If you’re certain you want to stay in DC, either will suit you just as well. If there’s a chance you might move elsewhere at some point, UVA carries better in the rest of the country.

UVA is there superior law school. And it has a unique environment in terms of relations between faculty and students. Only reason to go to Georgetown would be if you would want and could get a part time position with a DC firm or a committee on the hill while in law school that would enhance your job prospects upon graduation.

Anonymous wrote:The tyranny of US News is bizarre. The QS global rankings, in contrast, put Georgetown at #15 world wide and UVA not even in the top 50. The Academic Ranking of World Universities puts Georgetown at #6 and UVa at 13.

The US News rankings have a methodology that favors smaller, richer schools. The other rankings focus more on faculty and student quality.

I generally agree with criticisms of USNews, which has had a disastrous impact on higher education, but why would any international ranking of U.S. law schools be relevant?

You’re in fantasy land. Wait till acceptances. And enjoy George Mason.

The tyranny of US News is bizarre. The QS global rankings, in contrast, put Georgetown at #15 world wide and UVA not even in the top 50. The Academic Ranking of World Universities puts Georgetown at #6 and UVa at 13.

The US News rankings have a methodology that favors smaller, richer schools. The other rankings focus more on faculty and student quality.

I was on the hiring committee for a biglaw firm. They are generally equivalent to employers unless you attend for something specific, like an LLM in tax at Georgetown. So pick the one that is cheaper or that you think would be more fun for 3 years.

Georgetown has usually been close to the critical T-14 cutoff. UVA always around 7-8.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biglaw firms care an unreasonable amount about where a candidate went to law school, even as a lateral. Don't fool yourself that it really does matter to firms, it shouldn't, but it does.

I would go with UVA in a heart beat.

+1, this is really good advice. UVA is T10 and will afford you a lot more opportunities than Georgetown. This is especially important if you are considering federal judicial clerkships while in law school.

Excuse you, UVA is T8

Anonymous wrote:Biglaw firms care an unreasonable amount about where a candidate went to law school, even as a lateral. Don't fool yourself that it really does matter to firms, it shouldn't, but it does.

I would go with UVA in a heart beat.

+1, this is really good advice. UVA is T10 and will afford you a lot more opportunities than Georgetown. This is especially important if you are considering federal judicial clerkships while in law school.

+1. That’s just the way it is.

Biglaw firms care an unreasonable amount about where a candidate went to law school, even as a lateral. Don't fool yourself that it really does matter to firms, it shouldn't, but it does.

I would go with UVA in a heart beat.

OP, you need to visit both schools. Georgetown does have a great part time/evening program, made up mostly of students who have full time federal govt jobs (on the Hill, at agencies). Both schools have talented, diverse and friendly student bodies. Both schools have fantastic faculties. Georgetown is definitely less intimate but students are generally quite happy. UVa can feel like high school, which may be good or bad, depending on your point of view.

UVA and Georgetown law have student bodies with virtually identical qualifications. Anyone who thinks you will have a different student experience because you go to a school with an average LSAT of 169 versus 168 is seriously delusional. ANY law school in the top 20 will have excellent students and excellent professors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you even taken the LSAT yet?

How about this: get into both and then come back and start this conversation.

Wrong, the OP is doing well to map out and plan now which schools they are interested in. From there the OP can probably plan what LSAT scores are needed and should begin research about the school culture. No one should wait until they take the LSAT to begin thinking about which law school to attend. That’s the dumbest decision ever. That’s like waiting until you get accepted into college to prepare saving for tuition.

So much wrong here. Law school is not like the average grad program. Your LSAT and GPA define your universe. It’s certainly a good diodes to learn something about schools first, but no plans, working out commutes, etc until you have an LSAT score in-hand.

The OP certainly should work out commutes if she/he owns a condo. The OP needs to create a list of potential law schools and begin the pros and cons of each. If I were the OP, I would create a spreadsheet. OP, hasn’t included information about their finances, marital status, family status, current employment, etc. So again, the OP would do well to prepare in advance. You are correct law school is NOT like the average grad program. It is much worse and therefore requires much more thoughtfulness in the process. You just proved my point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you even taken the LSAT yet?

How about this: get into both and then come back and start this conversation.

Wrong, the OP is doing well to map out and plan now which schools they are interested in. From there the OP can probably plan what LSAT scores are needed and should begin research about the school culture. No one should wait until they take the LSAT to begin thinking about which law school to attend. That’s the dumbest decision ever. That’s like waiting until you get accepted into college to prepare saving for tuition.

So much wrong here. Law school is not like the average grad program. Your LSAT and GPA define your universe. It’s certainly a good diodes to learn something about schools first, but no plans, working out commutes, etc until you have an LSAT score in-hand.

OP here, thank you all for the advice. I think it would make much more sense for me to either rent out my condo and move to Charlottesville if I am considering adding UVA to a list of potential schools. Thank you to the posters who pointed out commuting would be a hardship.

I am also interested in Georgetown part time program. Can anyone speak to the part time experience and working full time? Thanks!