Help! Iowa (in-state) vs. Illinois ($) Forum

[webbylu87]

I knew this thread would be inevitable. I've been thinking about this decision so long that I need outside opinions. Give me some T L S wisdom!

My info:
- Looking at public interest/service work; this could change and I am certainly open to discovering a passion for biglaw/midlaw/anything else
- Looking to plan my debt intelligently and am considering the impact of IBR, loan forgiveness, and each school's LRAP should I go into public interest/service
- Want access to some bigger legal markets; would love to end up in St. Louis but Chicago would be a good option as well
- Have nothing against the midwest but if I am going to stay here I'd like it to be in a bigger city
- Money and job prospects (in location, strength, and variety) are the biggest considerdations

So basically it comes down to:
Iowa (in-state = $41/k year) vs Illinois (OOS with scholarship = $50k/year)

Help!

[jks289]

To me this is an easy answer. If you don't want to stay in Iowa long term, don't go to Iowa. Period. All the other pros are nice but if you can't gat a job in the market you want, that seems like a dealbreaker. UIUC seems like the right option for you. It is smart to be debt adverse, but not to be so afraid of it you end up limiting your options.

[Jerome]

It reads like you already made a decision - UIUC. If you want PI and don't like Iowa's clinical set-up (I did, actually) and like Illinois' Fed. Civil Rights Clinic, I would ignore the relatively minor cost differential.

An Iowa degree wont confine you to Iowa, but if you liked Illinois better (and it seems you did), then I'd go with that.

[webbylu87]

To me this is an easy answer. If you don't want to stay in Iowa long term, don't go to Iowa. Period. All the other pros are nice but if you can't gat a job in the market you want, that seems like a dealbreaker. UIUC seems like the right option for you. It is smart to be debt adverse, but not to be so afraid of it you end up limiting your options.

Fair enough. That makes sense. I guess I'm just trying to figure out if an investment in UIUC is worth nearly an extra $30k in total debt.

[webbylu87]

I forgot to mention that while I don't love the idea of staying in Iowa for another three years, if it meant a better debt/job prospects ratio I could handle it.

[traehekat]

Hey webby, just out of curiosity, where did you find information on Iowa's LRAP?