<p>I'm getting ahead of myself, I know...but I have started to think about law school (have just been accepted and enrolled in undergrad ...i'm a hs senior)</p>
<p>I would like to work in DC...for a politician on capitol hill...on a campaign...for an advocacy group...something of the sort. a jd is pretty standard (not mandated, but almost) in that realm.</p>
<p>going off of schools that appeal to me/i think i have a chance at, i'd like to know your thoughts on uc-berkeley, uva, george washington, georgetown, ucla, and uw-madison. particular emphasis on the first two. love berkeley and uva. i've visited all these campuses, blah blah blah...i'm really interested in the reputation of these schools, professional opportunities, quality of education, difficulty, etc. I know they're all good schools and know I would be happy at any of these places. I'm looking for what sets one apart from another.</p>
<p>Well, wouldn't you want to go to law school in the DC area in order to make political connections on Capitol Hill, etc...? It seems like the opportunities there fit better with your goals.</p>
<p>Yes, it's silly to try to figure this out now. Even if you still have the same career goal four years from now--and that's a BIG if, there is NO way you know which schools you have a chance of getting into now because you know neither your LSAT score nor your GPA. Nor do you have any idea how competitive law school admissions will be at least 4 years from now--maybe more. To add to that, we don't know in which state you reside and some of the schools on your list give a preference to in-staters. </p>
<p>Add to that the fact law schools themselves change over time. Overall reps stay pretty constant, but the existence of special programs changes. So, you'll want to look at what programs exist 4 or more years from now, not now. </p>
<p>Let say you are from the state of Wisconsin. The Senators from Wisconsin might prefer someone from Wisconsin Law who's done some political volunteering in Wisconsin during law school, especially if that volunteering involved working on the Senator's own campaign to a Wisconsin kid who went to law school in D.C. and hasn't as many useful contacts back home. </p>
<p>Nobody has a crystal ball. Go to college. Have fun, but remember to study and get a good gpa. The higher it is, the more options you'll have. Get involved in politics while you are in college. Work and volunteer for local politicians, both in your college community and back home. </p>
<p>About two and a half years from now, assuming you want to go directly to law school--another BIG assumption, you have to start thinking about LSAT prep. </p>
<p>When you know your LSAT and GPA you'll have a better idea of which law schools might admit you. If you've built some political capital, the contacts you've made might also influence your choice.</p>
<p>You could not start law school until 2010, and, given that you would be going for politics, it would make a lot of sense to take a year (or two or three) off to work and gain professional connections - so, realistically, you're the better part of a decade away from law school.</p>
<p>Your job, between now and then, is to get good grades (because those will open law school doors for you), find internships that you like, establish a very solid background in either conservative or liberal politics, and then choose the law school. </p>
<p>One thing to add: I assume (or hope) that you are liberal, based on the schools you listed. Most of them, with the exception of GW, are quite liberal. In politics, the school you go to can make a huge difference - some are more highly regarded than others by conservative or liberal scholars, politicians, judges, and academics. Just sayin.</p>
<p>Bill Clinton went to Georgetown because of the networking opportunities in DC. It seems like the best bet for what you're going to be doing. It will offer the most in politically-related internship opportunities in my opinion.</p>
<p>Oh, I couldn't tell what exactly the OP was asking about for schools. For law schools, I don't know why he would list UW-Madison or George Washington for law schools. I thought he was asking about undergrad.</p>
<p>Of that list, UVa would be the best choice. But it's useless to speculate now and you might not even want to bother with a JD given what you want to do.</p>