Help me pick a law schoool?! Forum

[blaze_2123]

Hello all, I have gotten into some pretty decent schools and have received money from a couple of them. Accepted at Louisville (45k in total in scholarships), Kentucky (34k in total), Cincinnati (22k in total), Ohio State (still awaiting scholarship info), and Washington & Lee (Full sticker). I am from Kentucky and go to UK for undergrad so I am able to get instate tuition from UK, UofL, and Cincy (with the graduate metropolitan rate). I still have a couple of pending applications including; Indiana, Illinois, Washington U in St. Louis, and Emory. I would appreciate any positive or negative comments about each of these law schools and where I should look into going. I have visited UofL and Cincy so far. I was very surprised at the program/facility at Louisville and now wonder why their rank is so low. Any insight on that is also appreciated. Thanks!

[Doorkeeper]

1) What is your total debt at each school?

2) What work do you want to do?

3) Where do you want to work?

[rad lulz]

1) What is your total debt at each school?

2) What work do you want to do?

3) Where do you want to work?

[blaze_2123]

1. Total Debt at each:
58k UK
40k UofL
80K Cincy
around 115k at Ohio St

2. I am not sure exactly what I would like to do. I am thinking about corporate law mostly or possibly labor law.

3. I wouldn't mind staying close to home to work, but I could also see myself moving slightly away to either Indiana or Ohio. A big city such as Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis is a must.

[blaze_2123]

I work at a government office in Lexington and have made plenty of connections here, but I am not sure the market in Lexington is large enough for me to want to stay here.

[rad lulz]

.

[blaze_2123]

Those numbers are including cost of living... I just made cost of living 10k per year.

[blaze_2123]

UofL's number is actually be closer to 35k

[blaze_2123]

any advice?

[rad lulz]

UK because you are from Kentucky and the money is right.

[blaze_2123]

So not Louisville then? The things that worry me about UK are that I have to keep a 2.9 compared to a 2.0 at UofL. The facilities are terrible and I am sure I would rather work in the Louisville area.

[CanadianWolf]

Louisville, then.

[rad lulz]

Louisville, then.

Yep.

[lbeezy]

Look -- Louisville has a nicer building, sure. But the reason their rank is so bad is because Kentucky is still considered the only good law school in Kentucky (especially true as far as Kentucky people are concerned -- but true overall as well). Period. You can't change people's minds on that.

Also, people will assume you only went to Louisville because you couldn't get into UK. Even though that's not fair, and Louisville is doing a ton of work to improve that image, you know it takes a long time for things to change in Kentucky.

[blaze_2123]

Thank you for the advice. I am still very conflicted on where to go.

[Lil' Blizz]

Look -- Louisville has a nicer building, sure. But the reason their rank is so bad is because Kentucky is still considered the only good law school in Kentucky (especially true as far as Kentucky people are concerned -- but true overall as well). Period. You can't change people's minds on that.

That's cute.

1. If UK ever lands in the top-30, then you can call UL's rank "bad." Until then, you're in a three-way tie for 62nd place. STFU.
2. "The only good law school in Kentucky"... So then every firm in Kentucky, including the big Louisville firms downtown, regularly recruit from a bad law school? This is a childish attempt at a joke, right?

OP, imagine ten kids lined up at recess to play kickball. Every day, the same five kids are always picked first, not necessarily in the same order (although the first kid is pretty much a lock every time). The last five picked (6-10) aren't necessarily bad at kickball, they just aren't quite as athletic, or competitive, as the first five kids. The only chance any of them has in getting picked over the first five is through bribery - chocolate/vanilla swirl snack packs at lunch. Other than that, the last five picked are always the same, in generally the same order, though not always.

Once the first five have been picked, the order of the remaining five really doesn't make much of a difference as to the outcome of the game, since relatively speaking they're all just mediocre at best. Some of them can run fast, while others can kick the ball far. Even on a good day, though, they're only good for a single.

Now imagine, OP, that the kid who was picked ninth today, and the little bratty girl who was picked seventh today, live next door to each other. On the way home from today's game, she says to the boy "I'm better than you at kickball. I just want you to know that." The boy replies "No, you're just a little whore."

Moral: Louisville could bump up those LSAT and GPA scores a few points if it really wanted to catch up to UK, as lbeezy suggests. Lord knows there are plenty of highly qualified applicants who are rejected every year. Call it YP, call it whatever, but don't call it a bad school. We've been here for years.

[pillowpet]

which school do you have going farther in your bracket pool??

[blaze_2123]

I am a huge UK fan so I have them winning for sure. Revenge game tonight against the Hoosiers. I think I am slightly leaning towards UofL for my law school choice however.