Cambridge or LSE for Law?

Hello everyone,

I am currently in Year 13 and have applied to study Law at university. I currently hold offers from Cambridge, LSE, Warwick and Exeter, and am waiting on UCL. The problem is, I'm stuck. I was ecstatic to receive my Cambridge offer; it has been my dream to attend the university from when I was in secondary school. However, the ubiquitous metaphoric conflict between the heart and the brain has never been more prevalent in my life than in the making of this decision. As such, I have turned to TSR for the first time in pursuit of advice and guidance. I know stats can only ever tell us so much, but overall I think few would attempt to argue that the LSE is a more academically renowned institution than Cambridge. However, for my course, that argument becomes far more balanced; Law is after all, a social science. The most recent league tables (from The Guardian, The Complete University Guide, and the QS Global Rankings) for Law place Cambridge above LSE, despite LSE's higher scores for the quality of research. As you can probably tell, there's a whole heap of information out there and I'm not too sure what to do. I live in London, so would live out if attending Cambridge and stay at home if attending LSE. My heart says Cambridge, yet my brain is torn and is causing confusion. This is after all one of the most important decisions of my life. In the future I hope to go on to work in the City, in either a Magic Circle law firm or in some other career in the financial sector. Prior to that, the dream would be to study for the MSc in Law and Finance at Oxford.

All in all, if you can make your way through the messy paragraph I just wrote which effectively demonstrates my confusion, please offer some advice. Guidance from current Cambridge and/or LSE undergraduates, especially those that study Law, would be most appreciated.

Thank you!

Firstly Congrats

For Law its Cambridge all the way

LSE is great and extremely prestigious but in Law Oxford and Cambridge are simply the best.

(That is assuming you want to practice law)

Without the doubt your answer is Cambridge. You live in London in the first place so by going to Cambridge you will get to experience both a small city and a big city. Cambridge is world renowned, you only have to drop the name. LSE is also world renowned and it is great that you have offers from 2 great schools, but Cambridge is simply the best.

LSE might be better in terms of finding a job after graduation or at least it shouldn't make any difference but you will receive a much better teaching at Cambridge. They are both amazing universities but how can you reject an offer from Cambridge (my heart says)? I was rejected from Oxford and had to firm LSE but my heart can never accept this. The experience is far more amazing in Oxbridge, with their collegiate system and tradition, than LSE. You won't have the most amazing campus life there. You will only go to uni to attend lectures then go back home. The social life isn't good in LSE but I don't think it would be much better at cambridge. And there are lots of international students-it is a very international environment overall.
But, on the other hand, don't be tricked by the name of a university. You should go and visit LSE to see if you like it. Also, read the course structure and find out about the teaching system. You will be expected to work 30-40 hours a week there while in LSE its probably 20-30 hours. Also, there is an emphasis on oral argument in Cam and you should see whether that suits you.
You are being a little ungrateful here. Do you know how many people would kill to go Oxbridge? If you were rejected like me, you would never ask that question. I wouldn't reject Cambridge for LSE.

Thank you for your advice! And it's certainly a career I'm considering.



Hmm, an interesting argument. It would be a life experience I suppose. I assume that would be the view of a large majority of people, that whilst LSE is amazing, Cambridge is top. But in terms of Law as a subject, I'm not so sure. Thank you all the same!



I'm sorry for your rejection first of all. I know that you are right; had I been rejected, I would have been heartbroken and only wished for an opportunity to attend Cambridge. But now I have offers, it has allowed me to think more rationally. I do not view it as ungrateful, merely that I have worked to allow myself to be in a position where I am able to choose. As a result, I see the decision in a much more rational manner. I like the sound of both courses and their content but do prefer the supervision structure at Cambridge. I also know I would have to work harder at Cambridge but that this would better prepare me for the world of work in the City. It's a case of putting in the hours. I will be revisiting both prior to making my decision. Once again, sorry for your rejection. Please do not feel so disheartened. LSE is a fantastic institution, hence why I am putting so much thought into this decision. Thank you for your advice!

Bump

LSE might be better in terms of finding a job after graduation or at least it shouldn't make any difference but you will receive a much better teaching at Cambridge. They are both amazing universities but how can you reject an offer from Cambridge (my heart says)? I was rejected from Oxford and had to firm LSE but my heart can never accept this. The experience is far more amazing in Oxbridge, with their collegiate system and tradition, than LSE. You won't have the most amazing campus life there. You will only go to uni to attend lectures then go back home. The social life isn't good in LSE but I don't think it would be much better at cambridge. And there are lots of international students-it is a very international environment overall.
But, on the other hand, don't be tricked by the name of a university. You should go and visit LSE to see if you like it. Also, read the course structure and find out about the teaching system. You will be expected to work 30-40 hours a week there while in LSE its probably 20-30 hours. Also, there is an emphasis on oral argument in Cam and you should see whether that suits you.
You are being a little ungrateful here. Do you know how many people would kill to go Oxbridge? If you were rejected like me, you would never ask that question. I wouldn't reject Cambridge for LSE.

Just because a lot of people are rejected from Cambridge does not mean that the people with offers are being ungrateful if they choose not to go to Cambridge. They aren't obliged to go to a university that they may not want to go to anymore.

Hello everyone,

I am currently in Year 13 and have applied to study Law at university. I currently hold offers from Cambridge, LSE, Warwick and Exeter, and am waiting on UCL. The problem is, I'm stuck. I was ecstatic to receive my Cambridge offer; it has been my dream to attend the university from when I was in secondary school. However, the ubiquitous metaphoric conflict between the heart and the brain has never been more prevalent in my life than in the making of this decision. As such, I have turned to TSR for the first time in pursuit of advice and guidance. I know stats can only ever tell us so much, but overall I think few would attempt to argue that the LSE is a more academically renowned institution than Cambridge. However, for my course, that argument becomes far more balanced; Law is after all, a social science. The most recent league tables (from The Guardian, The Complete University Guide, and the QS Global Rankings) for Law place Cambridge above LSE, despite LSE's higher scores for the quality of research. As you can probably tell, there's a whole heap of information out there and I'm not too sure what to do. I live in London, so would live out if attending Cambridge and stay at home if attending LSE. My heart says Cambridge, yet my brain is torn and is causing confusion. This is after all one of the most important decisions of my life. In the future I hope to go on to work in the City, in either a Magic Circle law firm or in some other career in the financial sector. Prior to that, the dream would be to study for the MSc in Law and Finance at Oxford.

All in all, if you can make your way through the messy paragraph I just wrote which effectively demonstrates my confusion, please offer some advice. Guidance from current Cambridge and/or LSE undergraduates, especially those that study Law, would be most appreciated.

Thank you!