I've been noticing that pretty much everyone on this website only mentions the top law schools in US, such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia, NYU, Chicago, Northwestern, what about the other schools? Are they worth it?
Does it mean that if you don't get accepted in one of these top schools your studies won't be valued?
I believe some schools have especific programs much better then these most popular schools, such in IP or Environmental Law... Even in taxes...
Have the other schools been forgotten?

You're right about this. It just seems to me that many of the most active participants here are applying/attend top-14 schools. These schools have large and well-known LL.M. programs, which means that there are lot of applicants.

Despite the bias, there is some discussion about other schools. There are blogs about GWU and Wake Forest, for starters.

I would be interested in hearing about Cardozo's program Comparative Legal Thought. If any of you attend it, please tell us something about it.

Hi,
Im not sure how you separate the two. Ive heard the arguments that the JD rankings for law schools are different from the LLM rankings. However, LLMs take course work with the same lecturers as JDs, you do the same study in the same place. On that basis surely the rankings for LLM have to be much the same as the rankings for JD law schools?

That being said, the tendency on this blog, quite rightly, is to go for the schools that maximise your ability to join a large corporate firm. I personally fear that most of the participants on this list have never actually worked at such a law firm or have no idea what they entail and have merely read the starting salary. I know that was me about 6 years ago. Surely the purpose of a masters degree, putting to one side the majority of people here who want to join said law firms, is to enhance your education in a particular area. On that basis it is strange that there isnt more discussion of the schools outside of that elite group. as you say, there are clearly more prominent schools in particular areas, why would you waste money on the Yale or NYU applications if you have such an interest. Ive never really figured that out myself. The other issue is the possibiltiy of employment but it seems that most law firms pay little cred to the LLM anyway, so why wouldnt you do it for your own purposes.

One thing that came to mind is that perhaps some students at lower-ranked schools are hesitant to post here, because they fear that they will be ridiculed or that people don't appreciate other than the most famous schools.

That is patently not true, so do not hesitate to post on any law school. There are lots of readers out there, who are interested in all possible law schools.

There is a big difference between this board and XOXOHTH, which is a must-read law school board, but sometimes hostile and too competitive.

I feel the same - sometimes I miss reading posts from LLMs from some law schools that in my opinion are top-notch (e.g. Georgetown, Duke, Berkeley, Virginia, Cornell, Northwestern). I remember that once I praised Georgetown and a UPenn guy almost said that I had to be kidding if I was thinking of comparing UPenn and GU... like if GU LLMs were losers or something like that...

The LLM experience goes beyond an employment search and a brand name - it is a life experience. Therefore, I would also urge current LLMs from all other law schools to post here - maybe you can help to educate some people.

One thing that came to mind is that perhaps some students at lower-ranked schools are hesitant to post here, because they fear that they will be ridiculed or that people don't appreciate other than the most famous schools.

That is patently not true, so do not hesitate to post on any law school. There are lots of readers out there, who are interested in all possible law schools.

There is a big difference between this board and XOXOHTH, which is a must-read law school board, but sometimes hostile and too competitive.

Yeah, there are so many schools, why only the ones mentioned here are the mainly subject in this topic.
One of the most proeminet programs LLM in IP is from that university in Chicago called Marshall... I guess. Cardozo has a great program also. Environmental law there is a great school in Oregon...
Wake Forest, Duke, U Penn, U Mich, Case Western, U. Minnessota, Washington University in St. Louis, Fordham, these are great schools, and no one mention them here, just Yale, Harvard, NYU...
Nothing against these schools, of course not, but I believe this site could be more useful if more people discussed about other schools.
I agree with one of the opinions said bellow that perhaps those with a lower grade are suspicious to talk about other schools in this site.
* For your interest, I am not applying to any LLM program at the moment, but just sampling some info, that is why I am interested in other programs and opinions, once I am pretty much done with NYU, Yale, and Harvard* I already know everything about these schools.

I know this one girl, she is brazilian, she did her LLM at University of Alabama and is currently employed in NY...
I bet UA is a good school, but no one mentions it in here.

Are they worth it?

I definitely agree with Maximus. You might meet your future spouse at Loyola, get robbed in New Haven, collaborate with Duncan Kennedy at Harvard, learn to surf in Palo Alto, buy a small farm in Minnesota, establish a start-up in Denver, meet one the greatest comparative law scholars at Tulsa (James Gordley is moving somewhere), have a great year at Wake Forest, have a great burrito in Austin, Texas, or have a full-ride scholarship for studies at Columbia Law School.

These things are simply impossible to predict and to measure their value in money.

I definitely agree with Maximus. You might meet your future spouse at Loyola, get robbed in New Haven, collaborate with Duncan Kennedy at Harvard, learn to surf in Palo Alto, buy a small farm in Minnesota, establish a start-up in Denver, meet one the greatest comparative law scholars at Tulsa (James Gordley is moving somewhere), have a great year at Wake Forest, have a great burrito in Austin, Texas, or have a full-ride scholarship for studies at Columbia Law School.

These things are simply impossible to predict and to measure their value in money.

I was accepted by Fordham and Georgetown, rejected by some, waiting for others. I have 8 years of working experience in banking and international capital markets. On the other hand, I also want to study international law, international dispute resolution and international organizations. I will do my credits in both fields.
If you were me, which university would you choose? Fordham or GU?

I would go to GU. GU has an International Legal Studies LLM and a Securities LLM, and lots of courses in the fields you mention.

I completely agree with Ivan.

Good luck!

I was accepted by Fordham and Georgetown, rejected by some, waiting for others. I have 8 years of working experience in banking and international capital markets. On the other hand, I also want to study international law, international dispute resolution and international organizations. I will do my credits in both fields.
If you were me, which university would you choose? Fordham or GU?

i think Georgetown is tops when it comes to international studies, so I'd go for GU.

I just read the Harvard vs Stanford blog. to be honest most people just choose on reputation, that means US News ranking so Im afraid to say for the time being it looks like the Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, NYU discussion board for a while yet. I have to say though, that is simply a mistake. There is just no point getting a foot in the door if you dont have the knowledge to back it up. A good name is one thing, but the experience and the knowledge is entirely another. I can understand the approach for JDs but not for LLM. It doesnt make any sense. I think 50% of the people on this site have no idea what they want and therefore shoot for the top. I genuinely support the rest.

I think I would go to GU, although Fordam is extremelly interesting also.

Oh and when I started this topic, I didn't want to measure anything in money, I just wanted to make a reflection of what would happen if you went to a lower popular school. Why does it have to be bad?

Hi guys!
I am one of the (certainly big, but more quite) group of people who won't attend one of the "BIG 5", but will go to a so called "lower ranked school". Hope that I can give another point of view and interesting information. I'm quite happy about this "Other Schools-Board" after reading about HLS, Yale, Columbia, NYU and Chicago as if they were paradise on earth...
There is no reason to argue that the named institutions are great schools and that it is a fantastic opportunity to take part in a LLM-Program at one of these universities. But there are ALTERNATIVES!
There are definitely other very good schools with interesting programs. Me for example, I will go to Boston University School of Law. After all that I've heard and read, this is a great school. They offer a very interesting LLM in Banking and Financial Law program. And they're quite strong in IP law (yes, I know: "Stanford and Berkeley are the best in IP" ...blablabla...).
I will take part in the LLM in American Law Program which seems perfect to me because it allows you to design your own program of study consistent with your interests. And at the same time, you can do a so-called "Concentration" in either Financial Law or IP (what I'm interested in).
Apparently, the teaching quality at BU is very high. The welcome and taking care of foreign students is apparently pretty intense and helpful. The staff in the admission office is awfully nice - they have the most friendly and most professional admission process of all the schools I sent my application to.

With this point of view, I just wanted to share my experience and promote a little bit other, "lower ranked schools" which are worth to have a little closer look at!
;-)
Best regards!