UPenn vs. UCLA for NorCal BigLaw Forum

[mittens7]

I'm torn between UCLA ($70K) and UPenn (pending--maybe sticker) for NorCal Big Law. I do NOT want to be in SoCal long term. Berkeley/SLS/HYS = rejection, UChicago/Columbia = WL. I'm still waiting on NYU. My other acceptances/waitlists aren't priority anymore, as my partner doesn't want to do more long distance and is job hunting in major metros only.

-GPA/LSAT: 3.5, 173 (taken once). 3.5 years of work experience ( environmental law group and then USAO paralegal).

-I'm from Northern California and my entire family is there, but I went to college in New England and have worked here since.

-Financing: I've saved up $90K, and my parents have generously offered to loan me up to $200K w/o interest. I have a partner who will share living expenses. $ is $, but for the sake of this decision, I want to think more about opportunities > money.

-Career goals: BigLaw litigation--land use/real estate, but I'd like to end my career in PI environmental law of some kind. If I went to Penn, I'd do a certificate with Wharton courses (and an environmental law certificate, time permitting).

I think UCLA could be a good fit, but I'm worried about competing with Stanford/Berkeley/T14 grads in San Francisco/Silicon Valley. I like Philly.

[QContinuum]

Seems like you've performed more or less in line with your numbers:


Did you apply to Northwestern? If not, why not? Looks like you're on track for sticker at Penn, but would have been on track for $70k at NW.

If you didn't apply to NW, it may be worth reapplying next cycle to potentially save $70k. But among your current options, I think Penn at sticker would be worth it for BigLaw litigation over UCLA with $70k. We're talking about 78.5% BigLaw placement at Penn, vs. 40.5% at UCLA. While a strong school, the median UCLA student will not land BigLaw.

[mittens7]

Did you apply to Northwestern? If not, why not? Looks like you're on track for sticker at Penn, but would have been on track for $70k at NW.

I actually did, and wrote a targeted extra essay about my midwest ties (partner is from there, at one point in this process we were willing to return). They WL'd me. I'm currently on the waitlist, but not super chuffed about riding it.

Re: numbers--I can't complain about my cycle at all. I had a GPA addendum about sexual assault recovery and hoped it would hold some water for Berkeley when I ED'd, but stats are king.

[QContinuum]

Hmm I see. In that case, I think that, barring an unlikely 11th-hour intervention from NYU, Penn's the right call here.

Congrats on your offers!