Schools and COA: UIUC 110k, SLU 70k, SMU 85k, SIU 10k. Forum

[mattviphky]

Schools and COA: UIUC 110k, SLU 70k, SMU 85k, SIU 10k.

I've included high estimates for tuiton increases. For instance, SMU costs 64k this year, so 192k for all 3 years...but I just called it 205k.

UIUC gave me a 15k scholarship, SIU gave me a full ride, SMU gave me 78k, and SLU gave me 66k.

I would like to work in Illinois, but it's not an IL or bust mindset. I just have a lot of family and connections in the area. However, I'm quite sure I have a job lined up if I want to work in IL, regardless of my school. I need to explore this employment option further, and make sure I get it locked down before I commit to a school. But assuming I have the chance to take this job, it's not high paying (40k), but great opportunity and lrap qualified. This job easily opens doors for bigger and better down the road. Idk what else to say, my preference is UIUC, but it is so expensive. As of now, I'm leaning towards UIUC-->lrap job,.

[romothesavior]

Schools and COA: UIUC 110k, SLU 70k, SMU 85k, SIU 10k.

I've included high estimates for tuiton increases. For instance, SMU costs 64k this year, so 192k for all 3 years...but I just called it 205k.

UIUC gave me a 15k scholarship, SIU gave me a full ride, SMU gave me 78k, and SLU gave me 66k.

I would like to work in Illinois, but it's not an IL or bust mindset. I just have a lot of family and connections in the area. However, I'm quite sure I have a job lined up if I want to work in IL, regardless of my school. I need to explore this employment option further, and make sure I get it locked down before I commit to a school. But assuming I have the chance to take this job, it's not high paying (40k), but great opportunity and lrap qualified. This job easily opens doors for bigger and better down the road. Idk what else to say, my preference is UIUC, but it is so expensive. As of now, I'm leaning towards UIUC-->lrap job,.

This is tough. I'd start by crossing off SLU and SMU. SMU is a good school, but not really in your desired markets. UIUC is worth 40k more than SLU for sure, so cross it off too.

If you want options, UIUC will give you more options (both in terms of type of employment and geographic reach). But if you are sure you can work in this job, I'm inclined to say SIU. 100k is a LOT of money and I'm not sure UIUC is worth it if you can get this job. You'll need to realize the degree is mostly going to lock you into Illinois, and especially downstate Illinois, but a 40k/year job lined up with LRAP and only 10k in debt is a pretty okay deal. And SIU is an okay regional T3 if you are alright with the limited region it will place in.

[mattviphky]

Schools and COA: UIUC 110k, SLU 70k, SMU 85k, SIU 10k.

I've included high estimates for tuiton increases. For instance, SMU costs 64k this year, so 192k for all 3 years...but I just called it 205k.

UIUC gave me a 15k scholarship, SIU gave me a full ride, SMU gave me 78k, and SLU gave me 66k.

I would like to work in Illinois, but it's not an IL or bust mindset. I just have a lot of family and connections in the area. However, I'm quite sure I have a job lined up if I want to work in IL, regardless of my school. I need to explore this employment option further, and make sure I get it locked down before I commit to a school. But assuming I have the chance to take this job, it's not high paying (40k), but great opportunity and lrap qualified. This job easily opens doors for bigger and better down the road. Idk what else to say, my preference is UIUC, but it is so expensive. As of now, I'm leaning towards UIUC-->lrap job,.

This is tough. I'd start by crossing off SLU and SMU. SMU is a good school, but not really in your desired markets. UIUC is worth 40k more than SLU for sure, so cross it off too.

If you want options, UIUC will give you more options (both in terms of type of employment and geographic reach). But if you are sure you can work in this job, I'm inclined to say SIU. 100k is a LOT of money and I'm not sure UIUC is worth it if you can get this job. You'll need to realize the degree is mostly going to lock you into Illinois, and especially downstate Illinois, but a 40k/year job lined up with LRAP and only 10k in debt is a pretty okay deal. And SIU is an okay regional T3 if you are alright with the limited region it will place in.

Well, I would like to go to a school that gives me the opportunity to go other places and work in other offices...a quality that SIU doesn't really provide for me. Thanks for the input though, romo. Im still trying to figure it all out.

[mattviphky]

no undergrad debt, either.

[romothesavior]

no undergrad debt, either.

Hmmm... well then maybe UIUC if you want some added portability. 110k of total debt (ugrad + LS) isn't too bad. I think you'd come to regret it if you went to UIUC and wound up in this job that you already sound like you can get with an SIU degree though, so I think you should only choose the greater debt if you think it will be worth it for a big firm job, geographic reach, etc.

[mattviphky]

no undergrad debt, either.

Hmmm... well then maybe UIUC if you want some added portability. 110k of total debt (ugrad + LS) isn't too bad. I think you'd come to regret it if you went to UIUC and wound up in this job that you already sound like you can get with an SIU degree though, so I think you should only choose the greater debt if you think it will be worth it for a big firm job, geographic reach, etc.

Ya, i know. I could see SIU-->this job-->something better, but I would still like to go to UIUC for many other reasons. Plus, idk if I will really want this job if there ARE better opportunities for me, opportunities which might be more easily attained with UIUC. The big thing is that I don't really know what I really want to do. I mean sure, I could have this job, but I'm an 0L without little knowledge about legal careers. Maybe now I could see myself working this job, but what if next year I find some area that I really like? I like the idea of no debt...I just wish it wasn't with SIU. Btw, I'm ok with the idea of living in Champaign, but I REALLY don't want to live in Carbondale. I guess I don't want Central il to be the ceiling of my job opportunities from siu. Although I wouldn't mind this region, I would like to at least have options. AH!!! Hope I get this scholly i applied for

[romothesavior]

no undergrad debt, either.

Hmmm... well then maybe UIUC if you want some added portability. 110k of total debt (ugrad + LS) isn't too bad. I think you'd come to regret it if you went to UIUC and wound up in this job that you already sound like you can get with an SIU degree though, so I think you should only choose the greater debt if you think it will be worth it for a big firm job, geographic reach, etc.

Ya, i know. I could see SIU-->this job-->something better, but I would still like to go to UIUC for many other reasons. Plus, idk if I will really want this job if there ARE better opportunities for me, opportunities which might be more easily attained with UIUC. The big thing is that I don't really know what I really want to do. I mean sure, I could have this job, but I'm an 0L without little knowledge about legal careers. Maybe now I could see myself working this job, but what if next year I find some area that I really like? I like the idea of no debt...I just wish it wasn't with SIU. Btw, I'm ok with the idea of living in Champaign, but I REALLY don't want to live in Carbondale. I guess I don't want Central il to be the ceiling of my job opportunities from siu. Although I wouldn't mind this region, I would like to at least have options. AH!!! Hope I get this scholly i applied for

Sounds like UIUC is the place then, but see if you can get some scholarships. Good luck.

[CanadianWolf]

SMU or Illinois. SMU will expose you to another large & fairly healthy market, yet you can return to Illinois because of your substantial connections there. Illinois, if you are certain that you want to remain in that state because you will make life-long contacts with other lawyers in your state.

[checkster]

UIUC, pretty easy choice IMO. I know a few SIU grads and they are doing ok I guess, but you would have much much much better opportunities from UIUC, and I'd say 105k is worth.

My 2 cents.

[mattviphky]

thanks for the input