Top Law Schools

Listen, I've flipped through previous posts of people "tiering" schools within the T14. But, quite honestly, after spending several years in crappy weather and just enduring a terrible winter, I've realized that great weather is key to my happiness. What can I say? The first time I saw snow was after college.

The majority of T14 schools don't really have weather going for them. Given what I've just said, is it really that important if I go to a #8 vs. a #10? Maybe I'm just having seasonal mood disorder, but I'd like to spend the next three years in a location where the only thing I have to worry about is one inch of snow.

/whining

Just go to Duke.

Good weather schools:
- Stanford (3)
- Berkeley (6)
- Duke (10)
- UVA (10)
- UCLA (15)
- U Texas, Austin (15)
- Vanderbilt (17)
- USC (18)

You have a pretty good choice across the T14 there I think. Does it matter if you pick Texas over Columbia? Probably, yes. Does it matter if you pick Stanford or Berkeley over Columbia? Much less likely.

If you're miserable you won't do as well at school. You should pick a location that will put you at your best but I probably wouldn't choose a Florida school over Yale just for the weather. It's a trade off like many other parts of choosing a law school.

Penn > Duke

viking138 wrote:Good weather schools:
- Stanford (3)
- Berkeley (6)
- Duke (10)
- UVA (10)
- UCLA (15)
- U Texas, Austin (15)
- Vanderbilt (17)
- USC (18)You have a pretty good choice across the T14 there I think. Does it matter if you pick Texas over Columbia? Probably, yes. Does it matter if you pick Stanford or Berkeley over Columbia? Much less likely.

If you're miserable you won't do as well at school. You should pick a location that will put you at your best but I probably wouldn't choose a Florida school over Yale just for the weather. It's a trade off like many other parts of choosing a law school.

Aren't only 4 of those schools T14?

qualster wrote:

viking138 wrote:Good weather schools:
- Stanford (3)
- Berkeley (6)
- Duke (10)
- UVA (10)
- UCLA (15)
- U Texas, Austin (15)
- Vanderbilt (17)
- USC (18)You have a pretty good choice across the T14 there I think. Does it matter if you pick Texas over Columbia? Probably, yes. Does it matter if you pick Stanford or Berkeley over Columbia? Much less likely.

If you're miserable you won't do as well at school. You should pick a location that will put you at your best but I probably wouldn't choose a Florida school over Yale just for the weather. It's a trade off like many other parts of choosing a law school.

Aren't only 4 of those schools T14?

Yes, and unfortunately 2 of them are in the South and another in a not-so-nice location.

...

orphanarium wrote:

fortissimo wrote:

qualster wrote:

viking138 wrote:Good weather schools:
- Stanford (3)
- Berkeley (6)
- Duke (10)
- UVA (10)
- UCLA (15)
- U Texas, Austin (15)
- Vanderbilt (17)
- USC (18)You have a pretty good choice across the T14 there I think. Does it matter if you pick Texas over Columbia? Probably, yes. Does it matter if you pick Stanford or Berkeley over Columbia? Much less likely.

If you're miserable you won't do as well at school. You should pick a location that will put you at your best but I probably wouldn't choose a Florida school over Yale just for the weather. It's a trade off like many other parts of choosing a law school.

Aren't only 4 of those schools T14?

Yes, and unfortunately 2 of them are in the South and another in a not-so-nice location.

I've heard Georgetown (14) has pretty good weather, not as good as the CA schools or Duke though.

DC is way too humid and grimy. Then again so is the South.

Yeah I was just looking at T20 schools which I guess isn't exactly what the poster wanted...but if it was Cornell vs. Texas at sticker and they had SAD I would definitely advise Texas.

Virginia weather is definitely different from DC weather but don't ask me why...being in the country just makes humidity less gross I guess.

If you want 4 very distinct seasons come to VA.

For musical climate I think Nashville offers the widest variety (and at the lowest cost). At the same music venue I've seen Robert Earl Keen, Hootie, Steve Martin rocking out on his banjo, and am about to see Foreigner on Tuesday and Levon Helm next month.

For weather, we also have tornadoes. Can any other top school claim that?! I think not.

michigan and cornell

FTW

Borhas wrote:If you want 4 very distinct seasons come to VA.

Isn't that the justification used for moving to New England? Nashville has four seasons as well but I don't consider them as distinct as what I had up in Boston. That said, I happen to like riding my bike to school in January (when freak snowstorms don't shut down the city for multiple days by dumping a whopping 4 inches of snow).

observationalist wrote:For musical climate I think Nashville offers the widest variety (and at the lowest cost). At the same music venue I've seen Robert Earl Keen, Hootie, Steve Martin rocking out on his banjo, and am about to see Foreigner on Tuesday and Levon Helm next month.

For weather, we also have tornadoes. Can any other top school claim that?! I think not.

Austin gets tornadoes.

You guys are not selling me on a move to VA. Seasons? WTF?!

akili wrote:

observationalist wrote:For musical climate I think Nashville offers the widest variety (and at the lowest cost). At the same music venue I've seen Robert Earl Keen, Hootie, Steve Martin rocking out on his banjo, and am about to see Foreigner on Tuesday and Levon Helm next month.

For weather, we also have tornadoes. Can any other top school claim that?! I think not.

Austin gets tornadoes.

Did not know that until your post. Interesting. They also get Robert Earl Keen. Seems we may have a peer institution after all.

.

observationalist wrote:

Borhas wrote:If you want 4 very distinct seasons come to VA.

Isn't that the justification used for moving to New England? Nashville has four seasons as well but I don't consider them as distinct as what I had up in Boston. That said, I happen to like riding my bike to school in January (when freak snowstorms don't shut down the city for multiple days by dumping a whopping 4 inches of snow).

I've never been to New England, but I'd guess that their summers aren't quiet as Summer-like as the ones in VA. There are days that will be 100 degrees outside (rarely, but August will regularly have 90-95 temp weather). VA doesn't get a lot of snow, but most parts regularly get significant snow fall in the winter. I'd say VA weather is probably a bit more balanced, whereas New England is more tilted towards Winter.

If the OP wants to experience Winter, but not be inundated with snow. VA is TCR.

If the OP wants as little snow as possible, then Nashville, Tenn or generally Southern schools (NC and south of it) are better options.

If OP wants to avoid winter at all cost then the UC Berkeley is TCR, Duke too probably

fortissimo wrote:Yes, and unfortunately 2 of them are in the South and another in a not-so-nice location.

I suspect that you would be hard-pressed to find many schools that have warm weather for most of the year that are not in the South. And how is it unfortunate for a school to be located in the South?

pearl_earrings wrote:Honestly, I hear you on the weather issue. I ruled schools out based on weather - didn't even apply to schools like NYU and Michigan because of the cold. If you're going to spend 3 years working super hard, it would be nice to see a little sunshine and greenery out the window of the library.

By your description, it is as if Michigan and NYC have gray skies and rainy/snowy weather all year long.

Aeon wrote:

fortissimo wrote:Yes, and unfortunately 2 of them are in the South and another in a not-so-nice location.

I suspect that you would be hard-pressed to find many schools that have warm weather for most of the year that are not in the South. And how is it unfortunate for a school to be located in the South?

I just wanted to be snarky, but I have spent about 2 months cumulative in the region (both the upper South and Texas). It is quite pretty geographically speaking. In the summer--and in Dallas in the spring time--the region is unfortunately unbearably hot and humid. I don't think having "warm" weather is remotely nice when humidity is at 100% and it is 90 degrees out. While most people are really nice, culturally it is just VERY, VERY different from any other region I've lived in/been to. It's definitely the most distinct region in America and I don't really fit in there. (And I know some of you are going to say Texas is not part of the South, but what I've said is applicable to the area in the upper South that I stayed in as well.)

I'd personally take Chicago's weather over Southern weather, but this is probably because I am far more hot & humid averse than cold averse.

Of course this year's winter has been really weird. Parts of the Upper South have gotten more snow than Chicago/Upper Midwest/NYC have. When I was down in the upper South during winter break, they got some major snowfall and it was pretty dark and gray the entire 2 weeks I was there.

Austin weather - glorious. currently 75 degrees and sunny!!

I hate winters too. I'm probably taking UT with $$$ over NYU.

An important factor as mentioned is weather ( ) you are more cold-averse or more humid-hot averse. Since I can't stand cold weather but don't mind hot humid days, I would rank Duke and UT highest, followed closely by Vanderbilt, and then Virginia. I excluded Stanford and Berkeley since I didn't apply there, but I assume those two places have pretty great weather as well, without the humidity of the eastern US.

I agree with the OP that you want to be in a place that makes you happy during law school. It will likely help you to perform at your best. Even though we're going to spend most of our waking hours indoors studying, it will be nice to emerge after finals in December and find a nice mild winter day awaiting.

louboutin wrote:Austin weather - glorious. currently 75 degrees and sunny!!

I hate winters too. I'm probably taking UT with $$$ over NYU.

LOL

fortissimo wrote:

louboutin wrote:Austin weather - glorious. currently 75 degrees and sunny!!

I hate winters too. I'm probably taking UT with $$$ over NYU.

LOL

I want to work in Texas. Why go to NYU if I have no desire to practice in the East? And for me, money is a factor.

louboutin wrote:

fortissimo wrote:

louboutin wrote:Austin weather - glorious. currently 75 degrees and sunny!!

I hate winters too. I'm probably taking UT with $$$ over NYU.

LOL

I want to work in Texas. Why go to NYU if I have no desire to practice in the East? And for me, money is a factor.

I totally understand and agree with this. Spending more money than necessary to attend a t6 schools only to return to Texas seems foolish. Not to mention, you'd probably have at least some potential future employers asking "So why didn't you just go to UT if you wanted to work here?"

Not everyone is gunning for NYC/CA/DC...