<p>I'm fairly new to the law school scene. Just wanted to know about other top law schools aside from HYS. What about Georgetown, Cal Berk, U of Mich. Norte Dame etc. Is there a huge difference in terms of the way people look at you if you graduate from one of those schools compared to HYS. THanks</p>
<p>The school's you listed are very good law schools. In fact, they're top 20 schools. Huge difference? Yes sir! I mean you're comparing Ivy League to state schools. However, the school's you mentioned, you would still have an outstanding level of stature as a grad of one of those schools. If you're worried about top law firms only recruiting at HYS, don't be. Top law firms nationwide certainly will recruit at those schools--especially Gtown, UMich, and UCBerk.</p>
<p>Many top law schools are outside of the Ivy League. U Chicago, Stanford, NYU, U Mich, Georgetwn, Boalt, Northwestern, U VA, Duke, and then ever so slightly more regional schools come up, such as Vanderbilt, U Texas - Austin, USC. There's more to it than just "State school vs. Ivy League"</p>
<p>Is there "a huge difference in terms of the way people look at you" if you graduate from a law school that isn't Harvard, Yale, or Stanford?</p>
<p>Let's break down the people who potentially care into a few categories:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The people who probably the care the most about where you went to law school, and whose opinion is likely to matter to you, are the people making the hiring decisions at large law firms. Where you went to law school is one factor they consider; your law school grades also play a significant role. Many of these firms have decided (formally or informally) how deep into a particular law school's class they're willing to look for potential associates. Some firms may be willing to consider virtually any newly minted graduate from Yale, Stanford, or Harvard, but might only consider candidates from the top half or top two thirds of the class at Michigan. </p></li>
<li><p>People in a position to make Supreme Court nominations care a great deal whether their nominees graduated from either (a) Harvard, Yale, or Stanford, or (b) all other law schools. Nominees from category (a) have greatly outnumbered nominees from category (b) in the last few decades.</p></li>
<li><p>Where you went to law school, and how you did there, are significant factors if you wish to convince the faculty of a law school that you would be a worthy peer.</p></li>
<li><p>Your mother will love you no more dearly if you go to Harvard, and no less dearly if you go to Notre Dame.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The longer you have been out of law school, the less it matters where you went, and what your grades were like (with a few exceptions like the Supreme Court and law school faculties). I went through eight interviews for my current in-house position, and no one asked me about my law school grades, or class rank. I was asked dozens of questions about my work experience, about my negotiation style, and dozens more that were clearly designed to reveal the depth of my understanding of the legal issues that come up in the type of work we do, or whether I would be fun to have as a co-worker.</p>
<p>the overall reputation of a certain university does not necessarily correlate with the reputation of that university's law school. </p>
<p>ivy is nice, but i'm sure many would love to hire out of NYU Law too (one of the top 5 law schools)</p>
<p>Notre Dame is a fine law school, but it really doesn't belong with the others on your list. Most people would not put it in the top 20. All of the others are in the top 14--one of the "break points." In terms of reputation, IMO, there's a greater difference between ND and UMichigan than there is between YHS and UMichigan. </p>
<p>How important that difference is depends on what it is you want to do and where you want to do it. It also depends on the connections you have. If you want to work at a large firm in NYC, I'd say you'd be better off going to Fordham, ranked just a bit below ND according to the infamous magazine, but probably regarded more highly than ND in its own back yard. You'd be a LOT better off going to any of the other LSs you've listed than you would go to ND if you want to work in NYC. If you wanted to work in Indianapolis, I suspect that wouldn't be the case. You'd probably be better off with a UMich JD than with a Fordham one in NYC, but you wouldn't be better off with a ND one. </p>
<p>That's part of the difference. The top 14 law schools--which have remained fairly constant for 30+ years, though the ranking among them has changed--are truly NATIONAL and respected throughout the US. Just below them are two LSs which many consider every bit as good, but which tend to be less "national" in the student bodies they attract. These are UTexas and UCLA. (You'd probably be better off going to UT than any LSs other than YHS if you want to work in Texas.)</p>
<p>Once you get below the top 14-16, there's just not the same sort of national recognition and you may well be better off going to a strong local law school. Thus, if you wanted to work in Boston, I'd suggest BU or BC, even though UIowa and UMinnesota have been more highly ranked. Folks in Boston--even attorneys--won't know that. (Both Iowa and UMinn are often ranked as highly as ND, BTW.)</p>
<p>concisely, shoot for the best schools you could possibly get. That's the way I see it.</p>
<p>Agree with Jonri; disagree with Akafizzle.</p>
<p>Basically, if you can get into a top 14, go!</p>
<p>Otherwise, go to the best school IN THE AREA YOU WANT TO PRACTICE. </p>
<p>There are a few exceptions (I believe that Tulane, for example, sends a very high percentage of grads to NYC), but generally, go to the area you want to live in. You're better off going to a second-tier in that city than you are a first-tier, non-top-14 outside of that area. For example, someone who wants to work in Atlanta might be better off at Mercer than at BU.</p>
<br>
<p>Let's break down the people who potentially care into a few categories:</p>
<br>
<p>I agree with many of your points, but I would add an additional category of people who care (a lot) about where you went to law school: federal judges hiring clerks. This is arguably the best entry-level job in the profession, and there's a gigantic bias toward higher-ranked schools.</p>
<p>The huge difference comes in the career path you wish to take, an where you choose to live. A Harvard degree will get your foot in the door nearly anywhere in the nation. Some of the schools right below that have regional alumni networks which are stronger than Harvard's. So, if you don't get into HYS, but would kill to practice in L.A., then a degree from USC would carry more weight than one from UTexas, even though they are "ranked" roughly the same.</p>
<p>ETA:<em>Beaten to it, sorry</em></p>
<p>agree on location being a HUGE factor.
for grad schools and professional schools, too many people get caught up in the undergraduate reputation of the school. for example, in clinical psychology, my field, the grad program at SUNY Albany is WAAAAAY more respected than that at Harvard, which isnt even accredited. NYU law is better than Emory law despite the fact that Emory is typically seen as a "better" school than NYU.</p>
<p>sidenote: i love how akafizzle is lecturing on law school when he/she is 18 yrs old....</p>
<p>Georgetown does not have that great of a law school. If you want location near DC, shoot for George Mason University, UVa, or University of Richmond. I mean Georgetown doesn't have a bad law school, but if you wanna save big bucks and go to a better school, I would look at those.</p>
<p>Are these law schools all "ranked" in a comprehensive manner? Or are they ranked based on specific juris programs (ex. Corporate, family, tax)?</p>
<p>That I don't know. I said
[quote]
I mean Georgetown doesn't have a bad law school, but if you wanna save big bucks and go to a better school, I would look at those.
[/quote]
but in reality, Georgetown has a better law school than UofR and GMU. Rankings are just rankings though, a more comprehensive approach, i.e. researching each individual school, is worth much more than any rankings.</p>