UMich | Minne | USC | GW | UW Forum

[madison17]

Costs of attendance:
Michigan: $75,000 per year
UMN: $66,000 per year
USC: $80,000 per year
GWU: $80,000 per year
UW (Wisconsin): $40,000

(Scholarships)
Michigan: 10k per year
Minneosta: 20k per year
USC: 15k per year
GW: 10k per year
UW (Wisconsin): full tuition (20k per year for a resident)

- Will be financing legal education almost entirely on my own through student loans; family will help with COL, plus $10,000/yr towards tuition.
- Coming straight from undergrad.
- From the Midwest, ties in MN, WI, IL.
- Would be happy leaving the Midwest, as well.
- Would like to ultimately work in a mid-size firm in a metro area (would like to give it a go with biglaw for a few years as well).
- 161/3.8
- Took LSAT twice, really not looking to retake. I am confident in saying that I gave studying my all both times around. Plus I've already invested a lot of time and money into applying to these schools. I'm not going to do it again in order to land in the same position I am in today.


Please share any insights! Thank you so very much!

[OhBoyOhBortles]

Lsat/gpa?

Also, you should list your total cost of attendance instead of scholarship amounts.

What is it that you want to do in the private sector? Where is it you plan on working long-term?

Do you have any work experience?

[BigZuck]

Need all of the following info before we can help you:

-The schools you are considering
-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
-Your general career goals
-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
-How many times you have taken the LSAT

[OhBoyOhBortles]

161/3.8 listed on profile. Definitely retake and get some work experience over the next year OP. If you wanted to stay in Wisconsin and had modest goals, UW for free wouldn't be a bad option, but since you are "over it" I'd definitely suggest waiting a cycle and trying again for better outcomes with a 168+.

For reference: http://mylsn.info/knnbks/

[TLSModBot]

161/3.8 listed on profile. Definitely retake and get some work experience over the next year OP. If you wanted to stay in Wisconsin and had modest goals, UW for free wouldn't be a bad option, but since you are "over it" I'd definitely suggest waiting a cycle and trying again for better outcomes with a 168+.

For reference: http://mylsn.info/knnbks/

This. That's a beautiful GPA - if you bring your score up you'll get in to better schools and maybe get some money.

Work experience is good - I am skeptical as to how much it counts for scholarship-acquisition purposes but it at least helps with admissions to places like GULC, NU, etc.

More importantly: Getting work experience with a decent salary might make you think twice about law school and help you be sure this is really where you want to go - you're not just going from school to school, but going from a stable, paying job to debt/no-income for several years. My 1 year off quickly became 6 before I decided it was time for law school, and I feel waaaaay better about it as a result.

[baal hadad]

Retake

[arturobelano]

I understand how unappealing it is to repeat the process, particularly as a K-JD spending several hundred dollars out of pocket. I also understand how brutal the job market is outside of business and hard STEM bachelor's degrees. That said, I think it's hard to recognize right now that a) there are a lot of options available that aren't as immediately validating as law school that could occupy your next year but are still fulfilling and worthwhile and b) there are very few cases in which people lose out by waiting an extra year. Seriously, you get to submit your best LSAT no matter what - your situation likely doesn't worsen for next year (the only moving part being applicant trends) and has a very high chance of improving.

You would be better off, honestly, taking a few months off after graduation and working exclusively on studying for the LSAT to apply for this fall's cycle. A year of lost earnings' down the line will be more than offset by the improved job prospects and minimized debt that would attend to a higher LSAT score in your case.

[jbagelboy]

wow. Michigan gave you $10K a year with a 161 LSAT? Are you a wolverine UG?

[arturobelano]

wow. Michigan gave you $10K a year with a 161 LSAT? Are you a wolverine UG?

Looks like he went to UW-Madison.

[jbagelboy]

wow. Michigan gave you $10K a year with a 161 LSAT? Are you a wolverine UG?

Looks like he went to UW-Madison.

wow, I'm an idiot. also looks like he is a she.

regardless, OP, retake the LSAT!

[baal hadad]

The funny thing is OP is all like "it's urgent" but it's the opposite of urgent

[cc78]

The funny thing is OP is all like "it's urgent" but it's the opposite of urgent

This is a good one. Please, OP, take this advice, don't rush into law school now with less than ideal options in front of you.

[downbeat14]

.

[moonman157]

If you're content to live and practice in WI, and aren't set on Biglaw, and can get in-state residency, Wisconsin at full tuition (assuming 40K full tuition) is not a bad option, especially since you don't have to take the WI bar (not a bad perk). But honestly, like everyone else said, retake and get the money to go to Michigan that you would have gotten to go to WI. That will be job and money safe. Good luck!

[Mack.Hambleton]

Retake

[madison17]

Wow Michigan really is going under giving 10k to a 161 lsat

Hmm yes, surely no applicant with a 161 could have any redeeming qualities.

Thanks much, that was helpful!

[Serett]

As a fellow Badger, I really think you should wait and get your LSAT up. T14 with more money than what UM is offering or basically zero tuition at Wisconsin is what you should be aiming for. Out of those options, I voted for UW.

[madison17]

As a fellow Badger, I really think you should wait and get your LSAT up. T14 with more money than what UM is offering or basically zero tuition at Wisconsin is what you should be aiming for. Out of those options, I voted for UW.

I am being offered full tuition at Wisconsin, I just don't know that I want to remain on this campus another three years! Is that so crazy???

[Mack.Hambleton]

Wow Michigan really is going under giving 10k to a 161 lsat

Hmm yes, surely no applicant with a 161 could have any redeeming qualities.

Thanks much, that was helpful!

Lol you're like 8 points below median, unless you're URM it's a miracle you were accepted let alone got money. There is a legitimate reason to be surprissed at that