UGA v. Stetson $$$ Forum

(Rankings, Profiles, Tuition, Student Life, . . . )

Which one should I choose?

UGA ($30,000/year)
34
79%
Stetson ($12,000/year)
9
21%
 
Total votes: 43

shawty18ga

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UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:36 pm

Hi everybody:

I've been accepted at some decent schools this cycle, but I think my final decision is going to be between UGA at sticker and Stetson with a full tuition scholarship, plus a $5k/year stipend.

I'm from Georgia, grew up near UGA, and totally love the school and the area. Working in Atlanta would be great, but I would be okay working other places in Georgia after graduation, too.

Stetson has offered me a great scholarship, and I think I would be happy living in the Tampa area. I'll find out more on that when I visit later this month.

So the dilemna is this: I am very afraid of graduating with six-figure debt from UGA (I have 25k from undergrad), but I am also afraid of graduating from a TTT and not having as many opportunities. Some people seem to be saying that I shouldn't worry quite as much about debt with IBR, but it still worries me.

What are your thoughts? UGA or Stetson?

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GATORTIM

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by GATORTIM » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:40 pm

I would take Stetson, hands down! (But I prefer that you WD so it opens up more room for me, jk). They have a strong prescence in Central FL and I don't think any doors opened by UGA could possibly offset coming out of LS with nearly no debt. Congrats.

keg411

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by keg411 » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:41 pm

UGA = $15k/year in-state. That = $45k total for all 3 years. $45 + $25 = $65k. COL can't be all that pricey in Athens, so I don't think you're going to go crazy in debt from UGA.

Also, does the Stetson scholly have a GPA requirment? Because then you could lose your scholarship and be even more in debt. Plus, I'd imagine that COL in Tampa > COL in Athens.

shawty18ga

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:43 pm

Cost of attendance at UGA for instate students is a little over $29,000 according to their website. They allot about $15,000 for COL I think. And yes, the Stetson scholarship has a top 40% requirement, which is troubling.

shawty18ga

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:26 pm

Anybody have any input?

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horriblegb

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by horriblegb » Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:26 pm

shawty18ga wrote:Anybody have any input?
+1 I am wondering if a T3 is worth it for free over a T2 or a lower ranked T1 at partial to full tuition

lawduder

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by lawduder » Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:33 pm

I think Stetson might section stack? If they do, I recommend staying away.

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by nianlong » Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:45 pm

If the money was guaranteed, I could understand considering the cheaper option, but top 40% is not a sure thing by any means. Unless you can talk them into giving you the money without strings attached, I'd be very nervous about choosing Stetson over UGA.

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by roguepawn » Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:56 am

shawty18ga wrote:Cost of attendance at UGA for instate students is a little over $29,000 according to their website. They allot about $15,000 for COL I think. And yes, the Stetson scholarship has a top 40% requirement, which is troubling.
The non-resident rate for the upcoming year is $30,226 (including all fees), and the resident tuition rate is $14,448.

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lawschooliseasy

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by lawschooliseasy » Fri Feb 05, 2010 3:01 am

horriblegb wrote:
shawty18ga wrote:Anybody have any input?
+1 I am wondering if a T3 is worth it for free over a T2 or a lower ranked T1 at partial to full tuition
I think it depends on what you´re paying. I would take a full ride at a T2 over full tuition out of state, but I think instate at a T1 is a far, far better bet than a free T2. No matter what you have to pay COL and your ability to pay back your loans with a T1 degree will be far greater than with T2 paper.

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Cupidity

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by Cupidity » Fri Feb 05, 2010 3:03 am

Stetson is a solid T2 (T3 now but barely, its hanging off at like 101 or 102). It won't get you a sick job, but it will certainly get you a job. Ybor is great.

shawty18ga

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:17 pm

roguepawn wrote:
shawty18ga wrote:Cost of attendance at UGA for instate students is a little over $29,000 according to their website. They allot about $15,000 for COL I think. And yes, the Stetson scholarship has a top 40% requirement, which is troubling.
The non-resident rate for the upcoming year is $30,226 (including all fees), and the resident tuition rate is $14,448.

I know how much tuition is at UGA. I am talking about the total cost of attendance including COL

shawty18ga

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:20 pm

lawduder wrote:I think Stetson might section stack? If they do, I recommend staying away.

Everything I've heard points to Stetson not section stacking. I do plan on negotiating to get the terms changed, though. We'll see if that works.

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waverider

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by waverider » Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:54 pm

The only reason to pick stetson would be quality of life.

I live in the tampa area. Stetson is very nice and the weather is great. But stetson does not even dominate the Tampa market. In terms of career prospects, UGA is a much better choice.

Of course I should be convincing you to choose Stetson. I'm likely a UGA waitlister.

Sidenote- This UF grad would love a chance at UGA. I've been very good this year, I didn't celebrate too much when my gators demolished georgia. I'll even promise to get rid of every pair of jorts I have. :) I would feel honored to be the token idiot in each of my classes.

shawty18ga

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:27 pm

waverider wrote:The only reason to pick stetson would be quality of life.

I live in the tampa area. Stetson is very nice and the weather is great. But stetson does not even dominate the Tampa market. In terms of career prospects, UGA is a much better choice.

Of course I should be convincing you to choose Stetson. I'm likely a UGA waitlister.

Sidenote- This UF grad would love a chance at UGA. I've been very good this year, I didn't celebrate too much when my gators demolished georgia. I'll even promise to get rid of every pair of jorts I have. :) I would feel honored to be the token idiot in each of my classes.

Thanks for the advice, waverider. The Cocktail Party always ruins my day :(. So why not UF law for you?

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by waverider » Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:40 pm

I applied to UF.

But I'm wanting a change. Besides the Atlanta law market is much better than Florida's. Therefore Georgia's job prospects are much better.

Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy at UF. But I'd go to UGA in a heartbeat.

shawty18ga

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:40 pm

I'm gonna bump this.

Update: I'm close to a decision, and leaning Stetson. I'm just not sure the job prospects at UGA are good enough anymore to justify the cost when I have such a cheap option.

Will I be making a huge mistake if I choose Stetson over UGA?

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keg411

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by keg411 » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:22 pm

shawty18ga wrote:I'm gonna bump this.

Update: I'm close to a decision, and leaning Stetson. I'm just not sure the job prospects at UGA are good enough anymore to justify the cost when I have such a cheap option.

Will I be making a huge mistake if I choose Stetson over UGA?
I'm not a rankings whore... but YES. Especially with a non-guaranteed scholarship.

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zreinhar

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by zreinhar » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:29 pm

I am also a UGA waitlister and really want to chime in, I would say UGA, without a doubt. Especially with that 40% requirement, I know a full ride dazzles people, but it will really come down to what happens when you graduate. I am a debt phobe, but in this circumstance I would have to go with UGA. The portability, the opportunities in the southeast, its worth the 65k of debt, easily.

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by CanadianWolf » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:29 pm

Depends upon where you want to practice law.

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Grizz

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by Grizz » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:59 pm

Go to UGA. Even though it costs more, the job prospects are much better. Tampa/St. Pete got hit very hard by the recession, and competition is intense. Stetson is respected in the Bay Area, but much less outside. For the few jobs left there, you will be competing with UF, FSU, and probably a few Miami grads, all of which are more well-respected than Stetson. Although the scholarship $ is great, going to a school whose market is essentially one small geographic region does not seem like a great idea.

UGA is the choice here, as their grads do decently well in Atlanta, plus you can work anywhere in GA and even the surrounding states if you really work at it. Do not go to Stetson.

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by Kchuck » Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:04 pm

I'm with Rad Law. Don't go to Stetson. Sure, you're going to come out of UGA with some debt. But your overall career prospects are going to be far superior from UGA than they would be at Stetson. UGA is the flagship school in Georgia, and only really faces competition from Emory for the top spot in the state. In Florida, on the other hand, you have an option that is maybe the fourth best LS in the state (behind UF, FSU, Miami). In my opinion, it is a much wiser choice to take the career prospect at UGA rather than the free tuition of Stetson, and I'm a Florida resident.

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by shawty18ga » Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:24 pm

Thanks for the advice everybody.

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GATORTIM

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by GATORTIM » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:12 am

Stetson is in the largest market with only one law school

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Re: UGA v. Stetson $$$

Post by Cupidity » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:30 am

lawduder wrote:I think Stetson might section stack? If they do, I recommend staying away.
They don't, and to be fair, they're are essentially TT. They are right around 100, and go in and out every few years.

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