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GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:31 pm
by Gil-galad
Hey everyone. I am considering taking a few more years off for work already, but hypothetically speaking if I were to choose between these two how should I swing?

CoA is approx. $150,000 at either one. I have some ties to the DC region and my family does live in the area so I would undoubtedly be able to receive certain financial assistance from them, or even potentially live with them for free saving a lot of money (although I'd rather not resort to that). I don't really have a regional work preference--perhaps slightly more for DC, but not a strong feeling there.

I'm also still waiting to hear back from UCLA, Berekely, Cornell, and UPenn.

I do have some large scholarships at Minnesota and Washington that I could potentially try to use to bargain some more assistance out of these schools. Any tips on how to do that?

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:40 pm
by 06102016
..

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:45 pm
by Gil-galad
Goals quite generally are be able to land a job at a large law firm. Originally I had aspirations for a public interest tilt, but financially this doesn't seem feasible when looking at the cost.

Anyway, yeah--I'm considering waiting, working, and retaking. Just curious of the dynamic between the two. For landing a job in a law firm, which school offer the best opportunity. They both seem relatively similar in terms of prospects. I guess GWU seems better for the east coast, and USC is better for the west coast--and I'd honestly be happy living on either side of the country. Maybe I just need to visit again to get a better sense of the locations?

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:45 pm
by andres
USC = better quality of life

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:50 pm
by 06102016
..

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:21 pm
by ndirish2010
Neither of these school are worth that CoA.

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:33 pm
by zman
Gil-galad wrote:Hey everyone. I am considering taking a few more years off for work already, but hypothetically speaking if I were to choose between these two how should I swing?

CoA is approx. $150,000 at either one. I have some ties to the DC region and my family does live in the area so I would undoubtedly be able to receive certain financial assistance from them, or even potentially live with them for free saving a lot of money (although I'd rather not resort to that). I don't really have a regional work preference--perhaps slightly more for DC, but not a strong feeling there.

I'm also still waiting to hear back from UCLA, Berekely, Cornell, and UPenn.

I do have some large scholarships at Minnesota and Washington that I could potentially try to use to bargain some more assistance out of these schools. Any tips on how to do that?
what are your stats? USC does give money but you might have to wait on it because a lot of the people USC is offering money will go to higher ranked schools. I don't know about Georgetown.

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:48 pm
by Gil-galad
Well, USC upped their offer. Now CoA should be ~80,000-90,000, depending on tuition increases.

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:57 pm
by BigZuck
Gil-galad wrote:Well, USC upped their offer. Now CoA should be ~80,000-90,000, depending on tuition increases.
How is that possible? They offered me 120K which is their max this cycle and my COA is roughly 108k without factoring in tuition increases.

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:58 pm
by somewhatwayward
So you got basically a 120K scholarship from USC? That's what it takes to get COA down to 80K-90K (not counting interest of course).

I could see taking USC at 80K although I personally wouldn't do it. You should assume that you won't get big law, though. If you think you can squeeze more points out of the LSAT, do it! You would be looking at admission to better schools as well as more money for USC (maybe that Rothman scholarship where you have a guaranteed firm job for 1L summer...pretty awesome) and GWU. I am at CLS, and I wish I had retaken my 171 bc owing hug amounts of money sucks even when you have a very good shot at a job (or have a job, as I do).

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:58 pm
by Rahviveh
Gil-galad wrote:Goals quite generally are be able to land a job at a large law firm. Originally I had aspirations for a public interest tilt, but financially this doesn't seem feasible when looking at the cost.

Anyway, yeah--I'm considering waiting, working, and retaking. Just curious of the dynamic between the two. For landing a job in a law firm, which school offer the best opportunity. They both seem relatively similar in terms of prospects. I guess GWU seems better for the east coast, and USC is better for the west coast--and I'd honestly be happy living on either side of the country. Maybe I just need to visit again to get a better sense of the locations?
Retake in June and assess your options then. Also, you may get off some T14 waitlists over the summer (assuming you applied).

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 6:01 pm
by Gil-galad
Is a T14 closer to sticker a better option than USC is a much more discounted price, though?

I'm planning on retaking in June, to see if I can get better offers--just thinking for now, would paying ~150,000 at a T14 school be better than paying significantly less at USC?

Re: GWU or USC

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 10:15 pm
by BigZuck
BigZuck wrote:
Gil-galad wrote:Well, USC upped their offer. Now CoA should be ~80,000-90,000, depending on tuition increases.
How is that possible? They offered me 120K which is their max this cycle and my COA is roughly 108k without factoring in tuition increases.