Here's the question:

for someone interested in international law, trade and international finance (World Bank, IMF, WTO, OAS, UN, foreign service and some large firms), what would be the best LL.M program?

NYU or Georgetown? Thanks.

Both of these are prestigious schools, so I'd say that you can't go wrong either way!

Without any regard to academics or rankings (which can be misleading and unhelpful), Georgetown may offer a slight geographical advantage due to the fact that its located in our nation's capital (lots of public/private agencies and firms are headquartered in D.C.).

Of course, New York is also a very cosmopolitan city, and has its share of international agencies and firms (not the least of which would be the U.N. itself!).

I suppose that these responses haven't really made your decision any easier!

Tell you what...when in doubt, go with the school that either offers the most "free" money to you (scholarships or grants), or provides the best subjective "fit" for your personal/professional needs (quality of life, proximity to friends/family, networking contacts, etc.).

Personally, I'd prefer to live in the D.C. area, as opposed to N.Y.C., but that's just me.

Thanks very much badkarma56!

Do do you think it would be harder to find a job in DC with a NYU LLM?

NYU is better ranked in both, the general ranking and the international law ranking. However, when I was in DC, almost everybody suggested that Georgetown was the best place to go (or going for an interdisciplinary degree such as the MALD at the Fletcher School).

I believe the great benefit of NYU is that it allows people to do international/political stuff after graduation while being well seen in the business sector if they want to switch (or comeback) to corporate law afterward... It may not be the case with Georgetown??

A though decision...!

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Dear Yorzim,

We seem to be in the same situation. I wish to pursue an international career with a mix of private/business and public/policy work. NYU and GT are clearly among the best schools for that, but which one to choose...?

Having worked in Washington before, I like DC for its opportunities, especially with think tanks and international organizations (so many seminars and conferences). It's a very good place to network. But it's way more political and not as good as NYC for business opportunities. DC is very fun though, with people from all around the world. I never lived in NYC and I never visited NYU campus, so I don't know about NYC. But I'm sure it's as good as DC for networking, if not better. And surely a lot more fun! To be honest, I had a strong preference for GT but a lot of people told me I should go to NYU (better ranked and name recognition in both business and international public spheres), so I'm really confused...

Congrats on your acceptance to these great schools! Where are you from? Please let me know your decision or your opinion as the deadline is coming soon.

Best,
JF