Georgetown vs. UVA vs. Duke vs. Vandy ($) vs. UT ($) Forum

[TrampsLikeU$]

It seems from reading other threads that quite a few people anticipate being in this situation.

I'm not quite in this situation yet, but I have been accepted to GULC and Duke. Vandy sent me their decision yesterday and I haven't gotten it yet, but I hope I'll be accepted and offered at least a little money. Haven't heard anything from UVA yet either, but I'd still like to consider it as a possibility now. Also, I didn't apply to UT, I just put that in there because I figured it was in the same general bracket and other people might be considering it.

Considerations:

1- I work really well in smaller classroom sizes where the professor actually knows who I am and expects me to do well. Practically all my non-A grades in UG were from lectures. The only difference in law school is the prospect of being cold-called, which will definitely help me actually do the work and be prepared, even if the class is larger. Still, I do prefer smaller classes.

2- I think I want to practice in DC, at least at the beginning of my career. From there I'll probably move northward, maybe to NYC or Boston.

3- I'm interested in government and public policy, medical policy and health law, ethics and international policy/law.

4- I (along with practically everyone else, I know) wouldn't mind getting a decent clerkship.

5- I'd like to go somewhere that either gives me some money, or that has a decent loan-forgiveness program for public interest in case I want to do something that doesn't make much $.

6- I'd like there to be a decent breadth of classes and clinics, particularly in the fields I mentioned in (3)

7- The location is important. I don't think I'd be unhappy anywhere, but I would like there to be opportunities in the area for internships, volunteering, etc.

Any thoughts? I'll post an update when I hear something from Vandy/UVA or others.
If you're in a similar quandary, post about your own situation and we'll all comment.

[araiza99]

I've always wanted a pet unicorn.

[secondshiaprince]

I'll go out on a limb. If you want something related to international in DC then I'd go with GULC and maybe take an M.A. or Mfs or something else from their amazing Masters level sure-to-get-you-government-jobs programs. It also wins (clearly for me) in location because you're 30 minutes out from a nice suburb of DC that can have the feel of a small town center (Bethesda for instance) or you can be in the thick of it ... which really isn't that thick in DC but offers you many opportunities. You'll have access to the best law library at GULC... because you have the library of Congress for what you need. Ready made internships right around campus.

Moving northward... well, not sure... but Duke and UVA I think get better big law jobs in the north than GULC does. Not fully sure.

Check out the course work you want yourself... but I really like GULC... probably because I was an international relations major and it with SAIS have the best M.A. programs for IR in the country.