<p>I posted this on craigslist legal forum where, surprisingly, there are quite a few attorney's posting. I can't link directly to it somehow, but I'll post some quotes. There is much more traffic on weekdays, so you might consider posting your own questions later during the week. I'm pretty sure all responses were from Atty's--I'm familiar with that board. I made the mistake of including Yale in the title, hence the references to Yale. Go to <a href="http://www.craigslist.com%5B/url%5D">www.craigslist.com</a>, then look for the forums section, click on legal forum. You'll get better answers from lawyers and law school students than from the high school students on this forum, I think (not that this forum isn't great!) Rmember that on craigslist anyone can comment, so there are allways jerks around, but there are also very helpful posters and lawyers there.</p>
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<li><p>Anyone who can't decide between the University of Arizona and Harvard at even double what you quote may not be smart enough to practice law.</p></li>
<li><p>Easiest decision ever </p></li>
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<p>Harvard. </p>
<p>No questions, esp when compared to the others. Sure, they are fine law schools, but we're talking HARVARD.</p>
<p>Yale, what happened to that? Between Harvard and Yale...Hmm. Would probably still go Harvard, but it would be a close call. </p>
<p>When I was applying, the fee was about $35 each. I applied to both knowing I really didn't have the numbers to get in. I didn't, but for only $70 I HAD to find out. </p>
<p>Can't tell you how different my life would have been.</p>
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<li><p>Pull atty salaries for Phoenix-he may change his mind as to where he wants to live.
Harvard is the best law school in the US; jobs at top firms will pay significantly more, and the career opportunities much greater than if he attends a small regional law school. He would forever regret turning down Harvard Law School.</p></li>
<li><p>What happened to Yale? there are a lot of important factors -- what are you planning on doing with your law degree after you graduate? </p></li>
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<p>if you're planning on being an academic or teaching and you get into yale, there is absolutely no question about it, you MUST go. any law school professor will tell you it is hands down the best legal institution in the country. harvard, penn, chicago, all the tops, will allow you to do the same, but yale really is the creme de la creme. </p>
<p>if you've already decided on your legal specialty, check out the u.s. news and world report specialty rankings. you'll be surprised to learn that sometimes a school with an overall lower ranking might have a specific program that is ranked above and beyond the same program at an ivy league school. </p>
<p>and most importantly, go visit in person. if you're from phoenix and can't stand the snow, you will despise any of the east coast schools and will absolutely kill yourself in chicago. talk to the current students. if you can't stand politicians to be, stay away from harvard. if you can't stand cut throat competition, stay away from chicago, etc. </p>
<p>also keep in mind that if you go to arizona and graduate at the top of your class, you can absolutely compete with grads from the ivies for those top jobs. the difference is that firms go deeper into those schools when they hire and will probably only look at the select few from other schools. </p>
<p>the most important thing, i think, is to be in an environment that will make you happy. you will be putting in a hell of a lot of time and energy and money into getting your j.d. and if you're not happy in your environment, it will make performing well much more difficult. pick a place that makes you comfortable, and everything else should fall into place. </p>
<p>--a current 1L </p>
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<li><p>Go to Harvard
But if you are from Arizona, make sure you willing to live in a whole different environment. He will miss the beautiful coeds at the U of A? Heck, I know I do.</p></li>
<li><p>Not to slam any Harvard grad's out there, but anyone associated with the law knows that Yale is fundamentally the best law school in the country. It is a grudging admittance, but a lot of 1L's at Harvard picked to go there because they didn't get into Yale - don't jump, people, it's true and I can vouch for it. </p></li>
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<p>Beyond that, though, if "this person" doesn't plan on being a corporate firm maverick, a politician, professor, academic, judge, or anything remotely along those lines, by all means, go to Arizona. If this person graduates in the top 5-10% of his/her class and actively networks within the school and state, he/she will still be able to land any job within the region, and be able to start saving up right away. </p>
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<li> ^^^^^ yes, i've heard this too ^^^^^ i think harvard is one of those schools that rides on its popular name as opposed to what it offers its students. </li>
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<p>in any case, don't listen to anyone here - go check out the schools for youself. i know sometimes schools will compensate you for travel if they really want you. no point in being at any of those great schools if you don't like the area, the teachers, or the other students.</p>
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<li><p>44th or Harvard/Yale - There's a question here? </p></li>
<li><p>Of course there's a question </p></li>
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<p>The question is lots of debt -- the OP said $150K, which is probably not out of line -- versus no debt. That's a huge issue. If you have a mountain of loans to pay off when you get out of law school, that fact is pretty much in the driver's seat in terms of what job you're going to take. A degree from a local school might keep you out of the top law firms (although, as others have said, if you get good grades and you're looking at local firms anyway, it might not be that big a deal), but if, by any chance, you don't want to work for a top law firm, then maybe that doesn't matter, and maybe you don't want to be saddled with the kind of debt that makes it necessary to be pulling down the kind of salary that only the top law firms offer. </p>
<p>I think the question depends a lot on what you want to do with your law degree. And good for you for thinking about the debt issues before jumping in just because you're all starry-eyed about what you're buying for all that money. Just a couple of months ago there was a thread by some poor schnook who'd run up a pile of credit card debt to buy some electronic gadgets he couldn't really afford, and he got roundly dumped on for it; buying a fancy-pants law degree you can't really afford isn't any smarter, unless you're planning on making enough money to pay for it. Thinking about what you'd have to do to make all that money is a very sensible thing to do.</p>