Go or re-apply

[McGillGrad]

Hi,

this may be a stupid question (let the flaming begin ) but I'd like to get you people's opinion.
The following situation: 169 and 174 LSATs, 3.84 graduating gpa (BA) from a top tier (Nr.1) Canadian school, + MSc in medical research from the same school.
I applied in 2008 and got into a few schools. Back then I picked Northwestern's offer , which was 45k per year scholarship if I defer for a year (so entry this year). I used the year to get a Master's degree and numerous publications and presentations (~ 16 altogether, plus the 4 I had before).  While I am very interested in practicing law in a firm, I am also quite fond of academia, and would therefore like to keep that as a possible option. Now, academia seems a stretch from Northwestern (or any place other than HYS really according to what I have heard). So I am basically wondering if instead of going to NU I should reapply, and hope for better luck this time around.

Thanks for the advice

[CJScalia]

Any reason to think you'd do significantly better if you try it again? Northwestern is a fine school, and it's perfectly possible to get into academia there. It's not HYS, but it's not like the options aren't available.

[Ninja1]

You can definitely get academia from Northwestern, especially given that you seem to have a thing for publishing already.

[nealric]

Northwestern will be very hard to get academia from. Not impossible, but don't count on it. So the question is, are you find with just practicing law if you don't get academia?

If so, then the NW sounds fine. If not, reapply and go to HYS. You should at least get into H.

[CJScalia]

Northwestern will be very hard to get academia from. Not impossible, but don't count on it. So the question is, are you find with just practicing law if you don't get academia?

If so, then the NW sounds fine. If not, reapply and go to HYS. You should at least get into H.

I have some sort of a beef with this argument; getting a job in academia is very hard from anywhere. One of my best friends is a Princeton undergrad, Yale JD cumma sum laude, and worked for Wachtell for several years; he got rejected numerous times before getting a shot at teaching at a law school. It just stands to reason that this is one of the most difficult career paths you can possibly have.

[nealric]

I have some sort of a beef with this argument; getting a job in academia is very hard from anywhere. One of my best friends is a Princeton undergrad, Yale JD cumma sum laude, and worked for Wachtell for several years; he got rejected numerous times before getting a shot at teaching at a law school. It just stands to reason that this is one of the most difficult career paths you can possibly have.

Yes it is. But if you look at the raw numbers, you odds are much better from HYS.

http://www.leiterrankings.com/jobs/2006job_teaching.shtml

[CJScalia]

That's true, my advice is more in the lines of don't go to law school if your only intention is to become a professor, I guess. Sort of like, don't go to a law school if you're only going there to transfer out. Chances are slim.

That being said, I've also had professors who graduated lower ranked schools, so I guess it's all about working for it. At least one of my professors graduated Rutgers Newark, and if you can survive 3 years in Newark, you're pretty damn hardcore in my book.

[McGillGrad]

Thanks for the advice everybody. Being a prof is obviously not the only career direction I'd be happy with, I'd be very happy with practicing law as well. However, right now academia would be my number one choice, and so I'd like to maximize my chances. A JD-PhD probably wouldn't hurt eh?

[vap]

Some entry-level/fellowship law prof gigs pay in the $40-50K range--something to consider w/r/t your full ride at Northwestern.

[McGillGrad]

What about if I do the combined JD-PhD at Northwestern - that might give me a leg up?!? I'd probably do the PhD at their business school....