Hello everyone. I've been exploring discussions about American LLM programs and was struck by the elitist attitudes towards school selection. I'd appreciate your insights regarding long-term career prospects and networking opportunities. To sum up my situation: I've been accepted to Columbia's LLM program with a partial scholarship, and to both Boston University and Boston College with full scholarships.

Which option would you recommend to maximize my career and networking potential in the US and Europe—Columbia, BU, or BC? I would appreciate your reasoning, especially considering that while the teaching quality might be similar across these institutions, the prestige associated with the law school name seems to play a significant role.

Additionally, I should mention that I won't require visa sponsorship if I decide to stay and work in the US.

Columbia. An LLM at BU/BC wouldn’t advance my goals. While free is nice (and should always be considered), the opportunity cost and lack of career advancement would rule them out for me. BU/BC are just too far down the pecking order.

I probably wouldn’t give up a school of the caliber of Columbia with a partial scholarship for anything less than a full ride at something like Northwestern, Georgetown, or maybe UCLA.

[Edited by balloonlaw on May 14, 2024]