<p>I am an international student from Hong Kong and I've been accepted by both UChicago and LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science). I'm having trouble deciding between these two schools so please help me out! I'm planning on majoring in Economics at Chicago and I've been accepted to read Law at LSE. As an international student, money is also a consideration as studying in the UK will be much less expensive that at the US. But of course that's not the most important reason, other factors such as academic quality, job prospects etc... are also important. so please help me out!</p>
<p>I am a U of C student double majoring in economics, yet I have friends who read laws at LSE, and I got to know the process of qualifying to be a solicitor and the like from my stay as a visiting student at Oxford. That being said, I would not pass up the opportunity to get a world class professional degree to attend Chicago, or for that matter most top American colleges. First, even though LSE is underrated in the United States, in England and in Asia it runs circles around the Chicago in terms of prestige (there is some truth to this argument). Second though, whatever you want to do with a U of C econ degree, financially or in terms of you career, can be accomplished via a top LLB. or BSc in Laws. Indeed, the LSE degree will open many more doors. </p>
<p>U of C degree in economics:</p>
<ol>
<li> Get an investment banking job if you did well, 3.25+ honors for a larger firm, 3.5+ for the more eminent institutions such as Goldman Sachs and the like. Eventually go onto a top MBA program. A 40K salary for the first few years then becomes 120K and upward. </li>
<li> Go to law school, most reasonably within a year of graduation, you will end up dropping another 150K to attend a Juris Doctor program, but the books balance after a few years of the 125K+ salaries for the long billable hours at Vault firms. </li>
<li> Double major in math, land a 3.6+ GPA and go to a top 10 economics department for you graduate studies. The University will love you.</li>
</ol>
<p>LSE degree in law:</p>
<ol>
<li> Get an investment banking job if you did well, 2:2 honors for a larger firm, 2:1 for the more eminent institutions such as Goldman Sachs and the like. Eventually go onto a top MBA program. A 30K salary for the first few years then becomes 120K and upward if you work internationally. You legal expertise, coupled to some basic summer courses in intermediate economic theory, will make you a great markets analyst. </li>
<li> Go to law school, most reasonably within a year of graduation, you will end up dropping another 100K to attend a Juris Doctor program (shortened to two years), but the books balance (quite quickly) after a few years of the 125K+ salaries for the long billable hours at Vault firms. Likewise, you can earn an LLM or M.Phil in the United States or England, after qualifying as a solicitor, and bring in the pounds at a Magic Circle firm. Or go on to a Barristership and do the whole Inns of the Court life. No matter which route you take, you are doing well financially and professionally.</li>
<li> Go on to graduate school in the social sciences, either directly, or by crossing with a masters or second bachelors by independent reading.</li>
</ol>
<p>plewis - thanks for your helpful advice, i'll definately take it into consideration. originally i was very set on going to uchicago, but now i'm considering LSE as well. but the problem is they will be looking at my IB examination results which are coming out in early July. the offer is extremely high, not sure if i will make it!</p>