Hi all!
Scholarships: Cornell $: $70k USC $$: $100k
Goals: I want to end up in LA big law. I have ties in LA and I think I would like to stay here. For me, I think LA Big law > LA job > NYC big law (if I had to). But I know that the LA market is already saturated with USC/UCLA Law grads, and looking at the LST report for USC really makes me nervous. I don’t have any family out on the east coast, which is a big factor. Honestly, I think that any CA big law/midsize firm job would be good since I want to stay in CA.
ASD: I visited both schools’ ASDs and honestly liked USC’s ASD better in terms of vibe and people I clicked with. I feel like I for sure have a better support network out here in CA (family, friends). I feel like I enjoyed Cornell’s intellectual environment, prestige, tight knit community, and especially its law employment numbers.
BUT what worries me is I want a job in CA (preferably LA big law, but honestly any LA midsize firm would be great too). I heard that in general, it is hard even for the lower T14 to get back to the west coast.
I am just honestly afraid I may place in the bottom 2/3 of my USC class, and if I do, will I be able to find an LA/CA private practice job? As long as a midtier LA firm/CA firm job is guaranteed at USC, I will feel more reassured.
Thoughts? Opinions? Would love to hear anything or any advice you all may have. Feel free to yell at me if there’s an obvious decision. Thank you all in advance!
USC ($$) vs Cornell ($) Forum
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beinghuman
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 5:10 pm
Re: USC ($$) vs Cornell ($)
Here are my two cents.
I do not go to Cornell but I am a big fan of the school and really loved it when I visited. They have solid employment numbers and I think are doing a good job placing their students. Now the caveat is that it will probably be much easier to work in NY than CA after graduation. There is however a CA student group at Cornell as they have a decent number of students from CA who want to go back. You should get in touch with them and see what they have to say.
I personally would be nervous going to any school ranked below Cornell. At that level, paying "a little" more is worth the peace of mind/opportunities.
If you don't do well at USC you will probably struggle more, Cornell would give you more room for error...
I do not go to Cornell but I am a big fan of the school and really loved it when I visited. They have solid employment numbers and I think are doing a good job placing their students. Now the caveat is that it will probably be much easier to work in NY than CA after graduation. There is however a CA student group at Cornell as they have a decent number of students from CA who want to go back. You should get in touch with them and see what they have to say.
I personally would be nervous going to any school ranked below Cornell. At that level, paying "a little" more is worth the peace of mind/opportunities.
If you don't do well at USC you will probably struggle more, Cornell would give you more room for error...
missakari wrote:Hi all!
Scholarships: Cornell $: $70k USC $$: $100k
Goals: I want to end up in LA big law. I have ties in LA and I think I would like to stay here. For me, I think LA Big law > LA job > NYC big law (if I had to). But I know that the LA market is already saturated with USC/UCLA Law grads, and looking at the LST report for USC really makes me nervous. I don’t have any family out on the east coast, which is a big factor. Honestly, I think that any CA big law/midsize firm job would be good since I want to stay in CA.
ASD: I visited both schools’ ASDs and honestly liked USC’s ASD better in terms of vibe and people I clicked with. I feel like I for sure have a better support network out here in CA (family, friends). I feel like I enjoyed Cornell’s intellectual environment, prestige, tight knit community, and especially its law employment numbers.
BUT what worries me is I want a job in CA (preferably LA big law, but honestly any LA midsize firm would be great too). I heard that in general, it is hard even for the lower T14 to get back to the west coast.
I am just honestly afraid I may place in the bottom 2/3 of my USC class, and if I do, will I be able to find an LA/CA private practice job? As long as a midtier LA firm/CA firm job is guaranteed at USC, I will feel more reassured.
Thoughts? Opinions? Would love to hear anything or any advice you all may have. Feel free to yell at me if there’s an obvious decision. Thank you all in advance!
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GouldenBear
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 10:21 pm
Re: USC ($$) vs Cornell ($)
If you want LA then choose USC. Both schools are rather regional so you should choose the school that's located in the region that you want to work in. If you go to USC then you can network while you're there to find a job and also tap into the Trojan alumni network, which really helps in LA.
If you're in the bottom half of the class at USC, then getting into Big Law will be difficult. But, you can still easily go into a mid-size or small firm and then lateral to a Big Law firm a couple years later.
Cornell is a great school, but they place mostly in NYC and a spattering in DC and the West Coast. If you do well at Cornell, I'm sure you can make it back to LA--but then you probably would have done well at USC and been fine too.
If you're in the bottom half of the class at USC, then getting into Big Law will be difficult. But, you can still easily go into a mid-size or small firm and then lateral to a Big Law firm a couple years later.
Cornell is a great school, but they place mostly in NYC and a spattering in DC and the West Coast. If you do well at Cornell, I'm sure you can make it back to LA--but then you probably would have done well at USC and been fine too.
