Top Law Schools

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a degree isn't a ticket to anywhere in any economy,

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Its a pretty straightforward argument in my opinion. Better score is a better school. You clearly want to get into a top school and be top performer, I dont think you need an article to explain that passion.

If you still want articles you can look up some statistics on law school transparency about employment rates after graduation, average starting salaries etc etc and its listed by school.

I suggest you peruse the "Law School Tuition Bubble" blog:

http://lawschooltuitionbubble.wordpress.com/

Matt Leichter does a pretty good job of using actual data and statistics, as opposed to drama and speculation commonly seen in media articles, to describe the current and predict the future state of law schools and legal employment.

Just be a grown up and point out you've done the research and don't feel the need to further justify your decision.

wert3813 wrote: While trying to explain to my dad that anything not named H/Y/S isn't a guarantee he made the point that if you project the economy to pick up again in the next few years by the time I would get out law would be a good field again.

He obviously doesn't understand how BigLaw hiring works.

That being said, what does it matter that he understand why you're retaking a 167? It's your life, your choice. Not to mention that you will have the 167 no matter what, so why not retake and see what happens?

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LOLWUT? Why does he care if you retake the lsat?

There's some scholarship out there to suggest that it doesn't really matter where you go. On average, you'll get better grades at schools with dumber students. And grades matter way more than school name. So retake, or don't, but realize that you can totally go to Harvard and strike out. And you can go to Duke and end up at Wachtell. Your ability and drive is way more important than which school you choose (assuming we're talking Harvard vs. Duke here and not Harvard vs. Fordham).

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wert3813 wrote:

dr123 wrote:LOLWUT? Why does he care if you retake the lsat?

Guys it's not about retaking the LSAT. He really doesn't care. I'm paying for the LSAT anyway. He was surprised that someone, anyone, would take a 97th ish percentile score on any standardize test. In the process I realized he really didn't really know much about law school in general. I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction of some big overarching literature on the issue. Regardless, wikipedia and a few other articles I have found have been immensely helpful. So thanks everyone.

Take the ABA employment data for the T14 schools. Make a chart showing placement into firms of 500+ attorneys and federal clerkships by USNWR rank and cross-reference it with a chart of LSAT medians by USNWR rank.

wert3813 wrote:

rayiner wrote:Just be a grown up and point out you've done the research and don't feel the need to further justify your decision.

Ha. It's his money. And while I suppose I could just take the money and not explain to him that a Duke law degree isn't a sure thing that's not really how our relationship works.

Bro I still don't get it. Re-take the LSAT, do better, yet into HLS, have nothing to justify.

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wert3813 wrote:

IAFG wrote:

wert3813 wrote:

rayiner wrote:Just be a grown up and point out you've done the research and don't feel the need to further justify your decision.

Ha. It's his money. And while I suppose I could just take the money and not explain to him that a Duke law degree isn't a sure thing that's not really how our relationship works.

Bro I still don't get it. Re-take the LSAT, do better, yet into HLS, have nothing to justify.

That's what I'm doing. The dilemma was not what should I do, it was how to explain to intelligent outsiders how this process works other than telling them to click around TLS for a while. But like I said I got what I needed.

I am missing where you said you got what you needed but I'd just save time and buy him Paul Campo's book.

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wert3813 wrote:

IAFG wrote: I am missing where you said you got what you needed but I'd just save time and buy him Paul Campo's book.

What/Who is your avatar?

Karen from Will and Grace? How old are you?

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wert3813 wrote:

EvilClinton wrote:

wert3813 wrote:

IAFG wrote: I am missing where you said you got what you needed but I'd just save time and buy him Paul Campo's book.

What/Who is your avatar?

Karen from Will and Grace? How old are you?

Old enough to remember my parents watching the show but young enough that I definitely wasn't watching it myself.

And you are old enough to go to law school? Damn I am getting really old.

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gyarados wrote:There's some scholarship out there to suggest that it doesn't really matter where you go. On average, you'll get better grades at schools with dumber students. And grades matter way more than school name. So retake, or don't, but realize that you can totally go to Harvard and strike out. And you can go to Duke and end up at Wachtell. Your ability and drive is way more important than which school you choose (assuming we're talking Harvard vs. Duke here and not Harvard vs. Fordham).

I agree. In many professional fields where you go to school definetly has a big impact on your career, however, it does not make or break your career. You can get into Harvard because you have great grades and got a 180 but find out you actually suck in a courtroom. I'll put it like this, going to hys isn't sufficient for being a good lawyer. When you get out of law school it will definetly help you, but if you are outperformed you are outperformed. I see it all the time in my line of work. Just because you went to XX Ivy League School, doesnt mean that someone who went to a less prestigous school wont be better at actually doing the job as you. School is one thing, the real world is something else. WIth that said make every effort you can to get into a top school, butdont be discouraged if you dont, Law School is only the start of a long career filled with opportunites that will make or break you. Just my 2 cents...