Top Law Schools

The schools you are considering.

Georgetown and George Washington

Have deposited at both. I really liked GW and it has a great IP program. Georgetown was somewhat underwhelming and doesn’t have a lot in the way of IP classes, but is higher ranked.

The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each.

Georgetown (25k scholly) – 97k

George Washington (31k scholly) – 79k

How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings.

Husband is employed and covering my cost of living. The rest of it will be loans. I have approximately 10k in loans from UG remaining.

Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any).

I am from the DC area and would like to stay in the northeast or mid-atlantic area.

Your general career goals

Patent law. Either BigLaw or Boutique

Your LSAT/GPA numbers

171/3.3, soft science Ph.D., 5 years WE, planning to take the patent bar this summer.

ipfreely wrote:The schools you are considering.

Georgetown and George Washington

Have deposited at both. I really liked GW and it has a great IP program. Georgetown was somewhat underwhelming and doesn’t have a lot in the way of IP classes, but is higher ranked.

The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each.

Georgetown (25k scholly) – 97k

George Washington (31k scholly) – 79k

How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings.

Husband is employed and covering my cost of living. The rest of it will be loans. I have approximately 10k in loans from UG remaining.

Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any).

I am from the DC area and would like to stay in the northeast or mid-atlantic area.

Your general career goals

Patent law. Either BigLaw or Boutique

Your LSAT/GPA numbers

171/3.3, soft science Ph.D., 5 years WE, planning to take the patent bar this summer.

Definitely Georgetown. Ignore IP rankings or anything along those lines.

Although I agree that GULC is probably the right choice, I would like to say that IP students at GW do fair significantly better than their peers. All my IP friends landed big firm jobs and are doing very well.

Edit:

Plus I hate GULC's location and atmosphere

IP students everywhere do better than their peers

Def worth the extra 20k to not be at the jv law school in dc

hichvichwoh wrote:IP students everywhere do better than their peers

The difference isn't as pronounced in most places. GW has a very strong IP reputation.

Teoeo wrote:

hichvichwoh wrote:IP students everywhere do better than their peers

The difference isn't as pronounced in most places. GW has a very strong IP reputation.

Yes, it's really truly not bullshit. I was surprised by GW is well regarded for IP. Maybe almost as high at a T14.

Desert Fox wrote:

Teoeo wrote:

hichvichwoh wrote:IP students everywhere do better than their peers

The difference isn't as pronounced in most places. GW has a very strong IP reputation.

Yes, it's really truly not bullshit. I was surprised by GW is well regarded for IP. Maybe almost as high at a T14.

I tend to agree - GW has a great alumni network in IP, and the faculty (especially Whealan) are well-connected in DC.

However, I think the disparity really says more about how shitty GW is for non-IP students, considering what their overall employment numbers are. I would love to see data on what % of their student body is IP-focused vs not, and what their respective employment outcomes are.

Also, even if the IP program at GW is seen as being comparable to a T14, GULC is, without qualification, an actual T14. GULC can net you many of the same opportunities in IP and will guarantee you a much better network in the legal world outside of IP.

18k is not significantly more debt for an objectively better school, but 79k is also not much debt for a strong specialized network at GW. If you would like the option of leaving DC, I'd go with Georgetown. Otherwise, whichever campus you like more.