Top Law Schools

This is strictly speculation, but I've been out for a few years and have a couple friends applying or in LS who have told me that certain schools really do like to limit the "experience" their classes have. I've been told HLS would rather take someone with 0-2 years experience, over an "equal" but older candidate; and that SLS, for example, would do the opposite. I'm curious if this is a confirmed trend, or merely just self-selection (that older applicants steer clear of certain schools). I'm also curious which schools are most "old" friendly

I don't know about a certain school being more "old friendly" than another...but I do know that Northwestern places a strong emphasis on prior work experience which would place the majority of its students in an age bracket at least 2-3 years higher than that of some of its peer schools.

CordeliusX wrote:I'm also curious which schools are most "old" friendly

I'm 29 and have visited a few of them. Not sure what's considered old, but if it's 29, then I guess I'm old. Northwestern has the best rep for being friendly to old folks. When I visited Michigan, I definitely didn't feel like I was out of place (and I will be attending). Cornell and UVA seem to lean younger. When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying. Apparently everyone gchats, I don't know what that is, I assume something like AIM or facebook messaging but with the google. Georgetown has a decent number of older 20s people as well. Duke seems to fall somewhere better Michigan and UVA, but with a smaller class it probably changes more year to year.

Since I didn't think I had a shot at HYSCCN, can't speak to them.

holydonkey wrote:

CordeliusX wrote:I'm also curious which schools are most "old" friendly

I'm 29 and have visited a few of them. Not sure what's considered old, but if it's 29, then I guess I'm old. Northwestern has the best rep for being friendly to old folks. When I visited Michigan, I definitely didn't feel like I was out of place (and I will be attending). Cornell and UVA seem to lean younger. When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying. Apparently everyone gchats, I don't know what that is, I assume something like AIM or facebook messaging but with the google. Georgetown has a decent number of older 20s people as well. Duke seems to fall somewhere better Michigan and UVA, but with a smaller class it probably changes more year to year.

Since I didn't think I had a shot at HYSCCN, can't speak to them.

I'm 19 and I couldnt for the life of me tell you what gchat is..

CordeliusX wrote:This is strictly speculation, but I've been out for a few years and have a couple friends applying or in LS who have told me that certain schools really do like to limit the "experience" their classes have. I've been told HLS would rather take someone with 0-2 years experience, over an "equal" but older candidate; and that SLS, for example, would do the opposite. I'm curious if this is a confirmed trend, or merely just self-selection (that older applicants steer clear of certain schools). I'm also curious which schools are most "old" friendly

I don't know where your friends got their information, but from personal experience and anecdotes from friends at other schools this is actually the exact opposite of the way it works. Virtually every school prefers experience (to a certain degree - if you're over 30 it might be a liability), some more than others (i.e., at Northwestern, 90% of the class has work experience, most of those more than 2 years).

At virtually every T14 school the majority of the class has work exerperience.

..

Mike19 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:

CordeliusX wrote:I'm also curious which schools are most "old" friendly

I'm 29 and have visited a few of them. Not sure what's considered old, but if it's 29, then I guess I'm old. Northwestern has the best rep for being friendly to old folks. When I visited Michigan, I definitely didn't feel like I was out of place (and I will be attending). Cornell and UVA seem to lean younger. When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying. Apparently everyone gchats, I don't know what that is, I assume something like AIM or facebook messaging but with the google. Georgetown has a decent number of older 20s people as well. Duke seems to fall somewhere better Michigan and UVA, but with a smaller class it probably changes more year to year.

Since I didn't think I had a shot at HYSCCN, can't speak to them.

I'm 19 and I couldnt for the life of me tell you what gchat is..

You're 19? What are you doing thinking about law school already? Go to Q-zar or something!

Tangerine Gleam wrote:

Mike19 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:

CordeliusX wrote:I'm also curious which schools are most "old" friendly

I'm 29 and have visited a few of them. Not sure what's considered old, but if it's 29, then I guess I'm old. Northwestern has the best rep for being friendly to old folks. When I visited Michigan, I definitely didn't feel like I was out of place (and I will be attending). Cornell and UVA seem to lean younger. When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying. Apparently everyone gchats, I don't know what that is, I assume something like AIM or facebook messaging but with the google. Georgetown has a decent number of older 20s people as well. Duke seems to fall somewhere better Michigan and UVA, but with a smaller class it probably changes more year to year.

Since I didn't think I had a shot at HYSCCN, can't speak to them.

I'm 19 and I couldnt for the life of me tell you what gchat is..

You're 19? What are you doing thinking about law school already? Go to Q-zar or something!

Eh. Im applying for Fall 2011 admission soon. But the sad part is I actually went to a Q-zar a few months ago with friends as a joke

Mike19 wrote:Eh. Im applying for Fall 2011 admission soon. But the sad part is I actually went to a Q-zar a few months ago with friends as a joke

Laser tag is still awesome. Just ask Barney Stinson.

bk187 wrote:

Mike19 wrote:Eh. Im applying for Fall 2011 admission soon. But the sad part is I actually went to a Q-zar a few months ago with friends as a joke

Laser tag is still awesome. Just ask Barney Stinson.

Bleh. NPH. 'nuff said.

Mike19 wrote:Eh. Im applying for Fall 2011 admission soon. But the [strike]sad[/strike] awesome part is I actually went to a Q-zar a few months ago with friends because laser tag rocks[strike]as a joke [/strike]

ftfy. I went to laser tag on my 28th birthday. Laser tag doesn't stop being awesome when you get older.

holydonkey wrote:When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying.

LOLWUT?

chicoalto0649 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying.

LOLWUT?

They had no knowledge of NKOTB or Webster and kept referencing someone called spongebob.

To help the youngsters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster_(TV_series)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NKOTB

holydonkey wrote:

chicoalto0649 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying.

LOLWUT?

They had no knowledge of NKOTB or Webster and kept referencing someone called spongebob.

He's legit. Only the most brilliant people live in a pineapple under the sea. Just sayin.

holydonkey wrote:

chicoalto0649 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying.

LOLWUT?

They had no knowledge of NKOTB or Webster and kept referencing someone called spongebob.

To help the youngsters:
--LinkRemoved--)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NKOTB

Sounds like law school was the right choice for you....twenty years ago

chicoalto0649 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:

chicoalto0649 wrote:

holydonkey wrote:When I visited UVA, I felt ancient (although I loved the school) and couldn't understand a lot of what the kids were saying.

LOLWUT?

They had no knowledge of NKOTB or Webster and kept referencing someone called spongebob.

To help the youngsters:
--LinkRemoved--)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NKOTB

Sounds like law school was the right choice for you....twenty years ago

How did you know??? I turned down Cooley when I was 9 and I've been regretting it ever since. I think I could have pulled top 10% and landed biglaw.