Michigan Law vs. Cornell Law Forum

[KLewi3790]

Accepted to both, deciding between the two and having a hard time deciding. Any one want to weigh in?

[rad lulz]

Need to know some stuff

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 1&t=206299

[MacB]

Jesus Christ...

[KLewi3790]

- Michigan vs. Cornell
- Essentially a full ride at both (through external scholarship - GI bill/Yellow Ribbon program)
- Eventually want to end up on the East coast... Boston, Philly, DC, (maybe New York City... unsure)
- 167/3.7... although that's irrelevant since I'm in at both schools already.

[rad lulz]

- Michigan vs. Cornell
- Essentially a full ride at both (through external scholarship - GI bill/Yellow Ribbon program)
- Eventually want to end up on the East coast... Boston, Philly, DC, (maybe New York City... unsure)
- 167/3.7... although that's irrelevant since I'm in at both schools already.

Probably Cornell though if you hate Ithaca and love AA I wouldn't call you an idiot for going to Michigan

Be aware that by far the easiest place for you to get a big firm job will be NYC unless you have some preexisting ties to Boston or Philly or really good grades and a demonstrable interest in DC-specific practice areas (ex. antitrust, regulatory) for DC

[KLewi3790]

Yea, I was initially drawn to Cornell as well, especially since I'd like to stay on the East Coast, but everyone I keep talking to tells me that Michigan is the better choice because it is higher ranking. I'm not entirely convinced. I love Michigan and the school itself is gorgeous... but I'm just not sure I want to be in the Midwest.

[rad lulz]

but everyone I keep talking to tells me that Michigan is the better choice because it is higher ranking

Disregard this nonsense

[Lincoln]

Full disclosure: I'm a 3L at Cornell and have been more than happy with my experience, so take my advice with that in mind.

If you like Cornell, I'd just come to Cornell, given that there is little separating these two schools.

The employment stats are very similar, although Michigan seems to do slightly better w/r/t placing students into clerkships and public interest, and Cornell does slightly better w/r/t BigLaw.
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=michigan
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=cornell

Completely anecdotal evidence: In my summer class, Cornell seems to have placed larger contingents in the top NYC firms than Michigan did, despite Michigan's larger class sizes. There is definitely a large Cornell network in NYC, given that a large percentage of each graduating class goes there. I doubt that there is a significant difference between these schools in Boston, Philly, DC, but all of my friends (admittedly a very small sample) who wanted Boston or Philly, rather than NYC, got jobs there. (DC is a really tough market, and I don't think any school, short of maybe HYS, can say that everyone who wants it gets it.)

Ann Arbor is bigger than Ithaca, but the cities have a pretty similar vibe (liberal college towns surrounded by conservative, rather depressed areas), in my experience. Michigan is closer to a major airport, but Ithaca has regular bus service to NYC. Weather sucks in both places.

PM me if you have specific questions, but I've been very, very pleased with my choice, so I'd probably try to convince you to come here.