San Diego or IUPUI? Forum

[Saviourofman]

I got into a few schools, but after talking to people it sounds like this is the choice I'm going to be making. I've got family in both locations, although I'm not particularly close to either (closer to SD, though). Indianapolis has offered 20K a year and San Diego isn't offering anything, but some have lead me to believe that career prospects are better our of San Diego. Perusing the old forums on this board, though, has lead me to believe they may not be good out of either.

Waiting a year, while an option, is unattractive for several reasons. It's sort of a law school now, or somewhere down the road, maybe, situation.

Does anyone on here have a legitimate reason to take one over the other (aside from personal preference)? Of course I prefer to live in San Diego the rest of my life, but I'd rather have a decent job where ever. I'm not too into the super high end salary (although it would be nice). Being able to pay my bills, however, is a priority.

Edit: Pitt Law sort of threw me for a loop by increasing a scholarship offer that helps make it that much more affordable. From what I've heard this might now be my best option, so if anyone can weigh in on any experiences, or information, that might help me decide (all over again), I'd appreciate that.

[Saviourofman]

This must be a really bad question for some reason. I wish I knew which way that went, though.

[amclane]

I think if you want to live in San Diego, and you are sure that you want to go to law school, you should go there. I don't know much about it, but I'm sure you would do reasonably well out of it... enough to pay the bills at least. I don't think it's worth it at all to go to a school in an area you don't want to live.

[Saviourofman]

I'd say my preference for San Diego is like 60-40. I wouldn't mind living in Indy. I would prefer San Diego, though, as I'm sure most people--all things equal--would. It won't make my decision for me, unless San Diego has job prospects better than indy. The extra 60K in debt worries me.

[chicoalto0649]

IUPUI's nickname in indiana and ohio is - ewwwey pooey (roughly like pronouncing iupui as a word) ...


Dood, its a really bad school. I think their median is like 148. Atleast San Diego is a degree resespected SOMEWHERE as opposed to nowhere

[mommamia]

It really depends on where you want to work. IU-Indy is a beautiful school. The court room is much nicer that all that I have toured- and they were much higher ranked. The building is less than 10 years old. I have heard that it is a good school for those wanting to go into government because it is based in the state capital. I also heard that Indianapolis is not a strong market for IP - so if that is your interest you may wish to look elsewhere.

I have concerns about employment in California. However, you can make it work where ever you want. Can you receive in state tuition at either?

[Saviourofman]

I can't make in state at either. San Diego is a private school. Indy is offering a scholarship for 20K that essentially wipes out the out of state portion. It's contingent on my staying in the top 40%, but from what most people are saying it seems like I'd do best to drop out if I'm not in the top 40% anyway. I would like to practice in Cali, but that preference is nominal. if San Diego+60G in debt=Indy , I'd go there. but if Indy is the smarter choice, given the scholarship, I'd be pretty happy in that town, too.

I personally lean toward Indy being the better, choice, but I've heard dismal job information coming from there. While not positive exactly, the outlook at USD seems to be a bit brighter. I was hoping someone could confirm or deny, either way, at either school.

[mommamia]

You need to call it IU-Indy. Purdue has nothing to do with it - nor is Purdue part of the medical center at IU-Indy.

I know a lot of very successful people that graudated from IU-Indy. The state of the Indiana economy is much better than many states too. I cannot speak for 2009-2010 graduates, but everyone I know who graduated before this time is doing very well.

However, few or none of the graduates live in California.

[Saviourofman]

Sorry, I thought IUPUI would distinguish it more clearly from IU--Bloomington. I understand that they're two separate campuses that share space and, not being from the area, don't really get hyped up by the Purdue name (which seems to be a big, big deal locally). For me it was a matter of convenience, not an attempt to appropriate prestige.

Do you have experience with the campus itself, or would you say that your experience would lend itself to your running into only those successful graduates? I'm not trying to question what you're saying, but if you've met ten IU-Indy attorneys at a big firm in Chicago it might be a skewed pool.

The decent economy in and around Indianapolis is one of the things attracting me to the area, though. Especially because, from what I've been hearing, California's recovery could lag severely behind the rest of the nations.

[Tall]

IUPUI's nickname in indiana and ohio is - ewwwey pooey (roughly like pronouncing iupui as a word) ...


Dood, its a really bad school. I think their median is like 148. Atleast San Diego is a degree resespected SOMEWHERE as opposed to nowhere

75% LSAT 160
25% LSAT 154

From the IU-Indy Law website.

[danquayle]

IUPUI's nickname in indiana and ohio is - ewwwey pooey (roughly like pronouncing iupui as a word) ...


Dood, its a really bad school. I think their median is like 148. Atleast San Diego is a degree resespected SOMEWHERE as opposed to nowhere

You clearly don't know what you're talking about. IU-Indy is gold in Indianapolis. Nowhere else. But in Indianapolis, you have good prospects.

[bobo11111111111]

IUPUI's nickname in indiana and ohio is - ewwwey pooey (roughly like pronouncing iupui as a word) ...


Dood, its a really bad school. I think their median is like 148. Atleast San Diego is a degree resespected SOMEWHERE as opposed to nowhere

You clearly don't know what you're talking about. IU-Indy is gold in Indianapolis. Nowhere else. But in Indianapolis, you have good prospects.

I wouldn't say that IU-Indy is gold in Indianapolis... I've heard that IU-Bloomington is though.

[Saviourofman]

I seem to have a lot of people voting for San Diego, but defending IU--Indy. I'm just as confused as before =(

[jmhallah]

deleted

[mommamia]

Part of it is likely that the city of San Diego sounds a lot more exciting and impressive than the city of Indianapolis. Interesting that there isn't anyone with information about jobs and experiences at San Diego on this thread. No one is really defending SD- they are only defending IU-Indy.

[danquayle]

Part of it is likely that the city of San Diego sounds a lot more exciting and impressive than the city of Indianapolis. Interesting that there isn't anyone with information about jobs and experiences at San Diego on this thread. No one is really defending SD- they are only defending IU-Indy.

We're defending IU-Indy because an earlier poster attacked it...

Realistically, IU-Indy and San Diego are probably about the same, except that San Diego is in Southern California. They're both city schools that'll probably place well in their home cities and not particularly well elsewhere.

So, in other words, you should go to San Diego. Because it is the MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY IN THE WORLD.

But if you truly don't care about that fact, then know that your job prospects will not be substantially better at San Diego, and certainly not 20k a year better. But I do think you'd be much happier from a quality of life standpoint. I'm not knocking Indianapolis at all, its not a bad city, and its one of the few Midwestern cities actually on something of a rise. Its just it cannot compete with San Diego.

[Saviourofman]

I'm not looking to make exactly 20K more per year coming out of either school. I understand that employment prospects largely depend on my place in the class, the economy at the time of graduation, etc. I'm wondering if career are, generally, stronger at San Diego. If they are stronger (i.e., jobs pay better in general, or there are simply many more jobs going to graduates), then are they strong enough to justify the extra 60K in debt I'll accumulate?

Coming out of Indianapolis= roughly 100K, with some of that being undergrad and a previous graduate degree.
Coming out of San Diego= 160-80K (cost of living, plus the 20K a year in extra tuition).

Do the career prospects of USD, combined with the quality of life it offers, validate the extra 60-80K in debt I would accumulate?

Edit: I know this is largely a personal decision, I'm simply looking to see if anyone has any information to help me swing one way or the other. I'm not trying to use this forum to plan my life.

[nick637]

I'm not looking to make exactly 20K more per year coming out of either school. I understand that employment prospects largely depend on my place in the class, the economy at the time of graduation, etc. I'm wondering if career are, generally, stronger at San Diego. If they are stronger (i.e., jobs pay better in general, or there are simply many more jobs going to graduates), then are they strong enough to justify the extra 60K in debt I'll accumulate?

Coming out of Indianapolis= roughly 100K, with some of that being undergrad and a previous graduate degree.
Coming out of San Diego= 160-80K (cost of living, plus the 20K a year in extra tuition).

Do the career prospects of USD, combined with the quality of life it offers, validate the extra 60-80K in debt I would accumulate?

Edit: I know this is largely a personal decision, I'm simply looking to see if anyone has any information to help me swing one way or the other. I'm not trying to use this forum to plan my life.

glad im not the only one whose gonna be 100k in debt at a T2

[mommamia]

Of course you need to look at cost of living. Indy should win hands down. Again, have you visited both schools?

[RVP11]

IUPUI's nickname in indiana and ohio is - ewwwey pooey (roughly like pronouncing iupui as a word) ...


Dood, its a really bad school. I think their median is like 148. Atleast San Diego is a degree resespected SOMEWHERE as opposed to nowhere

STFU.

When someone is deciding between two schools that will certainly not lead to a lifetime of gold and riches, they should be counseled to go to the least expensive option.

OP: go to Indy.

[chitown825]

I'm a 1L at IU-Indy.

1. The facilities here are incredible. Nearly-brand new building, great classrooms, great location.
2. The cost of living here is incredible (I live in a new apartment building in downtown Indy, and there is also a lot to do in downtown)
3. IU-Indy is in fact gold in Indiana -- there are alums everywhere (largest school in the state)

I have not noticed a benefit to attending Bloomington over Indianapolis, crazy as this sounds. The employers pick us up first because we're here in town and can work throughout the year. Often, we already are situated in Indianapolis and sometimes own homes, so they like that. The Bloomington students seem to think that they will be working in Chicago or New York, but that's only true of the top 5% -- Chicago has plenty of other schools they'd prefer to recruit.

What you need to know is that THIS IS NOT A MOBILE DEGREE. Indiana (Indy and Bloomington) are regional schools. Indianapolis is a great place to live (I came here from out-of-state on a $20k scholarship, too), but you're probably not going to be able to leave.

I would never consider USD, as much as I love the city and would like to live there. The cost of tuition and housing for that school cannot be justified by the T2 prospects. You need to practice debt control. I live a very comfortable life in Indianapolis and will come out of school with less than $65k debt.

That being said... do you have a third choice?

[chitown825]

Also, don't call it IUPUI. That's a non-selective commuter campus from which we lease space. Our building is by itself at the very edge of campus, and you'll never have any contact with that university except for parking. Our degrees say "Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis"

[danquayle]

Also, don't call it IUPUI. That's a non-selective commuter campus from which we lease space. Our building is by itself at the very edge of campus, and you'll never have any contact with that university except for parking. Our degrees say "Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis"

With a suspiciously small Indianapolis...

[danquayle]

I'm a 1L at IU-Indy.

1. The facilities here are incredible. Nearly-brand new building, great classrooms, great location.
2. The cost of living here is incredible (I live in a new apartment building in downtown Indy, and there is also a lot to do in downtown)
3. IU-Indy is in fact gold in Indiana -- there are alums everywhere (largest school in the state)

I have not noticed a benefit to attending Bloomington over Indianapolis, crazy as this sounds. The employers pick us up first because we're here in town and can work throughout the year. Often, we already are situated in Indianapolis and sometimes own homes, so they like that. The Bloomington students seem to think that they will be working in Chicago or New York, but that's only true of the top 5% -- Chicago has plenty of other schools they'd prefer to recruit.

What you need to know is that THIS IS NOT A MOBILE DEGREE. Indiana (Indy and Bloomington) are regional schools. Indianapolis is a great place to live (I came here from out-of-state on a $20k scholarship, too), but you're probably not going to be able to leave.

I would never consider USD, as much as I love the city and would like to live there. The cost of tuition and housing for that school cannot be justified by the T2 prospects. You need to practice debt control. I live a very comfortable life in Indianapolis and will come out of school with less than $65k debt.

That being said... do you have a third choice?

This is mostly true. A lot of Indianapolis firms are suspicious of Bloomington people who come in from out of state, because they suspect they don't really want to be in Indiana. So yes, IU-Indy is indeed the go to law school for Indianapolis. The caveat to that being that the really plum jobs more frequently go to Bloomington graduates.

Edit: I've always thought that IU-Indy should just BACK OFF and become Purdue Law. A lot of Bloomington people also think this would be smart, but I'm certain is pisses off the Indianapolis people. But really, wouldn't have your own Big 10 name be something of a boon?

Yes, and I understand that IU-Indy is administered through the IU system, but I'm sure they could reach an agreement...

[nick637]

chitown, may I ask what you pay per year to live in Indy? 65k total debt is outstanding considering your paying almost 20k in tuition alone. savings?