Top Law Schools

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carmenjones wrote:It's common knowledge that if you want to be a law professor you usually go to Harvard, Yale, Stanford or University of Chicago.

Well this post is not about those schools.

Between Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown---which school do you think has the best academic reputation "on the street" (i.e. among everyday folks)? Likewise, which of these three schools would be the best choice for someone who aspires to become a law professor?

Really interested in hearing people's detailed thoughts.

For some reason I found this line absolutely hilarious.

moonman157 wrote:

carmenjones wrote:It's common knowledge that if you want to be a law professor you usually go to Harvard, Yale, Stanford or University of Chicago.

Well this post is not about those schools.

Between Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown---which school do you think has the best academic reputation "on the street" (i.e. among everyday folks)? Likewise, which of these three schools would be the best choice for someone who aspires to become a law professor?

Really interested in hearing people's detailed thoughts.

For some reason I found this line absolutely hilarious.

Also who cares what everyday folk think.

None of those schools place enough students in academia to justify that as your primary reason for attending. I'd go Duke just for the best outcome in terms of employment thats actually reasonably possible.

Ruxin1 wrote:

moonman157 wrote:

carmenjones wrote:It's common knowledge that if you want to be a law professor you usually go to Harvard, Yale, Stanford or University of Chicago.

Well this post is not about those schools.

Between Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown---which school do you think has the best academic reputation "on the street" (i.e. among everyday folks)? Likewise, which of these three schools would be the best choice for someone who aspires to become a law professor?

Really interested in hearing people's detailed thoughts.

For some reason I found this line absolutely hilarious.

Also who cares what everyday folk think.

That line was golden. I agree Ruxin. The average person knows more about Duke's basketball program and ranking compared to their law program.

So this blew my mind. (A ranking of what percent of the 2011 graduating classes went into academia.)

But I verified some of the numbers on LST and they seem to be right. (I checked because I actually thought the thing was broken!)

Of course, I'd bet the jobs of Yale graduates in academia are generally better (tenure track, for example) than George Washington graduates.

LOL! Thanks folks.

I think lay prestige is important. I know that the legal realm is hell-bent on rankings, but I've always been a believer that you should take the overall prestige of the institution that the law school is housed at. In other words: I'd never choose UVA over UPENN no matter how many people tell me that UVA has the better law school.

That being said, I'm completely torn between Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown in terms of which school has the best overall reputation.

Sounds like you guys/gals are saying Duke though. Thank you for the perspective.

[quote="LSATSCORES2012"]So this blew my mind. (A ranking of what percent of the 2011 graduating classes went into academia.)

But I verified some of the numbers on LST and they seem to be right.

Of course, I'd bet the jobs of Yale graduates in academia are generally better (tenure track, for example) than George Washington graduates.[/quote

Wow. thanks for sharing that list. GW eh? Who knew?

Here's another list---to me this one seems a little more aligned with most people's general assumptions about where law professors come form.
http://leiterrankings.com/new/2011_LawTeachers.shtml

carmenjones wrote:LOL! Thanks folks.

I think lay prestige is important. I know that the legal realm is hell-bent on rankings, but I've always been a believer that you should take the overall prestige of the institution that the law school is housed at. In other words: I'd never choose UVA over UPENN no matter how many people tell me that UVA has the better law school.

That being said, I'm completely torn between Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown in terms of which school has the best overall reputation.

Sounds like you guys/gals are saying Duke though. Thank you for the perspective.

It depends largely on who you ask and in what geographic location we're talking about. There's no clear winner.

LSATSCORES2012 wrote:So this blew my mind. (A ranking of what percent of the 2011 graduating classes went into academia.)

But I verified some of the numbers on LST and they seem to be right. (I checked because I actually thought the thing was broken!)

Of course, I'd bet the jobs of Yale graduates in academia are generally better (tenure track, for example) than George Washington graduates.

That's a very broad definition of "academia"

Those numbers are a joke

OP, you want this

http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfsblaw ... ng-report/

Bottom line:

Clearlynotstefan wrote:None of those schools place enough students in academia to justify that as your primary reason for attending.

rad lulz wrote:That's a very broad definition of "academia"

Makes sense... I doubt whether most of those jobs are tenure-track positions (which is what the Leiter rankings include).

For academia, I think Duke is the clear winner. Not that it matters -- Duke isn't going to get you COA clerkship or an academic job unless you absolutely kill it (just like the others), become a well known appellate litigator, or publish a lot as a practitioner.

I doubt "everyday folks" have any opinion about the academic differences between Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown - they're all highly-ranked, fancy, private, and expensive. And since "everyday folks" don't undertake academic hiring, I don't know why it matters what the "everyday folks" think about the schools if you want to go into academia.

Cornell is Ivy league. Open with that at the bars.

Also, I'd venture to say Virginia has more street cred after the whole Sandusky affair.

sinfiery wrote:Cornell is Ivy league. Open with that at the bars.

I wish that worked. Any one who's 1/2 way intelligent will just respond "BARELY IVY LEAGUE!!!"

LSATSCORES2012 wrote:So this blew my mind. (A ranking of what percent of the 2011 graduating classes went into academia.)

But I verified some of the numbers on LST and they seem to be right. (I checked because I actually thought the thing was broken!)

Of course, I'd bet the jobs of Yale graduates in academia are generally better (tenure track, for example) than George Washington graduates.

By pure lay prestige doesn't the Ivy League beat everything else? I mean as far as the average person is concerned Cornell is right up there with Harvard and Yale.

,

I have never understood why Cornell is in the bottom of the T-14.

bizzybone1313 wrote:I have never understood why Cornell is in the bottom of the T-14.

See above for "IT'S NOT A REAL IVY"

But it's probably because it has the lowest medians in the T14

LSATSCORES2012 wrote:

rad lulz wrote:That's a very broad definition of "academia"

Makes sense... I doubt whether most of those jobs are tenure-track positions (which is what the Leiter rankings include).

Most of those jobs aren't "academic" jobs in the sense of the definition that's being talked about (working in the admissions office, as an academic adviser, etc.).

OP--Duke might have a very small edge over the other two, but academia is a long shot from any of the three. But, if you are able to distinguish yourself at any of the three and do the right things (law review, ed board, COA clerkship, produce really good scholarship, etc.) then it's a possibility from all three. It's just a long shot possibility and you shouldn't go to any of the three with an "academia or bust" perspective.

Also another thing to consider: the legal academic market is starting to collapse. It might not be the best time to try to get in, since it's probably going to get increasing difficult in the next few years (and there might be significant structural changes taking place).

.

kapital98 wrote:

sinfiery wrote:Cornell is Ivy league. Open with that at the bars.

I wish that worked. Any one who's 1/2 way intelligent will just respond "BARELY IVY LEAGUE!!!"

Works for me apparently the women I hit on don't know the difference, heck half of them barely know its ivy league rather than the other way around that its barely and ivy league school. Difference, being once they figure out that it is ivy league they are in awe that I go there. Worth this years tuition right there.

sinfiery wrote:Cornell is Ivy league. Open with that at the bars.

Also, I'd venture to say Virginia has more street cred after the whole Sandusky affair.

PENN STATE HAD SANDUSKY. Not UPENN. If you mean that most people don't know the difference and that's why Penn now may have a bad reputation, fair. If you did NOT know the difference, this is a PSA. PENN STATE has the famous football team, Sandusky, Paterno. UPenn has the brilliant legal minds.

bzzingbee wrote:

sinfiery wrote:Cornell is Ivy league. Open with that at the bars.

Also, I'd venture to say Virginia has more street cred after the whole Sandusky affair.

PENN STATE HAD SANDUSKY. Not UPENN. If you mean that most people don't know the difference and that's why Penn now may have a bad reputation, fair. If you did NOT know the difference, this is a PSA. PENN STATE has the famous football team, Sandusky, Paterno. UPenn has the brilliant legal minds.

Dude, it's a running joke at ATL and here that no one call tell the difference between UPenn and Penn State.

bzzingbee wrote:

sinfiery wrote:Cornell is Ivy league. Open with that at the bars.

Also, I'd venture to say Virginia has more street cred after the whole Sandusky affair.

PENN STATE HAD SANDUSKY. Not UPENN. If you mean that most people don't know the difference and that's why Penn now may have a bad reputation, fair. If you did NOT know the difference, this is a PSA. PENN STATE has the famous football team, Sandusky, Paterno. UPenn has the brilliant legal minds.

No im pretty sure it was UPENN