Let’s be honest: Who hasn’t spent some time thinking about what character from Harry Potter each law school would be? What’s that – you haven’t? Well, luckily for you, I’m here with the comprehensive list of which character corresponds to each school. (For a completely arbitrary reason, I decided to look at only the top 10 schools. I apologize in advance if I insult anyone; don’t take it personally.)
1. Yale—Dumbledore
This is a pretty easy choice. Dumbledore is probably the wisest character in the Harry Potter universe. And he is a professor. Yale is the consensus number one school in the nation and it recruits the most impressive students, many of whom end up going into academia and becoming professors (see the parallel?).
2. Harvard—Harry
If you asked someone on the street to name the best law schools in the country, the answer would probably be Harvard. People seem to know about Harvard’s reputation even if they know nothing else about law schools. Similarly, Harry’s reputation precedes him. Plus, he has the smarts and ability to back up the claims.
3. Stanford—Hermione
Hermione is a brilliant student, but she sometimes feels a little out of place because her parents are “muggles.” Similarly, Stanford doesn’t have the Ivy League status, but it has definitely earned its place among the elite law schools in the country.
4. Columbia/Chicago—Fred and George Weasley
Columbia and Chicago have been tied in the rankings for quite some time. Their employment statistics are very similar. Their reputation for excellence (and competitiveness) is largely identical. Thus, Fred and George—identical twins—are the logical choice here.
6. NYU—Draco Malfoy
Now, just to be clear, I have nothing against NYU. However, it is within a few miles of Columbia, and it has never been able to rise above its geographical rival in the rankings. Draco is a talented wizard, but he can never seem to outshine his rival (for those of you who don’t know, his rival is Harry Potter…also, Snape kills Dumbledore…).
7. University of Pennsylvania—Ginny Weasley
UPenn always seems underrated. A layperson probably wouldn’t list it as an elite school. However, UPenn’s employment statistics are nothing to sneeze at, and its alumni routinely go on to accomplish great things. Similarly, Ginny is a highly underrated character in the Harry Potter world. Nevertheless, she makes a significant mark on the events of the novels (and she marries Harry, I mean come on).
8. University of Virginia—Voldemort
Again, nothing against UVA, feel like I need to say that up front. However, UVA Is notably concerned with accepting Virginia residents, and it often yield protects against non-residents with similar qualifications. Voldemort’s is similarly concerned with preserving a certain group of wizards, those who have a magical bloodline. Plus, say what you will about him, he’s a pretty darn powerful character.
9. Berkeley—Luna Lovegood
I’ll admit, this one has more to do with the Berkeley area than it does with the school itself. If you haven’t been there, Berkeley is a pretty…unique place. It seems a little crazy and a lot hippie. Luna definitely fits those descriptions. She is also very smart, which goes without saying.
10. Duke—Ron
Hermoine and Harry overshadow Ron, and at times he seems very conscious of this fact. However, he is clearly a courageous and intelligent character. Duke recently moved into the top 10 after climbing its way up the rankings, so it is probably a little unsure of its place. Nevertheless, it absolutely belongs and it will probably rise higher as it grows into its new place among the elites.
