WUSTL vs W&L Forum

[mellamallama]

Hey TLS, last one since I'm making a decision by tomorrow..
Thanks in advance guys/gals

The schools you are considering
- WUSTL vs. W&L
The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
- WUSTL: $71,285.00 - $14,000.00(Scholarship) = $57,285.00 / year + interest
+++ 179,427 (over 3 years; includes interest) family will keep it to 50,000/year so in total with interest $178,260
- W&L: $63,150.00 - $25,000.00 = $38,150.00 / year + interest
+++ 121,158 (over 3 years; includes interest) family will keep it to 30,000/year so in total with interest : 105,513

How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
- Family help/loans
Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
- Ties to VA, DC, KS
Your general career goals
- Patent/IP or M&A
Your LSAT/GPA numbers
- 165/2.99(2.78 uGPA)
How many times you have taken the LSAT
3

[rad lulz]

How much debt will you actually take out for each

Please be sure to actually add the interest

[romothesavior]

At these prices, neither.

[Birdnals]

Neither is worth the price you have listed.

[jbagelboy]

How much debt would you be in at each school? Please quantify "family help". How much money will your family contribute to your education?

Neither school is worth that much money IMO, but if you can leave WUSTL with under $100K in debt and use your kansas ties, then that's your best bet. Your goals may be somewhat overly ambitious though.

[WanderingPondering]

Hoe much in loans and how much family help? Neither seem like a great deal. Even 1 more point gives you an extra 10k/yr at washu and wl.

I guess I'd choose wl because you're looking at nearly 200k total COA at washu, after you consider interest and tuition hikes. Not good.

[mellamallama]

OP edited with COA including interest and family help

[mellamallama]

How much debt would you be in at each school? Please quantify "family help". How much money will your family contribute to your education?

Neither school is worth that much money IMO, but if you can leave WUSTL with under $100K in debt and use your kansas ties, then that's your best bet. Your goals may be somewhat overly ambitious though.

How much debt will you actually take out for each

Please be sure to actually add the interest

added

[jbagelboy]

OP edited with COA including interest and family help

thanks for adding.

I think romo can speak best to WUSTL with $150K+ debt. Not advisable IMO.

All things considered, worth the $70K over W&L for ~11% better chances at your goals? Probably, unless you are committed to DC.

[mellamallama]

OP edited with COA including interest and family help

thanks for adding.

I think romo can speak best to WUSTL with $150K+ debt. Not advisable IMO.

All things considered, worth the $70K over W&L for ~11% better chances at your goals? Probably, unless you are committed to DC.

Not committed to DC at all. However, fiancee is starting her job in northern VA in September but can transfer branches to basically anywhere in the country with a Big 4. Looking at jobs, I think WUSTL is "worth" the additional debt compared to W&L but family wise I would be looking at W&L.

Thanks for the advice !

[untar614]

W&L sucks. terrible employment. http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=wl Don't go there. WUSTL would be good if you can get COA down to 5 digit territory.

[WanderingPondering]

$178,000 in loans for wustl is potentially life ruining. Look at their stats, do you really want to bet this heavily on biglaw?

I wouldn't do WL @ 105k. Their numbers last year are TTT. Did you apply to W&M (and can get in-state?)

Do you have options like Kansas w/ full scholarship?

[suralin]

You noted that your career goals include patent/IP. Does this mean that you are patent bar eligible? Do you have a hard science undergrad degree?

If yes to either, then WUSTL at that COA is not a horrible (but not necessarily a good) decision; if no to both, then I'd advise you to either pick a different career path or retake.

[DoveBodyWash]

All things considered, worth the $70K over W&L for ~11% better chances at your goals? Probably, unless you are committed to DC.

WUSTL had stronger DC placement in 2012 than W&L

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=wl
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=washu

[mellamallama]

W&L sucks. terrible employment. http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=wl Don't go there. WUSTL would be good if you can get COA down to 5 digit territory.

won't be likely :/

$178,000 in loans for wustl is potentially life ruining. Look at their stats, do you really want to bet this heavily on biglaw?

I wouldn't do WL @ 105k. Their numbers last year are TTT. Did you apply to W&M (and can get in-state?)

Do you have options like Kansas w/ full scholarship?

Thanks for the input, I didn't have full scholly anywhere else so I withdrew .

[PRgradBYU]

Neither school is worth $100k+. Your best bet is to RETAKE, break the 170s, ED NU, and pray.

[jbagelboy]

W&L sucks. terrible employment. http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=wl Don't go there. WUSTL would be good if you can get COA down to 5 digit territory.

won't be likely :/

$178,000 in loans for wustl is potentially life ruining. Look at their stats, do you really want to bet this heavily on biglaw?

I wouldn't do WL @ 105k. Their numbers last year are TTT. Did you apply to W&M (and can get in-state?)

thanks for adding.


I think romo can speak best to WUSTL with $150K+ debt. Not advisable IMO.

All things considered, worth the $70K over W&L for ~11% better chances at your goals? Probably, unless you are committed to DC.

Not committed to DC at all. However, fiancee is starting her job in northern VA in September but can transfer branches to basically anywhere in the country with a Big 4. Looking at jobs, I think WUSTL is "worth" the additional debt compared to W&L but family wise I would be looking at W&L.

Thanks for the advice !

Debt could be manageable if your SO is in accounting with a stable job ~$50-60K/year. He/She can cover part of your CoL, and you won't be totally SOL if biglaw doesn't happen from WUSTL. I think that is the better choice here.

[jbagelboy]

Neither school is worth $100k+. Your best bet is to RETAKE, break the 170s, ED NU, and pray.

OP might be maxed out

ED NU is bad advice. that will never work with that GPA

working for a year and retaking for the 2014-15 cycle to try to get a full ride at one of these schools is more likely TCR

[mellamallama]

Debt could be manageable if your SO is in accounting with a stable job ~$50-60K/year. He/She can cover part of your CoL, and you won't be totally SOL if biglaw doesn't happen from WUSTL. I think that is the better choice here.

She's making ~70 right now and idk how the Big4 salary ladder goes but I'm assuming they go up pretty quickly?

SO & debt load (comparatively) point to W&L but jobs points to WUSTL.

[jbagelboy]

Debt could be manageable if your SO is in accounting with a stable job ~$50-60K/year. He/She can cover part of your CoL, and you won't be totally SOL if biglaw doesn't happen from WUSTL. I think that is the better choice here.

She's making ~70 right now and idk how the Big4 salary ladder goes but I'm assuming they go up pretty quickly?

SO & debt load (comparatively) point to W&L but jobs points to WUSTL.

Could your SO transfer to St Louis?

edit: my impression of salary for CPA's is high starting but relatively low ceiling. So I don't think her salary will balloon over $100K without an MBA.

[romothesavior]

Still neither. Don't to go law school.

<--- A satisfied and fairly optimistic WUSTL graduate

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

You noted that your career goals include patent/IP. Does this mean that you are patent bar eligible? Do you have a hard science undergrad degree?

Important question here. If you are eligible, then you have a degree in Bio, Chem, Physics, CS, or engineering. In my opinion, all of these career paths are more lucrative than six figures of debt when you probably won't get Biglaw. If you aren't really, really intent on law, dive into a science career. If you are really intent on law, work for a few years--with one of those majors, your odds of finding a decent-paying job are pretty good. Take a year or two to save some money, think your goals over and see if you can get any better options with strategic applications next cycle.

[jbagelboy]

Still neither. Don't to go law school.

<--- A satisfied and fairly optimistic WUSTL graduate

did you just graduate in may romo? if so, congrats! what are you up to this summer/next year?

[mellamallama]

Still neither. Don't to go law school.

<--- A satisfied and fairly optimistic WUSTL graduate

congrats thanks for the input!

[enigmabk]

Debt could be manageable if your SO is in accounting with a stable job ~$50-60K/year. He/She can cover part of your CoL, and you won't be totally SOL if biglaw doesn't happen from WUSTL. I think that is the better choice here.

She's making ~70 right now and idk how the Big4 salary ladder goes but I'm assuming they go up pretty quickly?

SO & debt load (comparatively) point to W&L but jobs points to WUSTL.

Could your SO transfer to St Louis?

edit: my impression of salary for CPA's is high starting but relatively low ceiling. So I don't think her salary will balloon over $100K without an MBA.

if she is in big 4, she'll hit 6 figures during her 5th or 6th year there (Manager), exit opps for her as a manager would likely be around 150k

edited: mba isn't needed