<p>Why there is such a huge disparity between GULC's actual prestige (prestige within the legal realm) and its laymen prestige? I keep hearing from attorneys that it is the worst of the T-14 and you have to place in the top 40% of your class to make Biglaw. Yet laymen seem to think it is ranked right below HYS.</p>
<p>I don't know if this answers your question, but you need to realize that Georgetown also has a large PT program which will include many students who may already be working for the federal government or other agencies that are housed in DC. My guess is that there is a substancial # of students who are not enticed into working for BigLaw immediately upon graduation due to their ties with government or non-profits. So is the 40% placement in BigLaw based on exclusion or self-selection?? It may be the graduates decision not to pursue BigLaw upon graduation and not that they weren't offered a position.</p>
<p>There was a National Law Journal article being floated around here a while ago
"Top 50 firms hire most from big names" . If you look at the actual number of associates hired by top 50 firms in 2005, Georgetown comes in third with 149 associates hired - behind Harvard and Columbia. Of course the overall percentage is much smaller due to class size, but in terms of actual # of students placed in BigLaw, Georgetown does quite well. My guess is if you took out the # of students who wanted to stay with government or non-profits, Georgetown's percentage placement into BigLaw may increase dramatically too.</p>
<p>I know the mantra on this board is to go to the highest ranked school you can get into- but I do think everyone may have personal preferences that have to be considered too.
Some people would actually prefer to be in an urban area of DC rather than the college town environment of UVA, Cornell, or Ann Arbor and some stay away from urban areas like DC or NY. And some people may find DC a particularly exciting place to be for law school. ( I guess you need to have that extra bit of interest in politics and government to feel that way)</p>
<p>I think you need to know yourself and pick a law school based on your own needs and not be overly swayed by ranking alone. A T-14 is still a T-14.</p>
<p>ps- if my kid is lucky enough to have a choice between UMich and Georgetown, she'd pick Georgetown with no hesitation whatsoever!!<br>
Good luck- LSB. Visit the schools- that should help you make a wise decision.</p>
<p>Ha, speaking of GTown v. UVA - I recited the list of schools I am applying to to an academic advisor of mine (not familiar with law schools, but an academic), and I only have one school outside of the T14, so I'm of course a little nervous about not getting accepted anywhere hah - anyway, her response was "well, at the very least you should get into UVA"....argggg, why does no one realize what a GREAT school it is!</p>
<p>For what its worth, I'd def go to UMich over G'Town, just to study in the reading room!! Now all they have to do is accept me.</p>