Top Law Schools

1cdixon wrote:

Lwoods1020 wrote:

1cdixon wrote:I'm in! From complete file to admitted students day email, it was less than 24 hours. Extremely quick for me. When I received the email about admitted students day, I gave them a call to confirm that what I was reading was true. Still waiting on official letter and possible scholarship information. I also wish they had a second date for Admitted Students Day. However, I called them and they encouraged me to plan an individual visit. I'm not from anywhere near South Carolina, so if anyone has suggestions on 1-bedroom apartments then it would be greatly appreciated. Can't wait to meet ya'll!

I went there for undergrad and I would say cheap, but pretty nice apartments (its a 13-15 min drive to campus but there's a shuttle) would be Copper Beech
or Hampton Greene / Hampton Court

Why don't you want to live with other law students?

I'd just rather live by myself. I'll be around fellow law students enough and I've had a 1-bedroom for 3 years of undergrad. I just can't bring myself to live with anyone else. I like having my own space, my things, and nobody else to mess with them. I'm also a neat freak and roommates tend to be messy. lol.

Haha ok. I don't know if you're familiar with Columbia, but I would advise you not be tempted by the cheaper options of living in a house off campus. Columbia is a high crime region and houses seem less safe, and also seem to have more break ins than the gated communities I listed. Good luck!

If I didn't hear about anything scholarship related, and nothing about getting an in-state waiver does that mean that I won't?

CoffeeIsLife wrote:If I didn't hear about anything scholarship related, and nothing about getting an in-state waiver does that mean that I won't?

Sorry to quote myself but I found out I actually got the Non-Resident tuition which is basically a $20,000 scholarship each year so no need for my earlier question.

CoffeeIsLife wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:If I didn't hear about anything scholarship related, and nothing about getting an in-state waiver does that mean that I won't?

Sorry to quote myself but I found out I actually got the Non-Resident tuition which is basically a $20,000 scholarship each year so no need for my earlier question.

How did you find out? I'm a little surprised I didn't get in-state tuition as well.

allenea wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:If I didn't hear about anything scholarship related, and nothing about getting an in-state waiver does that mean that I won't?

Sorry to quote myself but I found out I actually got the Non-Resident tuition which is basically a $20,000 scholarship each year so no need for my earlier question.

How did you find out? I'm a little surprised I didn't get in-state tuition as well.

I emailed and asked about it.

allenea wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:If I didn't hear about anything scholarship related, and nothing about getting an in-state waiver does that mean that I won't?

Sorry to quote myself but I found out I actually got the Non-Resident tuition which is basically a $20,000 scholarship each year so no need for my earlier question.

How did you find out? I'm a little surprised I didn't get in-state tuition as well.

I also got something in the Mail stating that I got the discounted tuition

Same. Also received the non-resident scholarship.

I received a letter stating I got the in-state equalizer + 4k.

Just yall's opinion, SC w/ a scholarship out of state OR Alabama w/out a scholarship out-of-state

doubledawg3378 wrote:Just yall's opinion, SC w/ a scholarship out of state OR Alabama w/out a scholarship out-of-state

even with scholarship, 24k is not cheap for any law school. I think it ultimately depends on where you want to practice. Bama probably has more opportunities outside the state of AL, but USC is where to go if you want to practice in SC. Another positive note about USC is that there is not a GPA requirement with scholarship. you have a tough decision to make for sure.

I am a USC alum and have plenty of knowledge about Columbia and USC, message me if you have any more questions.

Anyone going to ASD this weekend to check out the school?

CoffeeIsLife wrote:Anyone going to ASD this weekend to check out the school?

I'll be there. I have a pretty big decision to make so I figured I should at least go see the school

doubledawg3378 wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:Anyone going to ASD this weekend to check out the school?

I'll be there. I have a pretty big decision to make so I figured I should at least go see the school

I'm 95% I will be attending USC but I am also going this weekend to make sure I make the right choice

CoffeeIsLife wrote:

doubledawg3378 wrote:

CoffeeIsLife wrote:Anyone going to ASD this weekend to check out the school?

I'll be there. I have a pretty big decision to make so I figured I should at least go see the school

I'm 95% I will be attending USC but I am also going this weekend to make sure I make the right choice

I'll be there as well. I visited separately earlier in the month to get some one-on-one time with people, and while the building itself is super under-whelming (very old building - our class would be the first in the new law school breaking ground this summer), hopefully you'll get a good feeling for the school. While I'm a self-professed hater of all things Columbia, I actually felt pretty good coming out of the first visit. See y'all tomorrow!

how was the asw, if anyone attended?

phaynes1 wrote:how was the asw, if anyone attended?

I was there. It was pretty good - we had a mock class, the (shockingly large number of) parents went off elsewhere to ask worried questions (my s/o was there - apparently one was so concerned and upset that there was only one exam because "his student liked to know where she stood;" to which the professor all but said "too bad so sad"), two sessions based on different academic offerings, some kind of alumni panel, financial aid, then lunch. I left at that point because I didn't feel well, but there was a student panel following lunch.

Similar to what the person above said. I decided against it because I wasn't convinced I'd be ok working outside of SC. I don't want to stay there once I graduate and it seemed like OH, all the connections are great in SC and its the perfect place to be... buuut not guaranteeing you'd be ok anywhere else

I think it went well like the people before me said. The Law building is old, but they are building a new one. The whole thing didn't knock me away though, I think I may actually be more confused after visiting than I was.

I posted here a few months ago asking if anyone had any questions for a current student (I'm a 1L). I'll be checking this periodically for the next few days if y'all have anymore. Feel free to post here or PM me.

I was one of the ambassadors at ASD so I really don't mind doing this at all, and I know sometimes its easier to ask hard questions in text than in person so feel free to shoot away.

To the question above about mobility outside of SC, the degree is not terribly mobile. Your individual connections will matter to a point, but USC definitely carries the most weight in SC. There's people that go to NC and GA each year, but not too many. If you're unsure of where you want to practice, but think it will be in the Southeast, USC might be an okay decision. If you're pondering maybe NY, or IL, or CA, or TX, or WA, then USC isn't going to do you any favors, and further, you should seriously consider a region and not scattered states across the US.

Wish I could have attended but it was the same weekend as Kansas, which I was more on the fence about. Gonna drive up in two weeks to see if I can just tour the building individually, if possible.

phaynes1 wrote:Wish I could have attended but it was the same weekend as Kansas, which I was more on the fence about. Gonna drive up in two weeks to see if I can just tour the building individually, if possible.

Go ahead and email them to set a visit up. They'll let you speak with professors, sit in on some classes, and take a student-led tour. I got more out of that than the ASD.

South Carolina with full scholarship. I'm from SC, but feel very uncomfortable with attending a law school that will only place me in South Carolina. I would love to practice in Greenville or Charleston at a larger firm, but I am not comfortable practicing in a rural or small-town area.

Thoughts?

HRomanus wrote:South Carolina with full scholarship. I'm from SC, but feel very uncomfortable with attending a law school that will only place me in South Carolina. I would love to practice in Greenville or Charleston at a larger firm, but I am not comfortable practicing in a rural or small-town area.

Thoughts?

I'm in the same boat. AWESOME scholly from SC, but I was admitted to Alabama (amazing rank & well known throughout the country). I'd love advice on this too.

HRomanus wrote:South Carolina with full scholarship. I'm from SC, but feel very uncomfortable with attending a law school that will only place me in South Carolina. I would love to practice in Greenville or Charleston at a larger firm, but I am not comfortable practicing in a rural or small-town area.

Thoughts?

USC is great for anywhere in SC, Greenville and Charleston included. Given that you're from SC, that can only help. If you have the grades and the interest, you have a damn good shot at big firms in Greenville and Charleston. Most of the big firms have head offices or large offices in Columbia, but each have offices in the big SC cities. Look up Nelson Mullins, nexsen pruet, and Haynesworth Sinkler Boyd for a few examples.

FWIW, most of the firms with multiple offices in SC will ask you to rank your office preferences when you bid on them for OCI. Usually the Columbia office will take the most summers, but they certainly recruit for the other offices too.

doubledawg3378 wrote:

HRomanus wrote:South Carolina with full scholarship. I'm from SC, but feel very uncomfortable with attending a law school that will only place me in South Carolina. I would love to practice in Greenville or Charleston at a larger firm, but I am not comfortable practicing in a rural or small-town area.

Thoughts?

I'm in the same boat. AWESOME scholly from SC, but I was admitted to Alabama (amazing rank & well known throughout the country). I'd love advice on this too.

I would take Bama.

Worse comes to worse if you have to mass mail, you could probably get some southern states to bite at you in neighboring states. SC not so much.