I am a current 3L at a low T1 law school (low 70s ranking) and was admitted to the tax LLM programs at both NYU and Georgetown. I was wondering if anyone had any insight into which program was better for employment prospects. Has the economy recovered enough that these programs help with employment? Would I be able to land at a firm or clerk on the tax court upon completion from either program? Is NYU really that much better than Georgetown? I'm kind of lost here, so any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Easiest question of the day; NYU! A tax LLM from NYU is the closest thing to guaranteed employment with respect to a LLM. If you are graduating with a JD from a T1 school and you aren't an idiot, and complete the NYU tax LLM, you SHOULD get a job. If not, there is some serious issue that you aren't aware of. I would look carefully though for what area of tax that you are interested in that is in high demand as well (Business Taxation, Estate Planning, General Taxation, International Taxation, or Tax Policy).

If you graduate from the program and are at least mid-level or higher and you can't somehow find a job, then change professions! ;-)))) Even in the current market the employment rate is about 90% @ months out with a tax LLM from NYU.

I actually don't think this is the easiest question of the day. There is a strong case for Georgetown, particularly if you want to stay in DC, and especially if you want to clerk on the Tax Court - it is right across the street from the Law Center, and GT sends many grads there every year. Also, at GT students can do externships at law firms, accounting firms, the Tax Court, IRS, DOJ, etc. - this leads to full-time employment for some and great connections in all cases. FYI, last year the employment rate was 92% and that was 50/50 law firms and accounting firms from what I've been told by a recent grad. Although NYU is #1 and Georgetown #2 according to US News, I don't think the difference is as stark as some would like to think. I would encourage you to talk to career services at both schools to get a better sense of job prospects. Good luck!

Read the Tax Prof Blog. He breaks down the schools on a tax basis. Factors in a lot of different criteria.

Current NYU Student here.

If you want to work in DC, GT is likely the way to go. If you want to be in NYC or anywhere else, NYU is the way to go. Obviously both schools have a stronghold on their respective locations and this is especially true when it comes to NY big law. NY firms, for the most part, do not even participate in TIP (interview program for NYU & GT students where many employers from across the country come to interview students all in one day). Instead, they pick students from the resume book and/or on campus at NYU.

The ONLY people i know currently in the NYU program that are having trouble getting jobs are the ones who are restricted geographically.

I have been told by hiring attorneys that people think that GT student went their b/c they did not get into NYU. I personally think this is a very unfair view - but, perception is everything. I was heart-set on GT personally, then got into NYU and did not want that chip on my shoulder....

I am a rising 3L at the University of Florida (ranked #48 as of now) in the top 15% of my class. I am also a member of a journal (not law review) and I am currently completing a Summer Associate position with a law firm focusing on securities law that I landed through an on campus interview. So far, the only tax class that I have taken is personal income tax and I received an A-. My buddies at UF Tax LLM have all told me that I should have no problem getting into NYU, Georgetown and Florida tax. Thus, my first question is: how accurate is this statement?

Furthermore, I came straight into UF Law from UF undergrad and I am ready to get out of Gainesville (although UF Tax LLM landed my friends good jobs and is by far the cheapest top tax LLM option). Thus, should I get into both, I am between Georgetown and NYU. Although NYU is #1 and Georgetown is #2, I would prefer Georgetown, as I prefer DC's lifestyle and my long time girlfriend is moving to the DC area. However, I would find it very hard to pay full price at Georgetown, while passing on NYU. Does anyone know how generous Georgetown is with scholarships and if they are open to negotiations if you were to tell them that you got into NYU, but would prefer Georgetown if the money is right? Secondly, before I got ahead of myself with the last question, does anyone know if a person with my resume is likely to be considered for a scholarship at Georgetown tax?
Thank you in advance!

Hi Seven-Eight.

I wanted to reply to provide you with the advice that I can. I was accepted into both Georgetown and NYU for this coming year, and I received a scholarship offer from both.

As far as your chances at getting accepted at both, I think you have a pretty good shot. Although, if possible, I would definitely consider taking another tax course or two to
demonstrate your interest. That will really help increase your acceptance chances, especially if you can pull of a good grade.

In regard to receiving a scholarship offer, I think it is really important to apply early, as in by the end of January. Although both schools offered me some amount of scholarship money, I think I may have had a better chance at receiving more if I applied earlier (I did not complete my applications until the middle of March). I can tell you that there are 9 Graduate Tax Scholars at Georgetown this year, which is between a half and full tuition scholarship. I think there are anywhere between 5 and 10 each year. There are a few other smaller scholarships as well, but I am not sure how many they offer typically.

I believe the largest scholarship NYU offers is half-tuition, and it is also includes a position as a student editor of the Tax Law Review. There are usually 8 people selected for that scholarship I think.

I hope that information helps. Remember, submit early! Good luck.

TaxGuy17,
Thank you very much for your helpful response! Which LLM program did you ultimately choose to attend and why? Furthermore, were you proactive in asking for your scholarship offers or did the schools reach out to you about the scholarship offers right at your time of acceptance?

Seven-Eight,

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I decided to attend Georgetown for two primary reasons. First, it was going to cost me a substantial amount more to attend NYU than Georgetown. Second, I spoke with many different practicing tax attorneys that attended one or the other of the two schools, and they all believed that firms (especially those outside of NYC) do not really distinguish between NYU and Georgetown. So when I considered the whole picture, Georgetown was the best place for me.

Georgetown offered the scholarship to me at the same time they sent the offer of admission letter. NYU's wasn't until about two weeks later though. As I said before, however, I applied pretty late in the cycle, and I don't think Georgetown always necessarily sends scholarship offers immediately.

Good luck with your applications!