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[scirwode]

So, I just heard back from all of the schools I applied to and I got accepted to everyone of them into their political science departments. I got into both University of Pittsburgh, and Pennstate University, both main campus. I also got into three private schools, Ashland (in Ohio), Desales, and Albright. When it comes down to cash, they are all about the same cost after scholarships and financial aid, so Im really trying to compare academics of private and public universities. What do you think? FYI, I plan on going to law school after graduation for corporate law, hopefully to really top teir schools like Stanford or Harvard, so I need a 170 on my LSAT and a 3.85+ for a GPA.

[gwynethpaltrow8]

All else being equal, I'd go for the public universities in your shoes. In fact, I'd pick Penn State. It has a better national reputation than the others, and I happen to believe that a university experience -- public or private -- is generally superior academically and intellectually than a college experience. There are a number of elite private colleges where you can receive a first-rate education, better than the one you might get at a middling university, but the ones you've mentioned don't strike me as being among those colleges.

Just my opinion, but I attended Ivy schools, am from Ohio, and have taught on the university level in Pennsylvania, so I do have some experience on which to base my views.

P.S. Despite the next poster's comments, you don't need to start "preparing" for the LSAT the summer after your sophomore year.

[tonibraxton]

All else being equal, I'd go for the public universities in your shoes. In fact, I'd pick Penn State. It has a better national reputation than the others, and I happen to believe that a university experience -- public or private -- is generally superior academically and intellectually than a college experience. There are a number of elite private colleges where you can receive a first-rate education, better than the one you might get at a middling university, but the ones you've mentioned don't strike me as being among those colleges.

Just my opinion, but I attended Ivy schools, am from Ohio, and have taught on the university level in Pennsylvania, so I do have some experience on which to base my views.

P.S. Despite the next poster's comments, you don't need to start "preparing" for the LSAT the summer after your sophomore year.

Since your ultimate goal is to go to Law school you need the best place to prepare you for such endeavor.

I don't really know the private schools. As for the Pittsburgh and Penn State I would go to Penn State and start preparing for the LSAT during the Summer after your sophomore year.

Again, it really does not matter where you go as far as Law school admission. Your LSAT mostly matters.
A 2.5 GPA with a 175 LSAT will get you to the top 14 law schools.
A 4.0 GPA with a 150 LSAT will not.

[hurst]

just type the name of the university and collegedata.com into a google search. click on 'overview' once the search choices pop up. That site has almost everything you'd need.

http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=85
http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=59

^
I've already done the first two for you.


Good luck with picking a school!
Personally, I am a believer in private education with small class sizes. Though I don't know where the private schools you mentioned rank in terms of national recognition.