wrote:Crowing wrote:Unless CA is different from other secondaries I don't see any problems with getting back there with any T14 degree. UVA with a "decent scholarship" sounds like it could be a good choice.
LOL, it is completely different and much harder to get back to than most secondaries. Mainly because of the insane number of people (both with ties and without) that want to go there.
That's interesting. So even if you have ties to CA leaving CA to attend a T14 like UVA will make it harder to get a job in CA than if you had just stayed and went to UCLA/USC?
Probably. Frankly, UVA isn't preftigious enough to justify moving out of state with the goal of coming back to CA. You can easily make it back into CA market with HY CCN, but I would be wary of anything after T6. CA doesn't share the same view of prestige as NYC.