Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.

If you want to go to law school and start your legal career on the east coast, chances are you’re considering these three major US cities. Each of these urban hubs has their hidden gems and rich histories along with their misconceptions. I’ve had the pleasure of living in all three cities – here’s my take on each one.

Boston

Boston is my hometown. Like New York City, Boston proper is a city made up of smaller towns. You may think Boston is an uppity, prestigious city because of our association with Cambridge, a tourist-heavy neighborhood directly outside Boston proper that is home to MIT, Harvard, and Massachusetts’s wealthiest families. However, this is furthest from the truth.

I grew up in Dorchester, an area of Boston proper filled with immigrants from the Caribbean. My parents emigrated here from Trinidad and Tobago. On the outskirts of Dorchester, you also have many Irish immigrants. The Boston I know is diverse, with hardworking immigrant families trying to achieve the American Dream.

Boston is also very much a college town; there’s Boston University, Northeastern, Boston College, and Berklee College of Music, as well as some of the aforementioned schools in Cambridge mentioned above, which means there are a lot of young adults throughout Boston. Accordingly, Boston boasts a number of popular spots, like Harvard Square, the Fenway Park neighborhood, Boston Common, Copley Square, and the historic Faneuil Hall area. These areas host a number of high end shops, restaurants and bars like the original Cheers bar that inspired the television show.

During the harsh Boston winters, Bostonians and our adopted college students host indoor soirees to avoid trudging through two feet of snow. If you’ve survived a Boston winter, you can survive any blizzard.

As many people flock to major cities, public transportation is important for the efficient flow of people. The train system in Boston is not as expansive as New York City’s but it does offer more coverage than Philadelphia’s. The “T” as its called, consists of a red, blue, orange, green, purple, and silver line. The system is pretty easy to follow, although I’m biased as a Boston native. The trains stop running at about 2am daily.

The Verdict

If you can handle harsh winters, the best accent in the U.S., die hard sports fans, and a holiday surrounding the Boston Marathon, Boston might be the place for you.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia is the city that made me. I went to the University of Pennsylvania for undergrad and during this time, I developed a love/hate relationship with Philly.

I love how Philly is an affordable city where you can walk almost everywhere, live on a budget, see a beautiful mural, and get a good cheesesteak. I like that the sports stadiums are all in the same area and come complete with a great view of the city. I love Penn’s Landing, South Street, and Old City, which are distinctly Philly and feature history, culture, and great shopping. And I love Philly’s seasonal restaurant weeks and BYOB restaurants that feature cuisines from all around the world.

However, I hate that from Monday to Thursday the subway stops running at midnight. Compared to New York, the nightlife in Philly is on a much smaller scale, with bars and restaurants closing at 2 am. Also, like many large urban areas, Philadelphia has ongoing socio-economic issues resulting in patches of abandoned homes and concerns with crime and poverty. Community organizations, however, take pride in combatting these issues. Many young people and professionals, especially those at Temple Law, become involved with these organizations, which is very encouraging.

Philly is home to larger branches of some of the biggest law firms in the country, which allows for young professionals to make a New York salary with a lower cost of living. There are also a large number of Temple Law graduates in Philadelphia, which is a big advantage for Temple students looking for employment after graduation. This is a great place to build your brand, whatever your profession.

The Verdict

If you want to make New York money while living an affordable lifestyle, want to be close to New York and Washington, D.C., and can withstand an endless supply of Benjamin Franklin references, Philadelphia is the city for you.

New York City

New York is a city of opportunity. I attended Brooklyn Law School for a year and lived in Brooklyn Heights during this time. Despite the severe gentrification happening in Brooklyn, there are still many Caribbean immigrants living in Crown Heights and Flatbush, which reminded me of my hometown of Dorchester.

I love that the NYC trains never stop running and that the nightlife doesn’t stop until 5am – New York truly is the city that never sleeps. I love that NYC has $1 pizza shops, Central Park, and mini concerts in between train stops. I love the diversity and the adventures you can find in every inch of the city.

In fact, I only left NYC to attend a better school and be closer to my non-profit, We Can Swim! I miss it greatly. However, I do not miss how expensive it is to live in New York, where $1,500 a month gets you a shoe box with the thinnest walls and $20 does not go a long way at bars and restaurants, even during happy hour.

Ultimately, there is just so much more of everything in New York compared to Boston and Philadelphia. While highly competitive, the job market is full of opportunity, with people from around the world flocking to The Big Apple. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

The Verdict

If you have a sense of adventure, ambition, and determination to achieve the impossible, and can handle the crowds of people, New York City is the city for you.