Law schools in great family places Forum

[Remnantofisrael]

I have done some searching in the forum and can't really find anything- if there already is a post like this, please point me that way so I won't waste anyone's time.

A current concern I have been focusing on lately is finding the correct law school not just from a personal wants/needs perspective, but one in a place that is good for my family as well. Let me give some very basic details- I am 27 with two children and a wife who stays home. My LSAT in June was 170+ and my GPA is low but old (3.2) and covered up a bit by years of business success, a job and marriage while in college, etc. etc. Money isn't a huge problem as I've been able to put away enough money to take care of three years out of the money-making world on top of tuition.

What I am looking for is perspective on what certain law school towns/cities have to offer as far as quality elementary education and family life in general. For example, if it is known that Ithaca, NY has lots of things for kids to do (pools, parks, great schools, etc.) and is fun for young parents, that would be great to know. Or if Northwestern is a great option because while Chicago isn't a great place for little kids, just outside in X-town there are great schools, good cost of living, and an easy train right to campus.

ANY insight would be MOST appreciated, especially between, say, Michigan and Pepperdine as far as school quality is concerned.

My family and their three years is very important to me and while I fully understand that three years of time investment in a lesser area pays off in the long run, it is still something I need to be considering.

Thanks!

[Knock]

Not really sure about family friendly, but UCLA (ranked 15th) is in a nice area, and Pepperdine is as well (Mailbu). Law School locations don't get much better than that. As someone who grew up relatively near these areas (~45 minutes), I enjoyed the area, the weather especially, and being a fairly short drive to the beach is nice for family excursions. There are lots of things to do too if you go into LA, from sporting events to museums (Getty, Science museum).

And, from your username, is being in an area with a Jewish population important? If so, LA area and suburbs has a sizable Jewish population.

[Remnantofisrael]

Being near a Jewish population is unimportant, but thanks for the recommendations so far. I just never really equated LA with "good place to raise kids" but perhaps that is an east coast/ mid-west bias I have. Malibu is fantastic, but I wonder if Pep is a bit below where I should be aiming. But I will do more research on both- thanks a ton!

[Knock]

Being near a Jewish population is unimportant, but thanks for the recommendations so far. I just never really equated LA with "good place to raise kids" but perhaps that is an east coast/ mid-west bias I have. Malibu is fantastic, but I wonder if Pep is a bit below where I should be aiming. But I will do more research on both- thanks a ton!

NP. LA is huge really, it's just a sprawling city with tons of surburbs. The suburbs or nicer areas are pretty nice. Downtown, near USC, are where the bad areas are.

I think the west-coast gives you lots of opportunities to do family activities, and year round. If you enjoy hiking, there's lots of areas to hike, and you have more flexibility as far as when you can go, since you can go year round.

I'd strongly consider UCLA if I were you. You might get some money from them too. From the schools ranked 9-20, that'd be my top choice as far as raising a family.

[PKSebben]

I have done some searching in the forum and can't really find anything- if there already is a post like this, please point me that way so I won't waste anyone's time.

A current concern I have been focusing on lately is finding the correct law school not just from a personal wants/needs perspective, but one in a place that is good for my family as well. Let me give some very basic details- I am 27 with two children and a wife who stays home. My LSAT in June was 170+ and my GPA is low but old (3.2) and covered up a bit by years of business success, a job and marriage while in college, etc. etc. Money isn't a huge problem as I've been able to put away enough money to take care of three years out of the money-making world on top of tuition.

What I am looking for is perspective on what certain law school towns/cities have to offer as far as quality elementary education and family life in general. For example, if it is known that Ithaca, NY has lots of things for kids to do (pools, parks, great schools, etc.) and is fun for young parents, that would be great to know. Or if Northwestern is a great option because while Chicago isn't a great place for little kids, just outside in X-town there are great schools, good cost of living, and an easy train right to campus.

ANY insight would be MOST appreciated, especially between, say, Michigan and Pepperdine as far as school quality is concerned.

My family and their three years is very important to me and while I fully understand that three years of time investment in a lesser area pays off in the long run, it is still something I need to be considering.

Thanks!

Ann Arbor. End thread.

[CanadianWolf]

Stanford, Michigan, Northwestern & Virginia should be considered. Then Emory & Minnesota. If required to make a single recommendation based on the content of your original post, then Northwestern is my suggestion.

[sundevil77]

Business Week, Forbes, Newsweek, etc. usually publish lists on "Family Friendly Cities" or something to that effect. While any ranking system is imperfect, these lists usually consider things like job growth, crime rates, quality of public schools, etc. I would cross reference a list like that with the schools you are considering attending.

[jennylynn]

Are you targeting a particular region?

[Remnantofisrael]

I am not really locked into a specific region, however I know that I most likely don't want to end up in the northeast long term. I've been up in CT for a little over a year and am already overwhelmed. Big Law also isn't my end goal (although that can change). Lastly, I'm a fan of the midwest in general having grown up in Overland Park, KS. I was in Ann Arbor a couple weeks back because my kid brother starts at Michigan Law this fall- gotta say it was an amazing town, but its hard to get a feel for the quality of life from just a few days.

Thanks all!

[PKSebben]

I am not really locked into a specific region, however I know that I most likely don't want to end up in the northeast long term. I've been up in CT for a little over a year and am already overwhelmed. Big Law also isn't my end goal (although that can change). Lastly, I'm a fan of the midwest in general having grown up in Overland Park, KS. I was in Ann Arbor a couple weeks back because my kid brother starts at Michigan Law this fall- gotta say it was an amazing town, but its hard to get a feel for the quality of life from just a few days.

Thanks all!

Dude, kids in AA have it so good. Magic: The Gathering Summer Camp? Zombie Camp? After 10 years somewhere else I'm coming back here and living vicariously through my kids while I play pickup hockey on weekends after watching Michigan lose in the big house. Plus, six months of brutally cold weather is good for kids.

[Remnantofisrael]

Plus, six months of brutally cold weather is good for kids.

But not on the mother of those kids. I'm in Connecticut right now so I know how that goes.

[PKSebben]

Plus, six months of brutally cold weather is good for kids.

But not on the mother of those kids. I'm in Connecticut right now so I know how that goes.

My wife hates the weather here, too.

[12AngryMen]

Hastings

[ChiCity22]

NYC is considered a great place to raise kids, but Chicago is not?

[ProudFather]

Stanford is a really great place if you have kids. The school system is excellent, the weather is fantastic, and the on-campus housing is really family friendly. The apartments aren't anything great, but there's really nice enclosed community playground/yard areas everywhere and beautiful weather (mostly) year round to enjoy it. Of course, the cost of living is pretty high.

My family is basically signing up for 3 more years of being at Stanford after already spending 5 here and nobody's complaining, so that's got to tell you something.

[03121202698008]

Ann Arbor. End thread.

[03121202698008]

Stanford is a really great place if you have kids. The school system is excellent, the weather is fantastic, and the on-campus housing is really family friendly. The apartments aren't anything great, but there's really nice enclosed community playground/yard areas everywhere and beautiful weather (mostly) year round to enjoy it. Of course, the cost of living is pretty high.

My family is basically signing up for 3 more years of being at Stanford after already spending 5 here and nobody's complaining, so that's got to tell you something.

That's great but he isn't getting into Stanford with his LSAT/GPA.

[Remnantofisrael]

No knock on Chi-town. I don't actually think NYC and the surrounding areas are great to raise kids unless you are really wealthy. I actually live about 1 1/2 hours from the city specifically so that it is affordable and good for the kids. But truth be told, while I'll get tons of hate directed my way for this, I don't like the northeast anyway.

So it seems a lot of people are really pushing Ann Arbor. But I don't think anyone has given me a specific reason other than magic the gathering and zombie camps, which is odd to begin with. How about schools, parks, etc.?

[Remnantofisrael]

and another question that is sort of a topic shift- Other than Stanford and Berkeley , if you go to school in cali, doesn't that pretty much keep you west-coast after you graduate?

[KMaine]

OP - Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about being a Dad in Ithaca. We also did a some research into VA, Michigan and Duke (visits to the last two). Our children were a deciding factor in where I would attend law school. BTW - Ithaca has been the perfect place for us.

[CanadianWolf]

With an LSAT score over 170 and no financial concerns, is it safe to assume that you are limiting your law school search to top 20 law schools ? Thus, Denver, Hawaii & San Diego are not schools under consideration by you ? Colorado-Boulder ?

[03121202698008]

No knock on Chi-town. I don't actually think NYC and the surrounding areas are great to raise kids unless you are really wealthy. I actually live about 1 1/2 hours from the city specifically so that it is affordable and good for the kids. But truth be told, while I'll get tons of hate directed my way for this, I don't like the northeast anyway.

So it seems a lot of people are really pushing Ann Arbor. But I don't think anyone has given me a specific reason other than magic the gathering and zombie camps, which is odd to begin with. How about schools, parks, etc.?

Lots of parks. I read somewhere that AA's schools are some of the best in the nation (didn't really research this though). Tons of stuff to do without being in a huge city. Low crime rate. Lots of diversity (thousands of restaurants, people of every nationality/religion). There is a club or activity for nearly any interest from ballroom dancing to sword fighting to writing your own book to painting).

[ze2151]

OP- I'm going to tell you the best neighborhood in Philadelphia: Narberth. It is a 15 minute train ride to UPenn, phenomenally safe, beautiful, tons of family-oriented stuff happening all the time, completely walkable, only 1 traffic light, it's a hidden gem. To top it off, it is in a very religiously diverse part of town, near Bala Cynwyd which is heavily Jewish, so you will have many many options there. There is a Reform Temple less than 400 yards from Narberth proper.

If I had kids, I'd move there and nowhere else.

[Remnantofisrael]

I wouldn't say I'm limiting to top 20 only, but there would have to be a really good reason to get outside of there. At this point Minnesota, Colorado and Pepperdine have entered the conversation pretty much because of the family life those places offer. But in a perfect world it would be a T-14, T-20.

Wash-U has always been of interest (my undergrad was University of Missouri, and I grew up in KC) but St. Louis doesn't seem like a kid/family friendly area of the country, although I could be totally wrong.

Also, Ithaca seems like its just out in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do but on-campus stuff. I'm willing to be wrong about that, but it just seems like its a great school in a boring place.

[Remnantofisrael]

U-Penn was great and I left there impressed, although I've never been a philly kind of guy. THAT SAID, knowing there are quality suburbs around is a huge plus.