Harvard vs. Fordham

[jarhead]

here me out...i want to do entertainment law...intern at Sony BMI, MTV etc. legal and business affairs..maybe do an externship at volunteer lawyers for the arts or the viacom or cbs internship program...that type of deal...i've been accepted at Harvard and Fordham...im seriously considering forham i've done my research and they place well at big law (not what im interested in just sayin') are considered the 3rd best law school in NYC and people with better quals then me didn't get in....i haven't heard back from financial aid yet so i don't know what/if kind of money they are offering....harvard is basically going to be loans....for what i want to do how many more doors will harvard really open?...fordham is in NYC any kind of job i would want to take will be in NYC or LA which i would have to fly out to which ever one i go to...go

[johns259]

Go to Fordham.

If you're really thinking about the choice, then you shouldn't be at Harvard.

[ksully]

Fo to Forham, the entertainment indusrty never hires harvard grads.

[TDJD84]

Harvard... I mean you never know if your area of interest will change once you have a few courses under your belt.  The Harvard degree is strong regardless of what you want to study

[jarhead]

Go to Fordham.

If you're really thinking about the choice, then you shouldn't be at Harvard.

why do you say that...just curious...im a non-trad (33, 15 years combined military and professional work experience)...i recognize harvard's reputation in the legal world but in my professional experience i don't find degree pedigree to be all that important...and seems to be a little overemphasized on this board...so just curious why you think that i shouldn't be thinking about my options

[johns259]

Go to Fordham.

If you're really thinking about the choice, then you shouldn't be at Harvard.

i recognize harvard's reputation in the legal world

Not just the legal world, but the whole world. You never know what might happen. Have you visited the Harvard Law campus and met some of the folks there? Go to Fordham and tell them you chose it over Harvard. Your fellow students will laugh at you because they'll think you're joking.

[veganvenus]

Not just the legal world, but the whole world. You never know what might happen. Have you visited the Harvard Law campus and met some of the folks there? Go to Fordham and tell them you chose it over Harvard. Your fellow students will laugh at you because they'll think you're joking.

My guess is they would think he is lying.

You won't be able to go straight to an in-house gig - they don't want to train baby lawyers.  Most will require a few years of attorney experience.

Your best bet is to work your way up through BigLaw, albeit at a firm with a good entertainment law practice.  Your chances of getting the kind of job that will lead you on the right path are better with an HLS degree.  You can absolutely get it at Fordham, but only if you do well there.  Are you a gambling man?  You're basically taking the guaranteed big bucks return / career you would get from HLS and betting it on the possibility of saving a fraction of that money by going with the scholarship and praying to be the best there. 

The fact that one is in NYC is absolutely irrelevant.  You will interview wherever you want for summers, and spend them where you choose.  Unless you're planning to work during law school, generally a bad idea for FT anyway, the location of each school doesn't affect career prospects. If you get an interview, they will likely fly you out anyway.  Will it be more *fun* to be in NYC than Cambridge?  Insofar as law students actually have free time, absolutely.  But that's only a small part of the equation.

I agree with the previous posters that you may well change your mind as to what area; Harvard will keep more of your options open.  Plus - free coffee!  Go for the free coffee.  And in 20 minutes, free chair massage.  Harvard.  Definitely Harvard.

[Krisace]

I absolutely second what Ignignokt wrote.  It'd be a huge mistake to pass up Harvard.  Believe me, there will be plenty of people at Fordham gunning for the top of the class and there is a good likelihood that you won't be in it.  That's not a personal attack, it's just the numbers. 

People at Fordham are incredibly bright.  They may not be as sharp as those at Harvard but it's not a huge difference.  Thus it's a risk to go there.

BigLaw is the route you will most likely have to take to get where you want.  The Harvard name will meanwhile carry you far thereafter.