UC Irvine Full Ride vs Reapplying to T14 Forum

[DarkwingDick]

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[cardinalandgold]

What are your #'s?

[DarkwingDick]

172 / 3.04 / 5 years WE

[keg411]

172 / 3.04 / 5 years WE

If you're willing to wait a year, ED to NU/UVA next year and you'll be in but without $$$. If you're debt averse and want to stay in CA, just go to UCI.

[mhernton]

I have given my opinion on UC Irvine in numerous posts. It has yet to prove itself, and will not break into the T1 anytime soon. In your situation, I would take the offer of Irvine full ride without hesitation. You should limit your expectations about a Big Law job post graduation. You live an CA and wouldn't mind practicing there. You aren't going to lose anything but potential income which you are already set to lose in going to Law School. You'll have to network to get yourself a job, and compete with USC, UCLA and USD grads in the are to get a job, but in you case with a full ride I think its worth it. With a 172 LSAT you will probably be a shoe in for a transfer. Just my opinion....

[megaTTTron]

I have given my opinion on UC Irvine in numerous posts. It has yet to prove itself, and will not break into the T1 anytime soon. In your situation, I would take the offer of Irvine full ride without hesitation. You should limit your expectations about a Big Law job post graduation. You live an CA and wouldn't mind practicing there. You aren't going to lose anything but potential income which you are already set to lose in going to Law School. You'll have to network to get yourself a job, and compete with USC, UCLA and USD grads in the are to get a job, but in you case with a full ride I think its worth it. With a 172 LSAT you will probably be a shoe in for a transfer. Just my opinion....

+1. Take the money!

[DarkwingDick]

Thanks for the responses. Just one thing about transferring-- because of Irvine's accreditation status, transferring won't be possible to most (?) schools.

[megaTTTron]

Thanks for the responses. Just one thing about transferring-- because of Irvine's accreditation status, transferring won't be possible to most (?) schools.

Oh yea. That's a good point. You will not be able to transfer to most schools because you will not have completed a full year at an ABA accredited school. But you won't go to UCI w/ the intention of transferring. That would be absurd. You either accept the full ride and go to UCI, or don't and reapply. Or work on those waitlists.

Still -- I say go to UCI.

[OG Loc]

Thanks for the responses. Just one thing about transferring-- because of Irvine's accreditation status, transferring won't be possible to most (?) schools.

Are you sure? I think I read a while back about Drexel students being able to transfer, even though it is only provisionally accredited. An adcom member from there was taking questions here and someone asked about it.

If you're willing to wait a year, ED to NU/UVA next year and you'll be in but without $$$. If you're debt averse and want to stay in CA, just go to UCI.

I think I would do this, but only if I had a good job to stay with for the year. At ED admission would be probable, but definitely not guaranteed.

[20160810]

I'd go to UCI. Free law school is mighty nice.

[DarkwingDick]

Thanks for the responses. Just one thing about transferring-- because of Irvine's accreditation status, transferring won't be possible to most (?) schools.

Are you sure? I think I read a while back about Drexel students being able to transfer, even though it is only provisionally accredited. An adcom member from there was taking questions here and someone asked about it.

If you're willing to wait a year, ED to NU/UVA next year and you'll be in but without $$$. If you're debt averse and want to stay in CA, just go to UCI.

I think I would do this, but only if I had a good job to stay with for the year. At ED admission would be probable, but definitely not guaranteed.

Irvine isn't even provisionally accredited yet. They count on beginning the process this fall.

[megaTTTron]

Thanks for the responses. Just one thing about transferring-- because of Irvine's accreditation status, transferring won't be possible to most (?) schools.

Are you sure? I think I read a while back about Drexel students being able to transfer, even though it is only provisionally accredited. An adcom member from there was taking questions here and someone asked about it.

If you're willing to wait a year, ED to NU/UVA next year and you'll be in but without $$$. If you're debt averse and want to stay in CA, just go to UCI.

I think I would do this, but only if I had a good job to stay with for the year. At ED admission would be probable, but definitely not guaranteed.

Irvine isn't even provisionally accredited yet. They count on beginning the process this fall.

WTF does that mean tho? Forget transferring, law school in paradise, for free sound excellent. Do you want to practice in CA? If not you should. I do. lol.

[DarkwingDick]

From their website:

"Under ABA rules, no law school may be considered for accreditation until it is in its second year of operation. It is our intention to apply for accreditation during our second year and our hope is to be provisionally accredited at the end of that academic year."

Would your opinion(s) change if I wanted to practice in Nor Cal?

[megaTTTron]

From their website:

"Under ABA rules, no law school may be considered for accreditation until it is in its second year of operation. It is our intention to apply for accreditation during our second year and our hope is to be provisionally accredited at the end of that academic year."

Would your opinion(s) change if I wanted to practice in Nor Cal?

It would not. And "by the end of the year" means that you might even be late applying if it gets pushed back. I would NOT bank on transferring.

[im_blue]

I'd go to UCI. Free law school is mighty nice.

This.

[Bildungsroman]

I'd go to UCI. Free law school is mighty nice.

[Grizz]

How do you feel about debt? You've a decent shot at NU and UVA ED. I'm fairly debt averse, so I'd go UCI.

[DarkwingDick]

I think I'm as debt averse as the average person.

That being said, I'd rather be 200k in debt with a job than have no debt and no job...

Of course, going to law school now requires consideration of the being 200k in debt AND having no job scenario.

I really don't know what to do.

[thesealocust]

edit: n/m

[Grizz]

I'd rather be 200k in debt with a job than have no debt and no job...

UCI has totally uncertain big law prospects. If your law school career path turns on big law, do what you have to do to get into a T14-T10 next year. If you have a legitimate desire to practice the law and the shiny bauble of massively over-compensated corporate law does not appeal to you, then free law school in paradise should be a hoot (and you might still snatch that shiny bauble - we just don't know).

This is good advice. Your choice now comes down to the uncertainty of UCI vs. the uncertainty of massive debt from NU or UVA.

[megaTTTron]

I'd rather be 200k in debt with a job than have no debt and no job...

UCI has totally uncertain big law prospects. If your law school career path turns on big law, do what you have to do to get into a T14-T10 next year. If you have a legitimate desire to practice the law and the shiny bauble of massively over-compensated corporate law does not appeal to you, then free law school in paradise should be a hoot (and you might still snatch that shiny bauble - we just don't know).

This is good advice. Your choice now comes down to the uncertainty of UCI vs. the uncertainty of massive debt from NU or UVA.

UCI for FREEEEEEE.

[sundance95]

UCI for FREEEEEEE.

--ImageRemoved--

[megaTTTron]

UCI for FREEEEEEE.

--ImageRemoved--

how did you know?

[keg411]

I'd rather be 200k in debt with a job than have no debt and no job...

UCI has totally uncertain big law prospects. If your law school career path turns on big law, do what you have to do to get into a T14-T10 next year. If you have a legitimate desire to practice the law and the shiny bauble of massively over-compensated corporate law does not appeal to you, then free law school in paradise should be a hoot (and you might still snatch that shiny bauble - we just don't know).

TITCR. OP, are you from Cali?

[DarkwingDick]

Originally from So Cal, currently live in Nor Cal.

I think most people will agree that big law prospects out of UCI will be shaky at best, but what about law prospects period?