GMU vs. American... your thoughts

[bcnewell]

I am considering applying to both, or either, of these schools.  I am interested to hear what any of you who have visited, heard about, or studied there have to say about the differences.  Tuition is not even close in cost, and if you have info about who gives more money out that would be helpful. USNWR rankings are similar.

I am interested in the non-patent IP and commercial law areas of study.

[jarhead]

I am considering applying to both, or either, of these schools.  I am interested to hear what any of you who have visited, heard about, or studied there have to say about the differences.  Tuition is not even close in cost, and if you have info about who gives more money out that would be helpful. USNWR rankings are similar.

I am interested in the non-patent IP and commercial law areas of study.

I would lean toward GMU for your interest...GMU has a good IP program...its geared more towards patent put they have a soft IP track as well..american university is a very liberal even for law school school...they are big into public interest etc...i've heard its a feeder school for the ACLU...i'm interested in soft IP as well and if you have the numbers and want to be in the DC area i would suggest you apply to GT or GW...both schools have better IP programs than GMU

[bamf]

well you've got alot of apps in, and I would give you a decent chance at GW with your gpa.  There are questions about GMU's rankings rise, especially since their dean of admissions just went over to GW.  However, since you have so many apps in already I would say GMU is a decent safety to have because of their tuition and your IP interest.  And yeah, I've heard American is full of hippies.

[Towelie]

Not to start up the "conservative schools" thread again, but GMU has a conservative rep. It sounds like these are two very different schools.

My friend spent a summer working for GMU Law School. He went in a liberal and came out a libertarian. Luckily, I love libertarians.

[segundo]

I am considering applying to both, or either, of these schools.  I am interested to hear what any of you who have visited, heard about, or studied there have to say about the differences.  Tuition is not even close in cost, and if you have info about who gives more money out that would be helpful. USNWR rankings are similar.

I am interested in the non-patent IP and commercial law areas of study.

I looked at both schools last year and my college roommate decided to attend American. When I visted, I came away feeling that GMU was more professional and "business-oriented" than American. While I much prefered the location of American's law school (it is in a pretty residential area), I felt that the GMU building was nicer. From my friends perspective, the students at American are bright and the faculty is good. He does say that he, and most of his peers, want to transer to Georgetown or GW and it makes him feel that people are not as excited about the school as he would expect.

[BikePilot]

I went to GMU undergrad and know a couple of the law professors. I wouldn't classify it as a terribly conservative school overall, especially socially (other than being a dry campus).  The Econ department and to a lesser extent the Law school are quite influenced by free-market/liberterian economics/austrian/chicago as well as public choice of course. James Buchanon and Vernon Smith are both active faculty members involved with both the Econ, law and public policy schools. From what I gather the Law program at GMU is very strong in IP and Law and Econ. I actuallly took a Law and Econ course and found it very good. I'd be surprised if there's a better single L&E course anywhere.

have fun

[bamf]

Not to start up the "conservative schools" thread again, but GMU has a conservative rep. It sounds like these are two very different schools.

*nods*

From another thread I was in -- I had asked what made it conservative and here is a response:

GMU has a number of strikes against it.  One of the worst things it does is that it receives so much money from conservative foundations that it can essentially forcecibly credential undeserving conservatives as it is immune to the pressures of the academic market.  (This is also done by conservative book publishers and so on).

GMU will hire people with little to no credentials on Olin, Scaife, Coors, whomever money because of their politics and not their background.  This person will then use the GMU credential as either a launching post into legitimate academic positions (bypassing those who've had to deal with real competitive pressure) or as a ccredential to get articles and books published.

Here's an article from the NRO that brags about how wonderfully conservative it is and how it didn't have to deal with the same pressures that everyone else did (although they did a hilarious job of comparing them to Texas Wesleyan in fighting segregation: http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/miller200603270620.asp)

The business about being socially conservative concerns me because, well, I don't like social conservatives. And the economics integrated with all aspects of the program bothers me too because, well, I got a D in econ (and never looked back).

AU's cost is troubling, though. It's so close to GW/GULC's tuition (but not rank). And if rank determines jobs, than that's a whole lot of debt to pay off with tricky job prospects.

I'm in the same boat. In at AU and I think I'll get in to GMU. I want to go to GW, but if I don't get in, this'll be a struggle for me too.

good article from the review

"The International School of Law was founded by Evangelicals in a church basement in 1972"

"Todd Zywicki looks at it another way. "We have lots of intellectual diversity here," he says. "There are conservatives and there are libertarians." And things are looking up for all of them."

love it.

apply to american.

[Captain]

My friend spent a summer working for GMU Law School. He went in a liberal and came out a libertarian. Luckily, I love libertarians.

HURRAY LIBERTARIANS!

[zerofact0r]

if you're interested in IP then you should go to Mason.  I believe their IP program rivals Harvard's.  It's a conservative school because it's grounded heavily in economics, which is a field usually dominated by conservatives.  It shouldn't effect your education if you believe you're liberal.  American has better job placement due to it's alumni base, but just excel at Mason and you'll be set.

[bcnewell]

Thanks everyone.  Your thoughts have been enlightening.  I have applied to GMU (they responded to my request for a fee waiver and i like the look of their program).  As i have applied to 22 schools already, i decided that i would only continue if i got waivers so my kid doesn't go without clothes... 

Peace.