- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8916
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Fri May 11, 2018 8:24 am
#45597
Below is a question by a student with the username "Help A," and PowerScore CEO Dave Killoran regarding the student's law school choice.
Help A: "I received full tuition scolarships at St. Johns U and Penn State Law (The newer campus). I got into U of MD and American U as well. I am still waiting to hear from GULC. Everyone wants their deposit RIGHT NOW and I've already extended the deadline multiple times. I am interested in doing Law in DC as well as NYU potentially. I am draw to UMD because of the great faculty staff and alumni base and I am interested in health law. Does Penn State pull well and does the name recognition of Penn State help?! Should I just defer to next year and try taking the test again and try getting into my dream school Columbia?
Do networks matter more than a school's ranking? Is St. Johns well regarded along the East Coast? Can UMD pull a Big Law Firm? Should I just wait for GULC? I really don't know what to do."
Dave Killoran: "Hi Help A,
So sorry, but I missed these questions somehow! I will try to help, but there are so many questions here and some of them are so complex here I would suggest you think about talking to an admissions professional for more focused and specific advice. I'm not sure I can cover all the bases here is why
First, can UMD pull a biglaw job? Yes, but not at the rate of other schools: https://www.lstreports.com/schools/maryland/jobs/. That's 9% of their grads hitting biglaw. As you sit here debating the possibilities, I would suggest you do a deep dive into the hiring data at each school, because you are looking at hard $$ vs job outcomes decisions in the coming months.
Does Penn State pull well in general? Dickinson's stats can be found here: http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/E ... comes.aspx, and the numbers aren't amazing. In 2017, there were 61 grads, and 33 practiced in Pennsylvania, and 4 in NY. 4 went to firms with 100 or more attorneys, and 12 went to clerkships (3 federal, 9 stats/local). Everyone knows the name Penn State, but Penn State--either as Penn State Law or Dickinson--is though of as being in the upper echelon and the stats reflect that. If you are looking to go outside Pennsylvania, it's possible but not easy.
St. Johns is next, and they do a bit better with large firm hiring--17.8%, but overall hiring is great. St Johns can be tough because you have multiple other schools in NYC (Columbia, NYU, Fordham for starters, not to mention Cornell in-state) with better reputations.
As you already know, GULC outpaces all these schools, so it's worth waiting, and often students will hedge by depositing at their second choice school while they wait for their top remaining choice. That is probably our best call here.
If waiting a year and retaking is an option, it might make a difference on two fronts if you can obtain a higher LSAT score: you might be able to get into a "better" school and you can obtain better and more robust financial aid packages.
Go through the jobs reports on the 509 disclosures site and LSTReports--take a close look at what each school is offering you vs what the job outcomes are. that is your best guide here.
Good luck!"
Help A: "I received full tuition scolarships at St. Johns U and Penn State Law (The newer campus). I got into U of MD and American U as well. I am still waiting to hear from GULC. Everyone wants their deposit RIGHT NOW and I've already extended the deadline multiple times. I am interested in doing Law in DC as well as NYU potentially. I am draw to UMD because of the great faculty staff and alumni base and I am interested in health law. Does Penn State pull well and does the name recognition of Penn State help?! Should I just defer to next year and try taking the test again and try getting into my dream school Columbia?
Do networks matter more than a school's ranking? Is St. Johns well regarded along the East Coast? Can UMD pull a Big Law Firm? Should I just wait for GULC? I really don't know what to do."
Dave Killoran: "Hi Help A,
So sorry, but I missed these questions somehow! I will try to help, but there are so many questions here and some of them are so complex here I would suggest you think about talking to an admissions professional for more focused and specific advice. I'm not sure I can cover all the bases here is why
First, can UMD pull a biglaw job? Yes, but not at the rate of other schools: https://www.lstreports.com/schools/maryland/jobs/. That's 9% of their grads hitting biglaw. As you sit here debating the possibilities, I would suggest you do a deep dive into the hiring data at each school, because you are looking at hard $$ vs job outcomes decisions in the coming months.
Does Penn State pull well in general? Dickinson's stats can be found here: http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/E ... comes.aspx, and the numbers aren't amazing. In 2017, there were 61 grads, and 33 practiced in Pennsylvania, and 4 in NY. 4 went to firms with 100 or more attorneys, and 12 went to clerkships (3 federal, 9 stats/local). Everyone knows the name Penn State, but Penn State--either as Penn State Law or Dickinson--is though of as being in the upper echelon and the stats reflect that. If you are looking to go outside Pennsylvania, it's possible but not easy.
St. Johns is next, and they do a bit better with large firm hiring--17.8%, but overall hiring is great. St Johns can be tough because you have multiple other schools in NYC (Columbia, NYU, Fordham for starters, not to mention Cornell in-state) with better reputations.
As you already know, GULC outpaces all these schools, so it's worth waiting, and often students will hedge by depositing at their second choice school while they wait for their top remaining choice. That is probably our best call here.
If waiting a year and retaking is an option, it might make a difference on two fronts if you can obtain a higher LSAT score: you might be able to get into a "better" school and you can obtain better and more robust financial aid packages.
Go through the jobs reports on the 509 disclosures site and LSTReports--take a close look at what each school is offering you vs what the job outcomes are. that is your best guide here.
Good luck!"