Why is GULC seen as much superior to GWU? Forum

[dontrogerthat]

I was just curious as to why GULC is thought of with much higher regard in these threads when people want to do biglaw? I have seen a few threads where people say GWU is only good with a fullride and GULC would be a good idea with half-tuition. Both of their undergraduate institutions are pretty great reputation-wise (gtown a bit more so, but still), so that can't be it. GULC has a 40% BL rate and GWU has a 32% BL rate which seems really really good since most of the grads are trying to get jobs in highly competitive DC. GULC even has twice as many school funded jobs (which isn't the best/most honest way to boost employment score), they have the exact same fed clerkship numbers, and the exact same public service score on LST. Can someone shed some light on why GULC is so much better?

[GreenEggs]

lol @ gw undergrad having a great reputation, or being even near the level of gtown undergrad

[Hand]

lol @ gw undergrad having a great reputation, or being even near the level of gtown undergrad

lol @ anyone thinking undergrad reputation matters

anyway, OP, word on the street is that it's hard to get a big law job coming from GW if you're not doing IP, but I have no idea really, since I'm neither at GW nor do I do IP

[dontrogerthat]

lol @ gw undergrad having a great reputation, or being even near the level of gtown undergrad

Sorry, I thought GW was a somewhat top undergrad...or it was seen that way when I was in the mist of college apps in high school.

[favabeansoup]

GW: Biglaw/fed clerk = 35.4% , Gov rate = 14.6% , PI = 4.9%
GULC: Biglaw/fed clerk = 44.1%, Gov Rate = 10.4%, PI = 9.1%


"Much superior" I wouldn't say so.

Better? yes. GULC gets you DC, NY, CA in significant numbers. GW will get you DC, VA, and some New York, but very unlikely to be going elsewhere. You are paying for the more national reach. If you are committed to staying in DC and you had a full ride to GW vs. a half ride at GULC, that might actually go to GW for me. GWU "only" good as a full ride, also probably not, but certainly 50% at the least with how much the schools costs there.

Undergrad institutions completely irrelevant.

[blerggggg]

...

[HonestAdvice]

The medians are very similar, but the cold truth is the difference in both ranking and reputations boils down to one factors that's only approximately 2% of the USNews formula but is a significant factor when it comes to prestige: penis size. For a short period GWU focused on length and the gap was quickly closing, but in 2010 USNews changed it's analysis and combined length with girth and these schools have gotten further and further apart ever since. As you might suspect, Catholic University has been particular impacted by this measure.

[Calbears123]

44% BL/FC allows you to get median pwned and still land one of those jobs due to self selection. 35% BL/FC, not so much.

[hipcatdaddio]

It's because Gtown is a full-blown LAW CENTER, whereas GW is just a law school. GW needs to add in a lazy river to compete with the prestige that comes with a law center.

[jbagelboy]

One is T14 and the other is not

Aside from that and a few points in BL/FC, I wouldn't exaggerate the distinction

[yoursinkai]

lol @ gw undergrad having a great reputation, or being even near the level of gtown undergrad

Sorry, I thought GW was a somewhat top undergrad...or it was seen that way when I was in the mist of college apps in high school.

GW UG in here to continue the aside and say that, at least among DC students and workers, GW and GU aren't seen to be at the same level for the most part. For poli sci/IA, both are great schools (top, probably) whose location provides great possibilities (indeed GW's spot may even be better suited for internships). But as someone who has interned around the District and has many friends who have done the same, when someone is reviewing job apps, GU students get an undeniable and significant bump. GW students tend to be seen as inside-the-box, Beltway-oriented, obsessively-politico workers, whereas GU students are seen as better thinkers or thought entrepreneurs. I also could be wrong, but I think GU students are more likely to get grad degrees than GW students, who tend to jump right into gov't/lobbying/think tank work, which contributes to the contrast. There are exceptions, as GW offers very generous financial aid, but that contributes to the strikingly clear talent gap at GW, as anyone who's attended there can tell you. Not sure that exists to the same degree at GU. Sorry for the tangent, but that's the overall view from my perspective as a GW student (who didn't apply to GU so isn't so salty about their admissions experience that they can only criticize the school up the way).

I can only add, considering I'm a UG, that GULC also just has far superior location and facilities to GW law. GW professors also have a habit (just as GW students) of being District-ites first, very into the Beltway shine, and academics second, and that may translate to the law school as well-- I'm not sure. However, I do know GW has a superlative government procurement program. Hope that helps at all.

[run26.2]

Currently seen that way? I think it is a vestige of 2 things. Primarily, USNWR has always ranked it higher (and the peer and lawyer/judge assessments have been higher). Secondarily, there has been a discrepancy in terms of the inputs (mainly the LSAT).

I think it was traditionally seen as superior because of the inputs and placement. In terms of placement, I think there used to be a bigger discrepancy, as I seem to recall (but would have to confirm) GULC seemed to suffer a worse fate than other schools in that its placement never recovered to its post-recession levels. I think GW is gaining ground on it in that regard.

By the way, here's an interesting website showing how LSAT scores have trended up over the years: https://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index ... THigh/2004