Can somebody help me with the choice between Duke and Virginia. And in genaral: Are these two universities bearable, I mean the geographic location on the countryside....? They want a decision before March 15...

Virginia is by far the better law school between the two. The facilities are without peer and they have one of the best and tightest alumni networks in the country. The only area where Duke has the edge is IP.

Donât worry about being bored: Virginia's reputation is "work hard, play hard" ... it's considered the most "fun" school among the elite. (At the other end of the spectrum for fun is Chicago, affectionately called "The place where fun comes to die".)

Thanks a lot, bonobo!
But your answer makes my decision even harder, I'm very interested in IP, IT-Law...
Chicago was always out of scope for me (if ever up there, then I would prefere Northwestern).
Still waiting for PennLaw and Berkeley...
I just read your post concerning canadian universities, if I understand you right, I should forget about Toronto if I am accepted in Duke and Virgina? For Quality reasons? I don't care about reputation, in Europe (namely Switzerland) they don't care about reputation like in US. Working experience is here much more important...
Cheers

Hi Luke,
I cannot help you much with Virginia, but I am considering an offer from Duke and I will most likely go there. I have only heard good things about Duke from alumni, the school is rather small, which I like and in corresponding with them, I get the feeling that they really care about their students.
Concerning the location, I have heard that Durham is small, but not totally country and that you need a car, but that it is bearable and the nature around Duke is supposed to be really pretty - not that I cared too much, but anyway...
That is about all I can say - not a lot, I know.

I have exactly the same impression about Duke as you, at least as far as I was told by the alumi which I could dinner with. I guess you met an alumi who was suggestet you by the school, didn't you? Such a small talk says more then hundered of web-sites...
I was also especially impressed by the individual letter and they really made me envy the great IP Programm (they know how to hook :). If I could not get in in Berkeley I guess we could meet in Durham in August.
In another post I read that you was accepted in PennLaw, any special reason not to go there? I've friend there right know and he is a little disappointed by the faculty.

Hi Luke,
I like Penn Law, too. And UMichigan. And probably a couple more schools as well had I applied to them...
I find it very hard to decide, just because there is only so much you can know about a school before going there yourself. It is comforting, however, that most of these schools seem pretty good, so I doubt that you can really make a bad choice - which unfortunately does not mean that there won't be a good choice and a better choice :-)
To answer your question: There is no particular reason for me not to like Penn Law at all. It is actually the only other school, I am still seriously considering. Why was your friend disappointed?

Well, he expected more concerning the so called socratic method that the US Schools should be so famous for. To sit in a classroom with fifty other students and listen to a "normal" professor as we are used in Europe I won't pay $ 35000, this you can have for a quarter of the prize all around the world, especially Australia or a medium Canadian school. That's why I'm still considering Toronto (the best law school in Canada), where I'm accepted (Can$ 19'000, that's by far less then 1/2 of US fees!). And T is a great town.
How did you get your acceptance in Upenn, by e-mail first? How long do you have time to take a decision? Also March 15?

I received my acceptation yesterday by e-mail (an official letter will be sent by regular mail).

If I want to hold my spot, I have to pay 500$ within 30 days of that e-mail. 30 days from that payment I have to pay another 1500$. Those 2000$ make out the fee for the "summer program" preceding the start of the actual LLM..

It kills me that I have to take a decision that early! I only have two answers right now, and even while they are both positive, I'd like to have a couple more answers before I make my choice.

Waddup, Dr J!

How much time did chicago give you to decide?

In any case, if you dont get any other acceptances in the next 30 days, chances are you wont get any after that either. Last year when I was applying, all my acceptances came February and March.

.. yeah, you're probably right about that. That's why I'm so impatient. Georgetown told me they reached a decision, but I have to wait for their letter to know if it's positive or negative.

Chicago's giving until April 15, but before that date you can ask them for some more time, but you have to indicate good reasons why you need more.

Luke,
Penn has notified me by e-mail and their deadline for me is April, 1st. I will commit to Duke next week, though. I think, I have made my decision.
Let me know, what you decide. Hope to see you in Durham!

Schorsche, did you already send your check? I just received an admission e-mail from Penn Law and my dilemma between an excellent IP-Programm at Duke and an Ivy League University, bigger town, close to NY, etc. continues. All in all, I tend for Philadelphia now. Virginia ist out for me and I am only interested in one more admission, namely Berkeley.

Hi,

You should definitely choose Virginia Law. Itâs a great school with great professors and most importantly, theyâre very good at taking care of foreign students. Professors are very friendly and happy to have you in their class. As a matter of fact everyone is very friendly in Charlottesville. Another nice thing for foreign students, is that you get 20 minutes extra on every exam-hour if English isn't your native language.

Tomas (former exchange student at Virginia Law)

Pass over UVA.
If you want to go back to your mother land upon graduation and live in the dusty country with nobody clever guys but binge drunkers, you choose UVA, if not, go with Duke.

It is nice to get extra 20 mins on exams. As a matter of fact, I know that UPenn and Cornell give non-native-English-speaker students an extra HOUR on exams. Even better, right?

well, 20 minutes extra on every exam-hour will be more beneficial if the exam is longer than 3 hours

I'm in a similar dilemma between these two schools...UVA is an excellent law school with a great rep..for instance, last year the first ever overseas Supreme Court Clerk ( he was from Zimbabwe) came from UVA..on the other hand Duke Law is a top notch school..and so is Fuqua, Duke's Business School. At the moment i'm leaning towards Duke for two reasons: (i) super campus and (ii) i think internationally Duke has a better recall than UVA .
Any thoughts on the above?

Michinga vs Virginia... any thoughts???

I beg to differ on the "super campus" remark. Virginia's law school has some of the best and most beautiful facilities in the country, while Duke's are a horrible eyesore (they look like a cheap high school) and are in the process of being rebuilt. I think that only UChicagoâs law school has uglier facilities. The rest of Dukeâs campus is gorgeous though, especially the gardens.

UVa is stunning as well ⦠I recall that GQ magazine's March 2005 issue had UVa listed as the United-State's most beautiful and important architectural landmarks.

Bonobo..i stand corrected..thanks for your inputs...however..geting back to the original query..duke v. virginia..any thoughts on making a call between them?