Law School Decision: IP/Patent Focused Forum

[James.K.Polk]

-The schools you are considering: Penn, Michigan, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, WUSTL, Emory

Also admitted: UVA ($0), UCLA ($67k), UT-Austin ($50k), Minnesota ($90k)
Waitlist: Columbia, Chicago, Berkeley, Duke
TBD: Harvard, NYU

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each:

Penn: $310,000 ($0 scholarship)
Michigan: $169,000 ($90,000 scholarship)
Northwestern: $201,000 ($90,000 scholarship*)
Vanderbilt: $183,000 ($90,000 scholarship)
WUSTL: $125,000 ($144,000 scholarship)
Emory: $167,000 ($117,000 scholarship)

-How you will be financing your COA: Loans on loans. Only note here is that I will likely living with SO, so living costs will be (slightly) reduced.

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any): From Minnesota, went to school in St. Louis. No immense preference, but midwest-slanted.

-Your general career goals: Patent/IP litigation, preferably in biotech/biopharam. Vague interest in clerking.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers: 3.10 GPA, 171 LSAT. STEM major, eligible for patent bar. Research experience.

-How many times you have taken the LSAT: Once, will not take again.

*Estimated. Have not received an offer, but trying to accelerate the process.

[Generally]

The only school that could really make a case against Michigan here is NU maybe, but you don't have a real offer from them so it's hard to say which I'd say there. If it was $90k vs $90k, I would still think Michigan wins, all else being equal. Penn isn't worth sticker, and Vandy isn't going to be near as good for your goals as Mich is. Emory is out, and WUSTL is too risky in my opinion, even if with you maybe having ties to St. Louis.

[orangered]

Michigan, easily, over all of your current options. Even if you get into NYU, I'd still go to Michigan unless your NYU COA is within 50k. Patent pros is all about your STEM credentials (which youre not going to get at any law school). Your patent lit opportunities will have to do far more with your grades than what school within the T10 you go to.

[James.K.Polk]

Michigan, easily, over all of your current options. Even if you get into NYU, I'd still go to Michigan unless your NYU COA is within 50k. Patent pros is all about your STEM credentials (which youre not going to get at any law school). Your patent lit opportunities will have to do far more with your grades than what school within the T10 you go to.

Great to know. I studied biochem and have worked 2 years as a med chemist for the NIH. No advanced degree, but hopefully the research experience carries me if I choose to go to patent prosecution.

Thanks!

[James.K.Polk]

One follow-up: If I can swing Northwestern so that COAs are about on par (I'll update the thread when I have the actual offer), is there any definite reason to pick one over the other? Michigan has ranking, Northwestern has had slightly better numbers of late, plus some of their additions from Pritzker seem like nice bonuses.

[urbanist11]

As it stands, Michigan, but pick NU if the COA ends up being significantly lower. If they are close i would go with whichever you liked the feel of more/has better IP opportunities, etc.

A 1 place difference in the rankings doesn't mean shit (nor do medians)

[James.K.Polk]

Sounds about in line with my thinking. Just wanted to be sure I wasn't crazy. And neither Penn nor a theoretical NYU is worth it at sticker? I assume not...