UofA vs. USask vs. Dal vs. Osgoode

[soupgod]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if y'all can provide me some guidance on my decision? While I'm grateful to be in this position, the amount of decisions I need to make is stressing me out! I don't know what's actually important for me to consider, versus what isn't (ex. does ranking really matter if I'm not trying to enter Toronto BigLaw?) 

For context, I'm mainly interested in pursuing corporate or natural resources law at a firm in western Canada (probably AB or SK). I love Toronto, but I don't think I am interested in Toronto BigLaw. I might be interested in trying for a clerkship (unsure tho atm).

I really just don't want to make the wrong choice or that I'm settling - like choosing a more local school and giving up the prestige/reputation of Osgoode. Idk how much reputation/ranking really matters, but I don't want to make the wrong decision.

USask

• + I'm from Saskatoon, so costs would be lower as I wouldn't be paying rent.
• + My family and significant other are all in Saskatoon.
• + Possibly receiving entrance scholarship if I attend in September (as based on my correspondence with the admissions committee). 
• + Can live at home
• + Strong attachment to my 'home' city.
• + Somewhat of a decent network with Saskatoon firm lawyers.
• + Car
• + Smaller class sizes (entering class is 120) - easier to get to know profs
• + Dean is very nice and personable
• + My mom went here (would make her proud :,) )
• + Does OCIs with AB firms
• + Access to SK market
• + Everyone that goes here tells me they're the "friendliest" law school in Canada
• + Lower tuition
• + Peer/alumni mentorship opportunities
• + Potential employment in first year (RAship thru former grad supervisor)
• - Not as highly ranked (lowest ranked out of all of these schools)
• - Less clinical opportunities
• - Facilities are ok
• - Least diverse course selection
• - Scholarships tend to be smaller and there are less of them
• - Haven't heard great things about their Career Development Office?

UAlberta

• + Went to UAlberta for grad school and enjoyed it
• + Received $10k entrance scholarship (with possibility of future ones)
• + Familiarity with the campus and city
• + I enjoy Edmonton
• + Living on own
• + Generally affordable city
• + Would be able to take my car
• + Access to AB markets
• + Comparable tuition to USask
• + Closer to family and SO (5 hour drive) - could drive home easily for a weekend
• + Good career development services
• + Better reputation than USask (idk how important this is); tied with Dal
• + Nice facilities
• + Peer/alumni mentorship opportunities
• + Potential employment in first year (RAship thru former grad supervisor)
• - Would have to do long distance with my SO
• - One main clinical opportunity
• - Slightly bigger class (180)
• - Higher expenses because I'd be paying rent
• - Thought the Welcome Event was meh (idk how much this matters honestly)

Osgoode

• + Always wanted to go here for law school in my undergrad
• + Good clinical opportunities (idk how many personally interest me, based on my current interests)
• + Nice facilities
• + Reputation and prestige - name carries a lot of weight
• + Strong connections with Toronto law market/Toronto lawyers
• + A LOT of interesting classes
• - Huge entering class size
• - Would have to live with roommates
• - Expensive rent
• - Far from home; would only be able to see my family 1-2 a semester
• - Would have to do long distance with my SO
• - Vibe seems more competitive?
• - Far from downtown Toronto
• - Commuter campus
• - Most expensive tuition and idk if I'd qualify for student aid
• - Couldn't enjoy Toronto the most as I would be living far from downtown/wouldn't have the financial freedom
• - Might have to do a bit more legwork on my own to get a job back in western Canada

Dalhousie

• + By the ocean!
• + Received a $15k scholarship entrance scholarship - good possibility for future ones
• + Same reputation/ranking as UAlberta
• + Interesting course selection
• + Went to Weldon Welcome Days and really enjoyed it!
• + Very collegial and friendly vibe with current students and profs
• + Seems like 
• + Nice facilities
• + Nice campus
• + Liked the opportunity for
• + Peer/alumni mentorship opportunities
• - Same class size as Alberta (180)
• - literally as far as possible from my family, friends, and SO that i could be in Canada lol
• - Far from home; would only be able to see my family 1-2 a semester
• - Would have to do long distance with my SO
• - Expensive rent
• - Would have to live with roommates
• - Wouldn't have a car, so access to NS places (like Peggy's Cove, Cape Breton, etc.) would be limited
• - I like Halifax but idk if I can imagine living there for three years
• - Might have to do a bit more legwork on my own to get a job back in western Canada

apologies for how text-heavy this is, thank you in advance!

[DennisNextDoor]

I can only speak to the USask comments as that is where I went. Out of everyone in my class, every person who was looking to work in the legal field ended up getting articles one way or another. We had people end up in Calgary, Toronto, and even Wall Street in NY. I would say a lot of this would be dependent on where you are wanting to practice. If you were wanting to practice in Saskatchewan, USask would be the clear choice. 

Since USask is smaller as well, our bar often helps out our students and other lawyers. The Saskatchewan bar isn't nearly as big as other provinces. This comes with positives and negatives obviously. I found one giant positive if that while you are a student, you can essentially reach out to any lawyer in the province and they will gratefully meet with you and discuss their practice and potential opportunities. 

As far as money goes, the U of S also offers pretty generous scholarships and bursaries. I think  out of my three years, I collected roughly $10,000 in these fields and I was an aggressively average student. Some of my friends collected far more, so there is help there. 

These would be my two cents on USask. If you have any further questions feel free to DM me or reply to this comment. 

[Renerik]

Go to USask.

Halifax is expensive and despite the "national school" stuff you hear, it'll be harder to network with places in western Canada.

UofA is great (our "one main clinical opportunity" has many projects, we just have our family, civil, crim, human rights, wills and soon to be tax clinics under the SLS umbrella), but the family support you'd get from staying in sask is so undervalued.

[soupgod]

6 minutes ago, Renerik said:

Go to USask.

Halifax is expensive and despite the "national school" stuff you hear, it'll be harder to network with places in western Canada.

UofA is great (our "one main clinical opportunity" has many projects, we just have our family, civil, crim, human rights, wills and soon to be tax clinics under the SLS umbrella), but the family support you'd get from staying in sask is so undervalued.

thank you for your input! ualberta seems like a great school tbh.

and I’m so sorry if my comment abt the clinical program came off wrong! I think it’s actually a big selling point and know that SLS covers a lot of areas, I was trying to contrast it with Osgoode’s clinical options, as Osgoode’s clinical programs are much more individualized/specific (as opposed to the SLS umbrella of law areas).