Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds) Forum

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topetudiant

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Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 12:13 pm

What choice would you say makes the most sense? I'd greatly appreciate your advice... This is urgent for me.

Basically, I got some scholarships at both Vandy and BU, with negligible amounts from Gtown. BUT I have some substantial savings from work so when I add that amount to the scholarships I'm getting, that would cover the entire tuition at Vandy (but leaving me with ~70-75k COA) and for BU, it would be roughly around ~60k COA). For Gtwon, I'd probably have to take out ~155k including COA.

I have no interest in PI at the moment. I've worked in Public interest for the last couple of years and am really looking forward to a change in career (looking for Big Law instead).

Preference is to say on the East Coast. I may be able to work with big Southern cities, though if the push comes to shove.

Also, not comfortable sharing my stats here but LSAT retake is not an option for me.

Thanks.

sparkytrainer

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by sparkytrainer » Tue May 29, 2018 12:24 pm

If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.

topetudiant

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 1:04 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.

sparkytrainer

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by sparkytrainer » Tue May 29, 2018 1:23 pm

topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.

topetudiant

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 1:42 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
If I withdraw from the schools accepted, retake the LSAT and reapply, what are the chances that these schools will accept me again? Won't they have a good reason to reject me since I "rejected" them the previous year?

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sparkytrainer

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by sparkytrainer » Tue May 29, 2018 1:59 pm

topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
If I withdraw from the schools accepted, retake the LSAT and reapply, what are the chances that these schools will accept me again? Won't they have a good reason to reject me since I "rejected" them the previous year?
Nope, because you just say that the offers weren't financially what you had hoped so you decided to retake the lsat and apply again. It won't harm you. I myself was rejected from a bunch of schools and accepted at a bunch of schools. I retook a bunch of times until I got a 175+. All the schools that accepted me where happy to accept me again with more money while the schools that rejected me were more than happy to accept me with scholarships!

The truth of the whole application process really comes down to your GPA, LSAT, and URM status. The one that is most controllable is your lsat score. You got some decent offers, but not great offers given your goals. I would easily defend BU or Vandy for free, but they aren't free in this case. Literally 2+ more points gets you more money (I dont know your specific score, but I imagine it is in the mid 160s). While 5+ points gets you into a whole better tier of law schools for around the same price you would have been paying for these schools.

Listen, the choice to retake and reapply isn't always the best choice. But in your case, it truly is. Literally getting 10 more questions right on a stupid test means you are looking at t13 schools for cheaper than these schools. That is a HUGE difference. The truth hurt when posters here told me that years ago, but I listened and it changed my life. I give you the same advice now because it really can be life-changing. Seriously, 10 more questions right on a stupid test can mean a significantly better law school and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in scholarship and tuition costs, plus a significantly higher earning potential over your lifetime.

topetudiant

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 2:12 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
If I withdraw from the schools accepted, retake the LSAT and reapply, what are the chances that these schools will accept me again? Won't they have a good reason to reject me since I "rejected" them the previous year?
Nope, because you just say that the offers weren't financially what you had hoped so you decided to retake the lsat and apply again. It won't harm you. I myself was rejected from a bunch of schools and accepted at a bunch of schools. I retook a bunch of times until I got a 175+. All the schools that accepted me where happy to accept me again with more money while the schools that rejected me were more than happy to accept me with scholarships!

The truth of the whole application process really comes down to your GPA, LSAT, and URM status. The one that is most controllable is your lsat score. You got some decent offers, but not great offers given your goals. I would easily defend BU or Vandy for free, but they aren't free in this case. Literally 2+ more points gets you more money (I dont know your specific score, but I imagine it is in the mid 160s). While 5+ points gets you into a whole better tier of law schools for around the same price you would have been paying for these schools.

Listen, the choice to retake and reapply isn't always the best choice. But in your case, it truly is. Literally getting 10 more questions right on a stupid test means you are looking at t13 schools for cheaper than these schools. That is a HUGE difference. The truth hurt when posters here told me that years ago, but I listened and it changed my life. I give you the same advice now because it really can be life-changing. Seriously, 10 more questions right on a stupid test can mean a significantly better law school and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in scholarship and tuition costs, plus a significantly higher earning potential over your lifetime.
Thanks for the detailed piece of advice.

Well, because I have some substantial savings, Vandy/BU is actually free tuition (yeah I have to pay for COA, but who gets a full ride at these places anyway?). It's not that I haven't thought about retaking, but my scores actually went down the last two times I took the exam. My college advisors are advising me against another retake since they're worried my score will fall again.

of course, law schools only take the highest but if I score worse than what I've already got, then that's just a year wasted and also I may be dealing with even worse prospects than I already have in my hands now.

Just trying to face my reality, that's all.

sparkytrainer

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by sparkytrainer » Tue May 29, 2018 2:18 pm

topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
If I withdraw from the schools accepted, retake the LSAT and reapply, what are the chances that these schools will accept me again? Won't they have a good reason to reject me since I "rejected" them the previous year?
Nope, because you just say that the offers weren't financially what you had hoped so you decided to retake the lsat and apply again. It won't harm you. I myself was rejected from a bunch of schools and accepted at a bunch of schools. I retook a bunch of times until I got a 175+. All the schools that accepted me where happy to accept me again with more money while the schools that rejected me were more than happy to accept me with scholarships!

The truth of the whole application process really comes down to your GPA, LSAT, and URM status. The one that is most controllable is your lsat score. You got some decent offers, but not great offers given your goals. I would easily defend BU or Vandy for free, but they aren't free in this case. Literally 2+ more points gets you more money (I dont know your specific score, but I imagine it is in the mid 160s). While 5+ points gets you into a whole better tier of law schools for around the same price you would have been paying for these schools.

Listen, the choice to retake and reapply isn't always the best choice. But in your case, it truly is. Literally getting 10 more questions right on a stupid test means you are looking at t13 schools for cheaper than these schools. That is a HUGE difference. The truth hurt when posters here told me that years ago, but I listened and it changed my life. I give you the same advice now because it really can be life-changing. Seriously, 10 more questions right on a stupid test can mean a significantly better law school and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in scholarship and tuition costs, plus a significantly higher earning potential over your lifetime.
Thanks for the detailed piece of advice.

Well, because I have some substantial savings, Vandy/BU is actually free tuition (yeah I have to pay for COA, but who gets a full ride at these places anyway?). It's not that I haven't thought about retaking, but my scores actually went down the last two times I took the exam. My college advisors are advising me against another retake since they're worried my score will fall again.

of course, law schools only take the highest but if I score worse than what I've already got, then that's just a year wasted and also I may be dealing with even worse prospects than I already have in my hands now.

Just trying to face my reality, that's all.
Your college advisors are idiots. Mine were too. Vandy/BU isn't free because COA. 60k in loans turns into 100k at repayment, if not more with interest rates rising.

Further, it sounds like you are in college. You should be taking a year or two off before law school anyway. The number of KJDs taken at top schools has been rapidly declining. College seniors going right to law school have no real world experience (generally) and are usually much more immature than their classmates that have been working for a few years (also generally). Now I am not sure whether you are graduating right now or you have been out for a few years and just talking to your college advisors, but regardless, another year working and building up saving while retaking is never a bad option.

I studied and retook over a year period while being a full time graduate student and having a full time job. I still was able to raise my score to a 175. The key is doing the work in the right way. The LSAT is all about actually learning the test so you can beat the test. There is no minimum knowledge needed to pass. Just an understanding of how they are testing you.

Listen, I am trying to give honest advice. The legal market isn't great right now and it appears to be contracting again. Plus the markets are looking at another recession here in the near future. Don't waste your savings because you feel like you can't get 10 more questions right. The truth is you can and you will. Stop listening to your advisors who literally do not know anything. Focus on learning the lsat, keep working (or get a job, still unclear to me where you are at in life) and reapply.

topetudiant

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 2:23 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
If I withdraw from the schools accepted, retake the LSAT and reapply, what are the chances that these schools will accept me again? Won't they have a good reason to reject me since I "rejected" them the previous year?
Nope, because you just say that the offers weren't financially what you had hoped so you decided to retake the lsat and apply again. It won't harm you. I myself was rejected from a bunch of schools and accepted at a bunch of schools. I retook a bunch of times until I got a 175+. All the schools that accepted me where happy to accept me again with more money while the schools that rejected me were more than happy to accept me with scholarships!

The truth of the whole application process really comes down to your GPA, LSAT, and URM status. The one that is most controllable is your lsat score. You got some decent offers, but not great offers given your goals. I would easily defend BU or Vandy for free, but they aren't free in this case. Literally 2+ more points gets you more money (I dont know your specific score, but I imagine it is in the mid 160s). While 5+ points gets you into a whole better tier of law schools for around the same price you would have been paying for these schools.

Listen, the choice to retake and reapply isn't always the best choice. But in your case, it truly is. Literally getting 10 more questions right on a stupid test means you are looking at t13 schools for cheaper than these schools. That is a HUGE difference. The truth hurt when posters here told me that years ago, but I listened and it changed my life. I give you the same advice now because it really can be life-changing. Seriously, 10 more questions right on a stupid test can mean a significantly better law school and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in scholarship and tuition costs, plus a significantly higher earning potential over your lifetime.
Thanks for the detailed piece of advice.

Well, because I have some substantial savings, Vandy/BU is actually free tuition (yeah I have to pay for COA, but who gets a full ride at these places anyway?). It's not that I haven't thought about retaking, but my scores actually went down the last two times I took the exam. My college advisors are advising me against another retake since they're worried my score will fall again.

of course, law schools only take the highest but if I score worse than what I've already got, then that's just a year wasted and also I may be dealing with even worse prospects than I already have in my hands now.

Just trying to face my reality, that's all.
Your college advisors are idiots. Mine were too. Vandy/BU isn't free because COA. 60k in loans turns into 100k at repayment, if not more with interest rates rising.

Further, it sounds like you are in college. You should be taking a year or two off before law school anyway. The number of KJDs taken at top schools has been rapidly declining. College seniors going right to law school have no real world experience (generally) and are usually much more immature than their classmates that have been working for a few years (also generally). Now I am not sure whether you are graduating right now or you have been out for a few years and just talking to your college advisors, but regardless, another year working and building up saving while retaking is never a bad option.

I studied and retook over a year period while being a full time graduate student and having a full time job. I still was able to raise my score to a 175. The key is doing the work in the right way. The LSAT is all about actually learning the test so you can beat the test. There is no minimum knowledge needed to pass. Just an understanding of how they are testing you.

Listen, I am trying to give honest advice. The legal market isn't great right now and it appears to be contracting again. Plus the markets are looking at another recession here in the near future. Don't waste your savings because you feel like you can't get 10 more questions right. The truth is you can and you will. Stop listening to your advisors who literally do not know anything. Focus on learning the lsat, keep working (or get a job, still unclear to me where you are at in life) and reapply.
Thanks for your advice, I am grateful (it's hard to convey the tone in writing but I am).

I'll be turning 30 actually and have been in the real world for several years now. Have done both consulting and public interest. But I'm glad I can still sound "young" in my posts :) (I just have kept in touch with my "college advisors" so hence I mentioned them in my post, not because I'm still in college. Hell, I wish I was 22 again!)

So, may I ask - which of the top law schools did you end up attending & are you working as an attorney right now?

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sparkytrainer

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by sparkytrainer » Tue May 29, 2018 2:27 pm

topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
If I withdraw from the schools accepted, retake the LSAT and reapply, what are the chances that these schools will accept me again? Won't they have a good reason to reject me since I "rejected" them the previous year?
Nope, because you just say that the offers weren't financially what you had hoped so you decided to retake the lsat and apply again. It won't harm you. I myself was rejected from a bunch of schools and accepted at a bunch of schools. I retook a bunch of times until I got a 175+. All the schools that accepted me where happy to accept me again with more money while the schools that rejected me were more than happy to accept me with scholarships!

The truth of the whole application process really comes down to your GPA, LSAT, and URM status. The one that is most controllable is your lsat score. You got some decent offers, but not great offers given your goals. I would easily defend BU or Vandy for free, but they aren't free in this case. Literally 2+ more points gets you more money (I dont know your specific score, but I imagine it is in the mid 160s). While 5+ points gets you into a whole better tier of law schools for around the same price you would have been paying for these schools.

Listen, the choice to retake and reapply isn't always the best choice. But in your case, it truly is. Literally getting 10 more questions right on a stupid test means you are looking at t13 schools for cheaper than these schools. That is a HUGE difference. The truth hurt when posters here told me that years ago, but I listened and it changed my life. I give you the same advice now because it really can be life-changing. Seriously, 10 more questions right on a stupid test can mean a significantly better law school and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in scholarship and tuition costs, plus a significantly higher earning potential over your lifetime.
Thanks for the detailed piece of advice.

Well, because I have some substantial savings, Vandy/BU is actually free tuition (yeah I have to pay for COA, but who gets a full ride at these places anyway?). It's not that I haven't thought about retaking, but my scores actually went down the last two times I took the exam. My college advisors are advising me against another retake since they're worried my score will fall again.

of course, law schools only take the highest but if I score worse than what I've already got, then that's just a year wasted and also I may be dealing with even worse prospects than I already have in my hands now.

Just trying to face my reality, that's all.
Your college advisors are idiots. Mine were too. Vandy/BU isn't free because COA. 60k in loans turns into 100k at repayment, if not more with interest rates rising.

Further, it sounds like you are in college. You should be taking a year or two off before law school anyway. The number of KJDs taken at top schools has been rapidly declining. College seniors going right to law school have no real world experience (generally) and are usually much more immature than their classmates that have been working for a few years (also generally). Now I am not sure whether you are graduating right now or you have been out for a few years and just talking to your college advisors, but regardless, another year working and building up saving while retaking is never a bad option.

I studied and retook over a year period while being a full time graduate student and having a full time job. I still was able to raise my score to a 175. The key is doing the work in the right way. The LSAT is all about actually learning the test so you can beat the test. There is no minimum knowledge needed to pass. Just an understanding of how they are testing you.

Listen, I am trying to give honest advice. The legal market isn't great right now and it appears to be contracting again. Plus the markets are looking at another recession here in the near future. Don't waste your savings because you feel like you can't get 10 more questions right. The truth is you can and you will. Stop listening to your advisors who literally do not know anything. Focus on learning the lsat, keep working (or get a job, still unclear to me where you are at in life) and reapply.
Thanks for your advice, I am grateful (it's hard to convey the tone in writing but I am).

I'll be turning 30 actually and have been in the real world for several years now. Have done both consulting and public interest. But I'm glad I can still sound "young" in my posts :) (I just have kept in touch with my "college advisors" so hence I mentioned them in my post, not because I'm still in college. Hell, I wish I was 22 again!)

So, may I ask - which of the top law schools did you end up attending & are you working as an attorney right now?
Yes, I went to Duke. I was actually rejected from the t13 completely, was set to attend one of the schools you had listed for a similar price and was convinced to retake. It screwed my plans up for a while, but I worked hard at studying for my 3+ take, crushed it, and got my legal education paid for by one of the t13 schools that had rejected me earlier.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 2:34 pm

That's great to hear and congratulations!

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by sparkytrainer » Tue May 29, 2018 2:41 pm

topetudiant wrote:That's great to hear and congratulations!
I have my rejection letter framed next to my diploma actually. All because I got 8 more questions right on a silly test. Isn't that amazing? Just retake my man, you are clearly intelligent enough. Do the work, keep your savings, and get into a better school for cheaper. There literally isn't a downside.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 3:22 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:That's great to hear and congratulations!
I have my rejection letter framed next to my diploma actually. All because I got 8 more questions right on a silly test. Isn't that amazing? Just retake my man, you are clearly intelligent enough. Do the work, keep your savings, and get into a better school for cheaper. There literally isn't a downside.
Did Duke pay for your tuition and living as well? That's impressive.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by northwood » Tue May 29, 2018 4:07 pm

topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:That's great to hear and congratulations!
I have my rejection letter framed next to my diploma actually. All because I got 8 more questions right on a silly test. Isn't that amazing? Just retake my man, you are clearly intelligent enough. Do the work, keep your savings, and get into a better school for cheaper. There literally isn't a downside.
Did Duke pay for your tuition and living as well? That's impressive.
Retaking is always fine if you feel as though you can improve/ want he best option for your goals. But if you don’t want to retake go to the best school that meets your goals for the price in the region you want to work.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by OneTwoThreeFour » Tue May 29, 2018 4:46 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
This is not even close to being true. https://law.vanderbilt.edu/2017-EmploymentSummary.pdf

Approximately 66% of VLS '17 landed either FedClerk/BigLaw so I'm not sure where the hell you're getting your numbers from. Retaking is always the answer, but if you're dead set against it, Vanderbilt is a very good option with that scholarship. Georgetown should have also given you something, have you tried to negotiate? Feel free to DM me if you have questions.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 8:21 pm

OneTwoThreeFour wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
This is not even close to being true. https://law.vanderbilt.edu/2017-EmploymentSummary.pdf

Approximately 66% of VLS '17 landed either FedClerk/BigLaw so I'm not sure where the hell you're getting your numbers from. Retaking is always the answer, but if you're dead set against it, Vanderbilt is a very good option with that scholarship. Georgetown should have also given you something, have you tried to negotiate? Feel free to DM me if you have questions.
How to PM you? Sorry I'm new to the forum.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by OneTwoThreeFour » Tue May 29, 2018 8:42 pm

topetudiant wrote: How to PM you? Sorry I'm new to the forum.
lol I think they removed that function actually, what questions do you have? I was in a similar spot as you.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Tue May 29, 2018 9:01 pm

OneTwoThreeFour wrote:
topetudiant wrote: How to PM you? Sorry I'm new to the forum.
lol I think they removed that function actually, what questions do you have? I was in a similar spot as you.
Are a you a Vandy student? Do you know how well Vandy does with job placements out of Tenn/South? I'm not very familiar with South, although i'm not averse to living in the bigger cities, say Atlanta. Do you know if Vandy name carries to the East Coast, or no?

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by northwood » Tue May 29, 2018 9:09 pm

Where are your ties and wheee do you want to practice ?

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by ChangeGoinCome » Tue May 29, 2018 10:23 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Hey buddy, wise guy, why don't you look up Vandy's Biglaw numbers last year. Thanks.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by beinghuman » Wed May 30, 2018 2:06 pm

I typically would agree with Sparky's advice but since you've taken the test 4 times, I'd do some more thinking before rejecting these offers.

Would you mind sharing your scores? My worry is that you might not improve your score, go down, or only gain 1 or 2 points and get pretty much the same offers a year later. I would advise you to retake if you didn't prepare well or had the wrong approach to studying the LSAT.

I agree with Sparky that those schools are not great for big law but they are not bad. Your choices will be limited if you graduate from Georgetown or Vandy and you would need to do well in law school, so do some more research on the schools, do some financial analysis, and see whether it's better for you to wait for a year.

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Thomas Hagan, ESQ.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by Thomas Hagan, ESQ. » Wed May 30, 2018 2:18 pm

sparkytrainer wrote:
topetudiant wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Fair enough. But again there's no way I'm retaking the LSAT. You're talking to someone who's taken the exam more than four times.

In terms of costs, would you say that any of the options are reasonable?

I'm not just going for biglaw, just not Public Interest that pays less than 50k.

I want biglaw but I'm not married to solely that option.
Well then are you happy fighting to get a 60k a year job in Nashville or Boston? Because you either get biglaw and that salary or you are going to a more local, smaller firm making what you would make in public interest.
LOL the fact that you think that most Vandy grads get jobs in Nashville (which is not true because NY is Vandy's biggest market...and the people that stay in Nashville are FROM Nashville and wanted to be there) OR that those getting Nashville jobs are making $60k (the Nashville firms that Vandy feeds into, Bass Berry/Bradley/Baker Donelson pay around $110k/first year) really shows how you have no idea what you're talking about LOL

Observing people like you feeling the need to project intelligence by making shit up is hilarious.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Wed May 30, 2018 5:45 pm

northwood wrote:Where are your ties and wheee do you want to practice ?
Boston/DC/NYC (based on work and school). Ideally East Coast, but like I said if I had to find a job in the South, I will do it.

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by topetudiant » Wed May 30, 2018 5:46 pm

beinghuman wrote:I typically would agree with Sparky's advice but since you've taken the test 4 times, I'd do some more thinking before rejecting these offers.

Would you mind sharing your scores? My worry is that you might not improve your score, go down, or only gain 1 or 2 points and get pretty much the same offers a year later. I would advise you to retake if you didn't prepare well or had the wrong approach to studying the LSAT.

I agree with Sparky that those schools are not great for big law but they are not bad. Your choices will be limited if you graduate from Georgetown or Vandy and you would need to do well in law school, so do some more research on the schools, do some financial analysis, and see whether it's better for you to wait for a year.
I don't feel comfortable sharing but my LSAT score wasn't exactly stellar. I'm also an older applicant (turning 30). I find that I don't do very well studying and holding my full-time job.

What do you guys think about going to either Vandy or Georgetown and transferring out 1st year?

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Re: Vandy ($$) vs. BU ($) vs. Gtown (but have outside funds)

Post by RedPurpleBlue » Wed May 30, 2018 6:24 pm

ChangeGoinCome wrote:
sparkytrainer wrote:If you want biglaw, none of these are great choices. Each places 30-40% into biglaw, which is nothing compared to the 75+% at each of the t13. I know you don’t want to hear it, but the honest answer if you want biglaw is retake.
Hey buddy, wise guy, why don't you look up Vandy's Biglaw numbers last year. Thanks.
Not to disrespect Vandy, but prospective students should be cautiously optimistic about Vandy's numbers in the past two years. They are good, but they could disappear in a second if the economy even nudges in the wrong direction. Meanwhile, T13 numbers would go down a bit but not nearly as much as the rest of the T20. The volatility in the T20 is just much higher during both good and bad years, and who knows where the economy will be in 3 years. Historically, Vandy has been in the 30-40% range and I'd advise potential students to still treat it as such when making such a big financial decision because it could return there in a second. I understand we all have a lot of school pride. Vandy is a great school, but let's not upsell it quite yet to people who are going to throw a small fortune at law school, especially when the tendency on this board for newcomers is to GO GO GO and not to take time, sit out cycles, and retake. Dangerous game to enable those people to attend a school that is only recently performing phenomenally and historically performed just very good.

Just my double pennies.

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