My business bankruptcy class was very pleasant.
:)

FWIW had my convo with the NYU career counselor.

NYU places primarily in NYC, DC, and Cali (probably LA). Not many people go to the south. Therefore, the OCI and TIP brings in primarily north eastern firms (and probably Cali). If you want to be in the south, you have to do the leg work yourself.

I didn't get an exact employment statistic, but I did get the sense that NYU has been equally hammered in the current market as has everyone else. I did appreciate the way the counselor gave me a realistic assessment versus the admissions office which would probably prefer a happy picture. The message, as I took it: NYU still places well, IF there are jobs; but in the current market, there isn't nearly as many jobs.

And, the incoming class is about 150; if you exclude international students, then about 90-100.

One other thing I forgot to mention; NYU will be sending out employment statistics, but not until May or so (after the deposit is due, lol).

mmm... correct me if you think I'm wrong, but by the time we will start looking for a job, the market may be much better... doesn't it?

mmm... correct me if you think I'm wrong, but by the time we will start looking for a job, the market may be much better... doesn't it?

sdevante -

let me preface this by stating that this is obviously my own two cents but stated bluntly: i think you're making a big mistake turning down nyu for florida.

why? job placement. this is a killer market. potential hires must have superior credentials to stick out. the fact that even some nyu (which is, without a doubt, the number one program) tax grads have suffered in this market should send warning signals. how do you imagine florida grads are fairing? i suspect much worse. at the end of the day, i rather have the nyu degree as a career crutch. outside of the sunshine state, the florida name simply isnt going to carry as much weight in employers' eyes.

now i know ive read that your plan is to live in the south post-graduation and that florida is much cheaper tuition-wise. but, i believe you will have much greater employment prospects in the south with a nyu degree. as the career counselor mentioned, you may have to do a little more legwork on your own, but odds are things will happen for you.

you - like me - have dropped a lot money on an expensive jd degree. you owe it to yourself to enroll in the best possible program at this point.

furthermore, as a vandy alumi, how could you possibly stomach enrolling in the same institution that produced the likes of matt walsh, anthony robertson or chris leak?

Let me preface this by saying I have no idea who Matt Walsh, Anthony Robertson, or Chris Leak is.... although I assume they are sports players?

I appreciate your candid advice. Although I am leaning towards Florida, I am still not 100% on UF.... just trying to figure it all out.

My thinking, re: this market, is that if NYU people are unemployed, then UF people are likely to be unemployed, and if I am facing a market where I am likely to be unemployed no matter what, I'd rather end up unemployed in Florida where it's warm with less debt and pick up a job waiting tables at a beach side restaurant, versus being unemployed in NYC where it's cold and expensive.

I'd like to know your comments on that; feel free to PM me so we don't detract too much from the point of this thread (or, conversely, if you think your thoughts on that would contribute to the thread, go for it).

Hi Sdevante,

Thanks for the info! I'm scheduled to talk to a career officer at NYU next week, so I'll post if I find anything out. I did talk to the career officer at another LLM program, and here is the gist of what they said: biglaw is pretty much shut down for now, except for Skadden, which may still be interviewing; in the Big4, KPMG is on a hiring freeze, but the other ones are hiring, mostly for int'l tax and transfer pricing; the IRS and other fed bodies may still be hiring; and there are a few clerkships here and there, to bide your time. The 9-month out employment stats for 08 grads at that school were very high - but that market was probably not as bad as the one we're going to be in.

Does anyone have an idea about the 'longevity' of the LLM degree? Say, you do have to wait tables for a while - how long until you just give up looking?

In response to your potential choice, Sdevante, I do understand what you're saying, but I would say this: if the market is so bad that we're likely to go unemployed, then we're better off deferring admission for a year, or not going at all, since that's just a waste of money. If, on the other hand, there is a decent chance of employment in tax, then NYU may indeed be the safer choice. I understand you want to live in the south, but you're taking the riskier road - if you can't land something there, then you're going to have a tougher time looking in the north. Conversely, NYU may not give you the same access to the South, but you have a wider array of options, so at least you can land on your feet. In the end, of course, it's your choice, and I wish you the best wherever you end up. My two cents, and, as always, keep posting new information - I'll do likewise.

Hi all, thank u for all these discussion, it's really helpful.

I'm an international student planning to apply for 2010-2011 NYU taxation LLM. It appears to me, from your talk, i should think twice before I quit my decent job in my own country heading for a tax LLM degree in such a bad market...

I see u guys are JD grads from reputable schools, and is it really so bad that even u guys are hanging around? i mean, i have no idea what the market will be in 2011, but as a foreigner, the tuition burden and the risk of unemployment must be even bigger for me. If i'll graduate with unpaid loans and without a job ... that's pathetic.