Should I go to law school at George Washington on a full ride, Georgetown, or University of Virginia?

Question

I've been accepted to all three, but only received merit based aid from George Washington. I'm not quite sure what area of law I will be going into or where I'll want to practice. Right now, I am thinking of working at a big law firm in either New York or D.C. I would also like to keep my options open for going into academia in the future.

Answer 1

Deciding a law school based on price is penny wise and pound foolish. Going to a law school with a better reputation will help you find better jobs, with better salaries. In general, your added earnings will more than make up for any extra you had to pay for the degree.

I say in general, because there are exceptions:
* If you already have a connection at a major law firm that assures you a job there
* The top students from the lower schools will get the same great jobs BUT it is foolish to gamble your career by assuming you will be one - it is often random

That being said, these are three very good law schools with very solid reputations. UVA and Georgetown are in what's called the "T14" - an elite group of schools which have consistently ranked among the top 14 in the US News Ranking. Many of their graduates have great employment prospects. That being said, GW is not too far behind (but if I were in your shoes I would take every advantage I could get)

And these are just the financial considerations - there obviously might be other reasons to pick between them. Georgetown's large size, top-rated clinical program, alternative "Curriculum B" and diversity of classes make it an attractive choice. Plus you have more access to DC politics and SCOTUS - the litigators practice their oral arguments right on campus

Georgetown would be my pick, based on where you want to practice. Its alumni network is spread into NYC better than UVA or GW. Both it and UVA's reputation for academia is good - I think that ambition would rule out GW. You will need a clerkship to get into law teaching, so pay careful attention to clerkship data!
(UVA seems to have the edge here based on the links below)

I suggest buying the US News Rankings. take them with the requisite grain of salt, but consider the strengths of each program and the more in-depth information it contains about career prospects.

Answer 2

All are fine schools, although most would consider Georgetown to have the best law progam. GWU is also in a great area, real close to the White House and other federal buildings. UVA is ok, but I would go with Georgetown if you are looking at purely the best reputation. Of course it is best to visit the campuses and really research each program. Perhaps after you look at the programs, degree requirements, and courses they offer you will be better able to decide what school is best for you and what area of law you want to focus on.

Answer 3

Wow, very tough choice.

I'd toss Georgetown since you don't have an area of law in mind.

It's either top-10 Virginia or full ride GW.

GW is still high enough that you'll get big firms interviewing on campus. Plus, it's in one of the cities you'd like to work at so it's local rep and number of alumni in the area will be very good. Maybe enough to make up the rep advantage UVA has.

I'd definitely visit both schools to see which feels more comfortable, but I'm leaning towards GW.

Answer 4

I go to GW and all I can say is...go to Georgetown. GW might be offering you a free ride but unless you plan on working in DC, Georgetown is held in higher regard, and will increase your earning potential greatly in comparison to GW. The financial package mights sound nice (mine did too) but once you get here you might regret it. Everything is expensive, bureaucratic, and backwards. Good luck with what you decide!

Answer 5

Virginia is top 10 and GW is top 20, which is still pretty good. Why not take the free ride?

Answer 6

Full ride.... all three are great schools but financial wouldn't you want to finish law school with no debt?

Answer 7

actually, you can decide this by your own. you should think which one is better for you. think carefully and decide which one is the better. i am sure you will choose the right one.