UC Davis vs USC Forum

[inmybeginning]

Such hard decisions! I really don't know what to decide.

After school, I plan on working at my family's law firm, but I also hesitate to go to a lower tier school because I don't know what future options could be, you know?

UC Davis

Pros
We stay in the area so: Hubby keeps job and I can intern/work at parents law firm
Bar pass rate is 72%
Decent employment stats at 67%
Alumni network is close to where I would eventually work
A top 50 law school (#30)
Scolly info not out yet, but based on offer from USC, could prolly negotiate for close to a full ride

Cons
Brutal commute every day: 1-1.5 hour commute every day without traffic
A top 50 law school (#30)

USC

Pros
A top 20 law school (#19)
Amazing bar pass rate at 88%
Good employment stats at 72%
Hubby can probably get a good job to pay for COL
We can most likely live close to the school
Good alumni network
Very little debt (~84% paid by scholly + could pay for a lot of the rest out of pocket)

Cons
It’s in LA
Can't work at family law firm
Far from family
Job relocation and finding a job for hubby
They don’t let you work the first year

[cavalier1138]

Go to the cheaper option. I assume that your being hired at your family firm is not contingent on you working there while in school, so that's irrelevant. Bar passage rates reflect student quality, so those are irrelevant. You're going to be working in your family firm (this is definite, right?), so you're one of the rare people who doesn't have to worry about job placement.

Also, just as a general note: you should try to avoid working a job during your first year. There's no real point to doing it at a full-time program, and it's just going to add to your stress. You'll have plenty of time for summer work and externships to build up your resume (which, again, is irrelevant if you're just going to spend all your spare time at the family firm).

[Rigo]

Both seem like decent and justifiable options.
Your SO's job search seems to be the big factor here. Because of that and a pretty set gameplan for employment, I lean Davis here assuming you get full ride or close to it.
Would it be at all possible to move closer to Davis for three years?

[Gitaroo_Dude]

Normally, I think UC Davis would the correct answer here because you already have a job lined up at your family's firm (so school strength is less important) but it sounds like you have the ~$160k scholarship from USC. If your spouse can comfortably relocate to LA for three years, I think the USC offer might be the best option here. Gives you more options within CA should you decide to not spend your whole career at your family's firm.

Your distance from the family firm during law school is irrelevant if your job is guaranteed upon graduation. You won't be working there during the first year anyway, and I don't see a big advantage to working there during 2L or 3L (I'm a 0L though, so more seasoned students can feel free to correct me on this).

[inmybeginning]

Thanks all for the input.

I got my scholly info from UC Davis today - same percentage of tuition as USC right now.

Would it be at all possible to move closer to Davis for three years?

This *may* be possible, but housing is so damn expensive, and a complete move up there doesn't really work, so we would probably end up paying two rent payments. But I was looking into options to rent a room or something like that so I wouldn't have to commute during the week.

Normally, I think UC Davis would the correct answer here because you already have a job lined up at your family's firm (so school strength is less important) but it sounds like you have the ~$160k scholarship from USC.

Yes, that's about how much USC is offering me, which is what is making the offer so tempting. I originally hadn't even considered USC and only applied as leverage with Davis, but the offer is really tempting...

If your spouse can comfortably relocate to LA for three years, I think the USC offer might be the best option here. Gives you more options within CA should you decide to not spend your whole career at your family's firm

And that's where it becomes tricky, because the job my SO has right now has good career trajectory (250k+ within 5 years), so it would be hard to relocate to LA for three years only to come back to the bay area to make it our more permanent home. Plus - I don't know if I want my whole career at my family firm. I could easily see branching out in later years, maybe looking into become a judge, etc. And going to USC makes those things a lot more possible.

[cavalier1138]

And that's where it becomes tricky, because the job my SO has right now has good career trajectory (250k+ within 5 years), so it would be hard to relocate to LA for three years only to come back to the bay area to make it our more permanent home. Plus - I don't know if I want my whole career at my family firm. I could easily see branching out in later years, maybe looking into become a judge, etc. And going to USC makes those things a lot more possible.

Going to USC doesn't particularly help with those things if your starting career was in your family firm for X years (unless this is a really prestigious family).