Top 20 IP Schools

[SuicideNixon]

I'd take Boalt.  I think the shock and disbelief that someone would pick Boalt or Stanford over Yale is felt most acutely by those with prestige whore tendencies who feel extra chuffed because they happended to get into Yale.  I'm not knocking Yale at all, just knocking obnoxious self-promoters.

I don't think the only people who get into Yale are obnoxious self promoters, and I doubt even 1 person chooses Boalt over Yale in an average year given the numbers

["V"]

I'm SHOCKED Lewis and Clark isn't on there, they really pushed their IP program with their environmental one when I toured.

[Ravishing Rick Rude]

Any top school is going to have its share of obnoxious self-promoters.  Of course Yale is not full of them.  My intended point, however vague, was that off all the people who would be shocked that someone would pick a lower-ranked school over Yale (this would shock most people, myself included), the MOST shocked of all would be the obnoxious self-promoter at Yale.

Yes, my post was directed at you, bass.  If that makes me a dou'chebag, then so be it.  At least I am in good company.

Re: bass: 

"his internet douchbaggery probably seeps out its protective casing little by little, until it fills the room, disrupting the flow of wine, cheese, and laughter."

-George Jefferson squared

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,52461.0.html

[bass]

Any top school is going to have its share of obnoxious self-promoters.  Of course Yale is not full of them.  My intended point, however vague, was that off all the people who would be shocked that someone would pick a lower-ranked school over Yale (this would shock most people, myself included), the MOST shocked of all would be the obnoxious self-promoter at Yale.

Yes, my post was directed at you, bass.  If that makes me a dou'chebag, then so be it.  At least I am in good company.

Re: bass: 

"his internet douchbaggery probably seeps out its protective casing little by little, until it fills the room, disrupting the flow of wine, cheese, and laughter."

-George Jefferson squared

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,52461.0.html

What makes you a feminine hygiene product is that none of my comments had any shameless self-promotion in them.  So you made a feminine hygiene product-y remark prompted by an observation that I still think is valid--people don't turn down Yale for Boalt often.

[Ravishing Rick Rude]

"So you made a feminine hygiene product-y remark prompted by an observation that I still think is valid--people don't turn down Yale for Boalt often."

I most likely would not have taken issue, has this been what your post actually said.  Your original post was in the form of a rhetorical question:

"Say you get into Yale and Boalt, and want to do IP.

Where do you go?

That's why specialty rankings, even in IP, shouldn't be given too much weight."

This post, from a person with no stated interest in Boalt whatsoever, comes off a little arrogant.  I took issue with it because I would choose Boalt.  It's a no-brainer, actually.  Maybe it's because I haven't drunk the Kool-Aid that makes you believe you have to attend Yale or Harvard to be a scholar and have a shot at academia.  Maybe it's because I'm a west coast hippy.  Or, if I wanted to live in a decrepit northeast ghost-town husk of a city (like New Haven), I'd move back to my hometown.  Maybe it's because I'll enter law school with a Ph.D. (my shout-out to all the "prestige whores") and figure that attending pretty much any Top ~12 school will not compromise my propects of working in academia down the road.  If you're interested in the law as it pertains to science and technology, why in the world would you want to be stuck in New Haven when you could be soaking it up in the the bay area playground?  That's my perspective.   

Yes, the IP rankings are bogus after you get past #2 or so, in which case you're better off going to the best institution to which you are admitted.  It's also true that, generally speaking, a Berkeley degree may not "travel" quite as well as a HYS degree.  Your points are well-taken.  My point is that you insinuate it's a no-brainer to attend Yale if you get in and are interested in IP (or anything, for that matter)....and I would hope that people are making decisions based more on personal fit than perceived prestige.  That is certainly my plan.

Good luck man.   

[paran0id]

I can't remember if it's been said, but:

http://www.leiterrankings.com/faculty/2002faculty_topchoices.shtml

to quote from the website "cases. Note that these lists sometimes differ from the lists compiled by U.S. News, in which academics in the area are asked to list ten or fifteen strong "programs" in these areas. Schools with established "programs" may not necessarily be schools with academically distinguished faculty in the area."

The basic problem here is that USNews asks a bunch of people "Who has a good IP program?" and they print the results. Consequently, schools that have had an IP program for a long time (even a mediocre one) will rank high. Schools with a great, but 'young', IP program will rank low or not at all.

[Reaching]

It appears to me that the general consensus is to go to the best school generally and not put too much stock on the rankings of specialty areas.

This web page by an IP firm (although a little dated) backs up the idea that you should go to the school with the best general reputation.

http://www.patents.com/opportun.htm#law-school

[student]

Does anyone plan to take the patent bar before law school? 

[Ravishing Rick Rude]

My girlfriend is currently studying for the Patent Bar....she's using the PATBAR.com course ($800).  I've considered taking the Patent Bar, mostly because the materials are just sitting around the house.  Probably won't happen, though...with school/studying for LSAT/preparing applications/etc.  I don't think it's worth your time to do it before law school.  My impression is if you study hard for 3-4 weeks, take and retake the provided past tests, you'll pass easily.  Supposedly a substantial fraction of the Patent Bar Exam questions are drawn from past tests, so if you study those you should be able to get the required 70% correct to pass.  If you don't have much keeping you busy right now, I'd say do it...it might look good on your resume.  But otherwise it will take a good month, tops, to prepare for and take after you finish law school.

[blocke123]

Specialty rankings are on somewhat tenuous grounds as a whole, but if any are to be taken seriously, IP is the one.  Supposedly it matters more for IP than for any other "specialty."

As a student going into IP, I've made the decision to go to the best school in my region, regardless of it's strength in IP. That's the advice that I've been given several times.

With that said, the school I'm likely going to choose (Iowa) has two of top IP profs in the country, so I'm not shortchanging myself with my decision.

Hello mr Monkey

What are your opinions of Iowa? I'm curious to hear what you think.  I want to work in a major firm in Chicago so I'm especially curious about their placement.

Also, general ideas about the campus and if you can recommend a few places to live, I'm married so some place relatively nice would be preferable.

Thanks