Top Law Schools

My GPA is over 3.95, and given the recent GRE change, I'm applying to both of these schools with GRE Verbal/Math scores of 168/169 out of 170 (98/96th percentile, respectively). Given my other softs (5 years as as Naval officer, transgender, first in family to attend college), and assuming I write good personal/diversity statements, I think I have a good shot of getting into one or both of these schools. Plus, with the GI Bill, if I get into either school, combined with Yellow Ribbon Program aid, I should be able to attend for free. Here is my dilemma though:

While I would love the prestige of attending Harvard, I'm not really sure I would enjoy living in Boston. I've heard some less than positive reviews from the LGBT community about the city, and I'm not sure what the community is like there. On the other hand, I've been living in DC for the past 5 years, and really love the LGBT community here and would be afraid of leaving it behind. Plus, I want to eventually do policy work for the LGBT community, which would land me in DC for a job anyways, so I figure Georgetown wouldn't be the worst bet in that regard since relevant internships and volunteering/networking opportunities are abundant here. I also like Georgetown's clinical offerings better, since they have options directly related to what I want to do, wherein I didn't see anything as directly appealing on Harvard's website.

I haven't even gotten into either school yet, so I may not even have to make this decision, but would there be anything wrong with choosing Georgetown in this situation? This is assuming I NEVER want to go into biglaw, wherein I'm sure I would be 1000x better off going to Harvard.

No comment on your actual question, but please report back if you get into Harvard/GULC. I'm interested to see how seriously they take GRE scores. Also, if you get into GULC, how much scholarship.

Any Georgetown law students/alumni want to weigh in on Georgetown positives, or Harvard students/alumni on the LGBT community there?

Llewellyon wrote:Any Georgetown law students/alumni want to weigh in on Georgetown positives, or Harvard students/alumni on the LGBT community there?

GULC grad here. Go to Harvard if you can get it.

Llewellyon wrote:Any Georgetown law students/alumni want to weigh in on Georgetown positives, or Harvard students/alumni on the LGBT community there?

GULC grad. I don't think it's as clear cut as the poll is making it out to be if you KNOW you want PI, ESPECIALLY policy work. The reason I say this is because there are countless opportunities to intern on the Hill/in non-profits/think tanks/etc. during the school year if you live in DC, which you won't be able to do if you are at Harvard (with the caveat that I don't know about the extent of these types of opportunities in Boston, but I have to think there are more policy-related internship positions available in DC). That said, I would probably still take Harvard because (a) it's Harvard, (b) you can intern every summer in DC, which will likely be enough to land you something in DC permanently and (c) you can do clinics offered via Harvard/intern in Boston during the school year to make up for what you might be missing out on in DC.