Seton Hall vs. NYLS Forum

[amclane]

What do you guys think? Is it ridiculous to consider NYLS over Seton Hall? I would prefer attending full time, but I was admitted to SHU part-time. NYLS would be full time.

[dakatz]

I've heard very bad things about the employment prospects out of both schools. Did either offer your a decent scholarship? That would make the decision quite a bit easier.

[hank44]

Assuming you're paying full price for both (which, yes, is not awesome) it really is a toss-up. NYLS certainly has a much better location. Did you apply to Seton Hall PT just because its easier to get in? or do you have job prospects for the day-time? If you have/will have a job, then Id say Seton Hall no question...otherwise, its really a personal decision - think about jobs, loans, cost of living in manhattan if you go to nyls...

[nycparalegal]

Do you have a scholarship, or are do you have financing available that doesn't mean taking out loans?

If not, then I would say re-take LSAT.

[dakatz]

If this is both options at sticker price, I would HIGHLY caution you against either option. Look for alternatives that would cost much less and put you in far less debt, such as Rutgers, UConn, or something along those lines. Both Seton Hall and NYLS charge about 44K in tuition. To put that in perspective, Harvard charges just about the same in tuition. Obviously the employment prospects aren't the same as Harvard's, so why pay the same price? Definitely look for options that will not put you into insurmountable debt like this.

[amclane]

If not, then I would say re-take LSAT.

Note that this was not an option on my poll. I don't have "biglaw" dreams, and these schools would both give me a decent legal education, in my opinion.

[keg411]

Only go to SHU if you want to live and practice in NJ. It is NOT a NYC school.

[nycparalegal]

If not, then I would say re-take LSAT.

Note that this was not an option on my poll. I don't have "biglaw" dreams, and these schools would both give me a decent legal education, in my opinion.

Ok. That doesn't mean that going to SH or NYLS and paying full price is going to help you and your dreams.

Why do I say that?

Because of the debt load, and the difficult legal market.

[amclane]

Ok. That doesn't mean that going to SH or NYLS and paying full price is going to help you and your dreams.

Why do I say that?

Because of the debt load, and the difficult legal market.

OK, thanks for your opinion. I am certainly considering my debt and employment options in my school choice.

[nycparalegal]

OK, thanks for your opinion. I am certainly considering my debt and employment options in my school choice.

It's your life, and obviously people have gone to the schools and made a living.

However, being that you don't have biglaw in mind, you're probably going to do some sort of public interest related work. Am I correct?

Now, the starting salaries for alot of these public interest work are around 30K.

So, you're going to get 150k+ in debt, (do you have UG debt too?) to do work where you get paid 30K a year.

Being in a great recession, the legal market is over saturated with lawyers. So, I hope you know somebody or have a connection into a firm or agency.

I just don't think it's worth it, if you're paying full price.

[shutterbug]

To the OP: go to either school, work your tail off, get a good job. OK - maybe not $160,000 starting salary, but high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school. You will not be relegated only to the low-salary PI positions if you do well in these schools.

And please don't mind the idiotic responses you are getting.

[amclane]

I just don't think it's worth it, if you're paying full price.

I was just asking a simple opinion comparing the two schools. Not anything else... Sorry but you don't really know anything about me or my financial situation.

[amclane]

To the OP: go to either school, work your tail off, get a good job. OK - maybe not $160,000 starting salary, but high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school. You will not be relegated only to the low-salary PI positions if you do well in these schools.

And please don't mind the idiotic responses you are getting.

Thanks friend

[98234872348]

high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school.

You must have a very loose definition of "high-paying"

[shutterbug]

high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school.

You must have a very loose definition of "high-paying"

I'd call it at around $90K and above.

[nycparalegal]

To the OP: go to either school, work your tail off, get a good job. OK - maybe not $160,000 starting salary, but high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school. You will not be relegated only to the low-salary PI positions if you do well in these schools.

And please don't mind the idiotic responses you are getting.

I don't agree with your assessment. Everyone going to law school is working their tail off, and the part about getting a good job is the hardest part.

I'm not saying that no one can do it. Obviously people have done it, but many more have not, and are saddled with loads and loads of debt.

This isn't the 1970s anymore. SH and NYLS charge outrageous tuition, for much less employment prospects than a t14 school.

It doesn't make sense to get 160,000K in debt for a 30K job.

[shutterbug]

To the OP: go to either school, work your tail off, get a good job. OK - maybe not $160,000 starting salary, but high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school. You will not be relegated only to the low-salary PI positions if you do well in these schools.

And please don't mind the idiotic responses you are getting.

I don't agree with your assessment. Everyone going to law school is working their tail off, and the part about getting a good job is the hardest part.

I'm not saying that no one can do it. Obviously people have done it, but many more have not, and are saddled with loads and loads of debt.

This isn't the 1970s anymore. SH and NYLS charge outrageous tuition, for much less employment prospects than a t14 school.

Agreed for the most part, and the OP seems to know this, but I disagree slightly with your $30K number.

There are law firms still hiring NYLS grads (granted only probably the top 5 students there) for relatively high-salaried jobs. Doesn't sound to me like the OP will be dissapointed with making $80K a year. I know most TLS'ers would commit suicide before accepting such lowly pay, but certainly "reachable" from either of these schools.

[BigFatPanda]

NYLS is known to have a lot of people going to part time while working on Wall Street. Thus, it is reasonable to assume they have an underrated alumni network that could do wonders. If it is between Seton Hall and NYLS, go to NYLS. Make sure you network while at NYLS, it could do you wonders once you graduate.

[keg411]

For OP, going part time and working the rest of the time (at any salary, no internships) would help with the debt reduction. So, if OP doesn't mind NJ, I would say SHU part time over NYLS. At least SHU isn't a TTTT like NYLS. OP isn't making $80k out of either school. More like $40-50k tops.

[amclane]

For OP, going part time and working the rest of the time (at any salary, no internships) would help with the debt reduction. So, if OP doesn't mind NJ, I would say SHU part time over NYLS. At least SHU isn't a TTTT like NYLS. OP isn't making $80k out of either school. More like $40-50k tops.

Good advice. I plan on working if I went part time. So this is making me think, less debt and the better school is the clear option.

Also, making $40-50k out of school isn't the end of the world for me. I have a long career ahead of me!

[nycparalegal]

I wish the OP luck. This will be my last post on this thread. The legal market is contracting, and over-saturated. If you look at what happened this past year, many people from even the top law schools didn't get jobs when they graduated. Now, you can say well that's a fluke, but the economy isn't going to get any better, any time soon.

You're going 160k into debt for a chance to try to be one of the top 5 students in your class (with the arbitrary nature of the curve, good luck), and land a job. Notice I DIDN'T say top 5%. I said the top 5 law students in your class.

People will tell you that there are those 80K jobs around, in between shitlaw and biglaw. Those are usually reserved for those who are experienced.

You will most likely be starting off making some where between 30k to maybe 50k (if you're lucky)

[amclane]

I wish the OP luck. This will be my last post on this thread. )

Great.

[newyorklaw23]

I don't mean to troll/flame but I've heard of a lot of unhappy students from these schools. Brooklyn Law School, UCONN, and Rutgers-Newark are schools that aren't far out of your range, but have much stronger reputations for $$$, alumni network, placement, employment prospects etc.

[98234872348]

high-paying jobs are within your reach from either school.

You must have a very loose definition of "high-paying"

I'd call it at around $90K and above.

Name 10 firms that hire grads out of NYLS or SHU that pay this rate. Oh, I'll save you the time... They don't exist.

hth.

[SteelReserve]

I was just asking a simple opinion comparing the two schools. Not anything else... Sorry but you don't really know anything about me or my financial situation.

I'm going to be civil about this, but you could at least show the requisite intelligence (and kindness) to understand that, asking people on an internet forum about which mediocre school you should attend, without providing any information about "you or your financial situation," is just a bad idea and a worthless endeavor.

The entire point is that no one can answer your question WITHOUT you providing financial information. Without that knowledge, there is no way anyone can offer any informed opinion on the issue, aside from the objective fact that Manhattan is cooler than Newark.

Good luck to you. Based on what you have said, it looks like you are in for a world of financial hurt.