Easier to stand out at lesser law school? Forum

[Weshallsee]

Big fish small pond vs. little fish big pond when applying for jobs. maybe better chances of hugher class rank, prof relations, networking, perks, scholarship, notoriety, etc at a TTT? Or does the degree perhaps do most of the work for you. And I'm not talking about Harvard... But like T25 and below.

Please give your opinion and why/ why not the other. Thanks!

[stillwater]

It's best to be the biggest baddest mafuqin fish in the biggest pond.

[Weshallsee]

It's best to be the biggest baddest mafuqin fish in the biggest pond.

Well obviously but if not...

[goldeneye]

Big fish small pond vs. little fish big pond when applying for jobs. maybe better chances of hugher class rank, prof relations, networking, perks, scholarship, notoriety, etc at a TTT? Or does the degree perhaps do most of the work for you. And I'm not talking about Harvard... But like T25 and below.

Please give your opinion and why/ why not the other. Thanks!

No. law school grades are not predictable. everyone goes into school wanting to be #1. Go where it's cheap.

[cinephile]

Terrible plan.

[dingbat]

I tried that. It doesn't work.
The same attitude that lets you choose the lesser school results in the lesser class rank

[reasonable_man]

You will stand out - you will shine bright - you will be the most special snow flake - on the unemployment line.

[rad lulz]

You will stand out - you will shine bright - you will be the most special snow flake - on the unemployment line.

Be like Rihanna - shine bright like a diamond

[somewhatwayward]

Choose the school that gives you the biggest scholarship that doesn't have ridiculous stipulations (should be like top 50% stip at the most stringent - if you fail to meet stip, drop out after first year). The reason is that a T25 (or T20 or T30 or T50) is not really a big pond ITE. It is pretty mediocre. The only schools that are truly big ponds are HYS and possibly the rest of the T14. I will qualify that by saying that if the T1 school places unusually well in a market you have ties to, it might be worth it. If the T1 is not a big pond, it makes sense to go to the cheapest law school, again keeping in mind that you should drop out if you lose your scholarship or fall below the grades necessary to get a job.

Also, some TT/TTT/TTTTs actually place better than some T1s (worst placement I have seen, from any tier, is from American which is T1...I'd bet half the unaccredited schools outplace it). If your T1 places worse it equal to the TT/TTT you are considering, why would you go there? Even if the T1 places a bit better, is that worth 100K+?

So the way to think about it is not little fish in big pond v big fish in little pond but employment outcomes and cost.

Lastly, you should really retake if these are your options. You could get a big scholarship to the T25 with a better LSAT and have your cake and eat it too.

[dingbat]

You will stand out - you will shine bright - you will be the most special snow flake - on the unemployment line.

Be like Rihanna - shine bright like a diamond

Not bright like a diamond - dull like a rock

[heythatslife]

Don't matter how brightly you shine if people ain't looking your way.

[Sheffield]

Go as big as you can.

Many businesses never get started because of the lack of lender money. That is clearly not the case with Law School, lender money is available if you are entrepreneur minded and willing to put yourself out there. If so, secure the best law school you can and let the chips fall.

Note, TLS has a multitude of horror story threads but rarely (if ever) do I see threads highlighting the thousands (or tens of thousands) who are delighted with their law school decision and successful outcome. I guess there is a perfectly good rationale for that, but admittedly, I'm not certain why.

[WhatOurBodiesAreFor]

Go as big as you can.

Many businesses never get started because of the lack of lender money. That is clearly not the case with Law School, lender money is available if you are entrepreneur minded and willing to put yourself out there. If so, secure the best law school you can and let the chips fall.

Note, TLS has a multitude of horror story threads but rarely (if ever) do I see threads highlighting the thousands (or tens of thousands) who are delighted with their law school decision and successful outcome. I guess there is a perfectly good rationale for that, but admittedly, I'm not certain why.

The fact that you can assume $300K of debt and not be virtually guaranteed a job on the other side is why there is this sentiment on TLS. And understandably.

I'm with you though. I'm going to take the gamble. If I put everything I have into it I figure there is only a very, very small chance I don't land a good job right out of graduation. Even if I do have trouble finding a job, it's not like the world will end; there will always be a way forward.

[cinephile]

Note, TLS has a multitude of horror story threads but rarely (if ever) do I see threads highlighting the thousands (or tens of thousands) who are delighted with their law school decision and successful outcome. I guess there is a perfectly good rationale for that, but admittedly, I'm not certain why.

You do realize that's because there's no a soul on Earth who is delighted with law school.

[Ludo!]

Saw in your other thread you're considering phoenix school of law. Don't go to law school

[Mr. Pancakes]

STETSON LAW IS A SCAM.

[goldeneye]

Go as big as you can.

Many businesses never get started because of the lack of lender money. That is clearly not the case with Law School, lender money is available if you are entrepreneur minded and willing to put yourself out there. If so, secure the best law school you can and let the chips fall.

Note, TLS has a multitude of horror story threads but rarely (if ever) do I see threads highlighting the thousands (or tens of thousands) who are delighted with their law school decision and successful outcome. I guess there is a perfectly good rationale for that, but admittedly, I'm not certain why.

The fact that you can assume $300K of debt and not be virtually guaranteed a job on the other side is why there is this sentiment on TLS. And understandably.

I'm with you though. I'm going to take the gamble. If I put everything I have into it I figure there is only a very, very small chance I don't land a good job right out of graduation. Even if I do have trouble finding a job, it's not like the world will end; there will always be a way forward.

got damn people like you are the worst. You're so happy to be in debt that others foot the bill for. You realize you have a 50% chance that you won't land a good job. Not a "very, very small chance". EDUCATE YOURSELF.

[Rahviveh]

Go as big as you can.

Many businesses never get started because of the lack of lender money. That is clearly not the case with Law School, lender money is available if you are entrepreneur minded and willing to put yourself out there. If so, secure the best law school you can and let the chips fall.

Note, TLS has a multitude of horror story threads but rarely (if ever) do I see threads highlighting the thousands (or tens of thousands) who are delighted with their law school decision and successful outcome. I guess there is a perfectly good rationale for that, but admittedly, I'm not certain why.

The fact that you can assume $300K of debt and not be virtually guaranteed a job on the other side is why there is this sentiment on TLS. And understandably.

I'm with you though. I'm going to take the gamble. If I put everything I have into it I figure there is only a very, very small chance I don't land a good job right out of graduation. Even if I do have trouble finding a job, it's not like the world will end; there will always be a way forward.

got damn people like you are the worst. You're so happy to be in debt that others foot the bill for. You realize you have a 50% chance that you won't land a good job. Not a "very, very small chance". EDUCATE YOURSELF.

TBF, he's got some pretty good options on his LSN.

[ManOfTheMinute]

No, its actually harder to stand out at lesser law schools because all the smartest people think that so the lesser law schools are actually filled with the smarter people and the best law schools are filled with only the people smart enough to get in, but not smart enough to go to a lesser law school. Therefore, in order to most easily standout you should go to the best law school possible.

True story.

[goldeneye]

Go as big as you can.

Many businesses never get started because of the lack of lender money. That is clearly not the case with Law School, lender money is available if you are entrepreneur minded and willing to put yourself out there. If so, secure the best law school you can and let the chips fall.

Note, TLS has a multitude of horror story threads but rarely (if ever) do I see threads highlighting the thousands (or tens of thousands) who are delighted with their law school decision and successful outcome. I guess there is a perfectly good rationale for that, but admittedly, I'm not certain why.

The fact that you can assume $300K of debt and not be virtually guaranteed a job on the other side is why there is this sentiment on TLS. And understandably.

I'm with you though. I'm going to take the gamble. If I put everything I have into it I figure there is only a very, very small chance I don't land a good job right out of graduation. Even if I do have trouble finding a job, it's not like the world will end; there will always be a way forward.

got damn people like you are the worst. You're so happy to be in debt that others foot the bill for. You realize you have a 50% chance that you won't land a good job. Not a "very, very small chance". EDUCATE YOURSELF.

TBF, he's got some pretty good options on his LSN.

true, but encouraging others to do so is wrong. And his mindset still isn't right. Just because you go to Michigan doesn't guarantee you a job. It just means if you go with scholarship, you have more flexibility.

[Sheffield]

got damn people like you are the worst. You're so happy to be in debt that others foot the bill for. You realize you have a 50% chance that you won't land a good job. Not a "very, very small chance". EDUCATE YOURSELF.

That’s why they devised the T-14, so your odds would be in the favorable 90% range.

[goldeneye]

got damn people like you are the worst. You're so happy to be in debt that others foot the bill for. You realize you have a 50% chance that you won't land a good job. Not a "very, very small chance". EDUCATE YOURSELF.

That’s why they devised the T-14, so your odds would be in the favorable 90% range.

it's not 90%. I"m not saying those aren't good choices, it just should be largely about finances.

[nickb285]

.

[Sheffield]

You do realize that's because there's no a soul on Earth who is delighted with law school.

LOL, no one is delighted with law school, it is hard work. The key word being WORK. That said, I wish TLS had an area that highlighted the many successes derived from LS. But I have come to accept, that is not going to ever happen.

If you choose a lessor school, what comes to mind is what a wise man in an Indiana Jones movie said.... "you have chosen poorly" (right before the guy turned to ashes!).

[Lord Randolph McDuff]

I tried that. It doesn't work.
The same attitude that lets you choose the lesser school results in the lesser class rank

I think this is an insightful post. The "easier to stand out because I go to a lesser school" is 100% the wrong attitude for success.

I do think the culture is significantly different as you go down the rankings. The top of the class at pretty much every school is very smart, and could compete at YHS. But the bottom of the class is a different story. People whose primary concern is not about grades. This is missed a lot on TLS, in my opinion. Just walking through the halls of my school and looking at the composite photos is telling-- dozens of people with dogs, lots of people with burger king hats, fishing rods, frat star shades, and of course, people next to each other in the alphabet who collude and point at each other or make funny faces. My personal favorite-- dude brahs who borrow someone else's infant child for the photos. Pretty hilarious to see the same baby being awkwardly cradled by three or four people on the same composite.