Choosing Between Emory ($$) and UC Davis ($$$) Forum

[getindarobot]

(Redacted for privacy, thanks to those who responded!)

[ManoftheHour]

Depends. Do you want to work in the south or in CA? First decide where you want to practice. Neither school has national reputation.

I didn't apply to many schools outside the west coast so I won't weigh in too much on Emory. However, according to LST, after taking out school funded positions, only about 60% ended up in full time bar passage jobs. I think 100k is way too much. Assuming you want to work in the south and are okay with a small time/government gig, see if you can get more?

Davis' employment stats are about the same in terms of overall employment (although worse than Emory if you're talking biglaw+clerkships). In general, UCD for CA is...okay. See if you can get more out of them. $55,000 , however, would make me uncomfortable.

Either way, negotiate. Personally, the price for Emory is way too high and the price for Davis is a bit north of what I'd take out for it, especially considering your $35,000 in UG debt.

As much as you don't want to hear, you only took once. I think retake is your best option. Secondly, you should retake in June REGARDLESS of whether you decide to attend one of these schools. Let's say you sign up for the LSAT right now and decide to put in your deposit for Emory/UCD. You take the June LSAT, beast it with a 170+ (which you're not that far off from anyway). You then have the option of either attending the school OR taking another year. Double dip. If you bomb it, then you still have the option of attending the school. Hell, you might be able to use your new score to negotiate with the school. You can tell the school, "Hey, I really want to attend. But I just took the LSAT and got a higher score. I am thinking about maybe taking another year. Is it possible to receive a little more $$$?" Could work.

I highly recommend you sign up for the June LSAT. You've nothing to lose (other than some time studying for it) and a whole lot to gain. I would sign up for it right now.

[lawdoggy]

I'm interested in working in either Chicago, Seattle, or California, but I'm rather flexible.

Emory will not get you to any of these places anytime soon. Plus, at that cost, I wouldn't even consider Emory.

I'd say UCD and work in Cali or retake.

[zombie mcavoy]

I would strongly advise a retake here. These schools aren't good for your goals. As someone who wants geographic flexibility and wants biglaw (PI isn't some kind of fall back option; not going to happen if not gunning for it right away), you need to go to a T13, or at least a strong regional with a great scholarship in the region you want to be in long term (e.g. UCLA or USC for Cali; Notre Dame, UIUC or WUSTL for Chicago; cross seattle off your list). Emory doesn't place well where you want to be, and Davis doesn't have very good placement stats.

[getindarobot]

Thanks, everyone. These answers are pretty much in line with what I've concluded on my own, but I guess I felt that posting in a forum full of strangers at 3 AM would somehow turn up something different for me to chew over.

And yeah, apologies if it looked as if I implied that PI is a fall back. I know it's something that people have to focus on right away. I simply mentioned it as something that still holds my personal interests.

Good luck to those still making decisions, and thanks to all the great forum posters!