UBalt, Golden Gate, American, McGeorge?

[mtbrider59]

UGPA is 2.85- BSEE Virginia Tech
LSAT- 152
Also an MBA w/3.71 GPA
and lots of work experience.
As of now I've been accepted to UBalt's evening program and waitlisted to AMerican's WCL.
I currrently live/work in the SF Bay Area so either of these choices would require relocating(I grew up in the Wash-Balt area, so I wouldn't mind leaving sunny Cal behind as I'll probably return to the Maryland area sometime anyway). I'm still waiting to hear from Golden Gate and  McGeorge. I can probably do the commute to GGU- so no relocation or job change needed. Though with McGeorge, I'd have to relocate and change jobs to the Sac area.  I need to submit my deposit to UBalt by 5/1, and won't have a job back there by that time, plus I'm still waiting on GGU & McGeorge who might not have their decisions to me by then;so I guess I'm either going to have to turn UBalt down or see if they could defer me until I can find employment back there(I believe there could be good opportunities for me ther in my field, it would just take some time to get r done). Also, the same holds true for American, if the contact me off their wait list I'm probably going to have to say no until such time as I find employment in the area. I'm hoping that GGU accepts me as this is the easiest transition for me. Is GGU a good choice or would I be better off persuing UBalt or maybe American?

[AmyWaxFanClubPresident]

If you plan on returning the the MD area, go yo American or Baltimore.  A Golden Gate and McGeorge degree will not travel to the east coast.  The amount of debt you will take on should be your primary concern, as it will most likely be a struggle to pay off.

[credo]

McGeorge over Golden Gate.

[clairel]

McGeorge over Golden Gate.

titcr. not sure what your career goals are, but i know lots of the attorneys in sacramento are from mcgeorge. sf is one of the toughest legal markets in the country, and i imagine golden gate grads are at the bottom of the barrel for jobs (after firms have already recruited from all the t14s, berkeley, stanford, uc davis, and uc hastings). career prospects are almost certainly better from mcgeorge even though you might have to tough it out in sacramento, at least for a few years after graduation.

[Astro]

Yeah, don't forget USF and Santa Clara as well.  GG is a good fit in very limited circumstances.  I'm not sure this is one of them unless your job is especially satisfying/economically rewarding.

If you want to be out east, go to a school there.  You'll be stuck here for at least 3-4 years after you finish your degree at GG before you even have a realistic chance of transferring to one of those legal markets.

[brownbearsrool]

To be brutally honest, I'd rule out going to Golden Gate or McGeorge.  Most of the large firms in the Bay Area do not recruit from those schools at all, and I'm sure that they carry little or no weight on the East Coast.  I don't really know all that much about Baltimore or American, but American is at least the #3 school over there (compared to McGeorge at best #7)  and should have a decent alumni base for you to get a job.  Both GG and McGeorge fail out a significant amount of first year students each year - the grade curve is that difficult!

If it's at all possible, I'd retake the LSAT if possible.  If you can afford a prep course, it'll probably boost your score at least 5-6 points.  Santa Clara would seem to be a really good fit (I'm a current student there) -they take a lot of engineers in the night program who are intending to work in patent law. 

So I'd go American or retake the LSAT and apply again the following year.  You've already been working for quite a few years - what's one more year?

[Astro]

Not saying I necessarily disagree with you (although I don't think you're quite on point with McGeorge), but the OP never said anything about working for a big firm.

[brownbearsrool]

Not saying I necessarily disagree with you (although I don't think you're quite on point with McGeorge), but the OP never said anything about working for a big firm.

I kind of glossed over that, but I generally equate "potential for working at a big firm" with more options, regardless of what kind of field you want to go in, be it public interest, big firms, small firms, whatever.  Better ranked (and better placing) schools will open the door to more places, no matter what your ultimate destination is. 

As for McGeorge - I don't know anybody who currently attends there, so my perceptions could be wrong.  I have no doubt that they place well in Sac, but I haven't heard much of them in the Bay Area, so I know their degree definitely isn't going to travel well out to the East Coast. 

[Astro]

Not saying I necessarily disagree with you (although I don't think you're quite on point with McGeorge), but the OP never said anything about working for a big firm.

I kind of glossed over that, but I generally equate "potential for working at a big firm" with more options, regardless of what kind of field you want to go in, be it public interest, big firms, small firms, whatever.  Better ranked (and better placing) schools will open the door to more places, no matter what your ultimate destination is. 

As for McGeorge - I don't know anybody who currently attends there, so my perceptions could be wrong.  I have no doubt that they place well in Sac, but I haven't heard much of them in the Bay Area, so I know their degree definitely isn't going to travel well out to the East Coast. 

This much I'd probably agree with.  Not 100%, but close enough.

[TurboBoy]

Try for American.  Best out of your list by far!  Tier 1 FTW!