Top Law Schools

Torvon wrote:Cycle isn't over yet and I'm hoping to get into a couple other schools but so far it looks like this:

BYU: Full tuition scholarship

ND: Haven't technically got in but if I do I'm hoping for a modest amount of money.

UCLA: sticker

GULC: sticker

I want to clerk out of law school and then go into government, probably starting as a prosecutor and hopefully working up from there. Eventually maybe elected official. I'm not picky about location, just wherever the opportunity is ripe. Right now I'm kind of leaning toward GULC, because it is more prestigious than the others which could help later on and they have a sweet LRAP which would pretty much pay off my loans for me. Any input is appreciated.

redginseng wrote:Well, state or district level prosecution doesn't require graduating from top school, neither running for office. Just look at Cuomo. In fact, I find that state or district level prosecutions are mostly filled with respected regional schools in the area.

jonas586 wrote:I say go to BYU if you can handle the social and religious atmosphere there. Tuition is covered and cost of living will most likely be substantially lower than UCLA or GULC. I also hear that BYU places surprisingly well in clerkships ranging all the way up to the Supreme Court, so you won't automatically be precluding yourself from your potential career goals by going there. Of course, I don't have any stats or evidence to back this up, nor do I know how BYU matches up to the other schools on your list in terms of clerkship placement, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Another regret concerned Bybee’s decision to attend law school at Brigham Young University, instead of Duke University

nealric wrote:BYU if LDS. BYU has very good clerkship placement, but a lot of that is due to the religious conservative ties- they are kind of a go-to school for judges who want conservative clerks.

Otherwise GULC all the way. I am a GULC 3L if you have any questions.

Well, my main question is how do you afford it ? The only down side to GULC I'm seeing at this point is the insane cost of living. Are you paying sticker? Also, where would be a good place to start looking for housing if I'm married?

Torvon wrote:

nealric wrote:BYU if LDS. BYU has very good clerkship placement, but a lot of that is due to the religious conservative ties- they are kind of a go-to school for judges who want conservative clerks.

Otherwise GULC all the way. I am a GULC 3L if you have any questions.

Well, my main question is how do you afford it ? The only down side to GULC I'm seeing at this point is the insane cost of living.

Yes, if you want to live within walking distance of GULC, then rent will be high (though still cheaper than NYC or SF). But if you're willing to live a 10-minute metro ride away, there are many affordable options.

nealric wrote:

Well, my main question is how do you afford it ? The only down side to GULC I'm seeing at this point is the insane cost of living. Are you paying sticker? Also, where would be a good place to start looking for housing if I'm married?

Paying sticker: Started PT and working + Loans + Summer Associate money. I will be working at a large firm, so I'm not worried about paying it off.

Housing: I would recommend an English basement in the Capitol Hill neighborhood ($1,000-$1500). If you are OK with housemates, you can find good deals on master bedrooms in rowhouses. I know single people who are living as cheap as $400/mo (but in a rather unsafe neighborhood).

Thanks for the information! Can you fill me in on any details you know about the LRAP? I've read all I could about it and from what I'm understanding as long as I work for the government making less than $75,000 then I only have to pay so much because of federal regulations and what I do have to pay is actually paid by GULC for ten years until the loans are forgiven....am I missing something?

nealric wrote:

Thanks for the information! Can you fill me in on any details you know about the LRAP? I've read all I could about it and from what I'm understanding as long as I work for the government making less than $75,000 then I only have to pay so much because of federal regulations and what I do have to pay is actually paid by GULC for ten years until the loans are forgiven....am I missing something?

Unfortunately, I'm on not the one to talk to about that. My understanding is they made some changes to it recently- but I haven't followed it closely since I won't be using it. But as far as I understand, the jist of it is that you work in public interest for 10 years and your loans are forgiven.

Some people have discouraged me from going to GULC due to it's large size claiming that I won't have an opportunity to get to know professors and such. Has that been a problem?

nealric wrote:

Some people have discouraged me from going to GULC due to it's large size claiming that I won't have an opportunity to get to know professors and such. Has that been a problem?

It is still tiny compared to your average undergrad campus. I find you get to know the professors as much as you want to get to know them.

Cupidity wrote:GULC for gov't work. Better clerkship stats, better LRAP, DC location.

overall, UCLA $ beats out Cornell GULC...fuck BYU-why even consider it? I'd rather slit my wrists. The UC schools are notorious for granting in-state to second-years...which should make that $ into $$ compared to GULC/Cornell

Cupidity wrote:GULC for gov't work. Better clerkship stats, better LRAP, DC location.

overall, UCLA $ beats out Cornell GULC...fuck BYU-why even consider it? I'd rather slit my wrists. The UC schools are notorious for granting in-state to second-years...which should make that $ into $$ compared to GULC/Cornell