USC vs UT? Forum

[rcm2140]

Is USC always going to be a better bet for LA biglaw or government than UT Austin (in spite of UT's T14 status)?

But would UT ultimately provide more options in the rest of the country - say DC or Philly? Note that I live in NYC now, but I want to leave for the long term.

Outside of NYC, I have strong ties to Southern California, DC, and PA. I also have the Columbia alumni network from undergrad.

[cavalier1138]

USC is a bit more regional than UT, but UCLA would be a better point of comparison. As mentioned in your other thread, UCLA is demonstratively better than USC in just about every area.

All of these schools are regional, though. Good grades at any will give you access to NYC (and maybe some DC firms), but without ties and grades, these schools will keep you relatively close to their home bases. The only time you start to see a real difference in national reach is with T13 schools. I would also caution you to not rely too much on your undergraduate network. Those contacts might give you an "in" with some jobs (as in a point of contact, not a guaranteed hire), but not enough to overcome the hiring protocols for biglaw or federal government work.

[poptart123]

Would you rather strike out of Philly/DC and be in CA or TX?

[BigZuck]

I'd say Yes to your first question and Probably Not to your second. They're basically the same school in terms of placement power and how they are viewed nationally.

I don't think that being a Columbia UG grad will make a difference in terms of legal hiring.