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Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 3:48 pm
by WiltyMIZ
Hey y'all. So I've been doing some soul-searching on the eve of my LSAT (maybe not the best time to think about this kind of thing but...eh) and I'm leaning towards trying to crack the chicago market after school.
As far as grades and LSAT go: I'm at around a 2.8 or so, with the potential to bring that to a 2.9-3 after this year. My LSAT practice scores are consistently pretty high, but knowing the nature of the test, and depending on what sections are the "shitty" ones, I know that it's not an easy thing to speculate. I've been prepping in the 169-174 range consistently this past month or so (save one bad test the other week, but that was still a 167) so, I'd say best/worst case scenario for that would be 172-165 though this is again speculation. I could always tank and then this thread will be irrelevant.
Anyways, barring UChicago and Northwestern, are there any schools in the general vicinity worth taking a gander at? WUSTL and Vandy are probably my top picks at this point, but nothing is guaranteed...at all for those. I know Chicago has plenty of other law schools but they all seem hard to justify given their prices and employment outcomes. Iowa seems like a viable option, but even LST reports are hard for me to interpret given the nature of legal markets in general.
Any thoughts? Do I just retake if my scores fall on the southern end of this spectrum?
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 3:59 pm
by star fox
Get above a 170 and then you can either pay sticker at Northwestern or get a big scholarship at WashU, your call. But don't settle for a lower score.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 11:38 pm
by guynourmin
I believe Illinois is better than WUSTL/Vandy/ND/Iowa/Minnesota/Indiana/Chicago TT(T)s for Chicago. Is there a reason you didn't mention Illinois?
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 4:56 pm
by favabeansoup
star fox wrote:Get above a 170 and then you can either pay sticker at Northwestern or get a big scholarship at WashU, your call. But don't settle for a lower score.
^ OP. Retake the LSAT if you don't get 170+, especially since you've been practicing in that range.
It might mean taking a year off working between graduation and law school, but it would benefit your career options and expected debt load tremendously. Don't settle for lower ranked schools just because you feel like you need to go to law school immediately.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 3:25 pm
by trebekismyhero
guybourdin wrote:I believe Illinois is better than WUSTL/Vandy/ND/Iowa/Minnesota/Indiana/Chicago TT(T)s for Chicago. Is there a reason you didn't mention Illinois?
Yeah, retake to get into NU, but after that Illinois is usually the best bet. I'd say Illinois/ND are basically tied followed by WUSTL for Chicago.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:48 am
by dm1683
I would put Notre Dame up there with WashU and Illinois as the top secondary schools for the Chicago market, what with its almost cultish alumni network and strong Midwestern reputation. Avoid Loyola, Depaul, Chicago-Kent, and Marquette like the plague (although full rides to the first two wouldn't be a death sentence as long as you cut your losses and drop out if you aren't above median).
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 9:40 am
by Bach-City
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Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:27 pm
by PrezRand
Bach-City wrote:Vandy has had some pretty solid BigLaw placement recently (higher than GULC, for whatever that's worth) so I wouldn't discount them if you get a good scholarship.
If I were you with a 170+ I'd take a run a Northwestern at sticker and see what kind of scholarship you can get at Vandy, WUSTL, WashU, and Notre Dame. I'd also apply to any T14 where you're above their 75th, no reason not to take a run at it, and any T14 can probably get you back to Chicago if you have ties.
Vandy's placement isn't higher than GULC for big law. You must be referring to big law + fed clerkship.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:53 pm
by 20170322
star fox wrote:Get above a 170 and then you can either pay sticker at Northwestern or get a big scholarship at WashU, your call. But don't settle for a lower score.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:05 pm
by guynourmin
dm1683 wrote:I would put Notre Dame up there with WashU and Illinois as the top secondary schools for the Chicago market, what with its almost cultish alumni network and strong Midwestern reputation. Avoid Loyola, Depaul, Chicago-Kent, and Marquette like the plague (although full rides to the first two wouldn't be a death sentence as long as you cut your losses and drop out if you aren't above median).
No discernible difference b.t any of the non-t14, non-John Marshall Chicago schools IMO. To say Loyola for free is fine but Kent should be avoided like the plague seems strange. Of course, all should be avoided if you're BL or bust, all should be almost free, and you should be going in expecting small law/pd/non-legal, etc.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:08 pm
by Eldon Tyrell
If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:18 pm
by Johann
I'd go Illinois or Norte dame or wustl as the next tier below Chicago/NW. I would not do Iowa.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 4:59 pm
by BlendedUnicorn
Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:25 pm
by snowball2
HuntedUnicorn wrote:Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
Northwestern will get you into biglaw, but if you don't perform well, then it doesn't matter. On the other hand, end up at the top 15% of Illinois or Notre Dame and you'll get biglaw opportunities in Chicago. For DePaul/Loyola you'll need to be in top 10%.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:28 pm
by trebekismyhero
snowball2 wrote:HuntedUnicorn wrote:Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
Northwestern will get you into biglaw, but if you don't perform well, then it doesn't matter. On the other hand, end up at the top 15% of Illinois or Notre Dame and you'll get biglaw opportunities in Chicago. For DePaul/Loyola you'll need to be in top 10%.
Illinois and ND have a little more separation than that from Depaul/Loyola. For DePaul/Loyola/Kent you definitely need to be top 10%. Illinois and ND you can be in the top 25% and still have big law opportunities
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 1:56 pm
by BlendedUnicorn
snowball2 wrote:HuntedUnicorn wrote:Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
Northwestern will get you into biglaw, but if you don't perform well, then it doesn't matter. On the other hand, end up at the top 15% of Illinois or Notre Dame and you'll get biglaw opportunities in Chicago. For DePaul/Loyola you'll need to be in top 10%.
I don't know what this means.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 2:01 pm
by Nebby
HuntedUnicorn wrote:snowball2 wrote:HuntedUnicorn wrote:Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
Northwestern will get you into biglaw, but if you don't perform well, then it doesn't matter. On the other hand, end up at the top 15% of Illinois or Notre Dame and you'll get biglaw opportunities in Chicago. For DePaul/Loyola you'll need to be in top 10%.
I don't know what this means.
They're trying to say it's easier to get top 15% at UIUC/ND or top 10% at DePaul/Loyola than median at NU
lol
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 2:10 pm
by BlendedUnicorn
Nebby wrote:HuntedUnicorn wrote:snowball2 wrote:HuntedUnicorn wrote:Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
Northwestern will get you into biglaw, but if you don't perform well, then it doesn't matter. On the other hand, end up at the top 15% of Illinois or Notre Dame and you'll get biglaw opportunities in Chicago. For DePaul/Loyola you'll need to be in top 10%.
I don't know what this means.
They're trying to say it's easier to get top 15% at UIUC/ND or top 10% at DePaul/Loyola than median at NU
lol
Ahh, I guess my fail safe kicked in then.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2016 7:25 am
by hangingtree
HuntedUnicorn wrote:Eldon Tyrell wrote:If you're trying to work biglaw in Chicago I would never ever go anywhere below northwestern.
Yeah, it's a tough market.
+1
JohannDeMann wrote:I'd go Illinois or Norte dame or wustl as the next tier below Chicago/NW. I would not do Iowa.
+1
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:49 am
by mickey_mouse
After the Illinois/ ND/ WUSTL tier, some of the other Big Ten schools also seem to place a couple kids in Chi BigLaw each year. I'm talking Wisconsin, Ohio State, IU. I might recommend these above Depaul, Kent, etc. because at least you have the school's home secondary market to fall back on (But with no ties, secondary mkts will know they're your fallback). But Chicago legal market is tough unless you're at UC, NU or Mich. To give you perspective, I was ~top 25% at UC/NU/Mich and got just two big firm offers in Chicago (I naively thought top 25% at T14 I'd have my pick of firms. Not so in Chicago at least).
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:59 am
by trebekismyhero
mickey_mouse wrote:After the Illinois/ ND/ WUSTL tier, some of the other Big Ten schools also seem to place a couple kids in Chi BigLaw each year. I'm talking Wisconsin, Ohio State, IU. I might recommend these above Depaul, Kent, etc. because at least you have the school's home secondary market to fall back on (But with no ties, secondary mkts will know they're your fallback). But Chicago legal market is tough unless you're at UC, NU or Mich. To give you perspective, I was ~top 25% at UC/NU/Mich and got just two big firm offers in Chicago (I naively thought top 25% at T14 I'd have my pick of firms. Not so in Chicago at least).
If you want to be in Chicago you shouldn't go to IU/Wisconsin/OSU. Yes, if you're top 10% at those schools you have a shot at big law in Chicago, but same for Loyola/Kent/DePaul and median from the latter will almost certainly place better in Chicago than the prior. Now if you're not set on Chicago then I would agree with you
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:26 pm
by guynourmin
mickey_mouse wrote: chicago
Are you from Chicago?
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 11:19 am
by mickey_mouse
guybourdin wrote:mickey_mouse wrote: chicago
Are you from Chicago?
Yes.
I think we can agree that median at DePaul/ Loyola/ Kent and median at OSU/ Wisc/ Iowa are probably screwed.
Re: Chicago legal market - schools to consider outside the t14
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 3:28 pm
by trebekismyhero
mickey_mouse wrote:guybourdin wrote:mickey_mouse wrote: chicago
Are you from Chicago?
Yes.
I think we can agree that median at DePaul/ Loyola/ Kent and median at OSU/ Wisc/ Iowa are probably screwed.
Agreed, but at that point it comes down to hustle and networking alumni contacts, so if you're targeting Chicago, OSU/Wisc/Iowa provide no advantage over the Chicago schools.