Top Law Schools

I am debating between Boston College Law and Boston University Law. Please do not tell me to retake the LSAT or not to attend either. I will be attending one of these law schools and I would like to know what people’s perceptions are of these two schools. The most helpful insights would come from alumni, those that know the region well and or lawyers. Both schools cost about the same amount and matched scholarships of $18,000 per year. As well their employment rates are similar as are their bar passage rates. It’s my impression that BC Law was considered the better school historically, but BU Law has passed them in the U.S. News ranking in the past few years (I don’t give much stock to U.S. New Rankings by the way).

I am primarily interested in Big Law and intellectual property or pursing a clerkship. As well I would be happy practicing in New England or DC area. I went to college in Washington, DC and I have a solid professional network there and in Boston.



Boston College
-Suburban Campus
-Strong Alumni
-Class size 236
-Employment Score: 63.6%
-Large Firm Score: 29.6
-Federal Clerkship: 4.3%

Geographic Placement
MA: 47%
New York: 11.9%

Scholarship Offer: $18,000 per year

Notes:
Has decreased in U.S. News Ranking in the past few years:#36
Above the Law Ranking 2014:#21
Historically has been the more prestigious school in the region



Boston University
-Urban Campus
-Brand new building
-Class size 220
-Employment Score: 66.9% (6.1% funded by law school)
-Large Firm Score: 24.1%
-Federal Clerkship 2.5%

Geographic Placement
MA: 41.7%
NY: 14.7%
CA: 5%

Scholarship Offer: $18,000 per year

Notes:
Has increased in U.S. News Ranking in the past few years :#27
Above the Law Ranking 2014:#30
Ranking #1 Best law professors

What's your IP background?

So, clearly you understand that you shouldn't actually go to either of these schools, especially as you want to do BigLaw or a clerkship. DC is one of the toughest markets in the country. T14 students struggle a lot to find BigLaw jobs there. Boston is also a tough market. You're setting yourself up to get crushed unless you have a legit IP background. I think that if you look at US News over the last 20 years, you'll find that BU has almost always been higher than BC, although BU has actually fallen from where is has say 10 years back. I would probably go to BU if I was going to go to one of these schools. I think the reputation is a little better. But I think what you should actually do is call BC and tell them that for $22,500 per year, you'll join them, and otherwise they need to move onto someone else.

What advice are you hoping to get out of this, OP? BC and BU are basically equivalent options at equal cost. You even recognize that:

RGR1417 wrote:Both schools cost about the same amount and . . . their employment rates are similar as are their bar passage rates.

Both give you a respectable shot at Biglaw, very little ability to return to DC, and a negligible chance at a clerkship. Both schools are also way too expensive at your current prices, but you already know that and obviously don't care.

So... what advice are you looking for, exactly? Just pick whichever one you like better.

Thanks for the advice so far. Does anyone know what the student bodies are like? How are they different? Does BC's name brand give it the perception as a better school than BU regardless of the rankings? Any current students or recent grads able to share some direct insight?

Retake

Unodostres, thanks for the worthless post. Clearly you didn't read above.

re-enact.

http://footguards.tripod.com/

.

I had a similar dillema with slightly more money. I chose BC. It has been doing substantially better by placing grads into more quality jobs (large firm/clerkships) about 7% which translates into about 20ish people. Not a huge margin, but I liked the location when I visited too.

NYC2012, I visited both schools and I liked the BU Campus location better than the BC Law campus in Newton.

Fratstar1, thanks for your post, I appreciate the personal insight. It was my impression BC places in better quality jobs too.

Does anyone know the quality of jobs through OCI at either school? Does one have better OCI than the other? It looks like BC and BU include each other on off campus interview trips.

You're overthinking this dood. C/O 2013 was slightly better for BC, C/O 2012 was slightly better for BU. BC has a very marginal edge, but overall they are peer schools with basically identical placement. Your bigger concern should be how much debt you're taking on - paying $100k+ for either school is a bad call.

rickgrimes69 wrote:You're overthinking this dood. C/O 2013 was slightly better for BC, C/O 2012 was slightly better for BU. BC has a very marginal edge, but overall they are peer schools with basically identical placement. Your bigger concern should be how much debt you're taking on - paying $100k+ for either school is a bad call.

+1

Boston native here. BC has somewhat more lay prestige in the area than BU does, primarily because its undergraduate program is more selective, but honestly that shouldn't really influence your decision. Pick the school that you like better (for whatever reasons). I think the only real practical difference that might matter to you now is the location. BC might be more inconvenient if you don't have a car etc.. my friend at BU told me that they take admin law (or some form of it) in addition to the six traditional 1L classes, so maybe having to take 7 doctrinal 1L classes plus the legal writing courses might matter to you. But these are the only practical differences i can think of for now

BU's "campus" is ugly as sin - like, think of the ugliest 70s monolithic industrial building imaginable, then shove a law school into it vertically. BC's campus is just boring red brick.

Probably the biggest difference.

Cusenation, thanks for the insight - very helpful!

Ymmv, BU's tower is ugly and old, but the new building is nice and they are redoing the tower next year, I prefer over BC Law's, which also houses freshmen...

Depends where you want to be after law school. If boston is your goal, go to BC. If you want more mobility, go to BU.

ymmv wrote:BU's "campus" is ugly as sin - like, think of the ugliest 70s monolithic industrial building imaginable, then shove a law school into it vertically. BC's campus is just boring red brick.

Probably the biggest difference.

Very ugly, I can attest. However, a brand new building is opening for this fall and it looks very nice. Brand new facilities and attached to the main dining hall. Aside from the ugliness of the Tower (which is no longer an issue), the location is extremely convenient--close to downtown where all the firms are, a great gym and decent food/bars around.

To answer the OP, go with which campus/location you like more. Don't pay attention to the statistics because they do not make enough of a difference to urge you either way. Would you like to be in the suburbs or in the city? Do you have a car? As far as the student body goes, I'd imagine it's the same at BC as here at BU. These are law students. Some are weird, some are gunners, some are amazing, others are boring, etc. Mixed bag.

Retake.

also just visit. i do think BC and BU have different cultures/feels. i think both are good (i go to BC) but if youre adamant about going to one, visiting and meeting current students might push you to one over the other. i'm happy to chat or answer any questions about BC.

If you have to argue about the physical appearance of the buildings, which should be a huge non-issue, then it's a sign that there are no real substantive differences.

Too expensive

Thanks all, I've decided to pursue BU over BC. I prefer the location and I enjoyed my visit to BU over BC.

Ngoblue2014 wrote:If you want more mobility, go to BU.

What? What is this based on?

Godspeed OP.

BigZuck wrote:

Ngoblue2014 wrote:If you want more mobility, go to BU.

What? What is this based on?

Marginally better NYC placement with marginally worse Boston placement.