Seattle U vs McGeorge vs USF vs SCU Forum

[inchoate_con]

Seattle employs 92.1% of their graduates in bar admission required positions while McGeorge employs 81% of their graduates in bar admission required positions. These stats don't seem too bad to me.

47% of graduates employed in law firms for McGeorge, and 48% of graduates employed in law firms for Seattle.

I know the numbers for USF and SCU are horrendous though but McGeorge and SU's numbers are not too shabby.

People who go to any of these schools feel free to chime in please.

As a Seattle resident, I can tell you that the SU stats - if they are official - are inflated. So many SU grads are either unemployed or working in low-paying jobs that it is really sickening. Academically the school is top-notch; it arguably turns out the best legal writers in the country (no dis on Chi-Kent or Temple). Even this site proffers SU's poor employment prospects. OP should go to McGeorge, especially given the scholly conditions. I'd take a guaranteed $10K over a conditional $8K any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Hell, I'd take a guaranteed $8K over a conditional $10K. MCGEORGE!

Funny. so you're using Oates book for legal writing? Arguably....please.

[keg411]

EXACTLY. I'm in a similar situation, but I'm choosing between U of Miami ($), Florida Coastal ($$$), and Florida State (no $). But instead of useful advice, everyone just tells me not to go. Fuck that noise. OP, I'm glad you've taken a hard look at the employment statistics of the schools and done YOUR OWN research. As you say, even Harvard graduates are not immune to a bad economy. And yet schools like Seattle U and McGeorge still boast impressive employment on graduation. People on this board don't know what they're talking about; the difference between the "top schools" and other schools is vanishingly small ITE. Like you say, what you need to do is just BUCKLE DOWN, graduate at the top of your class wherever you go and succeed after that. I think if other people had your same drive, they probably wouldn't be bitching so much about scam law schools and joblessness. Hustle and networking matter more than any test number, and attitude matters more than any ranking list.

Those are your choice and you said "state clerkships aren't a real job"??? OMG .
(Unless this post is a troll/flame)

[Chupavida]

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[Chupavida]

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[risktaker]

I have a shit bs degree in biochemistry. Even though I can probably find a job that pays 40-50k a year, I will hate it. Before, you used to be able to find decent work with a B.S. degree, but now you are forced to become a lab rat unless you get a Phd. Even if I go to law school and earn 50-60k, I will be happier because I don't have to work some shit lab job.

[Chupavida]

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[keg411]

I have a shit bs degree in biochemistry. Even though I can probably find a job that pays 40-50k a year, I will hate it. Before, you used to be able to find decent work with a B.S. degree, but now you are forced to become a lab rat unless you get a Phd. Even if I go to law school and earn 50-60k, I will be happier because I don't have to work some shit lab job.

There are some pretty cool "lab rat" jobs. A friend of mine has a chemistry degree from a mediocre local college and now works for a cosmetic company developing things like hair color and makeup. I really think you should try to get a lab job and work for a bit; you never know -- maybe you will like it or get involved in an interesting area of science.

[risktaker]

I am starting to realize that "re-take/ don't go to law school" are credited responses a lot of the times. The whole curving and unpredictability of law school grades is scary as hell. I think I am going to have to really think about this decision. Thanks for opening my eyes guys. I am considering looking into the Physicians Assistant program. At least this way, I can be assured that I will have a job waiting for me at graduation. I need to do some serious soul searching before I dive into this. I just started doing more of the calculation on the debt I am going to incur, and it is a very scary prospect. Haha, I know my screen name on here is risktaker, but I am the total opposite in real life. I guess it pays to be practical ITE.

[tothePAIN]

TLS - win.

[El_Gallo]

I am starting to realize that "re-take/ don't go to law school" are credited responses a lot of the times. The whole curving and unpredictability of law school grades is scary as hell. I think I am going to have to really think about this decision. Thanks for opening my eyes guys. I am considering looking into the Physicians Assistant program. At least this way, I can be assured that I will have a job waiting for me at graduation. I need to do some serious soul searching before I dive into this. I just started doing more of the calculation on the debt I am going to incur, and it is a very scary prospect. Haha, I know my screen name on here is risktaker, but I am the total opposite in real life. I guess it pays to be practical ITE.

GL dude. Let us know what you decide on doing.

[risktaker]

I will be making a decision after my trip to Seattle University next week. I am just going to have to make a pros/cons list for what it will take me to become a PA and what it will take me to become a gainfully employed lawyer. Hopefully I can come to some sort of decision after that.

[3ThrowAway99]

All I can do is find a school I like and then bust my ass to transfer out.

Bad idea re: hoping or planning to transfer. Very. Bad. Idea.

But your usename says it all. It sounds like you are committed to taking the risks, so good luck. Not that I think it will necessarily work out badly for you though, just that there is risk.

My vote is def. for Seattle U. of your options. But don't go there if you wouldn't be happy graduating from there, or if you plan to transfer. Seriously. (There is a very good chance you won't be able to, no matter how much you think otherwise).

[risktaker]

I decided that I owe it to myself to at least try a semester of law school before I totally give up on it. I am going to see how I do my first semester. If I am miserable and I get back really shitty grades, I will just drop out. If I do well, I will try to transfer out or leverage a full scholly. Either way it's too late for me to take the extra classes that I need for the PA program this summer, which means that I would have to wait till fall anyways to take those 3 classes.

[risktaker]

Will definitely be doing law school, and I am not going to look back! I realized that I hate rote memorization, dealing with sick ppl, the hospital, and everything about health care. I don't know why I was entertaining this idea. The biggest reason was probably because of job security, but there is no point doing something that I will hate. Now, it just comes to deciding between UOP and Seattle U.

Is it true that the legal field might expand in Seattle due to the multi billion project taken on by Boeing in Washington?

[bass08]

Good luck. You may want to revisit things at the end of first semester if your grades are less than median, or maybe even less than top 1/4 to top 1/3. Employment from those schools and the cost is no joke. The problem is just the markets your targeting. They are far too saturated. You might have better luck targeting other markets not on the west coast.

[risktaker]

I will work my ass off, and if I feel that I am not able to find a job for the summer, I will try to transfer to another school if that is possible.

[jarofsoup]

Will definitely be doing law school, and I am not going to look back! I realized that I hate rote memorization, dealing with sick ppl, the hospital, and everything about health care. I don't know why I was entertaining this idea. The biggest reason was probably because of job security, but there is no point doing something that I will hate. Now, it just comes to deciding between UOP and Seattle U.

Is it true that the legal field might expand in Seattle due to the multi billion project taken on by Boeing in Washington?

I am not sure that this is really going to make a difference in the market or that it is just going to pump more money into the already established WA big-law firms. There is a surprising high number of corporate offices of major corporations based out of WA like Amazon, REI, etc.

I hope that tomorrow that we are both accepted into USD or SCU. Make my life a whole lot easier. I do not think I am going to pay the second deposit at UOP. I just cannot get excited about going there.

[bass08]

I will work my ass off, and if I feel that I am not able to find a job for the summer, I will try to transfer to another school if that is possible.

Well, getting a summer job somewhere isn't probably going to be a problem. Obviously, you won't be getting any paid work coming out of these schools, but it isn't terribly difficult to get unpaid work for the summer. The problem is getting full time paid work as an attorney post graduation.

[bass08]

Will definitely be doing law school, and I am not going to look back! I realized that I hate rote memorization, dealing with sick ppl, the hospital, and everything about health care. I don't know why I was entertaining this idea. The biggest reason was probably because of job security, but there is no point doing something that I will hate. Now, it just comes to deciding between UOP and Seattle U.

Is it true that the legal field might expand in Seattle due to the multi billion project taken on by Boeing in Washington?

I am not sure that this is really going to make a difference in the market or that it is just going to pump more money into the already established WA big-law firms. There is a surprising high number of corporate offices of major corporations based out of WA like Amazon, REI, etc.

I hope that tomorrow that we are both accepted into USD or SCU. Make my life a whole lot easier. I do not think I am going to pay the second deposit at UOP. I just cannot get excited about going there.

Are you really sure you want to go to SCU? You've seen the employment numbers for that school, right?

[jarofsoup]

Will definitely be doing law school, and I am not going to look back! I realized that I hate rote memorization, dealing with sick ppl, the hospital, and everything about health care. I don't know why I was entertaining this idea. The biggest reason was probably because of job security, but there is no point doing something that I will hate. Now, it just comes to deciding between UOP and Seattle U.

Is it true that the legal field might expand in Seattle due to the multi billion project taken on by Boeing in Washington?

I am not sure that this is really going to make a difference in the market or that it is just going to pump more money into the already established WA big-law firms. There is a surprising high number of corporate offices of major corporations based out of WA like Amazon, REI, etc.

I hope that tomorrow that we are both accepted into USD or SCU. Make my life a whole lot easier. I do not think I am going to pay the second deposit at UOP. I just cannot get excited about going there.

Are you really sure you want to go to SCU? You've seen the employment numbers for that school, right?

I live in the bay area and I am from California. I( I cannot speak for him) am a bit nervous about leaving the state. So going to a school like SCU or USD would allow for me to stay in state...even if the employment prospects are not so rosy.

I am wait listed at American, USD, SCU, and USF. So I am hoping for American or USD.

[risktaker]

Yeah, in the same boat as Jar. It's going to be tough to move to a different state where I have absolutely no ties. Really hoping I can get off the wait list at USD.

[jarofsoup]

I will work my ass off, and if I feel that I am not able to find a job for the summer, I will try to transfer to another school if that is possible.

Well, getting a summer job somewhere isn't probably going to be a problem. Obviously, you won't be getting any paid work coming out of these schools, but it isn't terribly difficult to get unpaid work for the summer. The problem is getting full time paid work as an attorney post graduation.

I am not sure that you would know this about these schools unless you attended one of these schools. I actually know people that go to these schools who are getting paid for summer work.

[Grizz]

I will work my ass off, and if I feel that I am not able to find a job for the summer, I will try to transfer to another school if that is possible.

Well, getting a summer job somewhere isn't probably going to be a problem. Obviously, you won't be getting any paid work coming out of these schools, but it isn't terribly difficult to get unpaid work for the summer. The problem is getting full time paid work as an attorney post graduation.

I am not sure that you would know this about these schools unless you attended one of these schools. I actually know people that go to these schools who are getting paid for summer work.

So... what.

[jarofsoup]

I will work my ass off, and if I feel that I am not able to find a job for the summer, I will try to transfer to another school if that is possible.

Well, getting a summer job somewhere isn't probably going to be a problem. Obviously, you won't be getting any paid work coming out of these schools, but it isn't terribly difficult to get unpaid work for the summer. The problem is getting full time paid work as an attorney post graduation.

I am not sure that you would know this about these schools unless you attended one of these schools. I actually know people that go to these schools who are getting paid for summer work.

So... what.

--LinkRemoved-- this has nothing to do with anything, but I just thought you should see it.

[bass08]

I will work my ass off, and if I feel that I am not able to find a job for the summer, I will try to transfer to another school if that is possible.

Well, getting a summer job somewhere isn't probably going to be a problem. Obviously, you won't be getting any paid work coming out of these schools, but it isn't terribly difficult to get unpaid work for the summer. The problem is getting full time paid work as an attorney post graduation.

I am not sure that you would know this about these schools unless you attended one of these schools. I actually know people that go to these schools who are getting paid for summer work.

Well, obviously I was referring to 1L summer in response to risktaker's post, and not 2L or 3L summer where paid work is more common. The vast, vast majority of 1L's will have unpaid work. The main point of my post was that he shouldn't evaluate whether he should stay in law school based on his ability to secure some kind of employment during the summer since securing work for the summer is not indicative of whether he can secure employment post graduation. I mean, you don't have to take my word for it. You can check the employment stats compiled that is stickied at the top of this forum.