gpa or prestige

Graduate School Law School
41

<p>
[quote]
it is my understanding that you are neither a law student nor a lawyer.</p>

<p>Once again, your understanding is wrong.

[/quote]

  1. Drop the attitude.
  2. Simple question: are you a 1L, 2L, 3L, or practicing attorney? At best, answering those questions narrows down who you are to about 45,000 people in the country - so no risk of "outing" yourself by answering. Please do so - it is nearly impossible to know where someone is coming from if they do not give any basis for their statements.</p>

<p>I disagree - strongly - with the "minor city" and "hick firm" implications. Consider that someone may have grown up in North Carolina, attended school there, and then gotten into Harvard or Yale. If she wants to work in San Diego, has no family there, and has never lived there, she would be best off establishing some geographic connection there. She would NOT be the only H/Y law student that top SD firms are considering - not by a long shot - and they would also have students from Stanford, Boalt, and other top schools to choose from - many of whom have strong connections to California. </p>

<p>While I don't know much about you, I can guess that you're male - because women can't credibly lie about a fiance without a ring. Furthermore, I once interviewed with someone who asked, "Why [this state]?" She then glanced at my resume and said, "Oh, you're from there. Glad I don't have to listen to you say, 'Because my fiance's cousin is from there and I really like it.' "</p>

<p>Not to put down H, because it's an amazing school, but I could really see someone turning it down for a different environment. With 550 students in each class, it's massive. A student could reasonably turn that down for a smaller environment.</p>

<p>Lastly, the "law into politics" route might not be best served through H or Y - depending on your political leanings. Just a thought.</p>

42

<p>It is not just the top two. Most of the top howevermany open doors that are harder to open for graduates of middle of the pack and lower ranked law schools, unless they have other things going for them, such as being very high in their class, major success in moot court type of activities, or relevant local connections including the ability to bring in clients.</p>

43

<p>
[quote]
Consider that someone may have grown up in North Carolina, attended school there, and then gotten into Harvard or Yale. If she wants to work in San Diego, has no family there, and has never lived there, she would be best off establishing some geographic connection there.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Well, this is getting pretty outlandish, don't you think? How many people have a burning desire to work in a minor city where they've never lived? Probably not a lot. This has moved pretty far from the original statement about how so many pre-law students are "clueless" and erroneously believe that H and Y are the best for them when they aren't. In any event, she would definitely be way, way better off at Harvard than USD or wherever. No responsible person would advise her otherwise. </p>

<p>
[quote]
She would NOT be the only H/Y law student that top SD firms are considering

[/quote]
</p>

<p>She'd definitely be one of only a handful. Not a whole ton of HY students go to San Diego every year. It's pretty likely they'd snap up one of the few HY students they got, so long as she seemed genuine enough that they didn't think she just wanted a free trip.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Furthermore, I once interviewed with someone who asked, "Why [this state]?"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Well, of course they're going to ask, especially if you're doing something really unusual and applying to a city you've never even been to. But the point is that if they see "Harvard Law School" under your out-of-state address, they're not really going to care what your answer is. </p>

<p>
[quote]
Not to put down H, because it's an amazing school, but I could really see someone turning it down for a different environment. With 550 students in each class, it's massive. A student could reasonably turn that down for a smaller environment.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Sure, like Yale or, possibly, Stanford.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Lastly, the "law into politics" route might not be best served through H or Y - depending on your political leanings. Just a thought.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Now you're just being silly. There probably isn't a better way to start a career in politics (short of being born into the Bush family) than going to HLS or YLS. I don't even know what you're getting at. Do you think that Harvard is a bad idea for Democrats, like Janet Reno, Russ Feingold, Chuck Schumer and Barney Frank? Or that it's oppressive for Republicans, like Elizabeth Dole, Spencer Abraham, Alberto Gonzales, John Roberts and Antonin Scalia? And what about Yale, where Bill and Hillary Clinton met after Gerald Ford and Arlen Spector graduated and a few years before Sam Alito and Clarence Thomas got there?</p>

44

<p>Did I really screw up by going to Carnegie Mellon (Im in Tepper which is the 5th ranked business school in the country) and getting lower grades than going to Pitt and most likely getting better grades :(</p>

45

<p>Chrisay,</p>

<p>Not that there is any point in crying over spilled milk, but my answer would be "no."</p>