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Law School Rank vs. Specific Program Rank- Which is better?

madagingmadaging Alum Member
in Law School Admissions 26 karma

So I want to go to law school for environmental law.
I got accepted into Pace Law which has the #1 environmental law program, but the school overall is not ranked well. (I'm also not a huge fan of the East Coast, and don't want to work over there for long after law school.)

I got accepted into other law schools that are nationally ranked higher (T2 & high T3) and have better bar pass rates. These schools have environmental law programs, they just aren't top notch.

In summation, what is better to go by, the school's overall ranking & bar pass rate, or the specific program's reputation and ranking?
Thank you in advanced for the advice! :)

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Comments

  • Waffle23Waffle23 Alum Member
    603 karma

    Where exactly would you want to work with a concentration in environmental law? Private firm, government...? I would look at how well the school can place you where you think you'd might like to work. Does the school have relationships with certain organizations? How successful have these school's graduates been in getting jobs in this field?
    You might want to reach out and talk to current students/alumni about their experiences with the job placement process as well. They might be able shed insight on what employers value most when hiring entry level attorneys.

  • 99thPercentileOrDieTryin99thPercentileOrDieTryin Free Trial Member
    652 karma

    If we're talking about tier 2 and 3 schools, then the value of overall rank v. program rank might depend more on where you want to practice. For example, Pace's #1 environmental program isn't going to get you a job in the mountain west region where fellow-third-tier University of Wyoming is well-known for its EL program.

    So then, @madaging , what other schools are we talking about and where would you like to end up practicing?

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