<p>My son was accepted into UCSD, Cal State SLO, Pepperdine with a math major, he ultimately wants to go to a good law school. Do you think it makes a difference which college he goes to as an undergrad for getting into a good law school? What I mean is assuming he graduates from all 3 with the same GPA and applies to a top law school, how would you rank the undergraduate colleges in cache to the law schools, or are 3 pretty similar? Thanks.</p>
<p>I think both UCSD and Pepperdine are fine places, but Cal State might be a little worse as far as law school admissions is concerned</p>
<p>I think law schools do care about UG, but people here tend to overrate what that means. It doesn’t mean you have to have graduated from Harvard (though some here will contend that it provides a slight boost–i won’t dispute that here). It does mean, in my opinion, that one should graduate from a respectable university. That’s not to say that Cal State isn’t respectable, but i think it’s pretty well known t hat UCSD and Pepperdine are a level above the CSU system.</p>
<p>No difference. Partly because law schools don’t care in general, and partly because to an outsider those three schools all sound really similar.</p>
<p>EDIT: I grew up in CA–I know there’s one CSU that’s considered on par with the UC’s, but I can’t for the life of me remember which one it was. I’m assuming that’s the one that you call “SLO” – if it’s not, then FH might be right.</p>
<p>go to the cheapest option in my opinion. it is primarily about GPA/LSAT</p>
<p>Thanks for the quick replies! Yes in all the Cal State schools, Cal State San Luis Obispo is by far the top. As far as difficulty in gettin in it generally goes UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD then Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, then the other UC schools, etc… But even with that, do you think it makes a big or only slight difference which school he chooses?</p>
<p>[California</a> Polytechnic State University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Polytechnic_State_University]California”>California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>[Best</a> Cal State schools? - Yahoo! Answers](<a href=“Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos”>Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos)</p>
<p>Yes in further research I am convinced that SLO as it is called is the most prestigious State School here (see links above) however, I still think UCSD is a bit better and not sure about Pepperdine… just trying to see how much difference it makes to admissions when they see a student applying from these 3… do they care a huge amount or not a big deal? Thanks again so much.</p>
<p>In general law schools do not care very much about undergrad, although in some situations they can care some. I don’t think anybody is likely to distinguish among these three, however.</p>
<p>Mike, thanks so much, this was a big unknown question to me so you all have helped so much… Now I just have to figure out which school is best for him… He loves SLO and Pepperdine, SLO is cheap and Pepperdine is private and expensive but he got almost a full ride there making a bit more expensive than SLO… not sure which he would choose, which would you all choose if you know these schools, a private smaller prestigious school or a larger public school - by the way they are cutting in public schools due to our economics in CA</p>
<p>My general philosophy is threefold:</p>
<p>(1) A students’ quality of life is best where their SAT scores are closest to the student body’s;
(2) At age 18, it’s usually good to move pretty far from home – at least a several-hour car trip, usually;
(3) If a kid really likes a place, that should trump either (1) or (2).</p>
<p>Mike, awesome general philosophy, I agree and I am not pushing him either way, trying to guide him and ask those that have quality input, like you.</p>
<p>Both Pepperdine and SLO are a few hour drive, we won’t be visiting often, we plan to leave him alone. </p>
<p>He loves both places. Main differences - Pepperdine, smaller, private, no money problems, unbelievable teaching and cache, opportunities to meet kids from connected families and forge those relationships, views of blue pacific from entire campus, larger more diverse group of kids since they come from all over US, close to the best surfing in CA (he is captain of his surf team). Cons, no college town, maybe not the most choice of classes in his major.</p>
<p>SLO - probably just as highly ranked, public school, larger, awesome students that like pepperdine love the school, almost all kids from CA due to lower cost if you live in CA, college town (Pepperdine rich area but most things are on campus as it is in rich residential area), bit farther from surfing and colder water, budget cuts expected to continue and may affect the meat of the school next year and beyon.</p>
<p>(!) If he’s captain of his surfing team, then Pepperdine, no question, I would think. Bang, game over.</p>
<p>Ummm…maybe not. Less access to surfing might mean higher gpa :)</p>
<p>Undergraduate cachet isn’t very important in law school admissions.</p>
<p>U’grad is negligible. Just ball it up and make a 4.0. Study your penetralia out for the LSAT.</p>
<p>Profit.</p>
<p>Disagree with bluedevilmike about being with others with the same acumen.</p>
<p>Big fish/small pond is not as big of an anathema to the ego as is perceived.</p>
<p>If you’re good, you’re good.</p>