Top Law Schools

Did a search, came up with a few threads, but none really all that helpful. Obviously choosing a LS for social life is a pretty piss poor idea, but in situations that many of us are in in which schools may be equal in most other areas (strength of programs, geographic convenience, academic ranking, financial aid, etc.) I think considering social life / fun factor is a pretty worthy factor to consider. I limited it to the T-14 only because I was primarily interested in only a few schools, but figured keeping it to the few schools I was interested in wouldn't really be helpful to anyone else.

I realize social life differs by location. Obviously with places like NYU and Columbia you have NYC, but still I think it's possible to describe the social scenes and get a decent feel based on a few criteria. I'd say something like student body (obviously everyone in the t-14 is competive, but competitiveness =/= malice), local activities (bars, clubs, museums, jazz spots, etc.), on campus life, accessibility to places and easily accessed from, etc. Also the setting would help (college town, city, rural, etc.)

I'd especially like to hear the differences of school's social life like NW vs UChi, Columbia vs NYU, Stanford vs Berkeley, etc. if you go to one / have friends that attend the other.

Edit: And obviously best is subjective, but makes for an easy thread title. Hence why I said if you could give at least a small explanation of your criteria I'm sure it would help out everyone.

The one most likely to get you a job while still being able to get shitfaced on a regular basis:

Yale

/thread

Ikki wrote:The one most likely to get you a job while still being able to get shitfaced on a regular basis:

Yale

/thread

Followed closely by Stanford, then Harvard, for the same reasons.

I'm gonna go gather the opinions of some individuals who have each attended all the T14 schools. I'll be right back.

Almost 15k posts between the first three posters and all failed at reading the OP. I see no one kept their CR skills intact

^^ Ass post. Ignore.

hyakku wrote:Almost 15k posts between the first three posters and all failed at reading the OP. I see no one kept their CR skills intact

Nope. We answered your question.

ROFL, honestly grizz, I have to apologize. Although neither one of your answers answered my personal question, I completely missed the bolded:

The one most likely to get you a job while still being able to get shitfaced on a regular basis:

My fault

hyakku wrote:in situations that many of us are in in which schools may be equal in most other areas

hyakku wrote:NW vs UChi, Stanford vs Berkeley

Que?

bk187 wrote:

hyakku wrote:in situations that many of us are in in which schools may be equal in most other areas

hyakku wrote:NW vs UChi, Stanford vs Berkeley

Que?

?

I'm not sure what the above quote has to do with that, but I think you mis understand what I mean. I was asking to those who know people who attend one while they attend the other, vice versa, or possibly those who went to one for undergrad and the other for LS. Obviously NW and Uchi / Stan. and Berkeley don't have nearly the same geographic proximity to each other as NYU and CLS, but I think they are close enough to be more fit for direct comparison than say, Cornell vs NYU/CLS.

hyakku wrote:I'm not sure what the above quote has to do with that, but I think you mis understand what I mean. I was asking to those who know people who attend one while they attend the other, vice versa, or possibly those who went to one for undergrad and the other for LS. Obviously NW and Uchi / Stan. and Berkeley don't have nearly the same geographic proximity to each other as NYU and CLS, but I think they are close enough to be more fit for direct comparison than say, Cornell vs NYU/CLS.

UChi/NU and Cal/Stanford are most definitely not equal enough to each other to determine things based on social life (though I know some NU'ers despise Hyde Park enough to disagree with me).

bk187 wrote:

hyakku wrote:I'm not sure what the above quote has to do with that, but I think you mis understand what I mean. I was asking to those who know people who attend one while they attend the other, vice versa, or possibly those who went to one for undergrad and the other for LS. Obviously NW and Uchi / Stan. and Berkeley don't have nearly the same geographic proximity to each other as NYU and CLS, but I think they are close enough to be more fit for direct comparison than say, Cornell vs NYU/CLS.

UChi/NU and Cal/Stanford are most definitely not equal enough to each other to determine things based on social life (though I know some NU'ers despise Hyde Park enough to disagree with me).

While I personally agree with this, I can't say the same for everyone reading this thead. Also, maybe I should've been more explicit, but I meant when weighing factors such as, "Stanford I'm paying sticker but it's stanford, job prospects, etc." vs "But at berkeley I have $XX scholarship money, and being from the bay I'd prefer this location, also Berkeleys particular program (not really sure what Berk is > Stanford in definitively, but I'll say PI for sake of example) is stronger than Stanford's for me." etc. until, all things being equal, it came down to social life.

I mean it's not really likely anyone is going to decide a school based on social life, but exactly what you said at the end is the type of insight i'm talking about. Whether, if for some random ass reason NW and UChi were equal for a person, which would have the superior social life. This wasn't intended to be a comparison thread, I was just particularly interested in the schools that "share" cities and how their social lives fare.

I think the differences are generally pretty minor and would mainly come down to location, tempered by more subtle distinctions in schools' cultures.

NYU's downtown, surrounded by bars, and may possibly attract slightly less intense students on average than CLS, for instance; on the other hand, students are more dispersed around the city so there is more of a "commuter school" vibe, and Morningside Heights is actually a nicer place to live in a lot of ways.

Wouldn't be surprised if there were a similar comparison between NW and Chicago, with the additional factor of Northwestern having few direct from undergrad students.

Going someplace like Cornell or UVA is obviously going to give you a different social experience than being in NYC or Chicago.

I've always had the impression that Berkeley is more urban and feels part of the Bay Area and Stanford is more self-contained.

Overall, there are clear differences but I think it's 95% a personal preference thing; what do you want?

dixiecupdrinking wrote:NYU's downtown, surrounded by bars, and may possibly attract slightly less intense students on average than CLS

Ok so I haven't ever done this before but I have seen others point it out so Ill do my best. Above quoted is egregious anti-NYU trolling.

Mal Reynolds wrote:

dixiecupdrinking wrote:NYU's downtown, surrounded by bars, and may possibly attract slightly less intense students on average than CLS

Ok so I haven't ever done this before but I have seen others point it out so Ill do my best. Above quoted is egregious anti-NYU trolling.

Strange, I go to NYU. Would it change your opinion to know that I initially wrote "may possibly attract fewer gunners?"

bk187 wrote:

hyakku wrote:I'm not sure what the above quote has to do with that, but I think you mis understand what I mean. I was asking to those who know people who attend one while they attend the other, vice versa, or possibly those who went to one for undergrad and the other for LS. Obviously NW and Uchi / Stan. and Berkeley don't have nearly the same geographic proximity to each other as NYU and CLS, but I think they are close enough to be more fit for direct comparison than say, Cornell vs NYU/CLS.

UChi/NU and Cal/Stanford are most definitely not equal enough to each other to determine things based on social life (though I know some NU'ers despise Hyde Park enough to disagree with me).

Not so much that I would ever argue they are peer institutions or that, minus a decent scholly offer, somebody should go to NU over U of C. Chicago is just a better school, plain and simple.


Hyde Park does suck donkey balls, though.

Cornell.

/thread

orderofthings wrote:Cornell.

/thread

Ha! That shithole? Please...

Ikki wrote:

orderofthings wrote:Cornell.

/thread

Ha! That shithole? Please...

But...but...we have bar tabs?

Growing up in NYC I will offer that if NYU is much closer to most of the things worth doing. Columbia is in a bad part of town. Not like, run down bad, but potentially dangerous. Not a place I would for a second feel comfortable taking my chances going out, drinking, and using public trans to get back. Granted, it's NYC, so its always a risk of sorts, but you are really rolling the dice if you travel alone up that way. In case anyone didn't know, Columbia is pretty much in Harlem. But a taxi is always an option.

Within the institutions themselves, I can only speak for their undergrad culture. In that sense, NYU people were much more enjoyable to party with. I felt like every time I hung out with Columbia folk, the conversation descended into drunken politcs arguments.

So in my opinion, in terms of nightlife

CLS<NYU

orderofthings wrote:

Ikki wrote:

orderofthings wrote:Cornell.

/thread

Ha! That shithole? Please...

But...but...we have bar tabs?

Yes! At such classy places like Nines, Level B, Chapter House, Loco's, Chapter House, uh... and we have our law school-wide dances on-campus!

EMZE wrote:Growing up in NYC I will offer that if NYU is much closer to most of the things worth doing. Columbia is in a bad part of town. Not like, run down bad, but potentially dangerous. Not a place I would for a second feel comfortable taking my chances going out, drinking, and using public trans to get back. Granted, it's NYC, so its always a risk of sorts, but you are really rolling the dice if you travel alone up that way. In case anyone didn't know, Columbia is pretty much in Harlem. But a taxi is always an option.

Within the institutions themselves, I can only speak for their undergrad culture. In that sense, NYU people were much more enjoyable to party with. I felt like every time I hung out with Columbia folk, the conversation descended into drunken politcs arguments.

So in my opinion, in terms of nightlife

CLS<NYU

"Really rolling the dice? dangerous?" just remember to bring your butler next time and you'll be fine

Berkeley is obviously TCR. Easy access to SF, some of the best food in the Bay both at the high price range and the student price range if you like contemporary organic and California cousine. Undergrad bars as well as more young professional vibe. Pretty solid sports teams/events to socialize at. Great concerts at the Greek and throughout the Bay. Good public transit to avoid driving drunk. Great weather year round for BBQ's and partying outside. Most down to earth students. What more for which could you ask?

hyakku wrote:Almost 15k posts between the first three posters and all failed at reading the OP. I see no one kept their CR skills intact

^^ Ass post. Ignore.

ahhh this just made my day.

kwais wrote:

EMZE wrote:Growing up in NYC I will offer that if NYU is much closer to most of the things worth doing. Columbia is in a bad part of town. Not like, run down bad, but potentially dangerous. Not a place I would for a second feel comfortable taking my chances going out, drinking, and using public trans to get back. Granted, it's NYC, so its always a risk of sorts, but you are really rolling the dice if you travel alone up that way. In case anyone didn't know, Columbia is pretty much in Harlem. But a taxi is always an option.

Within the institutions themselves, I can only speak for their undergrad culture. In that sense, NYU people were much more enjoyable to party with. I felt like every time I hung out with Columbia folk, the conversation descended into drunken politcs arguments.

So in my opinion, in terms of nightlife

CLS<NYU

"Really rolling the dice? dangerous?" just remember to bring your butler next time and you'll be fine

Consider that general advice for those unfamiliar with NYC and unaware what lies North of Columbia.

Even if you do disagree that meandering unaware around Harlem is potentially risky, that butler comment wasn't necessary.

EMZE wrote:

kwais wrote:

EMZE wrote:Growing up in NYC I will offer that if NYU is much closer to most of the things worth doing. Columbia is in a bad part of town. Not like, run down bad, but potentially dangerous. Not a place I would for a second feel comfortable taking my chances going out, drinking, and using public trans to get back. Granted, it's NYC, so its always a risk of sorts, but you are really rolling the dice if you travel alone up that way. In case anyone didn't know, Columbia is pretty much in Harlem. But a taxi is always an option.

Within the institutions themselves, I can only speak for their undergrad culture. In that sense, NYU people were much more enjoyable to party with. I felt like every time I hung out with Columbia folk, the conversation descended into drunken politcs arguments.

So in my opinion, in terms of nightlife

CLS<NYU

"Really rolling the dice? dangerous?" just remember to bring your butler next time and you'll be fine

Consider that general advice for those unfamiliar with NYC and unaware what lies North of Columbia.

Even if you do disagree that meandering unaware around Harlem is potentially risky, that butler comment wasn't necessary.

Morningside Heights is not a dangerous neighborhood bro.