Albany Law School v Suffolk University

[Which School Would you Choose?]

Which School Would you Choose?

Suffolk

 7 (53.8%)

Albany

 6 (46.2%)

Total Members Voted: 13

[hsc2009]

Hello, this is my first post on the forum. I have been accepted to a few law schools for the coming year, but so far my decision has come down to Suffolk University or Albany Law School. Both schools have offered me full tuition scholarships, provided I maintain a 3.0 GPA. Does anyone have any insight about either of these schools that would help me decide? Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Remarq]

Boston is larger legal market than Albany. Unless you want to work in NY state government I'd go with Suffolk.

[hsc2009]

Boston is larger legal market than Albany. Unless you want to work in NY state government I'd go with Suffolk.

This is one of the concerns that I have about Albany. While I wouldn't mind staying in upstate NY, I would prefer to work for a private firm. Does anyone know if Albany places a good amount of people in private practice?

[Remarq]

It doesn't look like it. Albany is all the way down on the first page: http://www.law.com/img/nlj/charts/composite.pdf According to this, and this is a few years old form when the economy was better, they only put about 38% in private practice. But if you look on page 6 suffolk's about the same so who knows.

[Eagles41]

Suffolk has a great network! Go Suffolk no question about it!

[Ninja1]

Albany.

[MalachiConstant]

Boston is larger legal market than Albany. Unless you want to work in NY state government I'd go with Suffolk.

This is one of the concerns that I have about Albany. While I wouldn't mind staying in upstate NY, I would prefer to work for a private firm. Does anyone know if Albany places a good amount of people in private practice?

Boston does have a larger legal market but it also has five more law schools than Albany. Having said that, I would still go for Suffolk just because Boston is a great city (though I'v never been to Albany, it does seem kind of small-town). I live in Boston and would have go to Suffolk had they offered me money. Albany did offer me quite a bit of money (which made me think Suffolk was kind of stingy), so I am going there.

[iamprov]

I go to Albany and like it very much.  Mind you, I'm interested in state govt work (DA's office).  I'd say the education you'll get is equivalent, and FWIW, I think they're both underrated schools.  If you can handle the increased COL and being in a wash of law students, go with Suffolk.  Students that do well at Suffolk generally get some private offers, and it does well in Rhode Island as well.  If you are interested in having great opportunities because you're in the only law school in the area, go with Albany. 

[nealric]

What are the respective curves?

3.0 at albany might not be the same as a 3.0 at suffolk.

[cs0620]

How is the financial aid and placement of the grads?  Does one match up better than another?  I'd use that to help my decision.

As far as the schools by themselves, try Suffolk, but be prepared for the infamous Boston cost of living.