Top Law Schools

Got accepted to USC very late with a fullride. Got into NYU with nothing. I know what I will be giving up by not going to NYU, but what is something UNIQUE i will gain by going to USC? Being debt-free is huge, but compared to the opportunities of a T6 school, debt is something I would be okay with unless there is something equally/if not more unique at USC.

The only thing I can think of is USC's close relationship with Hollywood. That is something I'd be willing to aim for in lieu of the traditionally more prestigious NYU opportunities (It's not HYS but they do produce a considerable amount of professors, get people on the Supreme Court etc..).

wut

Uh, USC is in CA and NYU is in NY. So I guess that's a difference?

NYU at sticker is never the correct answer

I'd take USC tbh...

You probably won't get a Supreme Court clerkship no matter where you go, and Hollywood (in whatever sense you mean that) is also unlikely. If you would be happy practicing as a lawyer in any capacity in south Cali, I'd take USC nine times out of ten. NYU at sticker is absurdly restrictive for your future.

Danger Zone wrote:You probably won't get a Supreme Court clerkship no matter where you go, and Hollywood (in whatever sense you mean that) is also unlikely.

Absolutely, but I need to know what distinguishes the schools in terms of opportunities. Is there no difference than NYU and USC in terms of being just basic lawyer inasmuch as earning potential is concerned? If so, then where exactly do things get substantially different no matter how remote some of the opportunities might be?

Seoulless wrote:

Danger Zone wrote:You probably won't get a Supreme Court clerkship no matter where you go, and Hollywood (in whatever sense you mean that) is also unlikely.

Absolutely, but I need to know what distinguishes the schools in terms of opportunities. Is there no difference than NYU and USC in terms of being just basic lawyer inasmuch as earning potential is concerned? If so, then where exactly do things get substantially different no matter how remote some of the opportunities might be?

http://www.lstscorereports.com/compare/nyu/usc/

SplitMyPants wrote:

Seoulless wrote:

Danger Zone wrote:You probably won't get a Supreme Court clerkship no matter where you go, and Hollywood (in whatever sense you mean that) is also unlikely.

Absolutely, but I need to know what distinguishes the schools in terms of opportunities. Is there no difference than NYU and USC in terms of being just basic lawyer inasmuch as earning potential is concerned? If so, then where exactly do things get substantially different no matter how remote some of the opportunities might be?

http://www.lstscorereports.com/compare/nyu/usc/

This is what I was just going to say.

USC has the advantage for practicing law of any kind in Cali (70% of grads vs. 7% of NYU) whereas NYU has the advantage in placing you in a big law firm or fed clerkship (67% vs. 34%). Where do you want to practice? NYU will put you in "golden handcuffs" but also virtually guarantees a better outcome.

How do you feel about being in California (more specifically, Los Angeles) for the foreseeable future?

I'm fine with spending the rest of my life in LA, I am not fine with foreclosing maximum opportunities, no matter how remote.

Seoulless wrote:I am not fine with foreclosing maximum opportunities, no matter how remote.

This is dumb. By this logic you would spend almost any amount of money on a lottery ticket when, in reality, you shouldn't pay all that much for a lottery ticket since your odds of winning are so remote.

Borrowing 280k will forecloses many opportunities. It will foreclose the opportunity to start your own law firm 3-5 years after law school. It will foreclose your ability to take a legal services job paying 50k. It will foreclose the possibility of joining the peace corps or the JAG corps. It will foreclose the possibility of getting a full night's sleep without worrying about your job security.

And don't assume you know what you're going to want 5 years out of law school. That's 8 years away. Many things can change.

Seoulless wrote:what is something UNIQUE i will gain by going to USC?

Short answer is no

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

SplitMyPants wrote:

Seoulless wrote:

Danger Zone wrote:You probably won't get a Supreme Court clerkship no matter where you go, and Hollywood (in whatever sense you mean that) is also unlikely.

Absolutely, but I need to know what distinguishes the schools in terms of opportunities. Is there no difference than NYU and USC in terms of being just basic lawyer inasmuch as earning potential is concerned? If so, then where exactly do things get substantially different no matter how remote some of the opportunities might be?

http://www.lstscorereports.com/compare/nyu/usc/

This is what I was just going to say.

Lol I literally just went and made this report only to find I had been double scooped. I think I'd go with NYU

Are you going to finance with loans?

If yes, USC.

If no, maybe NYU.

But more importantly, if yes, definitely not NYU.

FYI I am an NYU grad.

Go to USC if you're positive about California. Otherwise, I wouldn't go. Sticker isn't tenable.

Seoulless wrote:Got accepted to USC very late with a fullride. Got into NYU with nothing. I know what I will be giving up by not going to NYU, but what is something UNIQUE i will gain by going to USC? Being debt-free is huge, but compared to the opportunities of a T6 school, debt is something I would be okay with unless there is something equally/if not more unique at USC.

The only thing I can think of is USC's close relationship with Hollywood. That is something I'd be willing to aim for in lieu of the traditionally more prestigious NYU opportunities (It's not HYS but they do produce a considerable amount of professors, get people on the Supreme Court etc..).

You aren't going to be anywhere near the Supreme Court and you probably aren't going to be a professor. However, NYU has a very good shot of putting you in the midst of the big, corporate action in NYC at a prestigious firm. In fact, with the debt you'd have, you will pretty much be compelled to take that job.

USC has about half the odds of putting you into a similarly prestigious/well-paying job, but you'll have the opportunity to potentially pursue other options due to the relative lack of debt. Of course, if you end up in the bottom half of your class at USC, you could very well be fucked in terms of becoming a lawyer.

Everyone here is going to say take the full ride, but if you're absolutely committed to the idea of living the biglaw life, NYU might make more sense. The biglaw life = working 60-80 hours per week, doing menial discovery work for the first 3 years, probably scrubbing out within 7 years, etc.

I recommend the full ride, too.

Super insightful.

Umm because USC and Harvard are worlds apart lol

eta: but if you get Harvard, might as well try for stanford and berk too for Cali

Compare your outcomes at each level at each school:

1. You get high grades at USC/NYU

Outcome USC: Big firm job in LA making six figures with no debt so now you actually get to enjoy your salary and if you hate the job or are laid off it's not a big deal because you don't have debt that you need to service. The firm doesn't "own" you. By far the best case of all the scenarios.

Outcome NYU: Big firm job in probably whatever city you want making six figures. However, you have colossal debt such that if you ever lose your job or end up hating it and deciding to quit you are now in serious financial trouble. Even if you stay at the firm you will be forking over huge amounts of your salary into your loan payments--preventing you from really enjoying your high pay.

2. You get average grades

Outcome USC: You may be in trouble in terms of getting a job. However, through networking in the market where USC has a very strong alumni base you stand a good chance of finding something decent. You have the option of doing a small firm because you don't have debt to make it an untenable decision. You can also look at pi work just as you could in this situation from NYU--but you won't be forced to stay in pi for 10 years just to escape the debt via PLSF. Finally, you have the option of just doing something outside of law if you can't find anything because you don't have debt.

Outcome NYU: Similar to the NYU outcome with high grades except now you almost certainly have to work in NYC as opposed to having a choice. Further, your chances at a firm job are still not 100%. You are at a significant risk of not getting a firm job. Still your chances are not poor if you stick to NYC. Same debt situation as the earlier NYU outcome assuming you get the firm job. If you don't you are in serious trouble and now you MUST get a PI job to service your debt. You CANNOT work at a small firm or leave law because financially that would not be enough to service your debt. This final outcome is a disaster scenario.


3. You get bad grades.

Outcome USC: You will not get a big firm job. You will have to network like crazy for a small firm job or a local government job. If this doesn't work out you can leave law behind and do something else because you don't have debt.

Outcome NYU: You are in VERY serious trouble. Now you will not get a big firm job and your debt is too much to do small firm work. You HAVE to get a PI job to service your loans. If not you will be in an incredibly bad position that posters on here like to ignore/pretend doesn't exist. Your loans will crush you while you have no way to realistically service them. You CANNOT just leave the legal field and do something else because your near $300K in student loan debt is non dischargeable and cannot be paid off with essentially any non legal job you are capable of getting. An absolute nightmare scenario and basically the same as NYU with average grades but no firm job.

I know what I will be giving up by not going to NYU,

You have no idea, sorry. (And yes, sticker at NYU is never the correct answer unless your family is wealthy.)

I have one more chance to take the LSATs and I have a 4.0 GPA

Retake is a no-brainer.

Why would someone go to Harvard (at sticker obviously) over a full ride at USC?

Wrong question. (A few more points on the LSAT means $$ at NYU and others in the T14.)

Don't waste GPA. You have a 4.0.

Study like crazy. Score 170. Get a scholarship or go to HYS.

Retake is clearly TCR here.

retake > USC > any other choice including not going to law school > NYU

Do you really have a 4.0? Good God man, retake and literally go anywhere you want. You could be going to NYU for free next year for all we know.