Off The Reservation

Really depends on where you want to end up. FSU and UF, numbers wise, are neck and neck. FSU is doing really great things through the moot court and mock trial programs, and now that I'm out I can recognize the value of being part of them, so I would encourage current students to try out. If you're not going to a major market like New York, the pedigree of your degree is not as important. In SEC states, there will be SEC bias to a certain extent. Even in Florida, hiring partners are still getting used to FSU being such a quality program, but as the recent grads progress in the workplace, our reputation is growing.

FSU COL has a lot of opportunities that other schools do not have (ahem, hogtown) by virtue of simply being in the capitol. You can go to Supreme Court oral arguments all the time, intern with the various government branches, etc.

I know you don't know right now, but choice of program is largely dependent on what you want to be doing. I changed my mind twice during law school, and now am exploring my third practice area since getting out. I honestly would probably lean toward the full ride at Bama if all other things are roughly equal.

My only real law school advice is don't do it, but nobody listens. So, my other is to take all of the practical courses/clinics you can, even if you don't think you'll litigate. You can learn substance later, but technique, argument, objections, etc. is something you're not going to be taught as an associate. I spent 3 years doing transactional work and now litigate, and I have to spend nonbillable time observing trials in order to pick up a lot of those things.

Watch this. Seriously.

Unfortunately I wasn't shown that until much after I graduated law school. It's hilarious and biting at the same time.

Let me first congratulate you on your achievement. However, I second what FSU Laura states. I Graduated from FSU Law several years ago (close to 10 now) and glad I went there over any other in-state schools. FSU has seen a steady progression in large part because of an active dean and faculty. However, if I were in your shoes, I would jump on the full ride scholarship at AL (unless another schools will offer something comparable).

As a final note, think long and hard about law school in general. I would consider, time permitting, spending time at a law firm/in court and seeing how things operate before making a 3 year school and potentially lifelong work commitment. It is not as glamorous as seen on TV and, for many, the salaries are not commensurate to the amount of work that you put in.

Good luck!

I graduated FSU Law in 2000 and have already paid off my loan, so don't be so afraid of the loans that it drives your decision. If you are sure you want to go to law school, choose the one that you feel most at home with. That's what I did (I had been accepted into UF but felt more comfortable with Tally) and I have never questioned my school selection.

Now I do question thedecision to go to law school, but like most attorneys who say that, I really don't know what else I would be doing.

My good looks and general awesomeness can only get me so far.

If your LSAT and GPA are crazy good, go to FSU for the betterment of FSU (Law). If they are slightly low, go to the school giving you the most money. This is my response as an FSU fan, booster and alumnus but not an alumnus (or any relation to anyone) of the law school. Just things to think about. I do know that FSU has been gaining respect the last decade or so and being in the state capitol of Florida can't hurt but I have no idea how much that helps.

Aren't there enough attorneys?

Yeah I don't know if FSU is offering $ but they would obviously have to in order to be considered over the other schools ($ at the first two and Wake is promising $ after the first round of seat deposits are in, as they over-allocated during the fall).

blounted- hahaha I've seen that before actually. It's really completely true. As I said in my previous post, I think this is the path I want to take, though. I do like law quite a bit and found the "business law" parts of business to be by far the most interesting. Then again, maybe compared to learning VBA in Excel as a requirement, anything is interesting. I actually paid attention and got good grades in those courses compared to my general studies, too...

Notable- thanks for the advice. I have some close family friends who are lawyers I have spent some time in the office with for that exact purpose actually. Yeah can be pretty boring most of the day and you really have to enjoy the field you work in...ad nauseum. Also talked to a few friends who have paralegaled and are now in LS.

4evaward- Yeah...the "flexibility" thing is big. If I'm choosing a school like Alabama, it'd be a commitment to stay around the Gulf Coast area, or perhaps Texas/Georgia (ATL), unless you finish very, very high in the class. If you're in the state of Alabama, they want to hear that you went to school in Bama. Heck, there's a level of trust there...even vs. way better schools, like an NYU. However, go to California and tell them you went to Alabama...they won't care at all. This is something I'm really considering right now. I started a bit late with applying and haven't taken visits beyond the VA area yet...prob flying down to Tuscaloosa at the end of the month for their admitted students weekend...Nashville in April. I think the visits will decide a lot, but I guess I wanted to hear from some people here, too.

aivlys- Yeah, it's almost short-term to overvalue the $ being thrown at you, but it looks attractive. Visits I guess...I kind of want to go to law school in a smaller town (Philly sucks I'm still here this year; @ least today will be fun here though), but it's for the next three years and after that is where you start settling in, I think. So more region-thinking again I guess.

734- Bama offers a JD then LLM thing for tax law. Not a very reputable tax law program, I don't think, though. UF and UM both have great tax law programs. I couldn't apply to either. I'm petty. I'd have to get an LLM after the JD, so I guess that almost favors best school available in business law-ish fields. I also enjoyed learning about bankruptcy proceedings at Wharton during entrep law actually. I'm a very strange person.

trick- gpa's prob a little below fsu's median...i did well on my LSAT though.