Hello to all!! I have been admitted to both UChicago and NYU LLM 07 classes. I would appreciate any assistance that would help me decide which of these 2 excellent law schools should I attend.

Thanks in advance, and best regards.

It is a difficult choice because both of them are great Law Schools, probably among the top 10 of the word. However, I believe that if you will stay only one year in the US and want to study in a great and challenging law school and have fun at the same time, NYU is a better option.

NYU: Is better ranked. You will have the opportunity to know a lot of people from other countries and to study in a very well recognized and challenging graduate program with a lot of fun. You will have time to study, enjoy the city and make good friends. The campus is beautiful and located in one of the best neighborhoods of NY. Additionally, the job fair of NYU is great. I have two friends in NYU with offers from two of the top 10 law firms of NY.

Chicago: Very challenging. You will study hard without a lot of fun. The campus is located near to a dangerous neighborhood and far away from the downtown. The weather sucks; you will prefer to stay in your home must of the time. The job fair is very good. Right now is considered one of the most challenging graduate programs in the US. However, I have a friend that at this date do not have any offer from US law firms.

Good luck

Congrats on admission to both great law schools!

I think the decision is depending on your career plan.
If you only plan to study for a year and look for a job in the US or back to your country. NYU is probably the better choice. Prana already made great comments! Juat add one thing, Chicago uses quarter system, which means relatively less holidays and more intense curricullum.

But if you are considering an academic career, even a SJD after LLM study. I will say go for Chicago for sure. Smaller program and more academic oriented.

Congrats and good luck!

I have also been admitted to both schools and I think I will decline NYUs offer and accept Chicagos. Both universities have a great reputation; nevertheless, I intend to specialize in Law & Economics and Chicago is famous in this area. Besides, I am attracted to the small size of the program and I would like to invest in an academic career (as a part-time professor), to which Chicago adds great value, with its rigorous program.

That being said, of course you have to take other factors in consideration. NYU is very famous for its Tax program. So, if you want to do Tax, go for it. If you do not like challenging programs with almost no fun at all, run away from Chicago. If you have money issues, you have to remember that NYC is a lot more expensive than Chicago (in some areas, of course), etc.

But remeber: you cant go wrong either way.

Regards!

These are all very useful comments indeed!
I have also been admitted to both programs and I am also inclined to go for Chicago. I would love to take their challenge!! Sounds most attractive to me.Moreover, my career interests are academic in nature and my field of interest is law and economics. However, I might still change my mind if I would be admitted to the NYU LLM-JSD program.
Also, i have been wondering what I should do with Berkeley's offer. First, I felt like I shouldn't take it, but some law professors at my law school told me that their program is really good as well. And it would be the greatest place to study (although that is not an 'official' consideration:))
Any suggestions on that one?

Actually, I am in the same position as you (admitted to UCB, NYU & UC). It's true that on the latest US News, NYU and UC are higher ranking. But I seem to have a real liking of UCB's environment (not just the wonderful climate, but also the culture). And comparison on the university level (not just the law school), UCB is outstanding. I haven't decided fully yet, but I am seriously considering UCB.

One thing that has not been mentioned so far is that NYU in arguably the world leader in public international law. For those interested in that area, NYU is the best choice.

Cambridge trumps NYU in international law.

My 2 cents:

If you want to study International law, go to NYU

For anything else UChicago

Also note this: NYU is located in an awesome part of Manhattan, but to enjoy that aspect of New York You gotta be willing to spend a lot cash.. It simply is not doable with a tight budget..

I definitely preferred NYU over Chicago. Please dont think in the size of the program that is a little bit stupid. Although you choice Chicago (50 students), Stanford (10), Berkeley (30) you will attend to classes with at least 80 or 90 students including JDs. Additionally, I believe that is better to study in a big program because you have opportunity to open your frontiers and to know more people.

My views of be in an LL.M is not only learn and study in a well ranked school of law with a challenging program but also focus my efforts in make friends of US and of other countries. For me is very important to have clients of all the word. NYU and Columbia are my first choices, because both of them are challenging and have a lot of international students.

I know that programs like Chicago and Stanford are very competitive and that generates a lot of stress between students. I dont want to compete any more; I competed by 5 years in my own country with other students and all days in my work with other lawyers. I am convinced that doing an LL.M is much more than having stress, competence and hard study, is also a life experience that I dont want to expend.

Congrats and good luck.

good point Prana.

I disagree.

Small programs are collegial and genuinly friendly, big programs are less personal and more cut throat.

It seems that you do not understand Mandingo. In a small program you will take classes with at least 80 or 90 students (probably with more JDs). In a big program you will take classes with at least 80 or 90 students (probably with more international students). Although the program has 450 LLM students, remember that you can choice your classes.

For example, Chicago has more than 1500 JDs and you will have to take classes with them in a big classroom. That is why I believe that the size of the program should not be a factor of decision.

Finally, please tell me how you can assure that in a small program we can find genuinely friends and in a large program no?

Dear Prana,

I beg to differ.

First off, your aggressiveness (Please dont think in the size of the program that is a little bit stupid) is only detrimental to your reasoning.

Secondly, you say that: in a small program you will take classes with AT LEAST 80 or 90 students (probably with more JDs). Nevertheless, I read on Chicagos webpage: During a typical academic year, the Law School offers approximately 150 courses and seminars (smaller classes of about 15 students usually requiring papers in place of examinations) with an AVERAGE CLASS SIZE OF ABOUT 36 STUDENTS.

Thirdly, you say that: For example, Chicago has more than 1500 JDs. Notwithstanding you assertion, I understand from Chicagos webpage that: The entering class for the JD Program is limited to approximately 190 students. If we want consider the number of JDs enrolled in the University, we have to multiply this number by three (the number of years the course lasts), with a total of approximately 600 JDs, less than half the number you pointed out (I am not quite sure that my reasoning is correct here).

You say that you do not want to compete anymore (you stated this is an absolute manner, but I think you didnt mean it). I respect your views, but we have to face the fact that competition exists, whether we want it or not. Good grades, good jobs: you can only attain them through competition. It does not follow, however, that one has to kill his colleague in Chicago. I have had feedback from current and past LL.M. student from Chicago and they were very happy with the schools environment. Of course there are dissenting voices and they will always exist.

Finally, no one can assure you that one will make genuine friends in smaller programs. It seems, however, to be easier to make good acquaintances in this situation.

Anyway, best wishes and make a safe choice.

Regards!

Well put LLM_06,

Rational comments are allways wellcome.

This board suffers from "adaptive preferences" and plain old foolishness from time to time..

Well but indeed LLM_06.

And you appear to be right on regarding the size of the Chicago student body: According to The Princeton Review the Chicago Law School has a student body of 589.

Being at Stanford, I just want to make things clear. There are no classes with 80 or 90 students. While you indeed have classes with JD students, the size of classes vary from 4 to 30 students. More than that, there is absolutely no competition and the atmosphere is very relaxing.

As to the choice between Chicago and NYU, I would choose Chicago without any hesitation. True, the program is tough and it's actually one of the only LLM where you can fail. But they are the heart of Law & Economics, a topic which is particularly important in US. True, the weather is awful and maybe you don't have a lot of fun but, who cares...wherever you go, you will have to study. Lots of students at NY don't go out that much because they have too many things to do. The idea that you will spend your time doing an LLM surrounded by dozens of friends partying several times a week is wrong. Peolpe pay a lot and are primarily there to work and get sth out of it. To that extent, Chicago is far better (apart from LLM program in tax law from NYU).

Personally, except for tax, I don't think there is any choice to be made - Chicago is simply a better law school. I have this choice and I don't really see it as a choice, I am going to Chicago (and this isn't just over NYU, its also over Yale and other good schools).

Just my input!

Jess

Well, this thread now seems to be bordering on the absurd.

Let me guess: those people who are choosing Chicago say its the better law school and those choosing NYU say the same about their respective school choice.

The fact of the matter is, folks, is that these are two top U.S. law schools, consistently rated in the top 10 in the country. Both are excellent choices, with their own unique advantages. Of course, what those advantages are depend on the interests, plans and background of the applicant. For example, someone interested in international law should attend NYU, while someone immersed in law & economics, obviously, chooses Chicago.

Arguing about which "is the better school" is as silly and circuitous as the sister debate about whether Harvard tops Yale or vice versa.

Absurd? Not at all!

I know that discussions T10 vs. a T10 may seem ridiculous. Many people (I am not saying it is your case) tend to think its kind of showy. But it stems from the very fact that both are great law schools that it is hard to reach a decision. No one would open a thread discussing T10 vs. Tier 4. If it were not for past discussions like this one, I would never have gained the (modest) knowledge I now possess concerning American universities.

Of course we all know how prestigious both schools are. It is also common sense that Chicago is strong in L&E and NYU has a better reputation in Int. Law. As you have implied, both have great advantages, and this is exactly what we are trying to find out here, showing facts and experiences that may help us make a decision.

Depends where you want to end up working. If you want to practice in NY then NYU is the obvious choice. If you want to practice in Chicago then U of C is the obvious choice. Firms would rather hire from local schools, just check out the top NY firms; all the attorneys are from either NYU or Columbia. Internationally speaking, being a NY qualified lawyer seems to have more teeth than Illinois.