NYU/Georgetown Tax LLM Admissions

[TheHardestPart]

Hi All-

I'm a 3L, top-10% + LR at a top-20 law school, with a biglaw offer. My law firm is doing the whole "we'll give you 75k if you don't start until Oct. 2010" deal. I'm applying for a tax LLM at NYU (and probably Georgetown), but my firm is going to need to know my deferral decision before I get my acceptance/rejection.  So, I'm trying to figure out what to do. 

Does anyone here know more about the admissions standards at these programs than I do?

Thx
   

[tkae]

I don't know much about NYU's admission criteria, and I am providing the following information with the caveat that there are many soft factors, and your situation may be different from mine.  Having said that, I can tell you that I applied to NYU's Taxation Program in early February and was accepted by the end of February.  I am a domestic student, a 3L in a top 20-25 law school-- I haven't checked the rankings recently.  I was in the top 10% in my first year, but I am no longer in the top 10%.  My school doesn't rank beyond that.  I took three tax classes and am taking a fourth currently.  I didn't do that great in the introductory tax class, but I did really well in the two advanced tax classes.  I received two recommendations--one from my tax professor in one of the advanced classes.

That's all I can tell you.  I think the best advice I can give you is to apply immediately and hope for a quick response.

tkae

[kolya]

"Simply put, you defer (or are deferred mandatorily), you're out, unless the economy comes back. One said, and I quote verbatim, 'You should tell your friends that if a firm defers them they should presume they need a new job.'"

http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=953659&mc=6&forum_id=2&PHPSESSID=e9da637215d2daa024b5e457d4221816

[thorc954]

"Simply put, you defer (or are deferred mandatorily), you're out, unless the economy comes back. One said, and I quote verbatim, 'You should tell your friends that if a firm defers them they should presume they need a new job.'"

http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=953659&mc=6&forum_id=2&PHPSESSID=e9da637215d2daa024b5e457d4221816

almost every firm is deferring your comments make no sense...

OP, they aren't making you do the public interest route?  So lucky.  If mine had given me that option, Id be at NYU next year as well. 

[bl825]

"Simply put, you defer (or are deferred mandatorily), you're out, unless the economy comes back. One said, and I quote verbatim, 'You should tell your friends that if a firm defers them they should presume they need a new job.'"

http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=953659&mc=6&forum_id=2&PHPSESSID=e9da637215d2daa024b5e457d4221816

almost every firm is deferring your comments make no sense...

OP, they aren't making you do the public interest route?  So lucky.  If mine had given me that option, Id be at NYU next year as well. 

Why do her comments not make sense?  It could simply mean that almost every 3L is out.  I know it's scary to think about, but that doesn't mean it can't be true. 

[thorc954]

Its not true.  Certain practice groups are fairly insulated from the economic downturn, yet, many firms deferred all groups.  Not everyone can be out. 

[Matthies]

Its not true.  Certain practice groups are fairly insulated from the economic downturn, yet, many firms deferred all groups.  Not everyone can be out. 

I guess I don’t see how this could be a good sign. I mean yea if firms where deferring certain practice groups but hiring others, that would a be a good thing. But if certain practice areas are doing well but the firm is still deferring the whole class, then that seems to me to indicate they either have just enough work for the people they have already or they don’t have enough work for the people they have already, either way they are not taking anyone new on right now. So even if your assigned practice area is doing well, you’re still out.

[nealric]

Does anyone here know more about the admissions standards at these programs than I do?

Your chances are near 100% at both.

From what I understand at GULC, top 20% at Tier 2, a bit above median at T20, or anything but bottom of the class at T14 will suffice. Llm programs are huge money makers, so they tend to be lax on the admissions front.

I may be doing the joint degree Tax llm program here (depending on if my firm ends up deferring me next year), and they basically told us that only one GULC JD student has ever been rejected- and they were bottom 10% with a crap grade in Tax I.

[bl825]

Its not true.  Certain practice groups are fairly insulated from the economic downturn, yet, many firms deferred all groups.  Not everyone can be out. 

I didn't say everyone.  I said almost every 3L.  Very different.

[kolya]

Heh.  I was at that info session.

Favorite part:
Q:"Do you have standards, and if so, what are they?"
A:"Well, you have to understand, we're offering a service..."

Does anyone here know more about the admissions standards at these programs than I do?

Your chances are near 100% at both.

From what I understand at GULC, top 20% at Tier 2, a bit above median at T20, or anything but bottom of the class at T14 will suffice. Llm programs are huge money makers, so they tend to be lax on the admissions front.

I may be doing the joint degree Tax llm program here (depending on if my firm ends up deferring me next year), and they basically told us that only one GULC JD student has ever been rejected- and they were bottom 10% with a crap grade in Tax I.