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Law School Applications / Rank your priorities
« on: November 04, 2008, 10:19:57 AM »
Everyone uses a formula to determine what schools to apply to and, ultimately, what school to attend... most of us don't really realize we are doing it though; we rank stuff in our minds and this decides what schools appeal to us. This has to be the case... look at LSN and you will see numbers twins with virtually no overlap in schools applied to. While we are all waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) to receive those elusive acceptances and scholarships, this will be something to pass the time.
Here's what you do- rank your top 5 (or 3, or 20) priorities... it will be interesting to see whether peoples' priorities are similar, or if they vary widely. My top 5 priorities are:
1. Finances: Being a newly-wed, I feel like it is important to make a decision that will not only place me at a good school, but also at one that is economically feasible.
2. Prestige: I think we all have to admit, prestige matters. Take even candidates, one with a top 20 ranked degree, and one with a mid-70s ranked degree- the top school gets the nudge, more often than not.
3. Location: My wife and I go home a lot, so I think it is very important that I am within driving distance of my hometown. Also, I want to go to law school in a town I wouldn't care to live in.
4. Employment/ Placement: Some may have this higher, but I think that if you place well at a high-quality reputable school, you will get a job. Still, it seems that some schools place better than others, particularly within certain regions.
5. U.S. News Rankings: This is something that could kind of get clumped with prestige, but I think of it separately. Whether or not you agree with U.S. News Rankings, they are still there. You can either fight the system, or you can use it to your advantage.
Again, this is entirely for fun... lots of us are going crazy waiting, and this is an excuse to play around on LSD.
Here's what you do- rank your top 5 (or 3, or 20) priorities... it will be interesting to see whether peoples' priorities are similar, or if they vary widely. My top 5 priorities are:
1. Finances: Being a newly-wed, I feel like it is important to make a decision that will not only place me at a good school, but also at one that is economically feasible.
2. Prestige: I think we all have to admit, prestige matters. Take even candidates, one with a top 20 ranked degree, and one with a mid-70s ranked degree- the top school gets the nudge, more often than not.
3. Location: My wife and I go home a lot, so I think it is very important that I am within driving distance of my hometown. Also, I want to go to law school in a town I wouldn't care to live in.
4. Employment/ Placement: Some may have this higher, but I think that if you place well at a high-quality reputable school, you will get a job. Still, it seems that some schools place better than others, particularly within certain regions.
5. U.S. News Rankings: This is something that could kind of get clumped with prestige, but I think of it separately. Whether or not you agree with U.S. News Rankings, they are still there. You can either fight the system, or you can use it to your advantage.
Again, this is entirely for fun... lots of us are going crazy waiting, and this is an excuse to play around on LSD.
