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UofT vs Osgoode


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Dnian
  • Law Student
On 2/20/2022 at 2:13 PM, Latecomer2021 said:

Thank you all for your insight! 

I am interested in IP law. I have a BSc in Neuroscience (but no master's or PHd) so I hope that should help some. It seems like Osgoode has more IP opportunities like the clinic and the intensive and others that you mentioned, but you don't think I would be at a disadvantage going into IP with potentially less IP experience than students at Osgoode? Genuinely curious. I've been accepted to UofT and there are other things that draw me to it like the location (I'll be commuting) is but I want to weigh all my options and not miss any important factors. I would prefer to work in a bigger full service firm as opposed to boutique or smaller.

 

In terms of commuting, how is parking on either campus? Does either school offer the student discount for the TTC or is that just for undergrads? I'll likely be at school as long as possible every day.

If you're dead certain that you want to go to "big firms" and location/commuting is a big concern for you, then perhaps you're one of the people for whom UofT is worth the additional cost. I still maintain that for any one small reason you mention alone - i.e. "I care about location"; "I want to do biglaw",  "I value UofT's better international reputation", etc - that probably isn't enough to justify the extra $30k for UofT. But put together, the case for U of T becomes stronger.

However, have you been offered a scholarship by Osgoode? That obviously changes the calculus and if they offer you additional funding, it becomes harder and harder in my mind to pick U of T over Osgoode if the only differences are prestige/location for a $40k or $50k difference in price. Even if you haven't been offered one, that you've already been to U of T means you conceivably could be. For example, I know many people this cycle who received their scholarships in the past couple weeks - they're still being offered on a rolling basis. So, I would provisionally accept at most and wait to see what Osgoode does.

Edited by Dnian
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Ben
  • Law Student

The difference is 8k a year. You certainly couldn’t pay me that to live in the suburbs or commute to Keele and Finch every day, setting aside the substantive differences between the schools themselves. 

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Pendragon
  • Lawyer
18 minutes ago, Ben said:

The difference is 8k a year. You certainly couldn’t pay me that to live in the suburbs or commute to Keele and Finch every day, setting aside the substantive differences between the schools themselves. 

https://www.law.utoronto.ca/academic-programs/jd-program/financial-aid-and-fees/student-fees-jd-program

https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/programs/juris-doctor/financial-services/tuition-fees/

The difference is around 9k a year and not everyone is privileged enough to afford rent in downtown Toronto. Rent in North York or even on the subway line is a hell of a lot cheaper than renting downtown. 

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AHappyLawyer
  • Lawyer
On 2/20/2022 at 11:13 AM, Latecomer2021 said:

Genuinely curious. I've been accepted to UofT and there are other things that draw me to it like the location (I'll be commuting) is but I want to weigh all my options and not miss any important factors. I would prefer to work in a bigger full service firm as opposed to boutique or smaller.

If you care about location and want to work in BigLaw, I would choose UofT. $30k is certainly a lot of money, but speaking plainly, that amount is just one junior associate bonus at a large firm. 

It sounds like what's pulling you to Osgoode is cost, but Osgoode is not inexpensive. UofT places a lot better, and I think net of bursaries, financial aid and summering at a firm, you'll be fine. Law school is a professional school, and I always tell prospective applicants to go to the best school that they can afford.

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CleanHands
  • Lawyer
2 minutes ago, AHappyLawyer said:

It sounds like what's pulling you to Osgoode is cost, but Osgoode is not inexpensive. UofT places a lot better, and I think net of bursaries, financial aid and summering at a firm, you'll be fine. Law school is a professional school, and I always tell prospective applicants to go to the best school that they can afford.

Yeah, it's one thing if someone wants to pursue a likely low-paying career (e.g. criminal defence) and is choosing between two schools with significantly different tuition rates (e.g. UofT vs UBC at sticker price).

When someone is deadset on BigLaw and is choosing between two of the most expensive schools in the country...really the relatively minor differences in tuition cost (considering the likely career outcomes) clearly don't outweigh the benefits of going to UofT here. I fail to see how this is even enough of a question to warrant the preceding discussion.

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  • 1 year later...
incredible pear
  • Undergrad

Is there any merit to the point that it’s harder to rank high in UofT as opposed to Osgoode, given that their student body generally consists of higher achievers? 

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