Dear my friends

I got an admission from NYU and UPenn. However, I'm undergoing very tough time deciding which school to enroll.. Especially weighing which school offers better chances of getting into JSD, though I'm pretty sure that it would be tough in both schools..

As of now, I inclined to the choice of enrolling in NYU. However, there are things that make me hesitate. It's because there seems to be less possibility of entering SJD. Suppose I could not take the position of JSD after my LLM in NYU, which schools could be the option for my JSD after LLM..??

FYI, my main interest is National Security Law(especially, terror, economic and cyber crimes)

In addition, I know UPenn and many other schools allow students from other LLM to enroll in their SJD, but I'm not quite sure whether those chances are low or high..Have you seen many cases like that..??

Lastly, what should I prepare before entering LLM to raise possibility of getting into SJD after LLM...?

Thanks a lot...!!

you rather want to look to which professors are teaching courses you're interested in, getting in touch with them, explain your situation and see what their feed-back is. Bear in mind that there's also the possibility to apply elsewhere for the JSD program. I happen to know quite a number of LLMs who moved to a different school to pursue the latter degree

Hey guys!
I'm in the same position - well not considering JD but I also can't decide between upenn and nyu... Do u have any suggestions? I have the same concern about the class sizes at NYU....but also I don't know much about phili but I think nyc may offer more...

It's easier to get into Penn's SJD program , if nothing else because NYU attracts a lot applications as it is the only funded SJD program. For that reason NYU's SJD program is probably better than Penn's in terms of resources. However, in terms of other academic factors, you should pick the school where you think you will better interact with your future committee. And that is easily Penn, since it is one third of NYU's size. The mobility between schools is -as others have pointed out- a real option. I know lots of LLMs who circulate between NYU-Penn-Chicago-Michigan-VA for additional degrees or for visiting scholar positions while in an SJD program.
As to the location factor, my advice is do NOT take it into account. Philly is very close to NY and you can easily travel for interviews or events. NY definitely offers more opportunities in general, but trust me not for LLMs. Pick a school not a city.

Thanks for your comment, it really helped me a lot..:)

Hi - I did my LLM and SJD at Penn and am now doing a post at NYU, so thought I could give my 2 cents.
First, I confirm - as much as I know - everything that the person who answered before me said.
One point to add is that at Penn it would probably be both faster and easier to get the SJD degree. The process is both easier, can be shorter, and in general, is more positive, I think.
Another point is that while it is possible to move between institutions, as people before me wrote, it IS more difficult for outside-students to get accepted, compared with students from the same school. I think it is easier to get accepted to Penn from NYU than the other way around.
Another point is money... they pay you a stipend at NYU for SJD - but they don't do so at Penn.
And last advice - go on the website of both schools. Look at the faculty. Find the 1-2-3 professors who are in your area. Write them a polite email, saying that you are debating which school to go to, that you want to do the SJD later, that you know at this point they cannot promise anything, but that you have identified them as potential advisors and you want to be sure they are not on sabbatical or have other formal limitations from serving as SJD advisors for next year. Their answers may help you with your decision.
Best of luck!