Choosing Tier 4 over t14. Should I do it? Forum

[vivian3909]

Thing is: Golden Gate U: full scholarship+ in my home city where I can stay with family for free

Michigan: thousands of miles away and nice scholarship but still 40k a year w/ room and board

I'm losing hair over this so...what do you think?

[suits00]

What area of law are you interested in?

[Pato_09]

NO!

[Lincoln]

This has to be a troll. Just has to be. And the area of law is completely irrelevant to making this decision.

[jonmraz73]

Um, this should be an easy decision. You will have many more opportunities available to you at Michigan. If you were deciding between Michigan and a #30-40 ranked school, then maybe that's a tougher choice. But, going to Golden Gate, you will be very limited unless you are the #1 student.

Thing is: Golden Gate U: full scholarship+ in my home city where I can stay with family for free

Michigan: thousands of miles away and nice scholarship but still 40k a year w/ room and board

I'm losing hair over this so...what do you think?

[redsoxfan2495]

Michigan. There will be debt, but you'll be able to do so much more with the degree.

EDIT: Can't believe I responded right away and didn't stop to notice this is an obvious flame. On the off chance it isn't though, my advice stands.

[chuckbass]

Well you can spend 3 years learning law with no job prospects, or you can take on some debt and get a solid start to a career.

[checkster]

T-roll.

[vivian3909]

No, I'm not trolling. Interested in International/Immigration law and having a job that has something to do with law (which appears to hard for many law grads)

[vivian3909]

Michigan. There will be debt, but you'll be able to do so much more with the degree.

EDIT: Can't believe I responded right away and didn't stop to notice this is an obvious flame. On the off chance it isn't though, my advice stands.

NOT TROLLING!!!!!!! The economy sucks, it is so hard to believe that I want to stay out of debt?

[Mal Reynolds]

Flame.

[ebw1080]

I mean, maybe a little late now. But isn't there a happy medium here? Hastings? Can stay at home, still attend a good school- maybe still get some money (seeing as you are getting it at Michigan...)

[vivian3909]

I mean, maybe a little late now. But isn't there a happy medium here? Hastings? Can stay at home, still attend a good school- maybe still get some money (seeing as you are getting it at Michigan...)

Waitlisted at Hastings

[chuckbass]

I mean, maybe a little late now. But isn't there a happy medium here? Hastings? Can stay at home, still attend a good school- maybe still get some money (seeing as you are getting it at Michigan...)

Waitlisted at Hastings

Well let them know about the Mich acceptance

[swilson215]

stop losing hair. go to michigan. seriously, the debt will be worth it. going to GGU you might have no debt, but you'll also have NO job. do you want to be the 30 year old JD who sleeps on her parents couch, "works" from a starbucks during the day and waits tables at the cheesecake factory by night?

I mean, I love me some cheesecake factory, but seriously...MICHIGAN.

[redsoxfan2495]

Golden Gate:

--ImageRemoved--



Michigan:

[SnowDude]

stop losing hair. go to michigan. seriously, the debt will be worth it. going to GGU you might have no debt, but you'll also have NO job. do you want to be the 30 year old JD who sleeps on her parents couch, "works" from a starbucks during the day and waits tables at the cheesecake factory by night?

I mean, I love me some cheesecake factory, but seriously...MICHIGAN.

This made me laugh uncontrollably. Funny.

I'm conflicted about this post. I, too, am going to have to make this sort of decision next year during the next law school admissions cycle. I also sympathize with the OP when it comes to his debt adverseness. I hate the idea of massive debt for a degree with questionable job prospects, even if you attend a T14. I managed to scrape my way through college without any debt. I suspect the OP did the same thing. In this economy, taking on a large amount of debt is frightening.

BUT, it is a long way from Golden Gate to Michigan, don't you think? I mean, did you apply to a number of schools? It seems unlikely that you'd only get accepted to Golden Gate and Michigan. Anything in between?

[swilson215]

I mean, maybe a little late now. But isn't there a happy medium here? Hastings? Can stay at home, still attend a good school- maybe still get some money (seeing as you are getting it at Michigan...)

Waitlisted at Hastings

Numbers? Probs a YP if you're in at Mich. Send a LOCI.

[NYC Law]

Thing is: Golden Gate U: full scholarship+ in my home city where I can stay with family for free

Michigan: thousands of miles away and nice scholarship but still 40k a year w/ room and board

I'm losing hair over this so...what do you think?

No, I'm not trolling. Interested in International/Immigration law and having a job that has something to do with law (which appears to hard for many law grads)

Waitlisted at Hastings

Troll.

[NYC Law]

If you're serious, going to GGU will be the 2nd worst decision of your life (the worst being the decision to go to law school)

[SnowDude]

If you're serious, going to GGU will be the 2nd worst decision of your life (the worst being the decision to go to law school)

Isn't that a bit extreme? I mean, she would be debt free. That's a plus. Yes, I recognize that Golden Gate is at the bottom of the law school ladder. Isn't graduating debt free with no job prospects better than graduating from a T14 with $200,000 in debt and no job prospects? This is an honest question, by the way.

Or am I wrong, here?

[NYC Law]

If you're serious, going to GGU will be the 2nd worst decision of your life (the worst being the decision to go to law school)

Isn't that a bit extreme? I mean, she would be debt free. That's a plus. Yes, I recognize that Golden Gate is at the bottom of the law school ladder. Isn't graduating debt free with no job prospects better than graduating from a T14 with $200,000 in debt and no job prospects? This is an honest question, by the way.

Or am I wrong, here?

Eh, with this drastic of a difference it's an objectively horrible choice to go to GGU.

1) GGU, like almost all other T4s, have tough stipulations on the scholarship. So there's a good chance she'll lose the scholarship anyway.

2) Even if you're going debt free, there are still opportunity costs. If you're going to spend 3 years in law school just to come out without a job you may as well not even go and work instead.

3) Drastic difference in job prospects (obviously). There's a very good chance she'll be able to get a job that pays off the debt or qualifies for LRAP/PSLF coming out of Michigan, so the debt will be a non-issue in 10 years or less.

[sunynp]

OP: you know this is a ridiculous question. Why would you want to get your professional degree from one of the worst schools in the country? Post your numbers and your acceptances, waitlists, etc. So we can advise you. I think you may actually be a special snowflake that doesn't feel particularly special. I find that refreshing as almost all the other special snowflakes vastly overrate themselves.

You need good advice and we need more information.

[SnowDude]

Eh, with this drastic of a difference it's an objectively horrible choice to go to GGU.

1) GGU, like almost all other T4s, have tough stipulations on the scholarship. So there's a good chance she'll lose the scholarship anyway.

2) Even if you're going debt free, there are still opportunity costs. If you're going to spend 3 years in law school just to come out without a job you may as well not even go and work instead.

3) Drastic difference in job prospects (obviously). There's a very good chance she'll be able to get a job that pays off the debt or qualifies for LRAP/PSLF coming out of Michigan, so the debt will be a non-issue in 10 years or less.

These are good answers. I understand how bad Golden Gate is. This is a widely understood fact.

I'm not saying that the OP should go to GGU, but maybe she shouldn't go to law school at all. Maybe she should wait a year (or two, or three) before going to law school.

I'm still curious why her only options are Golden Gate and Michigan. It's such a huge split between schools.

[splitbrain]

Just out of curiosity, does your scholly to GGU have the 3.0 stipulation?

If it does......................................