Top Law Schools

As title says! I've been struggling between the two immensely... Your reasoning will be most helpful, thank you!

I'd personally take Vandy. I think it just places better overall and if you want NYC you'll be able to snag it from Vandy. Plus, Nashville is cheaper. I certainly see an argument for Fordham, but I jsut think Vandy gets you BL, and maybe not NYC, whereas, Fordham gets you NYC but maybe not BL. That's a lot of debt to not get BL.

To swing NYC biglaw from Fordham, you'll need to get very high grades. You have a bit more insurance at Vandy to get lower grades and still achieve biglaw, if not in NYC then almost certainly in the south where the Vanderbilt name has cachet. It's really hard to tell how you will ultimately do in your first year of law school because of the curve. So I would go with Vandy.

Thank you for your replies! Just a little more information. I'm currently living in NYC with a degree from Columbia University. Not sure if that matters in job selection, but I'm fairly all-around NYC and pretty set on going to NYC, albeit NYC Big Law.

I understand Vandy has better BL numbers while Fordham has better NYC numbers. But when it comes to "NYC BL", I feel like the competition becomes much fierce.

I often hear the importance of networking as well, though as of right now I don't quite understand how being in NYC vs emailing lawyers in Tennessee will affect my networking capabilities (perhaps in the alumni, I suppose?)

If you've got a strong NYC portfolio, I think you'll have little trouble coming back with a Vandy degree. With the updated info, I more strongly lean towards Vandy than previously stated. Just make sure to do your summers in NYC.

Is re-taking the LSAT and applying in a later cycle an option? Presumably, the recent inflation in LSAT scores will dissipate at some point, and Columbia, NYU, or Cornell could become a viable option for you down the road.

If you are "biglaw or bust," then the correct answer here is likely that you should retake the LSAT and reapply.

Vanderbilt is certainly a "better" choice here, but if you aren't comfortable with your non-biglaw options from that school, then you shouldn't go.

Would go with vandy! It's BL+FC numbers are better than at least a few t-14s and I don't see how vandy median won't get you generic NYC biglaw even if the economy isn't as good as it is now.

cavalier1138 wrote: ↑

Mon May 09, 2022 12:52 pm

If you are "biglaw or bust," then the correct answer here is likely that you should retake the LSAT and reapply.

Vanderbilt is certainly a "better" choice here, but if you aren't comfortable with your non-biglaw options from that school, then you shouldn't go.

Thoughts on Vandy's 2021 250+ BL/FC rate? (69%). Given that no other T20 has risen as nearly as much, what do you think caused this? Also, Vanderbilt c/o 2024 size is 154 compared to the typical 180-200. Do you think this will have a material impact on outcomes?

BasedCii wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 11:46 pm

cavalier1138 wrote: ↑

Mon May 09, 2022 12:52 pm

If you are "biglaw or bust," then the correct answer here is likely that you should retake the LSAT and reapply.

Vanderbilt is certainly a "better" choice here, but if you aren't comfortable with your non-biglaw options from that school, then you shouldn't go.

Thoughts on Vandy's 2021 250+ BL/FC rate? (69%). Given that no other T20 has risen as nearly as much, what do you think caused this? Also, Vanderbilt c/o 2024 size is 154 compared to the typical 180-200. Do you think this will have a material impact on outcomes?

Bolded largely answers the question in the previous sentence.

The Lsat Airbender wrote: ↑

Mon May 23, 2022 12:07 am

BasedCii wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 11:46 pm

cavalier1138 wrote: ↑

Mon May 09, 2022 12:52 pm

If you are "biglaw or bust," then the correct answer here is likely that you should retake the LSAT and reapply.

Vanderbilt is certainly a "better" choice here, but if you aren't comfortable with your non-biglaw options from that school, then you shouldn't go.

Thoughts on Vandy's 2021 250+ BL/FC rate? (69%). Given that no other T20 has risen as nearly as much, what do you think caused this? Also, Vanderbilt c/o 2024 size is 154 compared to the typical 180-200. Do you think this will have a material impact on outcomes?

Bolded largely answers the question in the previous sentence.

Right but their c/o 2021 with the ridiculous employment outcomes had 192 students. Wondering if the decrease makes Vandy a better value proposition employment-wise.

I was curious about these two schools too so I took a look at the 2023 ABA Employment Reports for both schools.

SOURCE (Fordham): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IY743Q ... sOON_/view
SOURCE (Vanderbilt): https://cdn.vanderbilt.edu/vu-sub/wp-co ... b-2023.pdf

Vanderbilt
Total Full Time Graduates: 191
Large Law Firm (501+): 108
Federal Clerkship: 12
BIGLAW + FEDCLERK RATE: 62.83%

Fordham
Total Full Time Graduates: 386
Large Law Firm (501+) Positions: 178
Federal Clerkship: 11
BIGLAW + FEDCLERK RATE: 48.96%

Both schools placed more students in New York than any other state. Vanderbilt placed 42 (or 21.99%) of its students in New York while Fordham placed 343 (or 88.86%) of its students in New York.

The analysis here is complicated. If you absolutely need to be in New York and no other market will suffice for whatever reason, I would take my chances with Fordham. The gamble is that you may get a job in New York, but you're less likely to land a biglaw job than if you were to go to Vandy. If it won't be the end of the world if you have to settle for another market, then Vandy is the clear choice here.

Keep in mind that the recent hiring data comes from a very robust hiring cycle. Biglaw hiring was going gangbusters when the class of 2023 was doing recruiting season (I'd expect the same for class of 2024). Look up class of 2011/12 data if you want something closer to a "worst case" hiring season.