resolved Forum

[hawk5]

resolved

[Nomo]

Long time lurker, looking for some advice.

ND - ~125,000
Fordham - ~170,000
BU - ~130,000

Same scholarship at all, a little less than half-tuition. Leaning towards BU/ND because of price. I have personal reason for wanting ND, but if common sense dictates another is a much better choice i'll make that choice. I could commute to Fordham from a relatives for ~100,000, but it'd be 1 1/2 hours each way. Is this a sure ticket to below median?

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings

I have some savings, external scholarships, and family contribution. The rest loans.

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)

Ties are mainly NY/CT, maybe DC a bit. Looking to end up anywhere on the East Coast between Boston and DC.

-Your general career goals

I just want to practice law, make a living wage, and work reasonable hours. I'm amazed at how hard this appears to be to achieve. I'm not opposed to smaller firms. Ideally, i'd end up in-house or as a partner at a smaller firm.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
3.3X, 166, State School

I have a retake that I will use in June. I'm just looking for my best current option. I know a higher score will open more doors for acceptances, but will it help me monetarily with my gpa? Is there any downside to depositing and retaking for more money? Or depositing at multiple schools?

If you don't do biglaw you're looking at a starting salary of around 50k, maybe 60k. You can't pay off those loans on that salary. And that's the salary that most lawyers from the schools end up with (at least the employed ones) because a minority of students get biglaw.

You've got a good lsat score and you've been accepted to good schools - but the tuition is just way too high and the job market isn't nearly good enough. Don't go unless you get substantially better options in this cycle or the next.

[hawk5]

resolved

[hawk5]

bump

[Nova]

definitely not Fordham at that price

I could commute to Fordham from a relatives for ~100,000, but it'd be 1 1/2 hours each way. Is this a sure ticket to below median?

yeah, don't put yourself through that

[hawk5]

resolved

[transferror]

BU and ND are definitely your 2 best options. Based on LST numbers, I'd go ND but it's close. An argument could be made for BU since you want to end up on the East Coast. Neither is great, but either is defensible. Forget Fordham.

[ndirish2010]

Retake. If you absolutely had to take one, then BU. But no.

[hawk5]

resolved

[BigZuck]

If you want small firm work I would consider going to a cheaper law school or just not going, period (there might be easier ways to get a 50K job in 3 years that doesn't require going into any debt or not making any money).

I wouldn't say these schools are all traps all the time but at those prices they are. They are good schools in general but too expensive for most applicants.

[kaiser]

BU places decently into NY (though they used to place more into NY). They hold a yearly recruiting program in NYC, and with ties to the area, you can absolutely get back. Since its around same price as ND, I'd def say BU.