Minnesota vs Pepperdine vs University of San Diego

[bruin945]

Im in at Pepperdine (no money) University of San Diego ($20,000 per year) and in at Minnesota- Twin Cities ($5000 per year). Still have to hear from UC Davis, Hastings, and Boston College. As of now where do I go? I want to practice in CA.

[nhutchin]

I thought on another board you said that you got money from Pepperdine.  I would say if you want to work in CA go to Pepperdine.  It is a really great school and it has a really great atomosphere.  Check out my posts about Pepperdine on my threat Pepperdine Student Taking Any Questions if you want to know more about Pepperdine or you can also send me a message or just respond to this and I can tell you more about Pepperdine.

[philibusters]

Thats interesting.  Theres no wrong choice.  For San Diego is the money guaranteed or does it have a gpa requirement to renew?  You should probably ask Pepperdine for some money. 

San Diego has a great faculty.  I just overheard some students at my school talking about San Diego.  They were on law review and they had just accepted an entry from a prof at San Diego and they were talking about how they felt really good about the article and how San Diego faculty had a good reputation.

I don't know much about Pepperdine.  I have used a couple supplements written by profs there and I thought they were both were solid.  One of the most beautiful locations in Malibu I hear.  You should ask them for money.

Minnesota is a great school and is the most national of the schools you got into.  The problem is if you know you want to practice in California, you are just as good going to the other two.  They also supposedly have a good faculty, smart students, and my roommate who visited there when he was picking law schools said they have the biggest library hes saw when he toured schools (and he looked at about 10 different schools).

[El_Che]

If you for sure, for sure want to end up working in CA right away, I'd say take usd or pepperdine over minn if you can get money from either of the cali schools.

[sno]

if you want to be in cali, don't go to minn...as far as usd and pepperdine goes, do you want to be in la or sd? if money doesn't factor in, that's really the only question you should have between the 2 schools

[StevePirates]

Pepperdine.
More portable JD than USD.  Bigger market, wider alumni net.

[thechoson]

I am going to assume by your moniker you went to UCLA for UG.  If you have ties to California, and do well at Minnesota, should not be a problem coming back.  Considering Minn's rep is considered quite a bit higher than USD/ Pepperdine, I think Minn may be a good choice

[sno]

this is how it's going to break down...with all 3 schools your basic advantage in all 3 is going to be the market the school it's in because (obviously) there are more alums in the area and there will be more networking opportunities for you since you'll be there for 3 years...so, if u want sd go sd, if u want la go pepperdine...both those schools will, imo, have an advantage over minn in their respective markets...if you're trying to go to the bay or some part of cali that's not la or sd, i don't think any of these 3 schools will make that big of a diff...you'll have to work harder to network your way into the market...as important as 0Ls think rank is (don't get me wrong, it is...but not because of the rank but because of the reputation that usually keeps a school where it is) if you don't get a job through oci (the advantage minn may have) you'll have just as hard a time breaking into the bay as a usd or pep alum will...and do NOT "EXPECT" to get a job through oci...your odds are better if more firms recruit there obviously, but it's like transferring...don't expect it and don't do it if you aren't willing to a) work in the market the school is in for a few years or b) shoot out A LOT of unsolicited applications and/or network your ass off...if you aren't too gung ho about these 2 things and you don't manage to get a job through oci which will move you into the market you want to be in...you're in for a nasty surprise

as i mentioned...rank is based on reputation and a market won't have a reputation for alums from any one school unless there are alums to establish that rep...as far as i can remember, the only attorney i've ever met who's had ANY association with minn in sd is a professor of mine and that's only because he taught there...so my guess/assumption is that there aren't THAT many minn alums around caliornia (at least not more than pep or usd)...i admit, this assumption could be TOTALLY wrong, but i think it's probably a fair one...

[bruin945]

Yeah I went to UCLA... as far as Minnesota goes, I would absolutely want to practice in CA. So I guess eventhough there ranking is higher, I would be better off at Pepperdine. Hopefully I get into Hastings.

[donwario]

Yeah I went to UCLA... as far as Minnesota goes, I would absolutely want to practice in CA. So I guess eventhough there ranking is higher, I would be better off at Pepperdine. Hopefully I get into Hastings.

Minnesota is not going to do a good job of getting you to CA. Pepperdine seems like the right choice unless Hastings comes through.