Top Law Schools

I need some help on my decision. I would really appreciate if y’all could include some of your thoughts and where you would specifically attend in this respective situation and why. It’s a little long, I’m sorry.

University of San Diego versus Pepperdine University

About me:
BA: Public Relations and Business
MBA: International Business

Legal Interest: Intellectual Property (Copyright or Trademark); Dispute Resolution; Corporate (Mergers and Acquisitions, etc.)…. I’m also interested in intermingling these fields with the International sector (will study and intern abroad…I speak 3 languages and currently learning a 4th).

Native southern Californian. Between LA/OC/SD, I’d probably want to work in San Diego, but I’m not picky at all. I like all three and can be happy anywhere.

Cost is not an issue.

Campus: I love the San Diego campus about 5x more than Pepperdine and their one building and basement classrooms. I also love SD and I don’t care much for Malibu. I’m from the OC so SD is very similar to my likes and needs.

Academics: I love Pepperdine faculty and am really interested in their amazing DR program. I felt a strong intellectual connection with the school and their people. I also like their conservative slant. USD faculty is fine, I’m not enthralled by them, but they both have great speakers and people coming in for seminars, etc.

Student Organizations/Clinicals: I find myself more interested in USD student organizations and clinical opportunities (diverse selection). But, I’m very interested in Pepperdine’s Dispute Resolution and Entrepreneurship Centers. Pepperdine has winning Moot Court/Mock Trial Teams (I like winners). Both schools have several journals that I would love to be involved with.

2L/3L Job: From my understanding USD has more opportunity for students to work during the school year. Pepperdine has diverse opportunities (L.A market, duh), but in general they have to drive a good traffic-filled distance to get to work and back to school. I believe they have comparable opportunities for 2L summer opportunities. I'll have to work my butt off to get a good job.

Schools Future: I see Pepperdine becoming a solid T1 in the near future and USD is stagnant and will always be a solid T2. The ranking whore in me likes that P’s reputation is growing tremendously.


Career Prospects: Pepperdine has much more opportunities than USD and in a much larger legal market. They also have a higher median starting salary.

That’s just a summation of my thoughts right now.

Thank you so much.

if cost is not an issue, aside from the potential house (sooo nice) ids why you'd opt for usd.

you sound like me, who unfortunately cost is an issue for (and that's not a proper sentence). good luck and enjoy pepperdine

Would you mind writing why you voted one way or the other.

It looks like the vote is basically equal and so I was wondering why people voted for San Diego and why people voted for Pepperdine.

Thank you.

Your parents will buy you a house in SD? Wow. I'd definitely take advantage of THAT generosity and go to USD for that reason alone.

If you're passionate about a program, and you've had enough exposure to know what it entails, then it may be to your benefit to pursue it. Greater interest leads to improved performance.

USD probably has a better standing in its metro area than Pepperdine does in LA, since LA has UCLA, USC, Loyola and lower-ranked schools. But USD tends to hold you to SD.

bumblebeetoona wrote:Your parents will buy you a house in SD? Wow. I'd definitely take advantage of THAT generosity and go to USD for that reason alone.

Devil's advocate - they might take it as a license to meddle or drop in, and independence from your parents is valuable.

Thanks for the comments.

Any other thoughts?

What if I took the house off the table? Would the vote still be for USD?

As great as the house is, the academics and career prospects, etc. are more important.

Anything you have to say regarding the two schools would be greatly appreciated.

You're in a tough situation.

You did a good job of breaking it down and have clearly done some good research.

I think that looking down the line for the future, you should go to Pepperdine. That's the up and coming school in a much larger market. Yes, they compete with UCLA/USC/Berktown and the other T14 but the market is big enough to handle all of it (obviously, as Pepperdine has a high placement rate and their avg income is 90K or so). Pepperdine also has movement into OC (which you're a native). You'll have to work hard no matter what but PU is growing in reputation and definitely well respected.

San Diego is fantastic and beautiful (I agree better than Malibu) and they own the market but you won't have as many opportunities in different sectors of law. The growing field is IP (Patent). IFyou get a Patent bar, you can make a good career in SD whether you go to USD or not. Biotechnology is booming in San Diego. But there's not as much opportunity for Dispute Resolution and the international sector.

No matter where you pick, it'll be a good decision, you'll have to work your butt of no matter what, but I think Pepperdine will be a good choice.

Good luck.

thanks cqphan... I was thinking something similar with regards to Pepperdine.

San Diego is clearly killing in the polls and I would really like someone to state why they picked USD, besides the politics and the house? What is it about USD that you like better than Pepperdine?

Is there something that I'm clearly not taking into consideration?

I recently did a SWOT analysis and even a TOWS matrix of the two schools (I know I'm a nerd) and Pepperdine came out stronger (not by much). Right now, I'm heavily leaning towards Pepperdine and I would like to know what I'm missing.

Help... please!