GSU, Stetson or Howard? Forum

[lavarman84]

Stetson will get you the best outcome of the three choices IF you manage to find a decent job afterward (Long-term, Full-time, JD-required). All three schools will most likely get you the same type of job that pays you around the same salary (50k-65k), but Stetson gives you the most disposable income due to low debt and low COL.

Getting a good paying legal job out of Stetson with no Florida ties is extremely difficult. I'm familiar with the Tampa legal market, OP will have a very tough time unless they are at the very top of their class, because they lack the ties that this market really wants to see AND they will be competing with FSU/UF students who monopolize the big/mid firm positions in the area.

Now, it doesn't seem like OP is intent on that. If OP does go to Stetson, OP needs to take every opportunity to network. That's an advantage that he/she has. Being in St. Pete will give Stetson students the opportunity to work at small to mid-sized firms during law school and network with the lawyers from those firms (or work with the government). But the employment stats also don't lie.

He'll have a very tough time even with small firms, the top ones in Florida have been taking more and more from T20 schools and a lot of those small firms have waves of UF/FSU students (most of whom have lived in Florida their whole lives) trying to get in the door. Getting an Atlanta job will be even harder. Stetson should be completely off the table for OP, but what he should really do is retake and get a 165+.

Most small firms are going to care more about practical experience, availability, and familiarity than law school ranking. That's why being in the Tampa/St. Pete area would give him an advantage. However, the problem with small firms is that their hiring needs are harder to project.

Tampa is definitely a competitive market, though.

[cavalier1138]

Also for Howard the reason you were denied the gradplus is because they think your Stafford will cover everything/almost everything. I am in a very similar boat, TTT with 3k in tuition or so and all I was given were the limit of Stafford loans. If you don't have to take out gradplus that's a good thing. Just find the cheapest housing you can and you might not even need to spend the whole thing.

Wrong.

OP wasn't denied Grad PLUS because they had already hit the COL limit with Stafford loans. OP already stated it was a credit issue. And this was primarily an issue for GSU, not Howard. This was already dealt with at the beginning of the thread. Reading is your friend.

[grixxlybear99]

Stetson is your best option if you won't retake

[gbullock19]

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm not adverse to hearing all perspectives. Some very good points were made on this post and I appreciate that.