Question about HowardU Forum

[AAJD2B]

After reading some negative posts about HU, I searched through the Vault Law 100 and discovered that HU grads are present in many of the top firms. The commonality among associates and partners is Law Review. I recognize that making it onto a journal is very difficult (top 10%?), but it appears that HU does provide a pathway to BigLaw.

Is it irrational to assume that this is a feasible option? Is it equally as difficult to achieve top 30% at a T14 as it is to achieve top 10% at HU?

Honestly, most everyone I know who went to Howard Law is at a BIGLAW firm. One of my close acquaintance is actually a black female attorney who graduated from Howard and is working overseas as counsel for a firm of similar reputation to Cravath/Skadden/Davis Polk, etc.

HU is a toss up, but with it comes a stigma of being at a large firm because of your skin color and not due to your school's reputation or grades. It will require you to jump more hoops than say a fellow black or URM associate who went to one of HYSCCN.

Honestly, if it came down to the likes of Vandy or USC at sticker versus HU on near or full scholly, I would choose HU. Just expect to work twice as hard there. I also hear the admin (like most admins at other HBCUs) really sucks. Hopefully you won't have to make such a decision in your cycle.

[rad lulz]

j

[AAJD2B]

Honestly, most everyone I know who went to Howard Law is at a BIGLAW firm. One of my close acquaintance is actually a black female attorney who graduated from Howard and is working overseas as counsel for a firm of similar reputation to Cravath/Skadden/Davis Polk, etc.

Oh cool an anecdote

Ain't it cool? Thanks!

[urbanecologie]

I work at a firm in DC--not sure what our NLJ ranking is, but we start associates at $145,000--and Howard is well represented among our associates. I'd say we have just as many Howard grads as we do GW and GULC grads. I don't know if they feel they have been treated differently, though.

I will say that while our associate class is diverse, our partners are mostly Georgetown/T-14 grads. (But we all know that big firms have issues retaining talented POC.)

[Nova]

I just want to point out, again, that Howard has absurd scholarships stipulations, so almost everyone pays full tuition 2&3L there. Its a trap that prays on optimism.

[DPhoenix]

I've done a lot of research on attending Howard vs a T14. IMO you have to pursue the T14. While it's true that roughly 30 (maybe more?) students who attend Howard are offered amazing opportunities in big law every year (think WLRK, Cravath, Davis, Skadden, etc.), from what I've seen those people are usually people who have really strong resumes.

I say grab a 160+ LSAT score, apply to Howard and all the T14 and make the best decision for you. Good luck.

[flat-fifth]

I'm not aware of stipulations in prior cycles, but the offer I have includes incremental reductions based upon class rank. In order to lose the scholly entirely, you must fall below 50th percentile.

"If the student ranks below the top 50% of his or her class or section, subject to paragraph two, below, the merit scholarship will not be renewed."

[DPhoenix]

I'm not aware of stipulations in prior cycles, but the offer I have includes incremental reductions based upon class rank. In order to lose the scholly entirely, you must fall below 50th percentile.

"If the student ranks below the top 50% of his or her class or section, subject to paragraph two, below, the merit scholarship will not be renewed."

My offer says the same.

[Nova]

I'm not aware of stipulations in prior cycles, but the offer I have includes incremental reductions based upon class rank. In order to lose the scholly entirely, you must fall below 50th percentile.

"If the student ranks below the top 50% of his or her class or section, subject to paragraph two, below, the merit scholarship will not be renewed."

Thanks. Still bad, but not egregiously bad. Pretty typical TTT stipulation.