Hi,

I have a query about post-graduate study in the US. I'm currently on an LLM program at Lancaster University in the UK. I did my undergrad here, as well and got a 2.1 overall, but my marks were quite inconsistent for undergrad, with some pretty low ones and some exceptionally high, out-of-this-world ones. For my LLM my grades have been much more consistent - they're all of first class (except for one module, which was upper second class) and I'm expected to come out with a first-class LLM in International Human Rights and Terrorism overall. On top of this, an essay I wrote for undergrad won two essay competitions and is set to be published in a fairly high-ranked journal. It's not Modern Law Review or anything quite so prestigious, but it's still quite well-ranked.

My extra-curricular stuff is also pretty good, but none of it is related to law. I took quite a keen interest in student journalism at undergrad and held two separate editorial positions on my student newspaper. I'm unsure whether this is a boon or a burden, however. Part of me thinks that this would hinder my career because it makes my CV unfocused and another part is more optimistic in that I figure it would make my application stand out. I also have some other extra-curricular stuff to do with music, but the student journalism stuff is what stands out.

After my LLM I'm going to Strasbourg for a two-month documentation internship at the International Institute of Human Rights. Exciting stuff, but the punchline is that afterwards I have nothing lined up. The idea of a further advanced post-graduate qualification interests me and for personal rather than academic reasons I'd like to study in the US. But I have a few questions. And thanks to anyone that's read this far:

1) The Harvard and Yale LLM programs both seem interesting, but I'm aware that they're extremely competitive. I didn't go to Oxford or Cambridge and I don't have any relevant work experience, except for the upcoming two-month internship in France. What's the likelihood that they'd accept someone who a) has my resumé and b) already holds an LLM from a foreign University. My thinking behind this is that I'd like to be more ingratiated in the US legal system and an LLM from a US University as opposed to one from a British University will, I hope, put me in good stead. Plus Harvard and Yale are attractive places for reasons I'm guessing everyone here understands.

2) What's the post-graduate research experience like in the US? For the PhD programs in the UK, it's quite intense and the programs are usually three years long. Funding is also extremely difficult to get (especially for law) and the stipend is, frankly, pitiful - there are supervisors in supermarkets that are on better money than PhD students. Is the experience much different in the US and what can one expect to be the life of a post-grad in the US?

3) I'm also somewhat insecure about my resumé that I outlined above. Is it too sporadic or is the diversity a bolster?

4) Any other advice re: potential career or anything in the US would be greatly appreciated.

Thankyou.