UCLA (OOS $$$) vs. UW In state Forum

[daesonesb]

TLS.

I made a thread on this earlier, and people were all like: Daesonesb: Go to UW in state. Tuition is 24K per year and you are OK with living in Seattle or Portland.

Thing is, UCLA just wrote, and now I'm getting 6.5 k in grants for 2010-2011.
I'm out of state this year, so that puts my overall Tuition/Fees/Health Insurance to 43.5 K for the first year.
Assuming (big assumption) I get the grant for years two and three, it would be 33.5K.

This offer has no contingency.

Given the new info, what do you all think? I'm considering...

[D. H2Oman]

I'd take UCLA

[daesonesb]

I'd take UCLA

[daesonesb]

final bump.
Love the input. The result of this poll is entirely different from the last poll I did, suggesting I either have a different sample of posters this time, OR, the money I'm getting is playing a part in yall's decision.

[Regionality]

final bump.
Love the input. The result of this poll is entirely different from the last poll I did, suggesting I either have a different sample of posters this time, OR, the money I'm getting is playing a part in yall's decision.

can one double-apostrophize a word? Because I woulda though it would have been "y'all's" but that looks so funny.

I say UW in state. UCLA is also going to probably become more more expensive than other tuition increases because of state budget crisis...

[Burberry by Burberry]

Isn't the COL higher in LA than in Seattle?

$130,500 + COL @ UCLA or possibly $143,500 + COL @ UCLA
$72,000 + COL @ UW

Either way, you're looking at a lot of debt.

Based on what you mentioned in your first post, I'd say UW.

[Regionality]

Isn't the COL higher in LA than in Seattle?

$130,500 + COL @ UCLA or possibly $143,500 + COL @ UCLA
$72,000 + COL @ UW

Either way, you're looking at a lot of debt.

Based on what you mentioned in your first post, I'd say UW.

Let's not forget that basically every student after their first year qualifies for in-state tuition in California.

However, UCLA's in-state tuition could easily rise 10% next year because of reduced funds from the state, meaning 2L tuition for OP could be 35,200 plus 3,500 in tuition increase, which equals 38,700 2L tuition then probably around 42,000 3L tuition. Add that to a higher COL and attending UCLA becomes even more prohibitively expensive.

Edited for math.

[Burberry by Burberry]

Isn't the COL higher in LA than in Seattle?

$130,500 + COL @ UCLA or possibly $143,500 + COL @ UCLA
$72,000 + COL @ UW

Either way, you're looking at a lot of debt.

Based on what you mentioned in your first post, I'd say UW.

Let's not forget that basically every student after their first year qualifies for in-state tuition in California.

However, UCLA's in-state tuition could easily rise 10% next year because of reduced funds from the state, meaning 2L tuition for OP could be 35,200 plus 3,500 in tuition increase, which equals 38,700 2L tuition then probably around 42,000 3L tuition. Add that to a higher COL and attending UCLA becomes even more prohibitively expensive.

Edited for math.

I forgot residency was so easy to gain in California.

It doesn't matter for my vote: OP and gf have family in the Seattle area and OP would like to work in Canada someday, thus UW.

[daesonesb]

Isn't the COL higher in LA than in Seattle?

$130,500 + COL @ UCLA or possibly $143,500 + COL @ UCLA
$72,000 + COL @ UW

Either way, you're looking at a lot of debt.

Based on what you mentioned in your first post, I'd say UW.

Let's not forget that basically every student after their first year qualifies for in-state tuition in California.

However, UCLA's in-state tuition could easily rise 10% next year because of reduced funds from the state, meaning 2L tuition for OP could be 35,200 plus 3,500 in tuition increase, which equals 38,700 2L tuition then probably around 42,000 3L tuition. Add that to a higher COL and attending UCLA becomes even more prohibitively expensive.

Edited for math.

I forgot residency was so easy to gain in California.

It doesn't matter for my vote: OP and gf have family in the Seattle area and OP would like to work in Canada someday, thus UW.

Not exactly true. I said in the last thread it was something I'd consider. I'm not wedded to working anywhere in particular.

the math as I see it is:

1L UCLA: 43.5, UW: 24
2L UCLA In-State: 43.5 (Minus 6.5?), UW: 25 (Tuition will likely rise @ UW too)
3L UCLA In-State: 45 (minus 6.5?), UW: 26

Tuition Totals
UCLA: 119k - 132k
UW: 75k

We can also guess that I'm going to need 4k a year more in COL @ UCLA, so that makes a difference of $57,000 - $69,000 over three years.

The big question is: Does my lifetime earning power with a UCLA degree justify this tuition difference?

[sanpiero]

do you want to practice in CA or WA?

[daesonesb]

do you want to practice in CA or WA?

I'd do either. I'm OK with being anywhere on the West Coast. I don't want the east coast which is why I withdrew cornell.

[sanpiero]

do you want to practice in CA or WA?

I'd do either. I'm OK with being anywhere on the West Coast. I don't want the east coast which is why I withdrew cornell.

If being able to place in CA isn't a primary concern, I would go to UW. From what I hear, seattle is an awesome place to live. On top of that, you will save a bunch of money and get virtually the same education.

[jcl2]

I still say UW. Same reasons I have mentioned before. 6.5K in grants isn't all that much. You would have a better chance at biglaw from UCLA, but it is far from a guarantee, and it would be tough to deal with debt close to 200k without a biglaw salary. 100-120k in debt is a lot, but it is considerably more manageable than 200k; ~$500 per month payments if you stretch out the repayment period vs. $1000+.

Most importantly, I think you will miss the NW if you leave, and you will want to come back in three years, in which case you should have just gone to UW, because UCLA will give you no advantage at all for finding a job up here.

Really, you are going to be in good shape either way, your options are pretty good. Have you visited both schools and really thought about where you would be happy and where you want to live (during and after law school)? I know you have said you would be happy ending up anywhere on the west coast, but where would you prefer to end up, or even where would you prefer to spend your next three years? Make your decision based on those factors.

[JOThompson]

I would choose UCLA. It seems to place better in its market than U-Dub does in Seattle. Some UW grads find the Seattle/PNW market to be too small and they ultimately have to leave the region to find a decent first job.

[daesonesb]

Thanks for all the responses folks.

I already did UW's ASD, and I liked it...
I'm gonna visit UCLA early june, and make my final choice right at the deposit deadline.