Hey. These are the two schools i have to choose between. I'm not interested in Big Law except as an avenue towards loan repayment and credential building. My end goal is public interest, ideally in a federal capacity. I've been warned, both by posters here and by UVA's PI career counselor, about the tough job market for PI, particularly in the government sector. She suggested clerking as another way to build a resume before getting in bed with the feds. I'm just not sure if the difference in price is worth the difference in ranking, and further I'm unsure if the difference in ranking is going to open the doors I want it to. I am, I should say, planning on working as hard and placing as high as possible... but I imagine most people have this mentality. I'm also not in love with the idea of winding up practicing in LA, but not dead set against it either. Thanks all.

Tough call. UVA is undoubtedly better for your aspirations, but 120k is a lot of money. How good is UVA's LRAP?

GPA/LSAT? If you're a reverse splitter, a retake might be worthwhile.

Of these two, UVA is a better fit for your goals, but the price is a bit steep.

UVA's LRAP is just so so. under 55 is fully paid, 75 and over doesn't qualify, prorated in between.

Ouch. That is mediocre considering some public interest jobs in DC pay at 60-70.

I think if you want to do PI in California, then UCLA.
Considering how hard it would be to get a PI job in DC from UCLA, I think you might have to go UVA in this circumstance if you want to do PI in DC. Does UCLA or UVA have any externship programs in DC?

Is there any specific geographic location you want? You mention PI for fedgov, but that's a few years after graduation normally.

UCLA does have an externship program to DC... however, looking at the representative employers of their recent graduates, very few place in DC. Lots of kids from UVA get PI work in DC. My geographic location immediately after school is not the most important consideration; however, I think the biggest concentration of the best PI jobs (especially gov, of course) would be in DC/NYC. I would be ok with practicing in California for a little while... but East coast is closer to home, family and friends, and I'd like to end up there.

We need more information on your other options. Neither of these schools are a good fit for you.

People need to understand that schools like UVA and UCLA have modified their LRAP programs so that those programs now pay all or a portion of the qualifying graduate's monthly IBR payment, not the graduate's actual loan debt.

No. Are you serious? I've done some careful reading and I did not figure that out. That makes a pretty huge difference.

Do you not have an option in the middle ground? Like GULC with a bit of money or something?

From the TLS web site (the UVA web site is in a PDF that I can't cut and paste):

PI is pure fantasy. Go to UCLA so when you strike out of PI you at least have low debt.