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Choosing the Right Law School / Re: Northwestern JD/PhD v. Harvard JD
« on: March 12, 2009, 01:48:52 PM »
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses!
The PhD is in Sociology. I am really interested doing research/policy related to the criminal justice system, and Northwestern have great faculty who do sociology of law and other urban-related issues. Some of my advisers have said that if I want to do academia or policy then i NEED the PhD, while others seem to think that the PhD is less of a necessity for policy. My ideal job would involve research, policy, and programming, each of these in varying degrees. I am also aware that my interests will evolve over the course of 3-6 years and I could end up wanting to do something wildly different.
At this point I want to keep as many options open as possible, and it seems that Northwestern could do this better than Harvard. That said, part of the deal at Northwestern is that I have to find an academic appointment within 4 years of completing the program or else I have to pay back 2 years of law school tuition. Two years of Northwestern, however, is still cheaper than 3 years of Harvard.
The PhD is in Sociology. I am really interested doing research/policy related to the criminal justice system, and Northwestern have great faculty who do sociology of law and other urban-related issues. Some of my advisers have said that if I want to do academia or policy then i NEED the PhD, while others seem to think that the PhD is less of a necessity for policy. My ideal job would involve research, policy, and programming, each of these in varying degrees. I am also aware that my interests will evolve over the course of 3-6 years and I could end up wanting to do something wildly different.
At this point I want to keep as many options open as possible, and it seems that Northwestern could do this better than Harvard. That said, part of the deal at Northwestern is that I have to find an academic appointment within 4 years of completing the program or else I have to pay back 2 years of law school tuition. Two years of Northwestern, however, is still cheaper than 3 years of Harvard.