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0L here. I'm interested in doing PI (immigration, refugee/asylum or family, specifically child protection law). I was born and raised in San Diego, and I would love to work here in the future. If not, then somewhere else in CA is preferable. Which do you think is better: going to a lower T-14 or attending USD (with close to full scholarship) and networking?

What are your stats?

Would you be taking out loans for your entire tuition amount?

If you know that you want PI, then if you go to a T14 it's important to look in detail about their loan repayment program and to see if they have a 10 year LIPP program.

Doorkeeper wrote:What are your stats?

Would you be taking out loans for your entire tuition amount?

165/3.54

I have an offer from USD for 75% tuition, some savings, and I could even live at home for at least a year. The debt would be very minimal.

They haven't released scholarship info for the T-14 (Mich) yet, but due to my numbers, I expect to pay sticker. Luckily, I still have those savings which would put a small dent, but otherwise, I'll be using loans. I know LRAP is a possibility.

It does depend on how much debt. Push hard to get a closer-to-full scholarship (75% is good, but not good enough), and see if you can live at home all three years. That, combined with a strong preference for San Diego and PI, makes me thing USD with lots of money is firmly better than a T14 at sticker.

Understand, however, that by putting yourself in a box this small, you probably have a higher chance of ending up with no job than you do your ideal PI job. Which is not the end of the world if you have no debt, but something to consider nonetheless.

Yeah, I totally get that. There are two things I am concerned about: limiting my opportunities (USD) and having a lot of debt (T-14).

I'm definitely willing to keep an open mind. Biglaw does not sound appealing to me though.

There really is no perfect scenario.

Either go completely for free or go T14 with LRAP/IBR. Some debt and no job prospects is scarier than lots of debt, likely job, and LRAP, (IMO).

Have you applied to UCLA/USC?

worldtraveler wrote:Either go completely for free or go T14 with LRAP/IBR. Some debt and no job prospects is scarier than lots of debt, likely job, and LRAP, (IMO).

Have you applied to UCLA/USC?

I applied to USC, and I've been on the edge about applying UCLA. I'm not sure why. I'll probably send an app their way. Maybe with this cycle, applying later in the cycle won't hurt me too much.

The more I think about it, going to USC or UCLA would be a very good option. Still close enough to San Diego, strong name (not quite T-14 but still good), and could intern and whatnot in LA.