UCLA v. Stanford for LADA Forum

[powerpuff]

I agree with the poster who says contact the offices; you might get some insight. I'm in a similar boat, I have a considerable scholarship from UCLA and waiting on Stanford's fin aid. I think most people underestimate the reach LA has in the local region. I personally don't think you can go wrong either way, but make sure you negotiate and visit schools before you commit. You might end up leaning one way from visiting Stanford alone.

Can I PM you? Just some Qs.

[adelllla]

I agree with the poster who says contact the offices; you might get some insight. I'm in a similar boat, I have a considerable scholarship from UCLA and waiting on Stanford's fin aid. I think most people underestimate the reach LA has in the local region. I personally don't think you can go wrong either way, but make sure you negotiate and visit schools before you commit. You might end up leaning one way from visiting Stanford alone.

Can I PM you? Just some Qs.

Of course

[Glasseyes]

This may not add a lot to the conversation, but I actually know a practicing Deputy DA for LA County... who went to Loyola.

Another one of my best friends went to UCLA and did not crush grades but wound up at Caltrans in LA doing trial work; in passing I've met some of his classmates, one of whom is an LA PD.

None of this anecdata should add a ton to the conversation other than to say UCLA is a solid school for local government jobs, and it definitely has more of a PI focus than something like USC. I don't know enough about DA hiring practices to say how much the school name matters (though anyone with a brain knows what it means to go to Stanford v UCLA, and that awareness does color decisions).

[powerpuff]

This may not add a lot to the conversation, but I actually know a practicing Deputy DA for LA County... who went to Loyola.

Another one of my best friends went to UCLA and did not crush grades but wound up at Caltrans in LA doing trial work; in passing I've met some of his classmates, one of whom is an LA PD.

None of this anecdata should add a ton to the conversation other than to say UCLA is a solid school for local government jobs, and it definitely has more of a PI focus than something like USC. I don't know enough about DA hiring practices to say how much the school name matters (though anyone with a brain knows what it means to go to Stanford v UCLA, and that awareness does color decisions).

OP here. I know such anecdotal "evidence" doesn't seem weighty, either, but from looking around at DA and PD profiles online, specifically on Linkedin and other such sites, I've noticed that almost everyone has a JD from TTT schools (Loyola, Pepperdine, Hastings, Case Western). I only saw a few from USC and UCLA and this is hiring within the past two years. Granted, almost everyone worked for a few years before getting in and I think the minimal debt will give me flexibility to be able to do those jobs.

[powerpuff]

Thanks everyone for your informative replies and comments. I'm just going to wait on Stanford's financial package, which should come any day now, and make my decision based on that factor.

[powerpuff]

I just received my fin aid from SLS. They're actually being extremely generous (albeit for 1L only). I'm still leaning towards UCLA cause of the proximity to the LA offices and the ease of externships during 2L/3L which I wouldn't be to do at SLS.

Anyways, thanks everyone! I shall admit ASW and see if my heart gets a calling

[WheninLaw]

OP, good luck with whatever you choose. You are the most rational/thoughtful 0L I've seen.

[powerpuff]

OP, good luck with whatever you choose. You are the most rational/thoughtful 0L I've seen.

Really? I've gotten PMs stating the exact opposite, haha. In what way or for what reasons, exactly?

[Glasseyes]

OP, good luck with whatever you choose. You are the most rational/thoughtful 0L I've seen.

Really? I've gotten PMs stating the exact opposite, haha. In what way or for what reasons, exactly?

Wasn't my original comment but I assume it's because you're not blindly chasing prestige.

[Tls2016]

Also include the LRAP that Stanford offers in your decision if you are committed to public service.

[powerpuff]

Also include the LRAP that Stanford offers in your decision if you are committed to public service.

I am, thank you! It actually doesn't seem too great for what i want to do regarding the income brackets, but neither is UCLA's so it's a wash.

[powerpuff]

OP, good luck with whatever you choose. You are the most rational/thoughtful 0L I've seen.

Really? I've gotten PMs stating the exact opposite, haha. In what way or for what reasons, exactly?

Wasn't my original comment but I assume it's because you're not blindly chasing prestige.

Most people i know immediately around me aren't so affected by prestige as people seem to be on TLS. I want to say it might be an east coast v. west coast thing, but that might be an oversimplification. Prestige is just so relative, and not at all a part of my future plans, so it might actually be counter productive for me to be chasing something so flimsy and tangential.

[Tls2016]

OP, good luck with whatever you choose. You are the most rational/thoughtful 0L I've seen.

Really? I've gotten PMs stating the exact opposite, haha. In what way or for what reasons, exactly?

Wasn't my original comment but I assume it's because you're not blindly chasing prestige.

Most people i know immediately around me aren't so affected by prestige as people seem to be on TLS. I want to say it might be an east coast v. west coast thing, but that might be an oversimplification. Prestige is just so relative, and not at all a part of my future plans, so it might actually be counter productive for me to be chasing something so flimsy and tangential.

Prestige is a more solid issue than you think. The question is always jobs v cost. No one is saying take Stanford at any price just because of prestige.

[powerpuff]

OP, good luck with whatever you choose. You are the most rational/thoughtful 0L I've seen.

Really? I've gotten PMs stating the exact opposite, haha. In what way or for what reasons, exactly?

Wasn't my original comment but I assume it's because you're not blindly chasing prestige.

Most people i know immediately around me aren't so affected by prestige as people seem to be on TLS. I want to say it might be an east coast v. west coast thing, but that might be an oversimplification. Prestige is just so relative, and not at all a part of my future plans, so it might actually be counter productive for me to be chasing something so flimsy and tangential.

Prestige is a more solid issue than you think. The question is always jobs v cost. No one is saying take Stanford at any price just because of prestige.

Um absolutely. Nobody is saying that on this thread and I never claimed that anybody is. I just responded to someone's compliment (or at least what I perceived to be a compliment). I absolutely agree that prestige -- or rather, ranking and name recognizability -- are essential and necessary in specific fields of the law and if I wasn't 100% set on one that didn't require that, I would be considering it as a major factor. I still am, it's just not on the top of my list. The job I'm vying for requires experience, not necessarily ranking or not even a high GPA (those latter two are taken into consideration, of course, just not as formidably as dedication and trial experience).

[GreenEggs]

I've spoken to a number of senior people at PD offices in CA and they have all said that school does matter. They point to the fact that they only take a small number of new law clerks every year and they're overwhelmingly from "top schools." It could be that the best candidates are just from these schools to begin with, but I think there's something more.

Of course correlation does not imply causation. DA offices are less prestige oriented than PD offices, but your application is going to get a deep read coming from SLS vs. UCLA.

[powerpuff]

I've spoken to a number of senior people at PD offices in CA and they have all said that school does matter. They point to the fact that they only take a small number of new law clerks every year and they're overwhelmingly from "top schools." It could be that the best candidates are just from these schools to begin with, but I think there's something more.

Of course correlation does not imply causation. DA offices are less prestige oriented than PD offices, but your application is going to get a deep read coming from SLS vs. UCLA.

I've actually heard the exact opposite from my local PD office (LA). They told me they prefer demonstrated dedication and time put in at their specific office, but this is very partiuclar to LA. I also spoke to two SLS alumni who are current PDs, both in the South, and they told me that SLS did not factor at all in their employment prospects. In fact, one told me it had a negative impact since the PD office at which she interviewed viewed SLS as an elitist organization and she got the run around a few times because the employers seemed to view her in a negative light due to the school she had attended.

Again, this is one person's experience and anectodal evidence like these cancel each other out. I do abolsutely agree that school rank matters, but so does proximity and access to a specific office (for me, at least). And most importantly, money.

Thanks for your reply, anyway. I've enjoyed all these differing perspectives and will keep an open and balanced mindset as I visit ASD/ASWs and make my desiciok in the upcoming month.

[GreenEggs]

I've spoken to a number of senior people at PD offices in CA and they have all said that school does matter. They point to the fact that they only take a small number of new law clerks every year and they're overwhelmingly from "top schools." It could be that the best candidates are just from these schools to begin with, but I think there's something more.

Of course correlation does not imply causation. DA offices are less prestige oriented than PD offices, but your application is going to get a deep read coming from SLS vs. UCLA.

I've actually heard the exact opposite from my local PD office (LA). They told me they prefer demonstrated dedication and time put in at their specific office, but this is very partiuclar to LA. I also spoke to two SLS alumni who are current PDs, both in the South, and they told me that SLS did not factor at all in their employment prospects. In fact, one told me it had a negative impact since the PD office at which she interviewed viewed SLS as an elitist organization and she got the run around a few times because the employers seemed to view her in a negative light due to the school she had attended.

Again, this is one person's experience and anectodal evidence like these cancel each other out. I do abolsutely agree that school rank matters, but so does proximity and access to a specific office (for me, at least). And most importantly, money.

Thanks for your reply, anyway. I've enjoyed all these differing perspectives and will keep an open and balanced mindset as I visit ASD/ASWs and make my desiciok in the upcoming month.

Sorry I should have been clear. Yeah SLS is not going to override someone from Whittier who spent two summers as a summer clerk at a PD office, but two candidates with similar w/e that SLS is gonna be a big bump

[powerpuff]

I've spoken to a number of senior people at PD offices in CA and they have all said that school does matter. They point to the fact that they only take a small number of new law clerks every year and they're overwhelmingly from "top schools." It could be that the best candidates are just from these schools to begin with, but I think there's something more.

Of course correlation does not imply causation. DA offices are less prestige oriented than PD offices, but your application is going to get a deep read coming from SLS vs. UCLA.

I've actually heard the exact opposite from my local PD office (LA). They told me they prefer demonstrated dedication and time put in at their specific office, but this is very partiuclar to LA. I also spoke to two SLS alumni who are current PDs, both in the South, and they told me that SLS did not factor at all in their employment prospects. In fact, one told me it had a negative impact since the PD office at which she interviewed viewed SLS as an elitist organization and she got the run around a few times because the employers seemed to view her in a negative light due to the school she had attended.

Again, this is one person's experience and anectodal evidence like these cancel each other out. I do abolsutely agree that school rank matters, but so does proximity and access to a specific office (for me, at least). And most importantly, money.

Thanks for your reply, anyway. I've enjoyed all these differing perspectives and will keep an open and balanced mindset as I visit ASD/ASWs and make my desiciok in the upcoming month.

Sorry I should have been clear. Yeah SLS is not going to override someone from Whittier who spent two summers as a summer clerk at a PD office, but two candidates with similar w/e that SLS is gonna be a big bump

Oh, that is an absolutely truth. I agree.