Turn down offer of admission because too $$$/ Forum

[Emma1]

...

[lawschooliseasy]

1) Go to a lower ranked T1 school with a huge $cholarship
2) Graduate with no/low debt
3) ???
4) Profit

[World B. Free]

I would love to go to 2 of my acceptances, but I am no getting $, so it makes it tough

[LSATfromNC]

1) Go to a lower ranked T1 school with a huge $cholarship
2) Graduate with no/low debt
3) Do the job you want instead of slaving in Big Law
4) Profit

[thesealocust]

nm

[underachiever]

1) Go to a lower ranked T1 school with a huge $cholarship
2) Graduate with no/low debt
3) Do the job you want instead of slaving in Big Law
4) Profit

re: #3 - the job you want probably requires credentials in the same ballpark as biglaw, or only hires laterals from biglaw. HTH.

Thats what sucks...i hope to be out of biglaw and out of debt within 2 yrs out of LS

[UFMatt]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

[LSATfromNC]

1) Go to a lower ranked T1 school with a huge $cholarship
2) Graduate with no/low debt
3) Do the job you want instead of slaving in Big Law
4) Profit

re: #3 - the job you want probably requires credentials in the same ballpark as biglaw, or only hires laterals from biglaw. HTH.

The job I want should not, I hope (semi-rural ADA or public defender).

[dakatz]

I'm trying to find a good middle ground here. Sure, I would love to go to the highest ranked school I can get into at full price, but I think going 200K into debt for anything other than HYS is absolute insanity ITE. Pretty much every lawyer I have spoken to agrees 100% with that. I know lawyers who graduated from T14 schools who all say that I should look to stay in 80K of debt or less. Keep in mind that they say this from experience, and they graduated in a time when the economy was actually good. At the same time, I don't just want to go to whatever school lets me go for free, if it won't get me a halfway decent job after. So, while I feel like I may end up with 2 or 3 T14 acceptances, I think I will most likely end up in the 20-30 range with a good scholarship offer. I feel like a T25 or T30 school still offers good job prospects, without making the debt load too horrible.

[Vincent Vega]

My dream job presently: http://www.lakecountyil.gov/statesattorney/default.htm

I don't need HYSCCN for that, baby. Give me the $$$.

[Stringer Bell]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

Opportunities are only better from the top 3? This is 100% false. If you want to debate sticker at a certain school vs. $$ at another, that's a fair argument, but to say that opportunities out of Michigan aren't going to be better than from IU-B or Alabama is absurd. I'm sure most have seen this Pre-ITE graph, but for those that haven't, here it is. http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

[GATORTIM]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

Opportunities are only better from the top 3? This is 100% false. If you want to debate sticker at a certain school vs. $$ at another, that's a fair argument, but to say that opportunities out of Michigan aren't going to be better than from IU-B or Alabama is absurd. I'm sure most have seen this Pre-ITE graph, but for those that haven't, here it is. http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

isnt it also absurb to assume he was speaking literally, perhaps he was just alluding to the overall sentiments of TLS

[UFMatt]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

Opportunities are only better from the top 3? This is 100% false. If you want to debate sticker at a certain school vs. $$ at another, that's a fair argument, but to say that opportunities out of Michigan aren't going to be better than from IU-B or Alabama is absurd. I'm sure most have seen this Pre-ITE graph, but for those that haven't, here it is. http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

Whoa, slow down. Of course Michigan will afford more opportunities than the likes of IU-B. My post wasn't implying that.

I implied that if a person squeaks into a T14, but has $$ offered from - let's say - Vanderbilt, that the career prospects out of Vanderbilt aren't that much lower. In that scenario, I would argue that ego is the overwhelming reason to attend a lower-end T14 at sticker vs. Vanderbilt for far less.

Let me put it another way. Everyone has what I'd call a sweet spot in the rankings. At one end that person will get in, but won't be offered money. In the middle they'll be offered $$, and at the tail end they'll possibly get $$$ (i.e. full ride). Unless the high end of that range is HYS, my argument was that the career opportunities afforded won't be substantially higher than those in the middle (likely just a few spots behind in ranking), and so I would recommend taking the $$.

There may be some exceptions to this argument (e.g. someone is determined to work in a particular region that only their sticker price school feeds into), but I'd expect that it holds true for most.

[Stringer Bell]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

Opportunities are only better from the top 3? This is 100% false. If you want to debate sticker at a certain school vs. $$ at another, that's a fair argument, but to say that opportunities out of Michigan aren't going to be better than from IU-B or Alabama is absurd. I'm sure most have seen this Pre-ITE graph, but for those that haven't, here it is. http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

isnt it also absurb to assume he was speaking literally, perhaps he was just alluding to the overall sentiments of TLS

However the statement was intended, it was inaccurate. The reason I'm going to a T10 (likely @ sticker) is not to stroke my ego. When my LSAT score was in the mid 160's, I was planning to go a state school because I thought that the opportunities that came with going to a 20-30 school weren't worth the additional cost. After jumping into the 170's, that strategy changed because I think the opportunities from a T10 are worth the cost. I may be wrong in the choice I'm making, but ego is not the driver behind my decision.

[Stringer Bell]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

Opportunities are only better from the top 3? This is 100% false. If you want to debate sticker at a certain school vs. $$ at another, that's a fair argument, but to say that opportunities out of Michigan aren't going to be better than from IU-B or Alabama is absurd. I'm sure most have seen this Pre-ITE graph, but for those that haven't, here it is. http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

Whoa, slow down. Of course Michigan will afford more opportunities than the likes of IU-B. My post wasn't implying that.

I implied that if a person squeaks into a T14, but has $$ offered from - let's say - Vanderbilt, that the career prospects out of Vanderbilt aren't that much lower. In that scenario, I would argue that ego is the overwhelming reason to attend a lower-end T14 at sticker vs. Vanderbilt for far less.

Let me put it another way. Everyone has what I'd call a sweet spot in the rankings. At one end that person will get in, but won't be offered money. In the middle they'll be offered $$, and at the tail end they'll possibly get $$$ (i.e. full ride). Unless the high end of that range is HYS, my argument was that the career opportunities afforded won't be substantially higher than those in the middle (likely just a few spots behind in ranking), and so I would recommend taking the $$.

There may be some exceptions to this argument (e.g. someone is determined to work in a particular region that only their sticker price school feeds into), but I'd expect that it holds true for most.

Fair enough. I don't disagree with this.

Edit: Actually, it's not quite that easy. I'm a splitter, so Vandy with decent money probably wouldn't have been an option for me. I probably wouldn't have gotten any money until WUSTL came up, and UVA is likely going to give me better opportunities than WUSTL would have. Is that worth 20k extra a year? I think so, but the answers not the same for everyone. (Note: I applied ED to UVA, so it's hypothetical on money).

[UFMatt]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

Opportunities are only better from the top 3? This is 100% false. If you want to debate sticker at a certain school vs. $$ at another, that's a fair argument, but to say that opportunities out of Michigan aren't going to be better than from IU-B or Alabama is absurd. I'm sure most have seen this Pre-ITE graph, but for those that haven't, here it is. http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

isnt it also absurb to assume he was speaking literally, perhaps he was just alluding to the overall sentiments of TLS

However the statement was intended, it was inaccurate. The reason I'm going to a T10 (likely @ sticker) is not to stroke my ego. When my LSAT score was in the mid 160's, I was planning to go a state school because I thought that the opportunities that came with going to a 20-30 school weren't worth the additional cost. After jumping into the 170's, that strategy changed because I think the opportunities from a T10 are worth the cost. I may be wrong in the choice I'm making, but ego is not the driver behind my decision.

Perhaps it was a poor choice of words. I can see how this would be offensive. Perceived career opportunities would be more accurate.

[98234872348]

1) Go to a lower ranked T1 school with a huge $cholarship unless you get into a T10
2) Graduate with no/low debt
3) ???
4) Profit

FTFY.

[GATORTIM]

However the statement was intended, it was inaccurate. The reason I'm going to a T10 (likely @ sticker) is not to stroke my ego. When my LSAT score was in the mid 160's, I was planning to go a state school because I thought that the opportunities that came with going to a 20-30 school weren't worth the additional cost. After jumping into the 170's, that strategy changed because I think the opportunities from a T10 are worth the cost. I may be wrong in the choice I'm making, but ego is not the driver behind my decision.

That's cool, congrats. I would be right there with you if I was in the 170's

[Nicholasnickynic]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

I don't think paying 45k sticker for #30 UNC is ego?

IMO, it depends on what sticker is.

For me, #35 Georgia at 60k > #71 Pitt at 37K (w/scholly).

That being said, I'm not sure any school is worth more than, absolute max, 75k, and even then I'd be uncomfortable. I think it depends on how much debt you are willing to assume.

As to the original poster's question, I applied to Boston as a super reach, and now, If I do get in im 99.9% sure I'd reject them with how much they charge.

[beesknees]

I'm definitely starting to go into sticker shock. I think, however, going to balls to the walls one way or the other is probably best for me instead a middle of the road approach (ie taking out a shit ton of debt at a T20 school around $80-90k) over either taking an in-state with scholarship or paying through the teeth for a T10. Seems like if I choose that middle ranked school I'll still have a ridiculous amount of debt with diminished job prospects in comparison to the T10.

I'm thinking either go all in for the best ranked school (which, for me is Michigan) and bank on good grades + good economy or go completely safe and take the close-to in-state full ride at a T50 where at least if the economy sucks and you can't get a job, you're not in the negative.

[ShibaDan]

I am going through the same thing...I don't know how the hell I am going to take out a mortgage for my education...nevermind the fact that even if somehow ITE I manage a biglaw job I still will be paying loans until I'm 40. Freaking. Out.

[ShibaDan]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

I don't think paying 45k sticker for #30 UNC is ego?

IMO, it depends on what sticker is.

For me, #35 Georgia at 60k > #71 Pitt at 37K (w/scholly).

That being said, I'm not sure any school is worth more than, absolute max, 75k, and even then I'd be uncomfortable. I think it depends on how much debt you are willing to assume.

As to the original poster's question, I applied to Boston as a super reach, and now, If I do get in im 99.9% sure I'd reject them with how much they charge.

So are you saying that MVPB at sticker would not be a good choice? That thought makes me a little sick...

[lovethelaw88]

I'm definitely starting to freak out a bit about how expensive law school is. My parents aren't giving me a dime for law school, so it's all going to be on me. I've only heard back from 5 schools so far (in at all of them), but I'm starting to wonder...is it better to go to a much lower ranked school (T3 or T4) with a free ride (where job prospects are presumably much lower) or go to a better school at sticker? It's not easy to say given the state of the economy...

[Nicholasnickynic]

1) Go to a lower ranked T1 school with a huge $cholarship
2) Graduate with no/low debt
3) ???
4) Profit

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/151040

[Nicholasnickynic]

I'd recommend going to the most affordable school that will allow you to pursue your intended career. Paying sticker at anywhere other than the top 3 is likely more for ego than a legitimate enhancement of career opportunity.

I don't think paying 45k sticker for #30 UNC is ego?

IMO, it depends on what sticker is.

For me, #35 Georgia at 60k > #71 Pitt at 37K (w/scholly).

That being said, I'm not sure any school is worth more than, absolute max, 75k, and even then I'd be uncomfortable. I think it depends on how much debt you are willing to assume.

As to the original poster's question, I applied to Boston as a super reach, and now, If I do get in im 99.9% sure I'd reject them with how much they charge.

So are you saying that MVPB at sticker would not be a good choice? That thought makes me a little sick...

MVPB?