I have heard the Cambridge LLM is simply a cash cow with lots of people admitted and very little supervision? Anyone else heard that? I want to be an academic so hanging out for the Columbia Associateship but we can all dream...

I have heard it is a cash cow, too.

I suppose many of us here are willing to milk that cow.

Money is surely an issue for everyone who wants to do an LLM but I also believe many people would treat it as a sound investment.

I'm curious; do ppl really think that only Cambridge is a 'cash cow'? How about every other uni that offers an LLM of a lesser 'pedigree'?

I am not sure what I think which is why I raised it. It is just what I have heard around my university and amongst some people who went there (who found they didn't get much support, the class was too big etc). I am sure lots of other unis esp. in the US just use LLM students to get money. I get the impression, however, that Oxford is more selective and gives more back to the BCL students rather than just taking their money.
I was just wondering if that is what other people have heard about Cambridge. I am trying to decide where to go.
I was just wondering if th

Is Cambridge a cash Cow?

Well, sure, to a degree (no punn intended); but all LLM's are cash cows to some extent. Let's not forget that Uni's are businesses, not charities.
The only sensible appraoch to such an enquiry is to consider value for money. This, in my view, requires comparing the quality (educational experience and reputation) to the cost.

Well, with respect to quality, i'd give Cambridge 10/10 for reputation, and probably something less in respect of educational experience (because of the big classes). That said, many schools (in fact every school in the world, short of Oxford, Harvard and Yale) would do worse on the reputation inquiry and probably the same or worse on the educational experience inquiry.
Regarding cost, well, Cambridge is significantly less expensive than any of it's competitors (save oxford), so it wins here too.

So, the result: maybe oxford provides more value for money, but I'd argue cambridge has the rest beat.

Thanks very much! I think you are right and most places are out to make money at the end of the day.
But what about the Columbia Associateship though? i want to be an academic and I hear it is the best track into that. It gives you the opportunitiy to teach a class as a member of the Columbia faculty, you get to sit in on all the faculty seminars and get advice and help in securing an academic job, you get your own office with library assistance, etc etc while at the same time you get an LLM. it has a good reptuation too. I know people from in my country (Canada) who have done it and it sounds excellent. I am still dreaming of it...

That Associateship program does look cool, I must say. Until you mentioned it, I'd never heard of it. I imagine it's fiercly competative, given the benefits and the small enrollment. That said, since it only caters to aspiring academics, perhaps it doesn't recieve that many applications. I really don't know.
Where are you from in Canada? I am from Canada too. When did you graduate your LLB? Do you have work experience? And when did you hear from cambridge?

I graduated 2 yrs ago from McGill and am now clerking. I hear from the Cambridge faculty and college a few weeks ago because I got funding, my page on Camsis only got updated a few days ago and i have heard nothng more from BGS. I am thinking the Oxford BCL looks better though for me although I keep changing my mind. At least it seems to a better reputation at my school. Still cant touch the Associateship but i am guessing I have missed out on that.
Are you at Cambridge now? How are you finding it?

I am currently worling as well. I haven'y heard anything yet about funding, so it looks like I'll have to foot the bill myself.
Did you get funding through the Cambridge trusts?

Not through the trusts - through the college I applied to.