Yes to all three of your questions. This is not to say that you can’t go to Harvard with a stellar record from Notre Dame, but Brown otherwise sounds like a better fit for you. It’s not worth the debt of three full years at any law school, however.
Notre Dame is every bit as good as Brown in your areas of interest. Those are some of ND’s strongest programs.
Another factor I would consider is the chance of getting a higher GPA at Brown supposedly due to the grade inflation.
I think it’s a no-brainer. Notre Dame. Those theology classes will be of great benefit when you get to law school.
Does anybody know about grade inflation/deflation at ND? In general, would it be easier to go to Harvard law from Brown or ND? Would there be no difference?
No difference.
You may want to search “Top Lawyer Producer Schools – Infographic.”
My opinion is that both Brown and ND can get you where you want to go. If money is no issue whatsoever I’d go with your personal preference - whichever school that may be. If money is limited that would push me towards ND
I’m not a big ranking person but to give you a sense of just how close these two schools are regarded Brown is tied for 14 by USNWR while ND is ranked 18 - a minimal difference.
@Swiza2011 asked “Is the consensus here that Brown > ND if money were out of the equation?”
Absolutely not. And it’s not a relevant question - in terms of getting into a law school the undergrad pedigree is going to matter a heckuva lot less than your LSATs.
Even if money were equal - which it isn’t - there are only a couple of majors for which I’d pick Brown over ND. Enjoy the $100K pocketed for the future and enjoy not being surrounded by greeks.
For students who classify themselves right of center on the political spectrum, Notre Dame is a better fit. Brown students, for the most part, hover from extreme left to center left. Very few Brown students would classify themselves as center or center right.
Also, it is true that Notre Dame does not have Greek life, but neither does Brown, and while South Bend is not that great, neither is Providence. Both schools are close to vibrant cities (Chicago and Boston).
As others have pointed out, Notre Dame is an exceptional university, certainly a peer of Brown’s. Since it is a better fit, and significantly cheaper, I would recommend Notre Dame.
@Alexandre I am sorry but I am compelled to be direct…have you ever been on Brown’s campus, spent time with Brown students or visited Providence?
Yes the school has a liberal bias and reputation but a significant portion of the student body is composed of centrists. Divergent viewpoints are respected and conversation encouraged.
There is a significant Greek presence but it doesn’t dominate the schools social scene.
Providence is a fun and dynamic city with a numerous culinary options, vibrant arts community and numerous colleges that give it a great energy.
The greatest distinction between Brown and most other schools is the open curriculum. You can judge the importance of it given your personal values on flexibility. Those that go to Brown take Pride in choosing classes that interest them and the resulting “engaged” classroom atmosphere.
OP I am happy to provide real life recent examples or instances of all of the aforementioned comments if it will help inform your decision. PM me.
As for ND my son’s school sends roughly 10 kids or so there annually. Great school and those kids that attend are smart, happy and love the place. My son opted for Brown over ND because he wanted a school with more diversity of thought than his HS and the open curriculum appealed to him. FYI he is a conservative leaning and a member of a frat and loves the school.
Good luck with your decision and I would avoid listening to any of us. I suspect most haven’t spent any time at either school much less at both. FYI we spent an extended weekend at ND as part of our 2nd visit as finalists for the merit award. ND is undeniably an outstanding school so no bias here.
Lastly read back and find several posters who had been rejected by Brown now throwing shade. Just saying.
Trust your own gut feeling so that you will never look back.
OP, Brown > ND if money is not a factor (IMO)
I half agree with @Trixy34 [post #23] that the “theology classes [at ND] will be of great benefit when you get to law school,” but the half I don’t agree with is that this offers any benefit over any class at Brown that fosters analysis and critical thinking. THAT is the most important aspect of an undergraduate education for success in law school. ATS
There is objectively nothing superior about Brown over Notre Dame. The main point people make is the open curriculum; it is indeed different than Notre Dame, but not objectively better. It is up to the opinion of each student. Personally, I would prefer more structure for undergrad, though I know for others the open curriculum would be a good fit.
If your parents are able to pay easily for both schools then ignore the price factor. But if, as you mentioned before, you are on your own for law school unless you attend Notre Dame, then clearly Brown is not worth crippling debt. The return on investment is going to come from law school anyway.
@Swiza2011 So… which one did you pick?
@Groundwork2022 After a LOT of thinking, analyzing, and soul-searching, I picked ND. Go Irish!
@AboutTheSame - I guess I missed the “half” of my statement that I didn’t write. Yes, of course OP could get great instruction in critical thinking skills at Brown. But there’s a significant cost differential that should not be ignored when there is law school tuition to be considered. It’s just my personal opinion, as an attorney and a former law student (who knows the burden of law school loans) that Theology classes could be helpful in training the noggin to start thinking like a law student will be expected/trained to think.
Congratulations @Swiza2011- Congratulations on your decision!
Good choice!
Congratulations!!! I am happy for you. You’re going to love ND.
Congratulations on what I am sure will turn out to be a great decision!