NYC Law Schools: Any Advice?

[Hal Phillips]

There are eight: NYU, Columbia, Fordham, Cardozo, St. Johns, Brooklyn, NY School of Law, and CUNY.

Any alums care to drop a word about the pros and cons?

I'm thinking of applying to everything except NYU and Columbia (don't think I have a shot) and CUNY (thinking I can do better).

 

[Maddy]

There's also Rutgers Newark, but I guess seeing as how much you love Newark Penn Station that might be out.

 

[Hal Phillips]

Yeah, I wanna stick to NYC proper.

 

[MichelleD]

Fordham has the top-rated part time program (of which I am an alum), and a highly rated full-time program (hovers around 25-30th in nation, if rankings are important to you). Significant public-service component available if that holds your interest. Very loyal alumni and decent career-placement program. Great reputation, excellent faculty for the most part (a few clunkers but that's normal). Also a convenient west side location (the "campus" is not much to speak of.)

I don't know much about other local schools but what I do know:

Brooklyn Law has a very good local reputation and also offers scholarships if that is important to you.

NY Law School graduates many people who go into city service, and offers scholarships if that is important to you.

CUNY has had accreditation issues in the past.

Those are my two cents.

 

[Hal Phillips]

Thanks!

Personal info that may inspire advice from anyone:
LSAT score = 167
NYU and Columbia sites put their 25th-percentile LSAT scores higher than 167, hence my pessimism
GPA = a meager 3.08, except a) with a semester of nothing but two "F"s due to personal issues, which is a clear aberration and I hope will be viewed as such, and b) I made the Dean's List three times.

And I've been in the work force for three years, which I imagine is a plus, and I'll bet the whole city council thing is too (that's the only reason why I MIGHT consider applying to NYU and Columbia).

 

[iammattfried]

Dude, why don't you give NYU and Columbia a shot one way or another? You never know. Don't sell yourself short.

P.S. There's also Yeshiva Law School in Flatiron.

 

[Hal Phillips]

Dude, why don't you give NYU and Columbia a shot one way or another? You never know. Don't sell yourself short.

Solely because I'm so broke (and about to be jobless) that an extra application fee is a big deal.

But if I can squeeze it out, I might.

 

[iammattfried]

Solely because I'm so broke (and about to be jobless) that an extra application fee is a big deal.

Ah, good point. You know - you can sell ovaries to Columbia Med School. That may be a good in.

 

[mackattack]

Yeshiva's law school is actually by NYU, right? Cardozo.

Cardozo has a top rated entertainment law program, if you're interested.