Conflicted
I don’t know what to do and I feel like I just need to deconstruct this and see what input others might have to offer.
I got into Lewis & Clark, which has a strong regional reputation where I’m currently living in Portland. I think long term I would love to be in Portland or in the PNW in general, but this also isn’t a dealbreaker. I also applied to UO (where I got my undergrad degree, and absolutely loved it) but I’ve been UR for weeks and haven’t heard back yet. I think UO would also be a great option, but even if I got in being in Eugene just wouldn’t set me up for the same networking opportunities as being in Portland.
I grew up in the Bay Area CA and I’m definitely not opposed to living/working there for a while or longer if I ever decided not to move back to Oregon. I applied to USF and UC Law SF. Got into USF with a larger scholarship than L&C offered (not super significant, but an extra $11k per year), and I’ve been waitlisted at UC Law SF.
I went into this whole process thinking that L&C was my top choice and if I got in that would be it. I went to an ASD for L&C and had a good time for the most part, but I met some people who were not very nice and I ultimately left that day feeling a little bit off about the school in general. I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what’s holding me back but I’m just not feeling 100% convinced that it’s the right place for me. Logically, it makes the most sense to go here as it would offer the best networking opportunities in Portland and other attorneys I know through my current job have expressed very positive opinions of it as a law school. I wouldn’t have to move to attend, and I have a lot of really good friends here.
I toured USF and UC Law SF recently, and I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I really liked everything I saw at USF. The people I met were incredibly welcoming and the student orgs, vibes, and class structure seem pretty aligned with who I am and what I want out of my law school experience. However, this school doesn’t have a great reputation especially in the Bay Area with all the stronger regional competition, and they’re known for predatory grading practices (my scholarship offer is conditional to maintain a 2.8 or higher). I think it also wouldn’t pull its weight in terms of name/reputation if I returned to Oregon. Touring UC Law SF, the vibe I got was that it’s a much more competitive atmosphere but there are a ton of opportunities available to UC grads that I feel I’d be set up nicely for success no matter what. Even with its drop in rankings it’s still respected in the Bay and I think (if I happened to get accepted off the waitlist) I would deem it the “best” school in my options in terms of reputation, employment outcomes, rankings, etc. I am obviously waitlisted and it’s too risky in my opinion to assume that I’ll get in, but I want to stay on the waitlist to keep it on the table.
I think it makes sense to go to L&C and that’s where I’m leaning but I still have this queasy feeling that it’s not the right fit, and I’m not sure if it’s just because of the people I met or something else. I guess I’m looking to hear others opinions. If you have some personal experience or insight you could offer that would either reinforce L&C as the right decision or argue in favor of another school I’d really appreciate the input!
Also for context I’m not gunning for any specific line of work/big law/etc necessarily, I just want good odds for bar passage, employment, and to hopefully love my job and earn a good salary. My current work has given me a lot of experience with property/land use law and I’m interested in that, but I am open to exploring other specialties.