BU$$$ vs GULC vs Northwestern (but sick of Chicago) Forum

[MarcoPolo]

Here's the situation:

Stats: 168 / 3.80 / kind of listless few years out of school (worked jobs I didn't care that much about, enjoyed my twenties)

Acceptances:

$30,000/year @ BU
Sticker at Georgetown
Sticker at Northwestern

I've lived in Chicago a while and want rather badly to get back east, where I'm from. From savings and parents, I'll be able to chip in $20K a year up front, meaning the BU scholly puts me near to no-debt territory, whereas I'd be carrying about $150K of debt at each of the other schools (enough to make me want to puke). I don't think I'd mind working in the Northeast for the next 10 years and I'm interested in competitive PI / gov't jobs.

Am I crazy to take the money and run BU? It's what my gut is telling me, even though it goes against a lot of the CW here. I know there's inherent risks, but it seems like taking on an ICR-based LRAP (as both GULC and NU have) has its risks too, as your debt balloons while you fail to come even close to paying into your principal, and who knows, maybe have a change of heart at year six or something.

Thoughts?

[bk1]

When you say back east do you mean Boston is where you want to work specifically?

[dakatz]

OP, I'm in a very similar scenario. I had a few T-14 offers at sticker, but I knew I wanted to be out East, BU would be almost totally debt-free, plus its what my gut told me as well. Perhaps your circumstances aren't the same as mine, but they sound very similar. 150K plus interest is a crapload of money, and I couldn't imagine taking that on.

[Rock Chalk]

.

[dakatz]

When you say back east do you mean Boston is where you want to work specifically?

Very important question. Otherwise, I'd take NU, but since you're tired of Chicago, Georgetown is a great school (despite what much of TLS may say).

Keep in mind that BU places almost 60% of its class outside of Mass. The whole "only go to BU if you want Boston" thing seems sort of odd seeing as the majority of the class doesn't even stay in that state. Though I do agree that, if the OP is not too certain about location, NU obviously opens up some more doors.

[MarcoPolo]

When you say back east do you mean Boston is where you want to work specifically?

Not necessarily-- I'd also be excited to work in NYC and I'd be okay w/ DC if the work was good. If for some reason love/life took me there and I could find interesting, stimulating work, I'd also be willing to put down career roots in other pleasant, mid-sized cities along the eastern seaboard.

[MarcoPolo]

OP, I'm in a very similar scenario. I had a few T-14 offers at sticker, but I knew I wanted to be out East, BU would be almost totally debt-free, plus its what my gut told me as well. Perhaps your circumstances aren't the same as mine, but they sound very similar. 150K plus interest is a crapload of money, and I couldn't imagine taking that on.

Good to hear I'm not the only one. It's kind of the exact line where CW tends to split...

[09042014]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

[on_ne_sait_jamais]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

Can you argue with No job?? better hope you finish top 1/3 at BU if you go... The ignorance on this board is mindblowing

[PDaddy]

I feel you on being sick of a city. I from a city where 2/3 of the country would like to live, or so it seems. I am sick of it. I guess you can get tired of any place if you're there long enough and have seemingly done everything there is to do, although it isn't really possible.

[Rock Chalk]

.

[dakatz]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

Can you argue with No job?? better hope you finish top 1/3 at BU if you go... The ignorance on this board is mindblowing

Graduating from a solid regional T25 school with no debt hardly qualifies as "ignorance", and in fact is the right choice for a large number of students.

[im_blue]

With your interest in competitive PI/gov't, I'd take the best school and do IBR.

[MarcoPolo]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

Can you argue with No job?? better hope you finish top 1/3 at BU if you go... The ignorance on this board is mindblowing

This is obviously the dilemma, though (warning: anecdotal) my BU 2L friends seem a bit more sanguine than you...

[MarcoPolo]

With your interest in competitive PI/gov't, I'd take the best school and do IBR.

I feel that too.

But I'm skeptical of the 120-payments-or-nothing gov't model and the LRAPs that dovetail with it (I much prefer the pay-as-they-go LRAPs with flexible qualifying conditions, like Michigan's and Harvard's)-- it just makes me jittery to pretend to know what I'm gonna want to be doing in the year 2024. Maybe that's stupid, but god it makes me nervous.

[DerrickRose]

With your interest in competitive PI/gov't, I'd take the best school and do IBR.

I feel that too.

But I'm skeptical of the 120-payments-or-nothing gov't model and the LRAPs that dovetail with it (I much prefer the pay-as-they-go LRAPs with flexible qualifying conditions, like Michigan's and Harvard's)-- it just makes me jittery to pretend to know what I'm gonna want to be doing in the year 2024. Maybe that's stupid, but god it makes me nervous.

This.

IBR is not your knight in shining armor.

BU all the way OP.

[Bankhead]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

Can you argue with No job?? better hope you finish top 1/3 at BU if you go... The ignorance on this board is mindblowing

Graduating from a solid regional T25 school with no debt hardly qualifies as "ignorance", and in fact is the right choice for a large number of students.

He will still be in a shitload of debt. BU is nearing 50k a year tuition and Boston isn't cheap. T14 is the way to go.

[MarcoPolo]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

Can you argue with No job?? better hope you finish top 1/3 at BU if you go... The ignorance on this board is mindblowing

Graduating from a solid regional T25 school with no debt hardly qualifies as "ignorance", and in fact is the right choice for a large number of students.

He will still be in a shitload of debt. BU is nearing 50k a year tuition and Boston isn't cheap. T14 is the way to go.

BU Law tuition is still just under $40,000, about $7,000 or $8,000 a year less than Northwestern.

[MarcoPolo]

(Last post of the night...)

BU estimated debt: $30,000 - $35,000

Northwestern / GULC estimated debt: $150,000 - $180,000

I'm not gonna get into the methodology, but I promise that spreadsheets and compounding interest were involved.

[MarcoPolo]

I know I kind of tipped the scales toward BU in my opening post, but thx everyone for weighing in. Good points on both sides. Actually very helpful for my mental health to see the wisdom of the crowd is split on this one too.

Good luck to all y'all making decisions and waitlist stressin' right now! I'm moving on now...

[09042014]

I know I kind of tipped the scales toward BU in my opening post, but thx everyone for weighing in. Good points on both sides. Actually very helpful for my mental health to see the wisdom of the crowd is split on this one too.

Good luck to all y'all making decisions and waitlist stressin' right now! I'm moving on now...

Which did you decide.

[Blindmelon]

Keep in mind that BU places almost 60% of its class outside of Mass. The whole "only go to BU if you want Boston" thing seems sort of odd seeing as the majority of the class doesn't even stay in that state.

Make sure you haven't been misinformed by the BU website, which shows statistics for all BU alums with only 42.2% in New England and grads in all 50 states. The NALP directory lists 54% staying in New England. You could be right, but either way Georgetown and Northwestern would both be better for NYC or DC.

You realize New England is a region right - aka a lot of states? 40% stay in the state 10 or so % go to RI, MA, NH, etc. In New England, there isn't much competition other than BC and whatever T14s want to stick around. The other 50% are split between NYC (bout 30%), DC (bout 10%) and CA (bout 10%) - with fluctuations and some ending up at firms in Chicago etc.

[Blindmelon]

Can't argue with no debt. BU

Can you argue with No job?? better hope you finish top 1/3 at BU if you go... The ignorance on this board is mindblowing

Graduating from a solid regional T25 school with no debt hardly qualifies as "ignorance", and in fact is the right choice for a large number of students.

He will still be in a shitload of debt. BU is nearing 50k a year tuition and Boston isn't cheap. T14 is the way to go.

Boston in unbelievably cheaper than DC - I lived there for 2 years, it was rough. I have no idea in comparison to Chicago though so I can't comment on that.

I live in a 3bdrm 1 bath across the street from the T in a fun-ish area for 650$ a month and I'm pretty sure I'm getting ripped off.

[MarcoPolo]

I know I kind of tipped the scales toward BU in my opening post, but thx everyone for weighing in. Good points on both sides. Actually very helpful for my mental health to see the wisdom of the crowd is split on this one too.

Good luck to all y'all making decisions and waitlist stressin' right now! I'm moving on now...

Which did you decide.

Withdrew from GULC, will pull the trigger on NWern withdrawal on Thursday if I don't change my mind between now and then. Looks like I'm going to BU, and I feel good about it.

I'll report back in 5 years with the results. Onward and upward!

[NayBoer]

Boston in unbelievably cheaper than DC - I lived there for 2 years, it was rough. I have no idea in comparison to Chicago though so I can't comment on that.

I live in a 3bdrm 1 bath across the street from the T in a fun-ish area for 650$ a month and I'm pretty sure I'm getting ripped off.

$650? "Fun-ish area" clearly means either gentrifying crack neighborhood or recently rezoned toxic sewage plant.