Duke vs Georgetown (20k/yr) vs. Reapplying Next Cycle Forum

[moshei24]

Dear everybody:

My options have changed. GULC offered me 20k/yr this morning. My issue with Duke is that Orthodox Jewish life there would make the QoL Hell for me. Plus, it's really far from my life in NYC. Fordham is now out of the picture, as they only offered me 25k/yr. My other option is reapplying in the Fall, as my numbers are 3.49/165/170 and I applied at the end of Jan this cycle and didn't get the 170 until the Feb LSAT.

I want to end up working in Criminal Law down the line after doing maybe 3-5 years of ADA work. I wouldn't hate BigLaw THAT much, though. It does pay the bills, right?

Is GULC the obvious choice now with this scholarship? Duke isn't really much of a livable place for an Orthodox Jew from what I've learned from the handful, literally, of Orthodox Jews who live there.

(I can't retake the LSAT, as I took it 3 times. One cancel.)

Thanks for all the advice, guys!

Best,
Moshe

PS - My parents will likely cover a sizable portion of CoL wherever I attend.

[Nova]

estimated total debt coming out of GULC?

estimated total debt coming out of Duke?

[sinfiery]

Duke is still the better choice but GULC is defensible and if you prefer DC that much to camedon,.I wouldn't fault you.

[jbagelboy]

meh. lower CoA and tuition at Duke would almost make up for the $20K scholarship. choosing a law school for religious reasons is at best an impractical decision. Sure, Duke is waspy as shit but unless you have the connections, its not like you are going to be able to choose a jewish firm anyway so you'll most likely be around waspy people your entire life. get used to it?

(p.s. half-jew here so not hating, but get real bro)

[moshei24]

estimated total debt coming out of GULC?

estimated total debt coming out of Duke?

Too hard to tell at this point. Prob about 18-20k more per year coming out of Duke. I'd prob need a car there so that adds to cost of living.

[moshei24]

meh. lower CoA and tuition at Duke would almost make up for the $20K scholarship. choosing a law school for religious reasons is at best an impractical decision. Sure, Duke is waspy as shit but unless you have the connections, its not like you are going to be able to choose a jewish firm anyway so you'll most likely be around waspy people your entire life. get used to it?

(p.s. half-jew here so not hating, but get real bro)

Nothing to do with the people I'd be living around. Some of my closest friends aren't Jewish. It would be the lack of kosher food, place to go for the holidays, meals on the Sabbath and Holidays. That's what makes in not livable. Not the people.

And it ends up being 60k over three years...

Plus CoL would be near the same as GULC because I'd need a car there, and then there's insurance and gas. Plus, CoL isn't such a big factor here, because if anything QoL would cancel that out if not overpower it.

[MyNameIsFlynn!]

estimated total debt coming out of GULC?

estimated total debt coming out of Duke?

Too hard to tell at this point. Prob about 18-20k more per year coming out of Duke. I'd prob need a car there so that adds to cost of living.

If you don't even know how much each of these schools will cost you and how much debt you'll have at graduation, then we can't give you good advice.

[moshei24]

estimated total debt coming out of GULC?

estimated total debt coming out of Duke?

Too hard to tell at this point. Prob about 18-20k more per year coming out of Duke. I'd prob need a car there so that adds to cost of living.

If you don't even know how much it's going to cost you then we can't give advice.

Without taking interest into account, I'd say around 36K/yr for GULC and about 56K/yr in Duke. Both numbers could end up being a little less depending on what my parents and grandparents give. But then Duke could end up as higher because of having a car with gas and insurance.

[moshei24]

Duke is still the better choice but GULC is defensible and if you prefer DC that much to camedon,.I wouldn't fault you.

GULC isn't terrible, though, right? People hate on it in here a bit more than they should? Is 20k/yr there solid?

[MyNameIsFlynn!]

estimated total debt coming out of GULC?

estimated total debt coming out of Duke?

Too hard to tell at this point. Prob about 18-20k more per year coming out of Duke. I'd prob need a car there so that adds to cost of living.

If you don't even know how much it's going to cost you then we can't give advice.

Without taking interest into account, I'd say around 36K/yr for GULC and about 56K/yr in Duke. Both numbers could end up being a little less depending on what my parents and grandparents give. But then Duke could end up as higher because of having a car with gas and insurance.

GULC costs what, 75k a year total COA? You've got a 20k/yr grant? Doesn't that make your COA 55k (before taking parent contributions into account)?

ETA: You should also take interest into account if you're going to take out substantial loans. GULC has a helpful debt calculatorthat you should use.

[sinfiery]

Duke is still the better choice but GULC is defensible and if you prefer DC that much to camedon,.I wouldn't fault you.

GULC isn't terrible, though, right? People hate on it in here a bit more than they should? Is 20k/yr there solid?

It's risky. As for it being terrible depends entirely on what your opportunity cost are (job if not attending LS, other schools, retaking, etc.)

I think its close enough at that price vs sticker at Duke to justify based on QOL implications (though Duke is better imo)

But yeah, I think it gets a bit too much hate. That doesn't make paying 210k to attend their very risky.

[moshei24]

Too hard to tell at this point. Prob about 18-20k more per year coming out of Duke. I'd prob need a car there so that adds to cost of living.[/quote]

If you don't even know how much it's going to cost you then we can't give advice.[/quote]


Without taking interest into account, I'd say around 36K/yr for GULC and about 56K/yr in Duke. Both numbers could end up being a little less depending on what my parents and grandparents give. But then Duke could end up as higher because of having a car with gas and insurance.[/quote]

GULC costs what, 75k a year total COA? You've got a 20k/yr grant? Doesn't that make your COA 55k (before taking parent contributions into account)?

ETA: You should also take interest into account if you're going to take out substantial loans. GULC has a helpful debt calculatorthat you should use.[/quote]


Right, but the numbers they give are the max possible it will cost. I'm basing it on what I think it will cost me, given what I think my parents will cover and how I think I will live there.

[BigZuck]

Please tell me this isn't like the 4th choosing thread this guy has started. Given everything the OP has said on TLS in the short time since he was spawned I really don't know that law school is the best thing for him at this point in time. Lots of growing up and social adjusting to do it seems.

[Nova]

so your parents are gonna throw you like 20k a year too?

GULC for 110k debt is pretty good

[moshei24]

Duke is still the better choice but GULC is defensible and if you prefer DC that much to camedon,.I wouldn't fault you.

GULC isn't terrible, though, right? People hate on it in here a bit more than they should? Is 20k/yr there solid?

It's risky. As for it being terrible depends entirely on what your opportunity cost are (job if not attending LS, other schools, retaking, etc.)

I think its close enough at that price vs sticker at Duke to justify based on QOL implications (though Duke is better imo)

But yeah, I think it gets a bit too much hate. That doesn't make paying 210k to attend their very risky.

Wait, what was the last thing you mentioned?

I have a decent job now that I'd do if I didn't attend, but I have no guarantee to get into NYU, and Penn at sticker isn't significantly better than GULC at this price. Can't retake. Took it 3 times, plus doubt I'd go up as my problem section was RC.

[moshei24]

Please tell me this isn't like the 4th choosing thread this guy has started. Given everything the OP has said on TLS in the short time since he was spawned I really don't know that law school is the best thing for him at this point in time. Lots of growing up and social adjusting to do it seems.

Go troll elsewhere. If you base your judgments on people on how much they post on TLS, that's sad. It's a big decision, so I want to hear what people who have also obsessively researched these things say.

Also, I've posted multiple times because my situation has kept changing. Try to actually read next time. Okay, pumpkin?

[moshei24]

so your parents are gonna throw you like 20k a year too?

GULC for 110k debt is pretty good

I think they'd throw me about 7.5K if not more for the dorms. Then, books and that kinda stuff, I think I could get them to cover as time goes on. Plus, I think my grandparents would give me SOME money, if not at least loan me money, interest free. I do random estimates in my head that tend to be rather accurate, granted different than what's assumed. People here need to realize that I know my situation and they should therefore base advice on numbers I throw out there without assuming that EVERYONE takes out the maximum debt for law school, because most people don't.

[sinfiery]

Duke is still the better choice but GULC is defensible and if you prefer DC that much to camedon,.I wouldn't fault you.

GULC isn't terrible, though, right? People hate on it in here a bit more than they should? Is 20k/yr there solid?

It's risky. As for it being terrible depends entirely on what your opportunity cost are (job if not attending LS, other schools, retaking, etc.)

I think its close enough at that price vs sticker at Duke to justify based on QOL implications (though Duke is better imo)

But yeah, I think it gets a bit too much hate. That doesn't make paying 210k to attend their very risky.

Wait, what was the last thing you mentioned?

I have a decent job now that I'd do if I didn't attend, but I have no guarantee to get into NYU, and Penn at sticker isn't significantly better than GULC at this price. Can't retake. Took it 3 times, plus doubt I'd go up as my problem section was RC.

What was your GPA again? Penn at sticker vs GULC here, almost anyone would take Penn unless they wanted DC specifically. For NYC, Penn at sticker is a much better option.

Because you have the decent job, what was your GPA? Reapplying may definitely be the right move

[BigZuck]

Please tell me this isn't like the 4th choosing thread this guy has started. Given everything the OP has said on TLS in the short time since he was spawned I really don't know that law school is the best thing for him at this point in time. Lots of growing up and social adjusting to do it seems.

Go troll elsewhere. If you base your judgments on people on how much they post on TLS, that's sad. It's a big decision, so I want to hear what people who have also obsessively researched these things say.

Also, I've posted multiple times because my situation has kept changing. Try to actually read next time. Okay, pumpkin?

It's the content of what you're posting that is most disturbing to me. You also seem to lack self-awareness and come across as more than a little "aspie" as the cool kids would say. Chilling out, getting laid/drunk and a little life experience under your belt would do you a lot of good I think. That's not trolling, that's real advice.

[Nova]

BZ needs an avatar

[moshei24]

Please tell me this isn't like the 4th choosing thread this guy has started. Given everything the OP has said on TLS in the short time since he was spawned I really don't know that law school is the best thing for him at this point in time. Lots of growing up and social adjusting to do it seems.

Go troll elsewhere. If you base your judgments on people on how much they post on TLS, that's sad. It's a big decision, so I want to hear what people who have also obsessively researched these things say.

Also, I've posted multiple times because my situation has kept changing. Try to actually read next time. Okay, pumpkin?

It's the content of what you're posting that is most disturbing to me. You also seem to lack self-awareness and come across as more than a little "aspie" as the cool kids would say. Chilling out, getting laid/drunk and a little life experience under your belt would do you a lot of good I think. That's not trolling, that's real advice.

I think it's you who lacks the self-awareness. Seriously judging someone's self-awareness by how they post on a forum? Really? That's adorable. Think harder next time.

You're right. I'm an Amish boy who lives at home and churns butter. No life experience here whatsoever. (No hate on the Amish people, btw.)

Can you teach me how to live life? Maybe take me for my first beer? I've always wondered what it's like to get drunk...

[moshei24]

GULC isn't terrible, though, right? People hate on it in here a bit more than they should? Is 20k/yr there solid?[/quote]
It's risky. As for it being terrible depends entirely on what your opportunity cost are (job if not attending LS, other schools, retaking, etc.)

I think its close enough at that price vs sticker at Duke to justify based on QOL implications (though Duke is better imo)

But yeah, I think it gets a bit too much hate. That doesn't make paying 210k to attend their very risky.[/quote]

Wait, what was the last thing you mentioned?

I have a decent job now that I'd do if I didn't attend, but I have no guarantee to get into NYU, and Penn at sticker isn't significantly better than GULC at this price. Can't retake. Took it 3 times, plus doubt I'd go up as my problem section was RC.[/quote]
What was your GPA again? Penn at sticker vs GULC here, almost anyone would take Penn unless they wanted DC specifically. For NYC, Penn at sticker is a much better option.

Because you have the decent job, what was your GPA? Reapplying may definitely be the right move[/quote]


I'm not set on NYC, though. I may end up wanting to move South or something. Also, my GPA is 3.49. That's part of why I got put on so many WL's. That and applying really late and getting a 170 in March. Also, Cornell prob WL'ed me because I got in my certification letter after their deadline. It wasn't any real thing. Just an academic probation that doesn't show up on my record because it was wiped, as it was due to clerical errors, as the dean's note explained. That wouldn't affect an application, would it?

[BigZuck]

Please tell me this isn't like the 4th choosing thread this guy has started. Given everything the OP has said on TLS in the short time since he was spawned I really don't know that law school is the best thing for him at this point in time. Lots of growing up and social adjusting to do it seems.

Go troll elsewhere. If you base your judgments on people on how much they post on TLS, that's sad. It's a big decision, so I want to hear what people who have also obsessively researched these things say.

Also, I've posted multiple times because my situation has kept changing. Try to actually read next time. Okay, pumpkin?

It's the content of what you're posting that is most disturbing to me. You also seem to lack self-awareness and come across as more than a little "aspie" as the cool kids would say. Chilling out, getting laid/drunk and a little life experience under your belt would do you a lot of good I think. That's not trolling, that's real advice.

I think it's you who lacks the self-awareness. Seriously judging someone's self-awareness by how they post on a forum? Really? That's adorable. Think harder next time.

You're right. I'm an Amish boy who lives at home and churns butter. No life experience here whatsoever. (No hate on the Amish people, btw.)

Can you teach me how to live life? Maybe take me for my first beer? I've always wondered what it's like to get drunk...

Yeah, this is what I'm talking about. I guess maybe it could be just a schtick that you think is funny (although that would be a red flag in and of itself), its just that you come across as really immature and self-absorbed. Poor sense of humor, taking stuff way too seriously, obsessive, thinking you deserve a ton of attention, inability to communicate respectfully with people in positions of power, inability to look outside of yourself and your own little world. It's all stuff that is fixable, I just don't know that rushing off to law school and then a professional job is the way to do it.

Of these, I guess I would do GULC over Duke if it really is 60K cheaper. Good luck.

[moshei24]

You're basing how I speak to people in power based on what exactly? One email I sent to Cardozo? LOL. That's one email out of dozwn I've been sending out to admissions people to discuss things, etc. And it was the only one that sounded like.

However, I love how well you know me based on reading my posts on here. It makes me laugh. I think you should take your own advice. And if you want to get to know me, you're welcome to come grab a beer with me where we could talk about life, and truly get to know each other in a normal environment.

Okay, thanks!

[drive4showLSAT4dough]

You're basing how I speak to people in power based on what exactly? One email I sent to Cardozo? LOL. That's one email out of dozwn I've been sending out to admissions people to discuss things, etc. And it was the only one that sounded like.

However, I love how well you know me based on reading my posts on here. It makes me laugh. I think you should take your own advice. And if you want to get to know me, you're welcome to come grab a beer with me where we could talk about life, and truly get to know each other in a normal environment.

Okay, thanks!

Be careful. Pretty sure Big Zuck is a grumpy 37 year old who only breaks from RETAKE replies to mention his triumphs of a former life "chilling out, getting laid/drunk."

Sounds like fun...