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Related Discussions
Georgewashington Law, Vandy, or BU Law?
jyang72
Alum Member
Hi Everyone,
I apologize if this discussion distracts someone studying the LSAT and I seriously need to apologize since I posted this discussion before and I just did a minor edition to it. I currently got into BU law, Emory Law, Georgewashington Law, and william and mary law (receive scholarship from all of them). When I limited my choice to GW and BU (incline to BU), an offer from Vanderbilt Law School kinda ruined my decision. Is it true that ranking does not matter if law school is not T14? I want to practice corporate law in Northeast area such as NY, MA (might be DC if possible). As an international student, I really cared about if I can get a job. Now it is GW, BU, or Vandy. 7sagers, what do you think? Thank you so much for whoever has left their comment down here!!
Comments
Personally, I think being in Washington D.C would be a an exciting opportunity! My vote is for GW
Congrats! Where do you want to practice?
@stgl1230 thank you!! I want to practice around the east coast like MA or NY, although it does not have to be this strict though.
@jknauf , now you see why I am so torn, lol
Maybe compare the clinic programs to see which one caters to your interests more? More scholarship money is also very appealing. Congratulations on all of your choices! That is excellent!
@draj0623 you are so right, I am on it now!
Yes, what @draj0623 said! Also take a closer look at employment statistics especially with regards to what kind of law you want to practice.
For what it's worth, I've heard anecdotal evidence suggesting that Boston is a hard legal market to enter without connections. So going to BU could be advantageous if that is where you want to practice. I don't know if I would pay sticker price for BU though. You can try to negotiate scholarships maybe?
DC is an easier market to enter, I believe. There's more jobs, but you're also competing with more students for the same jobs, just since there are so many law schools near DC and many students from other parts of the country look for jobs in DC. I've also heard that studying law in DC is somewhat if a ratrace, but I think that depends on how you are as an individual and how you interact with your environment. DC is exciting though, probably more so than Boston.
@stgl1230 I am pretty sure I will get scholarship from BU, they just have not emailed me yet. I am so torn because Boston and DC both have a lot of good schools, and the legal market can be very competitive. Anyway, thank you so much for your advice. I will take a look at statistics again.
For me DC beats Boston hands down. Obviously, which school to attend should not be based on just one factor of the city school is located in. Definitely, look more details on things you are interested in. Also, $$$ you receive from BU should factor in a lot in your decision.
@Mo Zubair, you are right. I have been to both Boston and DC, I love them both. I think Boston is a bit quiet while DC is clean, exciting, and well-ordered compared to NYC.
As someone who currently works in DC, I can assure you, as of about 2 weeks ago, it has become a miserable and stressful place to live. It's also the #1 target in the (increasingly likely) event of a domestic attack or global war. Some food for thought since everyone on this thread seems to love Washington.
I'm from DC and can't wait to move back. I think it's not for everyone and @dantlee14 is right that it can be miserable and stressful
. But that said, it's similar to NYC or SF in that for some career paths and lifestyles it's the place to be and nowhere else will give you that sort of access or feeling. Don't get me wrong, I also love Boston and think it's wonderful.
It just kind of depends on what you want. Either way, I'm sure you won't regret your decision. Congratulations on your acceptances! They're both wonderful schools
You'll have to tell us which you choose!
@SherryS1 I am still waiting for UC Berkley, Vandy, Georgetown, and UCLA. But my choice is likely between GW and BU(waiting for their email that contains scholarship). Hahaha, I am doing a bit more research now. I am grateful for this thread. It is much much more respectful than TLS (please check out their forum, people use moron, fuxx, retard etc when they come across different opinions, lmao).
@dantlee14, it is always helpful to hear the other side of opinion. I am curious about what makes the life miserable in DC. The amount of working hours? The people near you? Thank you
!!!
Haha well it sounds like the decision making is just getting started
Wishing you all the best and hope you end up at whichever school on there is your top pick!
@SherryS1 Thank you!!
Be careful of interpreting ABA stats without further looking into them. GW's biglaw numbers seem to be pumped up by a larger than average amount of IP applicants. If you are eligible to sit the patent bar this may be a positive for you. If you aren't it may be a negative.
@loosekanen you are absolutely right. I do not have science background. I don't think patent is a good option for me.
BTW, how is law school transparent? Is this a good website to use?
From what I know, it's great. Kind of eye opening to see how opaque some law schools are.
@stgl1230 , that is very good to know. Thank you again!!
I have worked in the Boston market for quite some time and I will say that if know that you want to practice in MA, it is great school. Probably the second at worst third best if you are looking for any legal job around here. But if you are not certain of where and you are thinking about practicing somewhere else, GW is probably the better bet.
There are some great firms here (Goodwin, WilmerHale, Ropes are the big three) so there is no question that if you do well you can get in the door. But BU doesn't have nearly the national pull that GW has.
I want to play devil's advocate here. That might have been in the past, but things are turning for both universities now and it is fair to argue that BU's national reputation will trump GW's in the near future if it hasn't done so already.
I agree with @Alejandro. BU >>>> GW in my understanding of reputation.
I live and work on the West Coast. If you told people you went to GW, they would say "oh, you mean Georgetown?" and then when you correct them they're like, "oh.." but wondering why you went to GW instead of Georgetown.
Obviously people's perceptions aren't always correct. Just because they don't know as much about GW doesn't mean that it's a bad choice (and people often ascribe more prestige to GT/GULC than it deserves). But it might be something to consider when you think nationally, or even outside of the DMV area where you want to practice.
@Alejandro good point! That may be true, and if it is, I don't deny that BU may be the better bet. But I was just going off what the ABA Disclosures say as well as Above The Law's Firm Placement, instead of rankings. I tend to see much more GW grads in national firms than BU grads, but I understand that this could be due to a variety of factors.
@jyang72 Another aspect of GW is its reputation as a policy/politics-oriented program. If you are aiming to practice at a firm, this won't be a consideration. But if you want, even eventually, to work within the Beltway in something besides black-letter law, GW has the upper hand.
@JustDoIt, thank you so much for your insight. However, I checked the NLJ ranking, and I found out that BU's biglaw placement rate is higher than that of GW. I am not so sure where I want to practice law. That's why I am struggling between BU and GW.
@Alejandro, any comment is helpful for me, no worries!! DC is a wonderful city that is full of opportunities. However, I saw that BU has higher biglaw placement rate, bar passing rate, and job placement rate. Anyway, I decide to go visit BU next week and GW next month to see which city do I want to go most.
@stgl1230. Thank you so much for your insight. I felt like GW is living in the shadow of GT. I mean in the future I still want to practice law in the NYC. Fordham can be a good choice for me, but the problem is BU has given me scholarship while Fordham law is notoriously stingy for giving scholarships.
@xqr1s4f3ed , GW has high big law placement rate, but a chunk of them goes to IP law. The problem with me is that I have an Econ degree and philosophy minor in undergraduate. My major does not fit IP law. If I can't pursue IP law, I am really worried whether GW is a good fit for me regardless of how splendid resources that reside in DC. Thank you very much for giving me your insight.
@jyang72 I agree with your assessment! I also had Econ as a major major and Philosophy as a minor in college. Great choice!! Great minds think alike
I work for a D.C. think tank. I'm so sick and tired of the D.C. politics. I will head for the west coast for law school this fall... I know this is not helpful...I just feel compelled to add another miserable aspect of D.C.:) BU and GW are both great. I think your decision should come down to where you plan to practice what kind of law and which school can best help you achieve this goal.
D.C. politics? This sounds very interesting. I want to practice corporate law or business law. I felt like BU is better fit for me. Now my decision is becoming clearer
For real? Did you minor in Philosophy to help you to read and write better? At least that is my intent in the beginning.
hahaha nah, I just minored in Philosophy because I like that kind of stuff. But I heard having a philosophy background helps with law scohool too!
I'm in DC for work right now and I gotta tell you it isn't the most uplifting place. The political climate is not great and there are too many government gunners.
@stgl1230 I received offer from Vanderbilt Law today. Geez, this decision-making is getting tougher.
@Alejandro, yep. In Philosophy courses, we get to read very difficult materials and arguments.
how long do you prepare for LSAT @jyang72
@dennisgerrard, I prepared LSAT for roughly 1 year and a half. I am actually not proud of it cause it took so long.
@jyang72 congrats on vandy! Yup, more tough decisions ahead. I'd suggest checking the websites of some of the firms in cities where you'd like to practice. See where people went to school, and see how V is represented.
@stgl1230, holy shit, you are right!!! I want to practice corporate law, specializing in merger and acquisition. I am going to check them out now.
I would vote for Vandy Law if the money is similar. Vandy does quite well in the southern markets (Dallas, Houston, Atlanta) as well as NYC. I think it's certainly a step ahead of BU and GW in terms of placing into BigLaw based on numbers. I'd place BU ahead of GW because of employment. Even if you like DC, there is NO guarantee you will get DC biglaw just because you went to GW. In fact, you'll have to be close to the top of your class (if you're not in IP). Despite DC being one of the biggest legal markets, it's also the most competitive. Students from across the T14 will be gunning for DC and the competition is tough. That being said, GW is the place to be if you're sure DC the goal.
Go to Vandy, fall in love with bluegrass and Nashville, and get your Big Law job, dude. Congrats, Johnson! So happy for you!
Congratulations!
I would definitely consider a few factors (perhaps in a pro/con list fashion) in terms of making my choice. These are a few things I'd consider and how I'd go about getting some answers.
I. Job stats upon graduation (because I'd want to graduate knowing I chose a school that gave me a great shot at whatever legal career I aspire to have)
A. What types of law do most graduates of this institution practice upon graduation?
1. Can I leverage this for my career goals and how?
you can check this by looking at the law school's website (browse through info on their alumns etc)
II. Campus culture and climate
A. Will I be happy here? If no, is that dissatisfaction worth the trade off?
1. What is student life like?
2. Do students mostly live on or off campus? Do you have a preference?
3. City preference (food, vibe, people, accessiblity to some place you care about)
III. Student opportunities/requirements
A. What are the graduation requirements?
1. Are there programs/requirements that you are interested in?
2. Are there opportunities for you to explore areas you are interested in regarding required projects and or probono hours?
B. What clubs/organizations would you want to get involved in?
1. Are there any good opportunities for you to explore your legal interests?
C. Professors --are there any specific professors you'd be interested in taking classes with?
1. Are students in clinics, classes, and projects supported by faculty more at one institution over the other?
If Vanderbilt has the best graduation stats and you like Nashville etc then definitely go for it!
Hey! First, congrats on gaining acceptances to some amazing schools! To answer your first question, ranking matters outside of the T14, albeit much less. Generally, location/employment stats/scholarship $$$ take precedence over ranking when discussing schools in the T25.
If you want to practice corporate law Vandy or BU should be your top choices. GW isn't bad, but they don't place as well into NYC/Boston big law.
I really like @"nessa.k13.0" 's idea of making a pro's and a con's list!
@ehazoury, I place BU and Vandy over GW as well cause I am not interested in IP law. I still prefer to practice law near NY, MA market (may be DC, not so sure). I think now it is boiled down to which city I like more. Thank you for your advice.
@DumbHollywoodActor, damn, you still remember me, how touching it is!!! I love both BU and Vandy. I am going to BU this weekend. I will absolutely arrange another trip to Nashville. Vandy's NLJ ranking seems lower than that of BU, which is why I still hesitate. The touchy thing is that I am an international student. Getting a job is my priority. Thank you so much for your advice.
@"nessa.k13.0" whoa, this is right to the point. I am gonna do it now. I want to practice corporate law. That is why my decision is down to BU and Vandy. Vandy is gonna get back to me regarding the amount of scholarship (will be determined in late February). Job placement rate is what I care about most. Your list idea is so constructive. Thank you so much!
@"Alex Divine" Hey broski, now my choice is down to Vandy and BU since I am not into IP law. I found BU and Vandy have similar job placement rate but Vandy's NLJ ranking is a bit lower than that of BU. That's what makes me nervous. Since I am going to visit BU this weekend, I will arrange another trip to Nashville in order to make a comparison. Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it.