Penn Law Public Interest Forum

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thislamp

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Penn Law Public Interest

Post by thislamp » Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:04 pm

I'm currently enrolled at NYU Law and I plan on pursuing public interest law there - I'm really excited because NYU clearly has a lot of options, opportunities, and support for their public interest students. But the other day Penn Law called me to check in on my continued interest and to consider taking me off their waitlist. I want to explore all my options, especially because I wonder if Penn will offer me any money (I'm enrolled at NYU at sticker). Does anyone have any insight as to what it's like as a public interest student at Penn?

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transferror

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by transferror » Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:15 pm

My understanding is that NYU is the gold standard for PI outside of HYS. Penn is not the place for PI, and even if they offer you a scholarship (which won't be much), you'll still be betting the house on PSLF. I'm not sure NYU at sticker is prudent, but more so than Penn at >200k for PI.

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McAvoy

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by McAvoy » Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:52 pm

transferror wrote:My understanding is that NYU is the gold standard for PI outside of HYS. I'm not sure NYU at sticker is prudent.

NoChainz

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by NoChainz » Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:56 pm

I'd at least confirm interest in Penn and take a visit if they are willing to throw you some money.

ymmv

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by ymmv » Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:42 pm

thislamp wrote:I'm currently enrolled at NYU Law and I plan on pursuing public interest law there - I'm really excited because NYU clearly has a lot of options, opportunities, and support for their public interest students. But the other day Penn Law called me to check in on my continued interest and to consider taking me off their waitlist. I want to explore all my options, especially because I wonder if Penn will offer me any money (I'm enrolled at NYU at sticker). Does anyone have any insight as to what it's like as a public interest student at Penn?
PI gets stronger here every year, but no one would dispute that NYU has the well-established edge. As NoChainz said, see if you can get Penn to give you some cash. If it's substantial, take the leap. If not, enjoy NYU and cross your fingers for the gamble that is sticker at any school.

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snooze

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by snooze » Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:08 pm

i'm confused. is public interest law something you can only practice when you're specialized in it, just like you would in some of other practice areas (tax, etc.)? practicing PI wouldn't probably mean making much money to begin with, and I am guessing hence there aren't that many people whose immediate goal is to do PI. If so, what's the difference between going to a T-6 and a T-14? Do HYS and T-6 grads saturate even PI jobs? Is that what this is about?

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McAvoy

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by McAvoy » Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:20 pm

snooze wrote:i'm confused. is public interest law something you can only practice when you're specialized in it, just like you would in some of other practice areas (tax, etc.)? practicing PI wouldn't probably mean making much money to begin with, and I am guessing hence there aren't that many people whose immediate goal is to do PI. If so, what's the difference between going to a T-6 and a T-14? Do HYS and T-6 grads saturate even PI jobs? Is that what this is about?
MY 0L impression of TLS's collective wisdom is that ~T6 can be a necessary condition for really high level federal government work or national ACLU and that type of thing. If you're not gunning for super prestigious PI, TLS wisdom is that it doesn't really matter where you go, and that minimizing your debt load and getting good LRAP assistance should be the most important factors.

NYU has a fantastic LRAP, which, when paired with PSLF makes sticker debt viable on paper. However, there have been many well-chronicled downsides to this path (the most important being that you have literally no options if you end up hating what you do (which TLS says is a more common occurrence in PI than one would think)). Also there has been talk of the government nixing PSLF to some degree or adding a tax bomb, which would be a crushing blow if you went this route.

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Re: Penn Law Public Interest

Post by ymmv » Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:21 pm

snooze wrote:i'm confused. is public interest law something you can only practice when you're specialized in it, just like you would in some of other practice areas (tax, etc.)? practicing PI wouldn't probably mean making much money to begin with, and I am guessing hence there aren't that many people whose immediate goal is to do PI. If so, what's the difference between going to a T-6 and a T-14? Do HYS and T-6 grads saturate even PI jobs? Is that what this is about?
It's not about "T-6" vs. T14 - as far as biglaw placement goes Penn is NYU's peer school or better.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=230636

It's about the fact that 14% of NYU students go directly into PI while only 4% of Penn students do.
http://abovethelaw.com/schools/new-york ... aw-school/
http://abovethelaw.com/schools/universi ... nsylvania/

This is probably due to a mixture of culture, student self-selection, alumni networks, location, CSO support, and a host of other factors. Regardless, for people dead set on doing PI straight out of LS, it makes NYU a statistically smarter choice than Penn.

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