Quote:
Originally Posted by als463
If most places say they usually take up to 3 recs., would it be in bad taste to have one from 5 different sources?
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YES! The easiest way to get rejected...not following directions! Law schools have umpteen number of applications to read. If you attempt to make their job harder, they'll just do the easy thing and reject without really reading it.
I'm assuming you're applying for Fall 2009 admission since it's a little late for Fall 2008.
As far as the joint degree thing...I did a joint MSW/JD program at a Tier 1 school (Top 20) with a Social Work School ranked in the Top 5. I passed up a lucrative scholarship at a Tier 3 so I could attend this other school. There is NO way I would've gotten my job had I gone to the Tier 3. I also passed up a Tier 2 that had a joint program (the money offered between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 was about the same) because I didn't enjoy the Tier 2 program offerings as much. I happen to now work in the city with the Tier 2 program and I can guarantee that having gone to the Tier 1 school actually set me apart from a lot of other candidates. It's not just about the JD ranking, you should be looking carefully at the Social Work ranking too! They both matter. Top schools with top JD AND MSW programs are well known no matter where you go. Tier 3 schools...not so much (unless like someone else said, you're staying within the area for the next 5 years and people know the school well). Even if you want to do public interest work--jobs are incredibly competitive and the school names on your resume will have an effect on your future hiring.
If you're looking at schools near any of the Ivys, there are definitely Tier 1 or Tier 2 JD/MSW programs at least 2-3 hours or less driving distance from each of them (that aren't the Ivys themselves...although Penn and Columbia both have set JD/MSW programs). Some of them are even in the same general town/area as Ivys (e.g. both Boston U and Boston College have JD/MSW programs; so does NYU).
While where you go to school may not matter for your 2nd or 3rd job; it has a big effect on Job #1 (which will then help with later jobs).