UPenn vs. Columbia Forum

[sonu718k]

I've been accepted at both Penn and Columbia, and I'm having a hard time deciding between the two. For transfer students in particular, which school have you heard is a better choice. I would ideally like to do a clerkship, but I know that without LR, it's not that viable even at both of these schools (and with Penn, I could still hypothetically write on still... but again, def. no guarantee, and odds are that I won't). And generally speaking, I could wait a few years to clerk and would be completely happy with BigLaw.

Penn has been on the phone with me a few times and I think maybe it's that or the fact that it's a smaller school make it seem like transfer students tend to do well there, and have similar opportunities in terms of OCI, etc.

Does anyone have any insight into how transfers fare at Columbia?

Because as a transfer, you end up paying sticker price at both schools, it's so stressful to think I might make the wrong choice.

So, any insight/ links to articles/ personal anecdotes or comments/ etc. are welcome.

[JohnnyUtah397]

Columbia's LR write-on competition was in May. If you missed that than no LR.

[sonu718k]

Columbia's LR write-on competition was in May. If you missed that than no LR.

Yea, I'm aware of that. The only school I have the option to write-on to law review at this point is Penn. But the chances are so minimal of making it, so I don't know how much that should factor too much into my decision.

[lasersgopewpew]

Columbia's LR write-on competition was in May. If you missed that than no LR.

Yea, I'm aware of that. The only school I have the option to write-on to law review at this point is Penn. But the chances are so minimal of making it, so I don't know how much that should factor too much into my decision.

True, but you could still do a secondary journal at Penn (not LR but certainly better than no journal), and your biglaw chances would be about par with Columbia. From what I understand via members of this community, Columbia transfers do quite well at OCI, but I can't imagine Penn transfers do substantially worse, if at all. If you don't get law review and chase a clerkship from biglaw, I don't think either school presents a considerable advantage over the other.

Long story short if you're set on a clerkship, I'd do everything within your power to write on at Penn. Chances are slim, but it's not impossible. I'd rather give myself any shot at a journal than no shot, especially with cost of attendance and biglaw chances being close to even.

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Not a huge deal but if big law opportunities are equal, tuition at Penn is like 6000 cheaper plus cost of living in Philly is much more manageable. Plus you have the opportunity to do some sort of journal.

[sonu718k]

Not a huge deal but if big law opportunities are equal, tuition at Penn is like 6000 cheaper plus cost of living in Philly is much more manageable. Plus you have the opportunity to do some sort of journal.

Actually, I could write-on to a journal at Columbia too, just not LR.

[lasersgopewpew]

Not a huge deal but if big law opportunities are equal, tuition at Penn is like 6000 cheaper plus cost of living in Philly is much more manageable. Plus you have the opportunity to do some sort of journal.

Actually, I could write-on to a journal at Columbia too, just not LR.

I must have misread the information, I thought the only way on to any Columbia journal was to do the May write-on.

[sonu718k]

Not a huge deal but if big law opportunities are equal, tuition at Penn is like 6000 cheaper plus cost of living in Philly is much more manageable. Plus you have the opportunity to do some sort of journal.

Actually, I could write-on to a journal at Columbia too, just not LR.

I must have misread the information, I thought the only way on to any Columbia journal was to do the May write-on.

The only way to write-on onto Law Review at Columbia was in May. The rest of the journals are still open to write-on to at Columbia. At Penn, even LR is still an option to write-on to.

[SportsFan]

I know a guy who transferred to Penn from a T2 school, and he ended up getting a V5 offer which he turned down for a V15 in NYC. Obviously this is just one anecdotal example, but I thought I'd share.

[Wholigan]

In my Penn transfer class, at least two got clerkships out of twenty or so transfers. Neither was on LR. I don't know if this is any better or worse than at Columbia but I thought you might like to know that you don't have to give up hope if you don't make Law Review.

[JamMasterJ]

I'd go to Penn. Firms only care about your grades wrt to their cutoffs at your old school and it's WAY cheaper. Also the small shot at LR