USF - worth it for $120,000 in loans? Forum

jr0008 · Post by **jr0008** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 12:35 pm

I am considering attending USF but will need to take out at least $120,000 in loans. Is the debt worth it considering USF's ranking? I'm worried about the employment/salary prospects after graduating. Appreciate any comments on this.

the_assassin · Post by **the_assassin** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:28 pm

Not at all

LawandOrder · Post by **LawandOrder** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:30 pm

Post by **Helmholtz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:32 pm

If you can guarantee that you'll be in the top 5-10%, maybe.

Cleareyes · Post by **Cleareyes** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:33 pm

What's an antonym for yes?

Post by **Helmholtz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:34 pm

Cleareyes wrote:What's an antonym for yes?

Can I buy a vowel?

jacktripper · Post by **jacktripper** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:37 pm

jr0008 wrote:I am considering attending USF but will need to take out at least $120,000 in loans. Is the debt worth it considering USF's ranking? I'm worried about the employment/salary prospects after graduating. Appreciate any comments on this.

are you planning on doing big law or PI work? Biglaw is the only real way you'll be able to pay off that debt and have a good QOL. Unless you are planning on working long hours for a big firm, then you shouldn't go into that much debt. Also, do you see yourself staying in SF after you graduate? It is a very regional school, so this is something else to consider.

The Zeppelin · Post by **The Zeppelin** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:38 pm

The big law job isn't going to happen though.

Post by **Helmholtz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:42 pm

The Zeppelin wrote:The big law job isn't going to happen though.

They put around 7% in the NLJ250. Likely? No. Possible? Yes.

20160810 · Post by **20160810** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:03 pm

GPA and LSAT score do, to a degree, correlate to success in law school. It's common practice among virtually all law schools to throw large scholarships at students whose numbers are way above their medians. In other words, the 5-6% of students that do very well at USF and get NLJ250 jobs might very well be the 5-6% who had the numbers to get into Hastings or USC but chose to take the $$$ from USF. Of course this won't be a 1-to-1 correlation, but I'd be willing to bet that, for people who got no merit money, the odds of getting biglaw out of USF are surely less than 5%.

interestedbyestander · Post by **interestedbyestander** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:06 pm

SoftBoiledLife wrote:GPA and LSAT score do, to a degree, correlate to success in law school. It's common practice among virtually all law schools to throw large scholarships at students whose numbers are way above their medians. In other words, the 5-6% of students that do very well at USF and get NLJ250 jobs might very well be the 5-6% who had the numbers to get into Hastings or USC but chose to take the $$$ from USF. Of course this won't be a 1-to-1 correlation, but I'd be willing to bet that, for people who got no merit money, the odds of getting biglaw out of USF are surely less than 5%.

You are working with last year's employment data. This year the number going to Biglaw from a school like USF will be less than 2%, if any at all.

jessicaw · Post by **jessicaw** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:07 pm

My brother graduated from USF last year, passed the bar, and still hasn't been able to find a paying job.

YIKES!!

I know its just a personal anecdote, but thats my two cents.

Cleareyes · Post by **Cleareyes** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:08 pm

jessicaw wrote:My brother graduated last year, passed the bar, and still hasn't been able to find a paying job.

YIKES!!

I know its just a personal anecdote, but thats my two cents.

And now we know why you want to go to law school?

20160810 · Post by **20160810** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:09 pm

jessicaw wrote:My brother graduated from USF last year, passed the bar, and still hasn't been able to find a paying job.

YIKES!!

I know its just a personal anecdote, but thats my two cents.

That is awful

jessicaw · Post by **jessicaw** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:09 pm

I decided on law school before all of this.

(Now you know why I fiercely worked to get into top schools)

doinmybest · Post by **doinmybest** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:01 pm

Cleareyes wrote:What's an antonym for yes?

Cleareyes, you're on a roll today. Thats the third hilarious/witty comment I've read in this forum alone. Two more and I'll get my notepad out.

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:15 pm

probably not buddy. can you not become an in-state resident?

20160810 · Post by **20160810** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:40 pm

kyle wrote:probably not buddy. can you not become an in-state resident?

USF is a private school, and as such residency has no effect whatsoever on tuition.

--ImageRemoved--

staplegunsarefun · Post by **staplegunsarefun** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:05 pm

Do you have other options? USF is notoriously stingy with their aid money. USF tends to offer less than local competitors like Santa Clara - even though they have a lower ranking. I'm guessing that if you applied to other similarly ranked schools, you might have other decent options that offered more money? Why do you want USF?

volfan6415 · Post by **volfan6415** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:07 pm

nope not worth it at all

john titor · Post by **john titor** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:10 pm

Helmholtz wrote:If you can guarantee that you'll be in the top 5-10%, maybe.

which you can't. no one can ever guarantee where they are going to be in the class.

Post by **Helmholtz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:11 pm

john titor wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:If you can guarantee that you'll be in the top 5-10%, maybe.
which you can't. no one can ever guarantee where they are going to be in the class.

I know. That was my way of telling him no.

rayiner · Post by **rayiner** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:12 pm

jessicaw wrote:My brother graduated from USF last year, passed the bar, and still hasn't been able to find a paying job.

YIKES!!

I know its just a personal anecdote, but thats my two cents.

EDIT: Wow, I don't know why I said that out loud.

john titor · Post by **john titor** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:13 pm

Helmholtz wrote:
john titor wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:If you can guarantee that you'll be in the top 5-10%, maybe.
which you can't. no one can ever guarantee where they are going to be in the class.
I know. That was my way of telling him no.

i just worry that OP will think "sure, I can be top 5%. You know how? Hard work." and then happily send in the seat deposit. weirder things have happened.

Post by **Helmholtz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:14 pm

john titor wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:
john titor wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:If you can guarantee that you'll be in the top 5-10%, maybe.
which you can't. no one can ever guarantee where they are going to be in the class.
I know. That was my way of telling him no.
i just worry that OP will think "sure, I can be top 5%. You know how? Hard work." and then happily send in the seat deposit. weirder things have happened.

True dat.

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