UCLA v. UCI! Need to decide quickly. Help! Forum

[moooooose]

Hi all,

I need help deciding between UCLA and UCI. I've been offered about 80k at UCLA factoring in the scholly and need based and 90k at UCI. I'm at a 165/3.9, so I feel like both of these offers are pretty generous.

UCLA was my top choice when I first started applying for schools, but I was very impressed by ASW at UCI. I really like the smaller community aspect, friendly faculty and prospective students I met, chance to be part of a new school, and a faculty/career office that seems dedicated towards helping students find employment (at least for the time being). I also feel like I may be positioned to do better at UCI because my lsat/gpa numbers are at the mid/upper levels, as compared mid/lower at UCLA. I want to stay in Southern California, and I'm not sure if I'm interested in big law or public interest yet. Although, I am pretty sure that I want to attempt a federal clerkship. I know UCI has very high employment/clerkship numbers, but I'm not sure if these are artificially high based on small class sizes and favors called in by professors which may not be available by the time I graduate.

Am I crazy to be considering UCI over UCLA without a significant monetary incentive??

[Kimikho]

Yes.

Go to UCLA, you want to stay in Southern California. Just because your numbers are better at another school doesn't mean you will do better there.

The career/faculty at all schools are dedicated to finding you employment. Some just do it better than others. Other people can speak better to this, but from what I've heard UCI has done some shady things or something.

[Rahviveh]

You should probably retake and not waste that 3.9 on these schools, especially since you want clerkships. Barring that, I'd go with UCLA.

[Winston1984]

Definitely retake.

[gta]

If you add just two more points to that LSAT, you're looking at a really good shot at Berkeley with $$, or $$$$ at UCLA if you absolutely want to stay in SoCal. I know TLS recommends "retake" frequently, but you should consider it.

[jbagelboy]

I mean, someone has to go to UCI (although it would be a shameful waste of that fine GPA). What's their in-state tuition at these days? Same as UCLA or lower?

ETA: wow fuck $47,000 for one year at UCI in tuition alone. Holy shit, times have changed since their tuition waiver days. No, don't go there.

[WokeUpInACar]

You absolutely must retake the LSAT. Getting like 4 more questions correct on a 100 question multiple choice test would allow you to go to UCLA for free or Berkeley with a scholarship. If you're taking out loans for UCLA, it could end up saving you over $100k to retake and reapply. You surely worked hard for many years to get that GPA, don't limit your potential by refusing to put in just a bit more work to drastically improve your position.

[Captain Rodeo]

Don't know how many times you've taken the LSAT.

With that said, unless you've taken it three times and are absolutely done with the LSAT, then retake.

Is it a slight inconvenience? At the moment, sure. You're expecting to go to law school this year; you're mentally there already.

Yet, with a few more points, you could have much more $ at UCLA and $ at other fine schools.

Retake is sometimes seems like a shotgun, knee-jerk response on TLS, but it likely is the best option for you.

Retake and save up money.

If you're dead set on not retaking, then definitely UCLA over UCI.

[EJL123]

If you can't retake, absolutely go to UCLA.

However, if you want to go for a higher risk gamble, by all means go for UCI

[SteelPenguin]

Retake >>>>> UCLA >>> UCI

[unodostres]

You're looking at over 100k at repayment at both schools. Retake.

[BigZuck]

If you can't retake, wait a year or two until you can and start the retake train up again. You're really, really close to something good (at the very least, a full ride to UCLA). Don't blow it by rushing off to law school right now.

If you really want a clerkship, at least go to Harvard

[moooooose]

Wow. I'm shocked by all the retake responses. I guess I don't think paying 20k tuition a year to go to one of the best law schools in the area is a bad deal, even with the market as uncertain as it is. I'm aware that it will be over 100k with COL and loan interest, but I'm thinking biglaw will help with that or LRAP if I end up working for government or public interest.

I've only taken the LSAT once. I would consider taking it again if I was sure I could boost up 3-5 points, but 165 is around where I was scoring on practice tests give or take a point, and I've already worked through almost all of the practice tests. Not sure how much higher I can go at this point.

Thanks for all of your input. I have a lot to consider.

[BigZuck]

Cold, hard probability says you probably won't get big law and big law/PI are pretty much two seperate career tracks that would be hard to gun for simultaneously (though I guess it might be possible).

Neither school is a particularly good choice for big law but especially not for clerkships

[jbagelboy]

Wow. I'm shocked by all the retake responses. I guess I don't think paying 20k tuition a year to go to one of the best law schools in the area is a bad deal, even with the market as uncertain as it is. I'm aware that it will be over 100k with COL and loan interest, but I'm thinking biglaw will help with that or LRAP if I end up working for government or public interest.

I've only taken the LSAT once. I would consider taking it again if I was sure I could boost up 3-5 points, but 165 is around where I was scoring on practice tests give or take a point, and I've already worked through almost all of the practice tests. Not sure how much higher I can go at this point.

Thanks for all of your input. I have a lot to consider.

The point is not that $80k plus instate at UCLA is so awful; it's more that you have untapped potential so you're leaving money/better options on the table by not increasing your score

[WokeUpInACar]

Wow. I'm shocked by all the retake responses. I guess I don't think paying 20k tuition a year to go to one of the best law schools in the area is a bad deal, even with the market as uncertain as it is. I'm aware that it will be over 100k with COL and loan interest, but I'm thinking biglaw will help with that or LRAP if I end up working for government or public interest.

I've only taken the LSAT once. I would consider taking it again if I was sure I could boost up 3-5 points, but 165 is around where I was scoring on practice tests give or take a point, and I've already worked through almost all of the practice tests. Not sure how much higher I can go at this point.

Thanks for all of your input. I have a lot to consider.

UCLA for that price isn't a "bad deal." It's way better than the vast majority of law school applicants could ever hope for. HOWEVER, just because it is objectively decent doesn't mean that you should be satisfied settling for this outcome. It's an objectively amazing accomplishment to make an NBA roster, but if you've got Lebron or Durant level raw talent, not being a perennial all-star is underachieving big time. Obviously that's hyperbole, but if you're capable of a 3.9 and a 165 on your first LSAT, you absolutely have the potential to get a 170+, which would put almost any school in the country within reach, and you'd score significant scholarships to t10 schools and potential full rides to schools below that. I know it feels really nice to have an acceptance to a great school with a scholarship in hand, but even 3 points on the LSAT could literally change your whole life. It's pretty dumb that getting a handful more questions correct is worth so much, but that's the way it is.

[Redamon1]

How did you prepare for the LSAT? Consider spending more time on it (months), buying the right books, doing a prep course, hiring a tutor. Did you follow the TLS LSAT prep regimen? Your current score means that you've figured out how the test works. Now go and kill it.

[SteelPenguin]

Wow. I'm shocked by all the retake responses. I guess I don't think paying 20k tuition a year to go to one of the best law schools in the area is a bad deal, even with the market as uncertain as it is. I'm aware that it will be over 100k with COL and loan interest, but I'm thinking biglaw will help with that or LRAP if I end up working for government or public interest.

I've only taken the LSAT once. I would consider taking it again if I was sure I could boost up 3-5 points, but 165 is around where I was scoring on practice tests give or take a point, and I've already worked through almost all of the practice tests. Not sure how much higher I can go at this point.

Thanks for all of your input. I have a lot to consider.

I was able to jump from a 165 -> 170 using a mix of retakes and some fresh, older PTs, some new materials, and I'm thrilled with the difference I have in options this year. It's something I'd strongly recommend. Browse the LSAT Forum some for plenty of study plans retakers used and other additional info, and hopefully you'll have a better idea of how much retaking could help.