LLM and chances Forum

[Lisa_I]

I was wondering if LLM program will hurt or help my chances.


I am a foreign-educated lawyer (with foreign JD and Phd in Law), love law. I applied for LLM and got in to good school (USC), it was the only school I applied. They even gave me a scholarship (10k for tuition) (deferred)
Since I moved here for life I thought that I can as well get my JD.
I am working on LSAT, due to some issues I will be applying only next fall. The target is top-10 schools.
On the Harvard LLM site I saw that they give good scholarships for LLMs.

So finally a question
Shell I do the LLM at USC or go for Harvard's LLM?
If say I'll apply to Harvard LLM and get decent scholarship for year 2011-2012 and then with LSAT will be applying for HYS in fall 2011, will this LLM help or hurt the changes to get there?

I consider the academic career in the future after some years of practice.

[Danteshek]

Some LLM programs allow students to apply to transfer to the JD after the LLM. It makes more sense to go to one of those schools if you anticipate getting a JD. If you go that route you can avoid taking the LSAT.

[2ofspades]

I applied for LLM and got in to good school (USC), it was the only school I applied. They even gave me a scholarship (10k for tuition) (deferred)

Have you checked the terms of the offer you accepted at USC? JD deferrals, at least, are usually binding, though perhaps LLM deferrals are not.

I consider the academic career in the future after some years of practice.

A Harvard degree, if you can get one, is better for academia than a USC degree.

[Lisa_I]

Some LLM programs allow students to apply to transfer to the JD after the LLM. It makes more sense to go to one of those schools if you anticipate getting a JD. If you go that route you can avoid taking the LSAT.

Thank you,

I know about this but 1) than there are no chances of getting any scholarship for JD; 2)the first year will be all screwed up, and the 1L is the most important for the job-hunting; 3)there is no guarantee that one will be transfed, to be qualified for transfer you not only have to have top grades, but also some honors from faculties.
So my plan is to do LSAT and apply, but I am not sure if the LLM from the same school will be plus for the application for JD

[Lisa_I]

I applied for LLM and got in to good school (USC), it was the only school I applied. They even gave me a scholarship (10k for tuition) (deferred)

Have you checked the terms of the offer you accepted at USC? JD deferrals, at least, are usually binding, though perhaps LLM deferrals are not.

wow I did not know that. So if you defer JD you ought to go to this school? What happens if you will not?

[bk1]

wow I did not know that. So if you defer JD you ought to go to this school? What happens if you will not?

The other schools will likely pull your acceptances if they find out or just deny you if they know about. Ask USC what the terms of your deferral are and whether it is binding or not.

[Lisa_I]

wow I did not know that. So if you defer JD you ought to go to this school? What happens if you will not?

The other schools will likely pull your acceptances if they find out or just deny you if they know about. Ask USC what the terms of your deferral are and whether it is binding or not.

oh wow,

thank you!! I will call them today

Thanks a lot!

[Danteshek]

Some LLM programs allow students to apply to transfer to the JD after the LLM. It makes more sense to go to one of those schools if you anticipate getting a JD. If you go that route you can avoid taking the LSAT.

Thank you,

I know about this but 1) than there are no chances of getting any scholarship for JD; 2)the first year will be all screwed up, and the 1L is the most important for the job-hunting; 3)there is no guarantee that one will be transfed, to be qualified for transfer you not only have to have top grades, but also some honors from faculties.
So my plan is to do LSAT and apply, but I am not sure if the LLM from the same school will be plus for the application for JD

Yes, there are drawbacks, but chances are you won't get the LSAT score you'll need to get into a top JD program. At least in an LLM program you have a chance to prove yourself in the classroom (where most of the LLMs won't be gunning to get into the JD).