Anyone from Germany out there who has experience with German grades in regard of admission?
I finished my 1. exam with 10,3 points. Do you think it is worthwhile to apply to the top 5 (HLS, Coulmbia, Chicago and so on)? I have already released some publications and will finish my 2. exam next year. Moreover, have some working experience at some well known law firms in London and Munich. Or do you think I should save the money and concentrate on good schools that are not as popular as these mentioned above. Let's say schools ranked under the best 30 because there are also some interesting programs. Do you think tuition waivers are possible to receive at these lower ranked schools? Money is always an issue.

Thanks for your estimations.

I think 10.3 is good for most American unis, but probably not enough for Harvard. I would give it a shot anyway. Here is another discussion about the German grade issue:

http://www.llm-guide.com/board/2355

Thanks for your estimation. I think that gives me confidence to apply for all programs that attract me. But I guess I will pick at least one school that is going to be a save catch!

Hi Daniel.

I went to Vanderbilt and very much liked the personal atmosphere (ca. 10 llms). You have your own faculty advisor who helps you with just about everything. You can have lunch together, discuss the choice of your courses. In that school, you know everybody - just try to memorize the names of your 480 llm colleagues at NYU. You have much more contact to the jds than in any of the very big universities in which you completely live in your "int'l ghetto" with no contact to the jd class. Vanderbilt has a strong focus on, inter alia, corporate & finance and many courses in cooperation with the business school: M & A, equity markets...

Cynthia Coleman is the llm program coordinator and truly walks the extra mile. She'll help you with your application process, settling down in Nashville (get an apartment, car...), and will always take good care of "her" llms: somebody feeling personnally responsible for the foreign students!

So maybe a law school beyond the ivy league might be much better than you'd expect anyway...