Notre Dame w/ 50% Scholarship vs. GWU at Sticker Price Forum

[megaTTTron]

omg. enjoy ND.

[DustyfootPhilospher]

Thanks guys this is actually quite helpful. I especially like the financial break down by Geist13. I know lay prestige is a dumb factor, but either way it seems pretty unanimous that ND has better lay prestige than GWU anways. I didn't even realize this. I guess I just have a lot of DC friends. I was already leaning towards ND but I just wanted to get some outside opinions. And in response to the comment on if I can make 50K while in law school why even go to law school; Yes, I do consulting in the banking industry right now and if I go to Law School I will probably come out making about the same as I make now (if I do well) or possibly even take a pay cut. Law school for me is just a personal accomplishment and I think its a very powerful body of knowledge. I also think that the analytical skills you learn in law school will be valuable for whatever industry I wind of up in.

[Geist13]

Here's another way to think about it: If you are in that much debt for GW, you better be making bank after graduating, which generally means doing pretty well (top 30% at the very least). But if you can do that well at GW, you can do that well at ND. Moroever, since the two have similar placement numbers, you can get that same high paying job from ND and have almost half the loan payments, which means more money for savings and/or spending, in other words a better quality of life.

[fenderjsm88]

I had never heard of GWU before I started investigating law schools. You must be from the DC area to think it is more prestigious than ND.

I grew up in the DC area and never heard of GWU before I started investigating law schools. ND has better lay prestige in DC. Plus, there is a strong Fighting Irish alumni network in the DC area...and we're talking about an alumni network whose emphasis on "networking" borders on nepotism...basically, ND grads help each other out.

Plus, GWU costs like 200k over 3 years. With 50% at ND you're probably looking at less than 90k.

Go to ND.

[La Grind Date]

I had never heard of GWU before I started investigating law schools. You must be from the DC area to think it is more prestigious than ND.

I grew up in the DC area and never heard of GWU before I started investigating law schools. ND has better lay prestige in DC. Plus, there is a strong Fighting Irish alumni network in the DC area...and we're talking about an alumni network whose emphasis on "networking" borders on nepotism...basically, ND grads help each other out.

Plus, GWU costs like 200k over 3 years. With 50% at ND you're probably looking at less than 90k.

Go to ND.

I went to GW for undergrad, and am compelled to say that the second quoted statement is unbelievable. GW is HUGE in DC (much bigger than GTown which is isolated). It employs more people than any other private group. That being said, it's probably overrated in DC.


When it comes to prestige in the eyes of TV-watching, American laypeople: ND by far
Prestige in the legal community: GW
Location/Ability to network: GW by miles (G-dubs is right below Penn Ave, K St, L St, and M st--all legal meccas--in a city with 80,000 lawyers. Further, GW is very close to B-More, Philly, Pittsburgh, and NYC!)
Price: ND by miles

I would go with ND, because of the scholarship. Why? 1) Even "Shitlaw" legal jobs are far from guaranteed. 2) Debt payments ain't no joke! All things being equal, I would go to GW.

[romothesavior]

I disagree with the above post. ND is a better school in terms of national prospects and I would say it has more legal prestige. But yeah, they are pretty much peers.

[La Grind Date]

I disagree with the above post. ND is a better school in terms of national prospects and I would say it has more legal prestige. But yeah, they are pretty much peers.

Romo, we're Wash U buds! We're not allowed to disagree! lol

[rockstar4488]

I just vomited in my mouth when I realized that I needed to tell someone that they should go to ND. I think the money and national rep make this an easy choice.

[ze2151]

Romo and Rockstar- You guys just get me. I love uniting over ND hatred.