Top Law Schools

Yale has been my dream school for as long as I can remember, but I am waitlisted at YLS and really enjoyed ASW at SLS. I'm trying to get a better sense of the cultural differences between Stanford and Yale. My impression is that employment prospects are pretty similar at both schools, although Yale has an edge for clerkships. One professor at Stanford's ASW who has taught at both schools said that the students at Yale seem to be more "intellectually entrepreneurial". Stanford's ASW stressed the PRACTICAL SKILLS we will learn at SLS, and I am trying to figure out if this was a pitch to differentiate SLS from Yale or if there is a discernable difference. Thanks for any and all feedback!

Geneva wrote:Stanford's ASW stressed the PRACTICAL SKILLS we will learn at SLS, and I am trying to figure out if this was a pitch to differentiate SLS from Yale or if there is a discernable difference. Thanks for any and all feedback!

This may not be a tremendous help, since this article doesn't talk about the law school in particular - just the university, but some food for thought:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012 ... ntPage=all

Stanford, as a whole, does seem to have a far more entrepreneurial focus than other universities. No idea about the extent this translates to the law school in particular.

LSAT Blog wrote:

Geneva wrote:Stanford's ASW stressed the PRACTICAL SKILLS we will learn at SLS, and I am trying to figure out if this was a pitch to differentiate SLS from Yale or if there is a discernable difference. Thanks for any and all feedback!

This may not be a tremendous help, since this article doesn't talk about the law school in particular - just the university, but some food for thought:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012 ... ntPage=all

Stanford, as a whole, does seem to have a far more entrepreneurial focus than other universities. No idea about the extent this translates to the law school in particular.

interesting read! any more feedback about stanford vs yale?

Geneva wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:

Geneva wrote:Stanford's ASW stressed the PRACTICAL SKILLS we will learn at SLS, and I am trying to figure out if this was a pitch to differentiate SLS from Yale or if there is a discernable difference. Thanks for any and all feedback!

This may not be a tremendous help, since this article doesn't talk about the law school in particular - just the university, but some food for thought:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012 ... ntPage=all

Stanford, as a whole, does seem to have a far more entrepreneurial focus than other universities. No idea about the extent this translates to the law school in particular.

interesting read! any more feedback about stanford vs yale?

Palo Alto is orders of magnitude better than New Haven. This is especially important if you have a family/enjoy night life/have a life outside of law school.

Other than that...Yale is Yale...I would keep riding the waitlist.

Curious1 wrote:
Palo Alto is orders of magnitude better than New Haven. This is especially important if you have a family/enjoy night life/have a life outside of law school.

Other than that...Yale is Yale...I would keep riding the waitlist.

I will. I wonder if Yale is actually more intellectual and theoretical than SLS...if the people are less concerned with appearance, dorkier, and more accepting of diverse viewpoints...if the Palo Alto Stepford Wives mentality infiltrates the law school at all? I'm just repeating some things I've heard; would appreciate it if people would weigh in here.

I think that Stanford and Yale will give me similar career options, except for Yale's advantage re:appellate clerkships--is this true? If so, I wonder which culture would be a better "fit".

Geneva wrote:I wonder which culture would be a better "fit".

These are existential questions for which TLS is ill-equipped to resolve.

Blessedassurance wrote:

Geneva wrote:I wonder which culture would be a better "fit".

These are existential questions for which TLS is ill-equipped to resolve.

Very True: But how would you answer these questions: I wonder if Yale is actually more intellectual and theoretical than SLS...if the people are less concerned with appearance, dorkier, and more accepting of diverse viewpoints...if the Palo Alto Stepford Wives mentality infiltrates the law school at all? I'm just repeating some things I've heard; would appreciate it if people would weigh in here.

Geneva wrote:

Blessedassurance wrote:

Geneva wrote:I wonder which culture would be a better "fit".

These are existential questions for which TLS is ill-equipped to resolve.

Very True: But how would you answer these questions: I wonder if Yale is actually more intellectual and theoretical than SLS...if the people are less concerned with appearance, dorkier, and more accepting of diverse viewpoints...if the Palo Alto Stepford Wives mentality infiltrates the law school at all? I'm just repeating some things I've heard; would appreciate it if people would weigh in here.

Anyone? Thanks!