Top LLM after 4th tier school??? Forum

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Youngandalive

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Top LLM after 4th tier school???

Post by Youngandalive » Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:39 am

I've never heard anyone talk about this. I'm in a situation where I'll unfortunately be going to a low ranked school because I have to start in the spring. It's my only option. The list of schools where you can start in the spring is not so great, think: Pace, Washburbn, Western State, etc. I could end up at Cooley.

How realistic is it to go to an at least decent LLM upon completion of a 4th tier law education, taking advantage of OCI at a much better law school? I've made up my mind that I will attend a low ranked school where I will bust my ass to be in the top 20%. I'm very intrigued however how well I can leverage an LLM in the event that I strike out at Cooley, Coastal or wherever.

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nealric

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Re: Top LLM after 4th tier school???

Post by nealric » Tue Jun 19, 2018 11:20 am

Attending a top LLM after a 4th tier law school is far from unheard of. There are often Cooley graduates at NYU and Georgetown. However, that does not mean that the 4th tier school won't continue to hold back your career prospects. Unfortunately, the LLM will not wipe the academic slate clean.

Moreover, almost everyone who matriculates at a fourth tier school thinks they will "bust their ass" and end up near the top of the class. By definition, 80% of the class does not end up in the top 20%. And you really need to be in the top handful of people to have any shot at top employers from such a school- top 20% doesn't really get you anywhere other than perhaps LLM admissions.

I'd like to disabuse you of the notion that your "only option" is to start of the spring. Presumably, nobody has a gun to your head forcing you to start law school in the spring. Maybe it means upsetting some plans or family members, but that's about it. Saddling yourself with a 4th tier JD is far more likely to upset your plans than waiting a semester, or even a few years if necessary.

albanach

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Re: Top LLM after 4th tier school???

Post by albanach » Tue Jun 19, 2018 3:04 pm

Unfortunately no one is going to believe this without some explanation. Since you obviously care about post-graduation options, it's not because you're going to die in 40 months.

If (a) truly your only option is to start in the spring; (b) you will be paying for law school; and (c) you are not independently wealthy, you may want to reconsider your chosen career path. The career prospects from the schools you are considering (combined with and made worse by the fact you'll graduate out of cycle so miss out on most firm hiring) do not make the cost of attendance worthwhile.

Just as you cannot guarantee being at the top of your class (or even close to it), you can't assume you'll even get into an LLM course. You therefore have to consider your prospects based on graduating from one of these schools. Then consider the prospects if, like half the class, you're below median?

historyminor

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Re: Top LLM after 4th tier school???

Post by historyminor » Tue Jun 19, 2018 4:07 pm

nealric wrote:I'd like to disabuse you of the notion that your "only option" is to start of the spring. Presumably, nobody has a gun to your head forcing you to start law school in the spring. Maybe it means upsetting some plans or family members, but that's about it. Saddling yourself with a 4th tier JD is far more likely to upset your plans than waiting a semester, or even a few years if necessary.

This.

Remember, you are the customer in what is a very expensive transaction. Currently, you have a lot of power in this transaction, but as soon as you matriculate, you lose that power, and you are depending on a lot of other factors that will determine your financial and career future.

Think about it this way: let's say I'm looking for a new house. There aren't any good houses on the market right now, and there won't be any until a year from now, but there is one house available that has a defective foundation and has a 75% chance of collapsing. If it collapses, I could always go spend another $75,000 to buy a condominium, but I'd still owe the $200,000 I spent on the first place. There's also a decent chance that the condominium could burn up in a fire, and I'd lose all the money I put into that, too (assume there's no such thing as insurance). If I don't buy the house right now, I might need to rent an apartment for another year, at a cost of $15,000. Should I buy the house, or rent the apartment?

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totesTheGoat

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Re: Top LLM after 4th tier school???

Post by totesTheGoat » Tue Jun 19, 2018 4:32 pm

Youngandalive wrote:I'm in a situation where I'll unfortunately be going to a low ranked school because I have to start in the spring. It's my only option.
No it's not. You're panicking and about to make poor decisions.

I'm gonna say something and it's gonna sound insane, but it's the truth. You NEED to sit out this cycle and go spend some time in the real world.

People with even a drop of wisdom honed by the real world don't talk in the terms I've quoted from you above. Go live with 3 roommates and flip burgers for a year if money's an issue. Move out and get away from the pressure if your family's expectations are the issue. Find a hobby if impatience is the issue.

Go to law school from a position of strength, not from a position of weakness. You're acting like a raccoon trapped in a corner of a garage. Get yourself out of the fight or flight response and start hunting like a lion instead.

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