Top Law Schools

I have a favorite right now, but I just want to get feedback from some of you about this.

I grew up in northern Illinois, and I would like to return to the Chicago area to work when I graduate from law school. Like most prospective law students, I would like biglaw, but I am not stuck on it. If I am unable to work for a big corporate firm, I could see myself as a prosecutor in Cook County. I do not, however, have any personal connections in the Chicago legal market that will get me any job offers.

It's possible that I might get some more acceptances in the #20-30 range, but none of them are in the midwest, and most are unlikely to give me a competitive amount of scholarship money to attract me away from the Chicago market.

Iowa full ride = contingent upon staying in the top third of my class
Indiana full ride = no GPA or class rank stipulations

Please give your comments as well. Thanks!

I guess it depends how debt adverse you are and how set you are on working in Chicago. I personally say IU with a full ride, but if you don't want to work in Indiana at all and only want Chicago then U of I is probably best for you. That is assuming you don't mind the added debt. A free ride is tough to beat.

U of I for 10 a year, or U of I with a 10K a year scholarship?

I wouldn't hate living in Indiana, but my fiancee and I have our hearts set on getting back into Chicago.

Desert Fox wrote:U of I for 10 a year, or U of I with a 10K a year scholarship?

$10K scholarship per year.

I would take UIUC with $10K / year as a state resident (~$23,000 / year) over WUSTL (~$44,000 / year) for Chicago. IU-B is intriguing though. Although UIUC is going to offer better job placement into Chicago than IU-B, coming out of school with $69,000 less in loans for a school that is very similiarly assessed may not be a bad idea at all. I also think that Bloomington is a much better college town than Urbana-Champaign.

With that said, you may be able to leverage another $7-8k/year out of Illinois putting you at close to a 1/2 scholarship.

Forget about Iowa!

I'm assuming UIUC is $10k/year scholarship.

Go to Indiana. Full tuition = win when you're outside the T10. The difference in education between UIUC and IU-B will not be that large, you'll need to do about as well in either school in order to place well when you graduate, and you can always say that you grew up near Chicago and want to return there to convince firms you're serious about working there (this is a plus no matter where you go if you wanna work in Chicago when you graduate).

UIUC is not so much better that it's worth an extra $60K over 3 years. WUSTL is definitely not worth sticker and it's overrated. You don't want to work in St. Louis when you graduate, so don't go to WUSTL.

Go to law school, kick ass, take lots of practice exams and prepare for the finals, and do the best you can. If you can do this and succeed, you can succeed for cheaper at Indiana than you can at UIUC, and have close to the same options on graduation.

chadwick218 wrote:I would take UIUC with $10K / year as a state resident (~$23,000 / year) over WUSTL (~$44,000 / year) for Chicago. IU-B is intriguing though. Although UIUC is going to offer better job placement into Chicago than IU-B, coming out of school with $69,000 less in loans for a school that is very similiarly assessed may not be a bad idea at all. I also think that Bloomington is a much better college town than Urbana-Champaign.

With that said, you may be able to leverage another $7-8k/year out of Illinois putting you at close to a 1/2 scholarship.

Forget about Iowa!

I should have clarified - I am not an Illinois resident for tuition purposes. I moved to another state when I was 19, and given the residency regulations in IL I would not be able to claim residency for any of the three years there.

TCR is to negotiate with Illinois. Tell them that both schools gave you a full ride and see if they'll match.

Desert Fox wrote:TCR is to negotiate with Illinois. Tell them that both schools gave you a full ride and see if they'll match.

This is the CALI award answer.

Halibut6 wrote:I should have clarified - I am not an Illinois resident for tuition purposes. I moved when I was 19, and given the residency regulations in IL I would not be able to claim residency for any of the three years there.

IU-B then! Congrats and enjoy Bloomington.

WUSTL is by no means worth sticker let alone 1/2 tuition given your full-ride at IU-B. Personally, I think that WUSTL needs to spend more time focusing on career placement and less time gaming their numbers so as to continue to climb in the rankings.

Unless WUSTL or UIUC toss more than 1/2 tuition your way, only admission to a T14 + or a school like Vandy would really sway my decision to pass up a full scholarship at IU-B.

Thanks for your responses - they have been enlightening.

if you dont mind, stats?

165/3.92

Halibut6 wrote:165/3.92

Is studying and retaking a possibility? 5 more LSAT points and you're in at several T14 schools, with that ballin' GPA.

vanwinkle wrote:

Halibut6 wrote:165/3.92

Is studying and retaking a possibility? 5 more LSAT points and you're in at several T14 schools, with that ballin' GPA.

+1

vanwinkle wrote:

Halibut6 wrote:165/3.92

Is studying and retaking a possibility? 5 more LSAT points and you're in at several T14 schools, with that ballin' GPA.

Considered at length, even registered for the December LSAT before withdrawing. I studied my ass off for the Sept. LSAT and matched my best-ever PT with the 165. I know my limits, and I know it would take a lot for me to be able to improve a lot more. RC is my worst section, and it's also regarded as the most difficult to improve in.

It's really easy to say you only need five more points, but it's a lot harder to actually do it. So after considerable thought (and agony, fwiw), I decided to move forward with this cycle.

Halibut6 wrote:

vanwinkle wrote:

Halibut6 wrote:165/3.92

Is studying and retaking a possibility? 5 more LSAT points and you're in at several T14 schools, with that ballin' GPA.

Considered at length, even registered for the December LSAT before withdrawing. I studied my ass off for the Sept. LSAT and matched my best-ever PT with the 165. I know my limits, and I know it would take a lot for me to be able to improve a lot more. RC is my worst section, and it's also regarded as the most difficult to improve in.

It's really easy to say you only need five more points, but it's a lot harder to actually do it. So after considerable thought (and agony, fwiw), I decided to move forward with this cycle.

at least you gave it some thought

To clarify my situation a little, I am getting married soon, and my future wife and I are really motivated to get on with our careers. It would be a real drawback to have to hold back a year.

Halibut6 wrote:To clarify my situation a little, I am getting married soon, and my future wife and I are really motivated to get on with our careers. It would be a real drawback to have to hold back a year.

since your getting married soon i would highly suggest the full ride at Indiana/Iowa.

im indecisive about which one is better, Indiana or Iowa.

Halibut6 wrote:To clarify my situation a little, I am getting married soon, and my future wife and I are really motivated to get on with our careers. It would be a real drawback to have to hold back a year.

In that case, maybe you should ask where your fiancee wants to live for the next 3 years. If she's okay with Bloomington (which from what I hear is a pretty fun place to live) then really consider going there.

+1

rookhawk wrote:I'd suggest applying to ND with your scores as well, you might get in, you might get a scholly and that school will carry more weight than the other options. Never hurts to try.

Yeah, with those numbers, why no app to ND? Surely they'd take you.

No fee waiver, recent history of being overwhelmingly stingy with scholarships to people in my range, fact that I would take almost any other midwest regional school over ND all other things equal.