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So I have asked these questions like a million times but my decision is coming up this week and I want to ask once more and put the full info on my goals / connections out there because I still feel completely confused as to where I should go.

Ideally I would like to work in Southern California in the private sector.

My dad is a lawyer at a big firm in NorCal and because of this I have some solid connections up there, I have a clerkship at a private firm lined up for my 1L summer no matter where I decide to go. My dad is pushing Davis because his opinion is that while UCI has been doing well a lot of older lawyers hiring at firms don't even realize that UCI has a law school, while Davis already has a solid enough reputation in California, and it will be more helpful for me to go to a school that the people hiring me would recognize instead of one they might not have heard of. He also says that it will be easier to find a job in the LA/OC area after spending a few years at a good firm in NorCal, and we actually have family friends who are lawyers from big firms who go to Davis to conduct OCIs, which would be helpful for me. I'm concerned about the rankings drop but he says as long as the ranking is in the same area then it wont really affect job prospects, as lawyers aren't constantly checking US news to see how each school is doing. Davis is also going to pay for 75% of my tuition.

The familial connections definitely make Davis sound like a strong choice for me, while I would prefer to work in SoCal it makes sense that I would probably have an easier time getting hired at a better job from Davis (at least from what my dad says - I don't know how true this is and would like another opinion.) He's also asked for advice from other lawyers in the bay and they basically have all said Davis is the best option (one guy said Notre Dame).

So I **think** that is enough to rule out UCI, but I have seen some people put UCI > Davis, and I would like to hear more on that if anyone shares that opinion. My concern during ASW was that they seemed to put a huge emphasis on public interest. I'd love to be involved in public during law school but ultimately want to work private.


Then there's ND, which is a more prestigious school out in the midwest but I've never been to the midwest and have no idea if I would like living there. I'm waiting to speak to a counselor from there about what job prospects in California are like. I've seen that a lot of people from California who go to ND end up back here, and I'm sure my familial connections would help, but I don't know if that's still kind of risky. I've lived in California my entire life and went to a public undergrad and would love to go to a private school across the country for a change of pace, but I'm worried about getting stuck in Chicago/Cincinnati/Detroit. I have never been to any of these cities.

UCI and ND aren't offering me as much money as Davis is but both are offering enough that I would be able to graduate without debt.

Sorry for the massive post. I have to decide on Wednesday and am very overwhelmed/confused. I want to go with my dad's advice but I have no idea if he's over-hyping Davis. I am also considering going to any of said schools and if i do well enough to try and transfer into UCLA/USC/Berkeley etc.

Just to add on - I just got off the phone with ND and she made it seem like job prospects in California aren't unlikely given that that is where I am from, as long as I put in a lot of effort to network. I also don't know if they're trying to sell the school as much as possible.

is your dad paying for your legal education? can your dad guarantee a job after you graduate?

also, there is a forum on this board specifically for choosing law schools.

retake. its crazy that you would be willing to transfer to USC and pay sticker but you aren't willing to retake.

khaleesi_k wrote:I also don't know if they're trying to sell the school as much as possible.

They are.

guybourdin wrote:retake. its crazy that you would be willing to transfer to USC and pay sticker but you aren't willing to retake.

khaleesi_k wrote:I also don't know if they're trying to sell the school as much as possible.

They are.

Do they not offer scholarships to transfers?

amta wrote:also, there is a forum on this board specifically for choosing law schools.

Oops I see that now. I'll repost.

khaleesi_k wrote:

guybourdin wrote:retake. its crazy that you would be willing to transfer to USC and pay sticker but you aren't willing to retake.

khaleesi_k wrote:I also don't know if they're trying to sell the school as much as possible.

They are.

Do they not offer scholarships to transfers?

most schools dont. http://gould.usc.edu/academics/degrees/jd/transfer/
direct quote from that above website states "Transfer students are not eligible for USC Gould scholarship consideration. However, you may apply for student loans — including federal Stafford loans, federal Plus loans and private educational loans."

khaleesi_k wrote:

amta wrote:also, there is a forum on this board specifically for choosing law schools.

Oops I see that now. I'll repost.

I was debating between UCI and ND last year (ruled out UCD) and am happy to share with you my thoughts.

khaleesi_k wrote:

guybourdin wrote:retake. its crazy that you would be willing to transfer to USC and pay sticker but you aren't willing to retake.

khaleesi_k wrote:I also don't know if they're trying to sell the school as much as possible.

They are.

Do they not offer scholarships to transfers?

nope. transfers pay sticker. You may find the occasional exception, but its going to be somewhere over 99% of transfers who don't get any merit scholarships. Does that make a retake more enticing?!