Need some help - Pitt or Villanova?

[tacc731]

I'm from the south so I really know nothing of the area.  Suggestions?

[nmathe01]

1st - this is a biased oppinion as I am a Villanova undergrad and love it.


I would def. choose Villanova, being from New England, Nova has a better reputation than Pitt, as both an undergrad and law school.

The campus at Nova is awesome, although the law building is old.  It is a good time around here and I think that it is a great place to spend three years.

[stateofbeasley]

In the Philadelphia area, Villanova has an edge over Pitt due to larger alumni base. Generally, there is no question that Pittsburgh has a more prestigeous law school.

If you want to practice in Eastern PA, NJ, or DE, go to Villanova. Anywhere else, go to Pittsburgh.

Might I suggest my own Temple University as an alternative The reputation is about the same, the facilities & faculty are top notch, and the tuition is much cheaper, even if you are out of state. We are in the hood, but the campus itself is nice.

[abe]

Visit each campus before you decide.  Pittsburgh used to be a steel town.  Food stinks there, and bread molds quickly if you leave it out on the table.  Good luck.

[tacc731]

In the Philadelphia area, Villanova has an edge over Pitt due to larger alumni base. Generally, there is no question that Pittsburgh has a more prestigeous law school.

If you want to practice in Eastern PA, NJ, or DE, go to Villanova. Anywhere else, go to Pittsburgh.

Might I suggest my own Temple University as an alternative The reputation is about the same, the facilities & faculty are top notch, and the tuition is much cheaper, even if you are out of state. We are in the hood, but the campus itself is nice.

Thanks for the info.  As for Temple I have yet to hear from them. 

[VivaLaMuerte]

Visit each campus before you decide.  Pittsburgh used to be a steel town.  Food stinks there, and bread molds quickly if you leave it out on the table.  Good luck.

Depends on what kinda food, but there is nothing that Philly has, save cheesesteaks and pretzels, that you can't in pittsburgh, just as good and cheaper.

The steel town comment is pretty unhelpful, too.  It is nothing like a steel town these days, and is more of a high-tech/healthcare based economy.  It's also a very clean and safe city, insanely cheap to live in, and pretty fun, so long as a booming club scene isn't your thing.

But yeah, visit both (and philly).  Villanova is in a beautiful area, though I'd prefer Pittsburgh over Philly anyday.

[CounterPoint]

Visit each campus before you decide.  Pittsburgh used to be a steel town.  Food stinks there, and bread molds quickly if you leave it out on the table.  Good luck.

Depends on what kinda food, but there is nothing that Philly has, save cheesesteaks and pretzels, that you can't in pittsburgh, just as good and cheaper.

The steel town comment is pretty unhelpful, too.  It is nothing like a steel town these days, and is more of a high-tech/healthcare based economy.  It's also a very clean and safe city, insanely cheap to live in, and pretty fun, so long as a booming club scene isn't your thing.

But yeah, visit both (and philly).  Villanova is in a beautiful area, though I'd prefer Pittsburgh over Philly anyday.

Agree.  visited nova - love the area but the school is a dump.  Pitt has lower cost, lower cost of living, considerably better reputation (slipped to low-50 this year but should head back to the 40's again).  Pittburgh is apparently a great place to live actually - having had a rebirth in 90's (as previous poster noted, lots of tech, etc.) COL in Pitt is MUCH cheaper. name travels a little further. obviously still regional, but it can play in most of nova's terriroty given better reputation.

oh yea, higher salary averages too.

[SleepyGuyYawn]

To chime in, I'd also say Pitt over Nova.  I've visited both and I decided to not even apply to Villanova.  I did apply to Temple, but I'm going to Pitt.  Philly is fine, but I prefer the city of Pittsburgh actually. 

You should definately visit Pittsburgh.  It's a unique city.  And Mr. Rogers is from Pitt 

As for Villanova, I think the area around it is pretty.  But it's Phillaburbia.  And there's nothing really wrong with that -- except I hate the suburbs.  Plus the law school is really old.  They say they're going to build a new one, but nobody I've talked to has actually heard of concrete plans.

[thelawfool]

tell me more about the campus.  i still think there is an inkling of hope that i can get into 'nova, but i'd like to know more about it before i go off hoop-dreaming about the school.  so the ls is old and traditional looking but the area is nice...

anything else?

[SleepyGuyYawn]

The area is suburbia.  It's nice for suburbia -- yea, "nice" is the way to describe it.  I'd rather live in Philly myself, or Pittsburgh for that matter.  But Phillaburbia's alright I guess.

The law school is old and traditional looking -- good way to describe it.  I'm not a big fan of the law library.  It's tiny and claustraphobic.  I just can't imagine spending years studying there.

Anybody else can jump in and disagree though.