Need HELP/Advice choosing among schools Forum

[Philipsssssss]

Hello Everyone,

I am having a hard time deciding whether I should go to a higher ranked school such as U of I, or somewhat higher ranked schools (Kent and Loyola) which are located in Chicago (more job oppertunities). Saint Louis is very appealing due to the full-ride scholy they offered. With todays uncertainty about jobs, would it be better to settle for a lower ranked school but get out relatively debt-free?

Your advice on the matter would be highly appreciated.

My stats:

LSDAC UG GPA: 3.60 (otherwise graduation GPA of 3.89) (Majors: Economics and Business)
Graduate GPA: 3.89 (Major Accounting)
LSAT: 164

Acceptances:

• Chicago-Kent: $66K (No minimum GPA req.)
  Loyola-Chicago: $60K (No minimum GPA req.)
  University of Illinois College of Law: (50% tuition Scholarship, No minimum GPA req.)
  Saint Louis University School of Law: (Named an 1843 Scholar at Saint Louis University, full tuition scholarship)

Waitlists:

• University of Virginia
  Washington University in Saint Louis
  William & Mary

Thank you.

[Philipsssssss]

So ... noone here would take the full-ride offered by SLU Law?

[Sammy841]

Everyone in this forum is going to tell you to retake but I'll put in a word about the scholars program at ST Louis. I randomly know 4 people who also had that scholarship and had wonderful mentoring/job-seeking experiences. All of them did federal Art 111 clerkships and are moving on to great jobs. I normally wouldn't recommend a law school ranked that low on the ladder, but that specific scholarship program seems to have some real potential.

[TLSwag]

ride out the WL at UVA. what makes you think you are in? go there if you get in. if not, please don't waste your GPA w/o a retake.

You can always deposit at one of these schools, then retake in June. if things don't go well, no harm no foul. if you kill it, you reapply... if you go up a few points it will only help ur WL cause. this is what I will be doing

[Philipsssssss]

@TLSwag

I took the LSAT 3 times already (since 2007). I canceled twice. With all what I have going on at the moment, I would have a hard time retaking with a clean mind. I already got accepted to 2 schools last year, Cordozo and Kent, yet deferred @ Kent and decided my luck once more. So as you see, I am on this on and off wave, and it's time to move on with my life. I agree with you that a higher LSAT would work magic, but I simply waited for too long, i'm 27, and ... ye ... I don't think I can wait another year ...

1) Would you honestly choose no scholy in UVA (or the other 2) over a full ride 1843 based on the experiences of these individuals as Sammy841 stated?

@Sammy841

Thanks for the insightful comment. From what I understand, the 1843 is a type of honor scholorship that took me an extra essay and interview to get.

[t14fanboy]

You won't get into UVa with those numbers. Are you from the midwest? If so Saint Louis is your best option. The others don't justify the cost of attendance.

[checkster]

SLU gets a lot of heat on TLS, but for free its a solid school...if you aren't going to retake. The recipients of that scholars awards also usually do very well.

[TLSwag]

@TLSwag

I took the LSAT 3 times already (since 2007). I canceled twice. With all what I have going on at the moment, I would have a hard time retaking with a clean mind. I already got accepted to 2 schools last year, Cordozo and Kent, yet deferred @ Kent and decided my luck once more. So as you see, I am on this on and off wave, and it's time to move on with my life. I agree with you that a higher LSAT would work magic, but I simply waited for too long, i'm 27, and ... ye ... I don't think I can wait another year ...

1) Would you honestly choose no scholy in UVA (or the other 2) over a full ride 1843 based on the experiences of these individuals as Sammy841 stated?

@Sammy841

Thanks for the insightful comment. From what I understand, the 1843 is a type of honor scholorship that took me an extra essay and interview to get.

Ok, I see where you are coming from with the LSAT dilemma. Just wanted to inquire into why it wasn't an option, fair enough. I agree with t14fanboy, st. louis is definitely your best bet if you don't get the WL at UVa. Seems like a refutable program and obviously the prospects of no debt are enticing. But yes personally I would choose UVA at sticker. But what are your goals? I.e. are you interested in BigLaw or even having it as an option? Needless to say, st. louis is also extremely geographically constricting. Are you okay being there the rest of your life? At14 opens up a lot more doors.

EDIT: Didn't see your inquiry about the other 2 WL schools. I think you are better off at st. louis (this also depends on ur answers to the questions I posed above) then these schools at sticker. UVa is a different story.

[Philipsssssss]

You won't get into UVa with those numbers. Are you from the midwest? If so Saint Louis is your best option. The others don't justify the cost of attendance.

Yes, I am from the midwest. I won't lie, STL isn't my location of choice. Nice city, but I prefer Chicago over it. However, I just don't see how would a 50% scholy at these other Chicago schools justify the cost of attending, unless I can position myself better at graduation. I won't be against working in Chicago, I wonder if I will have a decent chance at securing employment in that city with a resume that has a full-ride scholy mentioned on it.

I also heard that SLU has a pretty good placement in DC in the health-law area. SLU is supposadly No.1 in health-law, but I don't know if that specific 'field' is something I want to throw myself into.

[Philipsssssss]

@TLSwag

I took the LSAT 3 times already (since 2007). I canceled twice. With all what I have going on at the moment, I would have a hard time retaking with a clean mind. I already got accepted to 2 schools last year, Cordozo and Kent, yet deferred @ Kent and decided my luck once more. So as you see, I am on this on and off wave, and it's time to move on with my life. I agree with you that a higher LSAT would work magic, but I simply waited for too long, i'm 27, and ... ye ... I don't think I can wait another year ...

1) Would you honestly choose no scholy in UVA (or the other 2) over a full ride 1843 based on the experiences of these individuals as Sammy841 stated?

@Sammy841

Thanks for the insightful comment. From what I understand, the 1843 is a type of honor scholorship that took me an extra essay and interview to get.

Ok, I see where you are coming from with the LSAT dilemma. Just wanted to inquire into why it wasn't an option, fair enough. I agree with t14fanboy, st. louis is definitely your best bet if you don't get the WL at UVa. Seems like a refutable program and obviously the prospects of no debt are enticing. But yes personally I would choose UVA at sticker. But what are your goals? I.e. are you interested in BigLaw or even having it as an option? Needless to say, st. louis is also extremely geographically constricting. Are you okay being there the rest of your life? At14 opens up a lot more doors.

EDIT: Didn't see your inquiry about the other 2 WL schools. I think you are better off at st. louis (this also depends on ur answers to the questions I posed above) then these schools at sticker. UVa is a different story.

1) Big Law ... Well, from what I understand, compared to WashU, SLU is more restrictive in where its undergraduate are placed. They are well positioned within the city, but it’s much harder to move to Chicago or elsewhere. However, the 1843 school may be a serious addition to my resume assuming I graduate with a respectable ranking.

2) I don't think I can live in STL the rest of my life. STL is nice to a point. But $$$ vs. debt in a better city... That’s the thing. I either go to SLU and have no law debt (aside from the 30K or so I have from my UG and Graduate years), or move to Chicago and attend Law school, have an extra 80K worth of debt, but be able to secure a job in the city.

3) I wish I could wait out another year, but its just becoming too much. This is the second cycle in which I got in to schools, and this time it’s psychologically pressuring a bit, I simply don't know if I can pull up a 166+.

4) From what I read, the consensus is....IF I get into UVA -> GO. No matter the amount of debt...

[checkster]

Don't assume that any of those Chicago schools will guarantee that you will secure a job in Chicago...at all. They are all hurting.