Case Western Reserve vs. Chicago -Kent

[L1tobe]

Hello,
I am looking for some advise on where to attend law school this fall 2011.  I was accepted to both Case Western and Chicago Kent.  I am torn as to which school to attend, as I was accepted to both.  Case has more of a somewhat national reach than Chicago Kent, but it is in Cleveland. I am looking to practice law either in the Chicago or midwest area.  I am also waitlisted at Minnesota and Wisconsin, so I hope one of those come through and will make this decision much easier.  I visitied both Case and Chicago- Kent and found that both law programs I'd be happy with.  The latest rankings has them both at 61.  The cost of living would be cheaper in Cleveland, but don't think I'd want to settle there.  Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[bigs5068]

That is a real close call. It looks like Chicago Kent is 1,000 a year cheaper and the estimated living costs are 1,000 less. According to lawschooltransparency.com it looks Chicago Kent has a slightly higher maximum salary, but even that is real close. http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/clearinghouse/?school=chicago-kent,

I would look at the course schedules for each school and see if there are any courses or clinics that would make the decision. For example if you want to do employment law or have an interest in it and Case Western does not have employment law or labor law and Chicago Kent does it could be the tiebreaker. You could also try to negotiate some scholarship money and that could make the decision a lot easier. You are a qualified applicant and the school wants your money. As a result of that they might willing  have to shave off 5K-10k in tuition costs.

[FalconJimmy]

I knew a few Case law grads, and the thing that would tilt my decision in favor of Case is the amount of recruiting that Jones Day does there. 

If you look at the nation's largest law-firms, Cleveland seems to have more than their share.  (More and bigger than, say, Detroit.) 

OTOH, I don't think the Cleveland market can compare to Chicago.  If you're SURE you want to be in Chicago, I think you're always better off to go to a Chicago school.

I went to Case (not law) and compared to Chicago, there is not much to do there.  Chicago is probably the funnest big town in the country.  Cleveland is like most of the industrial midwest cities where the place empties out at the end of the working day every day.  It's not like there's NOTHING to do in Cleveland, but most folks don't live there, they live in the burbs.

There are things to do near the university.  There's an area called Coventry which is like a teeny, tiny bohemian district.  (The original BW3 is there).  The school is also close to Little Italy.  Lots of great, cheap italian food. 

But seriously, compared to chicago, it's dull, dull, dull.  Also, University Circle is kinda nice, but go a quarter mile away in any direction and you're in some of the most dangerous urban area in the country. 

Case is also a very, very serious, studious school.  Nobody is there for the football team or campus life.  It's heavy in engineering and medicine.  So, not a big party crowd.

Personally?  If it were me?  I'd probably pick chicago kent.  And I'm actually from near Cleveland and did attend Case.  Nothing wrong with the school:  it's a great school.  It's just not much of a college experience or fun urban setting compared to other places.

Also, keep in mind, I don't know what neighborhood Chicago Kent is in.  Parts of Chicago are fun as all get-out (michigan avenue and inside the loop?  Not that familiar, been there a few times, but not an expert by any stretch), but I bet there are bad parts and I have no idea where Chicago-Kent is.

Best of luck!

[L1tobe]

Thanks so much for your reply.  It does help.  I'm just concerned with competing against the other law schools in the Chicago area for jobs after law school.  Case has a bit more of a "reach" when compared to Kent.  Kent seem to be known only in Chicago.  I'm from Ohio originally too....Cincinnati....so I know how boring OH can be.  Thanks again for your insight. 

[FalconJimmy]

Thanks so much for your reply.  It does help.  I'm just concerned with competing against the other law schools in the Chicago area for jobs after law school.  Case has a bit more of a "reach" when compared to Kent.  Kent seem to be known only in Chicago.  I'm from Ohio originally too....Cincinnati....so I know how boring OH can be.  Thanks again for your insight.

Could be.  Personally, I don't think Case has much reach outside Cleveland.  They've even called it "Cleveland's best kept secret" on occassion.  Trouble is, being a secret is not an advantage when it comes to schools.

[kmjdaniel]

If you want to work in Chicago after graduation, Chicago-Kent does make sense; however, Case is a MUCH stronger school and you could save a lot of money on living expense loans for 3 years.  Case Western is strong in certain areas of the U.S., but in St. Louis, most firms aren't really aware of Case Western.  It really depends on where Case's alumni are located.  That being said, unless you 100% want to live in Chicago after graduation, then go to CW.  If you are 100% certain about Chicago...it's a toss-up, but I'd probably consider Chicago-Kent, sheerly because the Chicago market is really hard to break into from the outside. 

[fortook]

No one from Ohio likes Ohio. Depressing.

[FalconJimmy]

Lived here most of my life.  I love Ohio, but you'd have to be delusional not to see that the state is in decline.  Even when times are good, they're usually much better somewhere else.  When times are bad, they're worse here than most places.

I'm here until my son graduates High School, then I'm off to Dallas or Phoenix.  Somewhere with an economy.  My son desperately wants to go to OSU, and that's fine, but I'm going to tell him that when he graduates, he needs to leave. 

[fortook]

^^ Lol, everyone from Ohio, hates Ohio. Ha, .

[FalconJimmy]

^^ Lol, everyone from Ohio, hates Ohio. Ha, .

you speak the truth, young jedi...