Top Law Schools

sublime12089 wrote:

JayJones78 wrote:

sublime12089 wrote:

JayJones78 wrote:
I feel like I'm a broken record on this issue but it all sounds 0L talk to me. I really don't understand how anyone could make any decision, on any school for that matter, based on a LST change of one year. I just don't get it.

I definitely understand that, and it would not be that issue alone, but while other schools seem to be improving/holding the same, I feel like it is fair to consider a drop, at least somewhat.

Going from 12% unemployed to 33% unemployed is quite a jump and not insignificant, imo.

And it sounds like 0L talk because it is 0L talk

we talked about this many times. with schools in that rank (16/17-30) all the employment data is just not as relevant IMO. you need to come in knowing you gotta make it to the top 20-30% of your class (I say 30% for school 16-20 and 20% for schools 21-30) or bad things will happen. the kids who are in those rank will be okay (combined with how they fare in OCI, their nature, ability to network and sell themselves etc. but that goes for any LS student, top or bottom). If you have that mentality in mind, you realize that the change in employment just doesnt matter as much. be in that rank, all things equal you'll be in a position to finish school with a job. don't be in that rank, assume the worst.

I know that is your position, and it makes sense, but why not try to shore up the "worst case scenario" as much as possible? Everyone goes expecting to be top 30%, but for every person in the top 30 percent, there is another in the bottom 30.

lhanvt13 wrote:I heard some schools have legal writing as Pass/Fail. Does anyone know if W&L has the P/F system or is it graded?

wvuchip wrote:

lhanvt13 wrote:I heard some schools have legal writing as Pass/Fail. Does anyone know if W&L has the P/F system or is it graded?

It's graded

wannabelawstudent wrote:

wvuchip wrote:

lhanvt13 wrote:I heard some schools have legal writing as Pass/Fail. Does anyone know if W&L has the P/F system or is it graded?

It's graded

That's a good thing. Means one more class to boost dat Gpa.

sublime12089 wrote:Again, I see where you are coming from, but for me, at least, I respectfully disagree. I am not big law or bust though, so that may make a slight difference (I don't recall if big law is your goal or not). If it was something that I was happy doing, I would be ok doing public interest at 50-55 k a year. In fact, one thing that attracts me to WUSTL is its diversity in placement. Both by job type and by region.

wannabelawstudent wrote:W&L has great and diverse placement.

sublime12089 wrote:

WanderingPondering wrote:

wannabelawstudent wrote:W&L has great and diverse placement.

I'm just not seeing it...W&M has an equal class profile in terms of LSAT/GPA, a higher big firm, higher clerkship, lower underemployment, and many many more grads getting work in DC/NYC.

Can someone make an arguement why one should choose W&L over W&M or WUSTL given an equal cost? Maybe I'm missing something obvious?

W&L has better placement in Texas? Idk, I think wannabe may have been being sarcastic. However, I actually had not closely looked at William and Mary's stats because I did not apply there, but I am actually pretty impressed. The do lean heavily on Gov't and PI though, which I don't mind, but some would.

wannabelawstudent wrote:Eh....take out the school funded jobs and they all have similar employment numbers.

callj714 wrote:Take a look at their ABA report

http://employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/

Can someone tell me how they are ranked so highly?

Looking through the years, it appears that their prospects are worsening as the economy is getting better (even taking into account differences in the measures for each year)

callj714 wrote:Take a look at their ABA report

http://employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/

Can someone tell me how they are ranked so highly?

Looking through the years, it appears that their prospects are worsening as the economy is getting better (even taking into account differences in the measures for each year)

wannabelawstudent wrote:W&L has great and diverse placement.

JayJones78 wrote: we talked about this many times. with schools in that rank (16/17-30) all the employment data is just not as relevant IMO. you need to come in knowing you gotta make it to the top 20-30% of your class (I say 30% for school 16-20 and 20% for schools 21-30) or bad things will happen. the kids who are in those rank will be okay (combined with how they fare in OCI, their nature, ability to network and sell themselves etc. but that goes for any LS student, top or bottom). If you have that mentality in mind, you realize that the change in employment just doesnt matter as much. be in that rank, all things equal you'll be in a position to finish school with a job. don't be in that rank, assume the worst.

sublime12089 wrote:

Xs20 wrote:

JayJones78 wrote: we talked about this many times. with schools in that rank (16/17-30) all the employment data is just not as relevant IMO. you need to come in knowing you gotta make it to the top 20-30% of your class (I say 30% for school 16-20 and 20% for schools 21-30) or bad things will happen. the kids who are in those rank will be okay (combined with how they fare in OCI, their nature, ability to network and sell themselves etc. but that goes for any LS student, top or bottom). If you have that mentality in mind, you realize that the change in employment just doesnt matter as much. be in that rank, all things equal you'll be in a position to finish school with a job. don't be in that rank, assume the worst.

Honestly, I liked the pre-edit one more.

callj714 wrote:Take a look at their ABA report

http://employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/

Can someone tell me how they are ranked so highly?

Looking through the years, it appears that their prospects are worsening as the economy is getting better (even taking into account differences in the measures for each year)