Top Law Schools

So, this is my first posting on TLS. I have read a lot of other TLS threads and would greatly appreciate some advice from TLS posters. So, I am currently contemplating if I should accept a full ride merit scholarship at Fordham or pay more to go to a T14 school. Here is what I have so far.
Columbia-Waitlisted
Chicago-haven't heard yet
NYU-haven't heard yet
Penn-admitted
Michigan-haven't heard yet
Duke-waitlisted
Georgetown-admitted
Fordham-admitted (full tuition scholarship)

LSAT 169 GPA 3.96 (NDSU)

Factors that play into my decision: parents make a combined 60k as public school educators in ND, fiancee has a lot of undergrad debt and is an actor/performer, I am not sure I want to do Big Law (so a huge amount of debt would be a pretty big deal).

I guess my question is this: Even though I will most likely get into a few top 10 law schools, I'm not crazy for taking Fordham and Scholarship route, right?

Fordham full ride beats georgetown at sticker.

Not crazy to take it. Michigan will give you some money (look at LSN) but probably still more expensive than tuition free fordham

Location, location, location.

If you want to land in NYC, and the (extremely costly) fiancee would like NYC, then Fordham's a good deal. OTOH, if you wish to relo back home....

I don't think you are crazy for taking Fordham, and I made a similar decision taking $$, but just be aware of the cost of living for NY. Tuition may be free, but fees, books, etc. can still run you around ~70k over three years (may be off, not sure the COL for NY).

Also, did you apply to Cornell? I'd think you'd get a good amount of money from them, which would be a good middle ground.

.

SteelPenguin wrote:Hahah, at Fordham's admitted student day they told us there was 1 person out of 4 that hasn't accepted the full ride. I guess that's you. You didn't apply to Cornell? Fordham with a full ride sounds like a pretty good deal, but I wouldn't take it over Cornell with a decent scholarship. I also wouldn't go to Fordham if I wanted to work somewhere other than the tri-state area. Another thing to keep in mind is that cost of living in NY can exceed 60-70k.

Penn at full-price is interesting, but for someone not sure about big law with previous debt, I'm not sure. Hopefully Michigan will accept and give you some money, and you can try to use that and the Fordham full-ride to get some money from Penn.

I also wouldn't go to Georgetown at sticker vs Fordham's full ride.

I don't believe you.
Fordham cannot give out more than 2 full rides per year. No way do they offer 4 out

.

If you retake for 173+, you will almost surely get one of HYS. With your parents' income, you are looking at close to max aid, so you would probably graduate with around 125k of debt. Even with full-tuition at Fordham, I'm guessing 75k of debt at graduation due to the high COL in NYC.

If you have any room at all to improve on the LSAT (i.e. you didn't take 25+ practice tests and at least go through the LG and LR bibles) you should strongly, strongly consider retaking. One year of waiting and 100 or so extra hours studying could pay enormous dividends for the rest of your life.

SteelPenguin wrote:

guano wrote:

SteelPenguin wrote:Hahah, at Fordham's admitted student day they told us there was 1 person out of 4 that hasn't accepted the full ride. I guess that's you. You didn't apply to Cornell? Fordham with a full ride sounds like a pretty good deal, but I wouldn't take it over Cornell with a decent scholarship. I also wouldn't go to Fordham if I wanted to work somewhere other than the tri-state area. Another thing to keep in mind is that cost of living in NY can exceed 60-70k.

Penn at full-price is interesting, but for someone not sure about big law with previous debt, I'm not sure. Hopefully Michigan will accept and give you some money, and you can try to use that and the Fordham full-ride to get some money from Penn.

I also wouldn't go to Georgetown at sticker vs Fordham's full ride.

I don't believe you.
Fordham cannot give out more than 2 full rides per year. No way do they offer 4 out

What makes you say that? This wasn't a private one-on-one conversation where I learned this. The head of financial aid spoke to around 100 students about this on Admitted Students Day this past Sunday. He said 3/4 have accepted, and he is hesitant to offer a 5th without an answer from OP, because he would get in trouble if all 5 students accepted.

EDIT: Actually, he may have said he has heard back from 3/4, not 3/4 have said yes. That being said, I thought he said 3/4 accepted, not answered.

The school is limited to 2 full rides. If three accepted someone done goofed

If you absolutely have to be in NY for law school, I would hold out for Columbia/NYU/Cornell with $$$. If that doesn't happen, I would consider retaking if you haven't hit your LSAT ceiling with a 169, and then reapply next year. Good luck broheim. You're in a pretty good position as it stands.

I also attended this past Sunday's admitted students day, and I can absolutely confirm that what SteelPenguin said is true.

guano wrote:

SteelPenguin wrote:Hahah, at Fordham's admitted student day they told us there was 1 person out of 4 that hasn't accepted the full ride. I guess that's you. You didn't apply to Cornell? Fordham with a full ride sounds like a pretty good deal, but I wouldn't take it over Cornell with a decent scholarship. I also wouldn't go to Fordham if I wanted to work somewhere other than the tri-state area. Another thing to keep in mind is that cost of living in NY can exceed 60-70k.

Penn at full-price is interesting, but for someone not sure about big law with previous debt, I'm not sure. Hopefully Michigan will accept and give you some money, and you can try to use that and the Fordham full-ride to get some money from Penn.

I also wouldn't go to Georgetown at sticker vs Fordham's full ride.

I don't believe you.
Fordham cannot give out more than 2 full rides per year. No way do they offer 4 out

Fair enough. I can admit when I'm wrong. Still sticking by my statement that someone dun goofed

I was there. He said it. He made a lot of jokes and quoted Dr. Suess, so maybe it was in jest. But he def said it, you should believe penguin.

Moved to appropriate forum.

retake

retake for even just 3 or so more points, then enjoy T14 scholarships or HYS.



oh how I wish I could retake my gpa...

First off, thank you for moving this thread to the correct forum. I was trying to do that, but I didn't know how. Also, thank you all for the advice.

Since I first started this thread I have really crunching numbers, looking specifically at LRAPs and employment numbers for all my options. I would say Georgetown is out, simply because I would rather go to any of the top 10 schools with less money. Fordham, although the scholarship is attractive, the employment numbers are not. At all. Student loan debt, although not appealing, is much better than the un(der)employment line.

Way I see it, I'm going to try to wring out a little bit of money from Chicago/NYU/Penn/Michigan and see what I get. I really hope to hear from my final three schools before the weekend just so I can at least have something more to work with.

Be patient... wait until you hear back from NYU, Chicago and Michigan.

What's the likelihood that OP gets need-based aid at Penn with his situation? I don't know much about need financial aid.

So, I may have undershot on parents income. May be around 75k. Also, neither they nor I have filed our 2012 taxes yet... so no FAFSA. Didn't see the March 1 deadline....

How did you get the full ride o_o? I didn't get close to that and I have 169/3.7

leslie-knope wrote:How did you get the full ride o_o? I didn't get close to that and I have 169/3.7

the difference between 3.7 and 3.96 is kind of huge. 3.96 is above the 75th percentile at every school including HYS.

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:

leslie-knope wrote:How did you get the full ride o_o? I didn't get close to that and I have 169/3.7

the difference between 3.7 and 3.96 is kind of huge. 3.96 is above the 75th percentile at every school including HYS.

being from ND also helps.
The full rides aren't just to buy high numbers, it's also to get strategic placement of alums (Fordham has very few in the Dakotas)