Hello,

I have been admitted at both Columbia and Georgetown for LLM and am unable to chose. I would request your thoughts on which one would you chose and why ?

I have a background in International Trade Law and am looking for pursuing International Economic Law and Litigation/Commercial Arbitration.

Also what is the real impact of the rankings ?

I would go for Columbia. They have a huge arbitration centre and seem to have some interesting seminars on the same.

Plus, in terms of school prestige, I think Columbia has an edge (although I am talking about LLM rankings and this in no way refers to the undergraduate rankings of each school).

(Go for Columbia!) :)

If you go by overall ranking and reputation, Columbia seems to be an obvious choice. However, Georgetown is very well known for international trade law. It also depends which field you wish to work in (commercial or public/government sector) and if you wish to return to your country then which University is more known.

There was an earlier post on the same comparison for similar area of interest, which was pretty helpful.

http://www.llm-guide.com/board/101314

Although this is dated 2011, however it has some relevant discussions. Hope it helps !

Hi everyone. I turned down a 50k scholarship + 10k loan at Columbia and decided to go to G-town. Many people thought that was kind of crazy. However, I would like to point out some decision factors, which I consider myths, and that are commonly mentioned in this discussion board:

1. Location: It is not true that spending 9 months of the LL.M can get you a job in the city where you study. Believe me, I have done plenty of networking in NYC during a year only to discover that the pathway to permanent employment in this city was actually somewhere else (D.C). This applies to my particular field of law (international law and human rights) but I think many people fall for the false premise that living in X city increases your chances of getting a job there.

2. For international lawyers: Being closer to the UN or to other big players in the international law field doesn't get you a job there. Again, I have been networking at the UN and working in civil society issues more times that I can remember. Still, I know plenty of folks in other cities that are building important experience which can lead them to permanent employment at the U.N in a much more effective way that spending every afternoon at the headquarters cafe.

3. Having great professors and affiliated faculty at your law school doesn't mean that they are necessarily approachable or they can help you with your job search. My advice, try to contact professors and schedule informational interviews before deciding. If they are super busy, rude or useless when you are asking them questions about your LL.M experience, chances are that they are the same way once you are there as a student.

4. Ranking. It's so relative. I asked a couple of colleagues here in the U.S if they wouldn't hire a lawyer from Georgetown or if they would strongly prefer the one from Columbia. They laughed at my face. It's that ridiculous. People look at your CV and experience and a couple of ranking points really doesn't make any difference.

General tips that do matter: Go to a school where you can build STRONG connections; live in a city that you like and don't think you are going to spend the rest of your career there; find a place to work or become research assistant while you study; choose a brand name that is relevant to your field of law; don't take the word of other international students, contact people at the law school and make them sell you on the idea of going there.

Best of luck everyone with your decisions!

Ad: I agree 100% with you and I have turned down other schools for the very same reason. I love DC and I want work with things related to the government. Therefore, Georgetown is the best school for me not only because of its location, but also because of its wide option of courses (which I believe that are as broad at Columbia's).

In addition, when former students and professors are helpful, it reflects in the University itself as one big community. I think rankings are important, but you have to check the rankings for your area of expertise as well.

At least 3 former Columbia's students helped me a lot in my application process. I understand that some students are really attracted to all the activity that NY offers. If that is the case, they should go for it. I made my choice to go to DC because that's the place that attracts me the most. I guess I am a House of Cards fan after all. :-)

Replying on this thread because of the exact same sentiments on my part especially now in 2023, it would be critical for incoming applicants to take these great points into consideration as they make their decisions.

Hi everyone. I turned down a 50k scholarship + 10k loan at Columbia and decided to go to G-town. Many people thought that was kind of crazy. However, I would like to point out some decision factors, which I consider myths, and that are commonly mentioned in this discussion board:

1. Location: It is not true that spending 9 months of the LL.M can get you a job in the city where you study. Believe me, I have done plenty of networking in NYC during a year only to discover that the pathway to permanent employment in this city was actually somewhere else (D.C). This applies to my particular field of law (international law and human rights) but I think many people fall for the false premise that living in X city increases your chances of getting a job there.

2. For international lawyers: Being closer to the UN or to other big players in the international law field doesn't get you a job there. Again, I have been networking at the UN and working in civil society issues more times that I can remember. Still, I know plenty of folks in other cities that are building important experience which can lead them to permanent employment at the U.N in a much more effective way that spending every afternoon at the headquarters cafe.

3. Having great professors and affiliated faculty at your law school doesn't mean that they are necessarily approachable or they can help you with your job search. My advice, try to contact professors and schedule informational interviews before deciding. If they are super busy, rude or useless when you are asking them questions about your LL.M experience, chances are that they are the same way once you are there as a student.

4. Ranking. It's so relative. I asked a couple of colleagues here in the U.S if they wouldn't hire a lawyer from Georgetown or if they would strongly prefer the one from Columbia. They laughed at my face. It's that ridiculous. People look at your CV and experience and a couple of ranking points really doesn't make any difference.

General tips that do matter: Go to a school where you can build STRONG connections; live in a city that you like and don't think you are going to spend the rest of your career there; find a place to work or become research assistant while you study; choose a brand name that is relevant to your field of law; don't take the word of other international students, contact people at the law school and make them sell you on the idea of going there.

Best of luck everyone with your decisions!