Hi,
I've been accepted by UCLA but I'm not sure whether to go there or to Boston University (the scholarship they offered me at BU is $15,000 whereas at UCLA - $10,000, and what's more tutition and cost of living in California is much higher). I plan to do Intellectual Property concentration (anyway, I have to decide where to go before 9 June), but have no experience in the area.

Do you think it's better to go to UCLA or BU in terms of later chances for finding employment in US and passing the bar exam? (BTW: I'm a foreign trained lawyer from Poland). Which one is better to go to? Anybody could give me any advice?

Regards,

Joanna

With the scholarships how much would you pay at UCLA versus BU? I know that your scholarship at BU is $5,000 more than UCLA, but is'nt tuition at UCLA cheaper to make up this difference. I don't think that housing is that much more expensive in Westwood compared to Boston. Check out craigslist for rental information in both cities. Personally, I would attend UCLA over BU. UCLA is ranked much higher and Westwood is close to the ocean and a great place to live.

Thanks for reply, Richard.

Tuition at UCLA is said to be between $35-37,000, while at BU it's "only" $ 34,000. But anyway, I would spend more money I was sure that I could find a better job after graduating from UCLA. But you can never be sure, can you?

Okay. So it looks like you might spend 6K to 8K more in tuition to graduate from UCLA with an LL.M. Assuming that housing in Westwood and Boston are about the same, I would definitely attend UCLA. The school is ranked # 15 in the US while BU is not even close. The UCLA degree is worth the extra 6K to 8K in tuition. There are no guarantees whether you will be able to find a job whether you attend UCLA or BU, but your chances with a UCLA degree are much higher. There is a girl on this board from Russia named PearlZ who has the same dilemma as you. Like you, she also has an interest in IP. She has a choice between UCLA and the Univ of San Francisco. She wants to attend UCLA because it is much higher ranked than USF, but it would be much less expensive for her to attend USF. She still has not yet made a decision. You should PM her. You guys might be classmates at UCLA next year. Good luck.

Thanks for reply again, Richard.

Yes, I know UCLA has better rank place than BU, but the difference is really slight, I've checked it (well, apart from the Shanghai University Ranking of 500 top world universities, in which UCLA is ranked 14 and Bu is 80). That's why I'd like some practical advice - like is it at all possible to get hired by a law firm after graduating from UCLA if you don't have any connections, and how it compares to BU.

Besides, isn't BU well known and recognized for its IP program in the US? The only information I got is from you, guys, and internet...

I think I'll go to UCLA.

Any other comments...?