GULC $ or ... Forum

[pertristis]

I want everyone's opinion on this.

I've been accepted to GULC. Originally I was on the SPWL, but was in the first group to get off. A week later, GULC offers me a 10k / year scholarship, after I was told the week before that I wouldn't hear about scholarships until after the April 12th scholarship deadline. The catch: I need to respond to the scholarship by the April 12th deadline, rather than placing a simple deposit by the 3rd of May.

I think I have three options (well, four, but one fits in with the other):
1) Take the scholarship at GULC (and, option 1a, negotiate higher, if possible)
2) Decline the scholarship and wait for pending Penn/Duke/Cornell/NYU/CLS(/UCLA/Vandy) apps to go to decision, and weight my options then. (I have been informed that I can still ask for scholarship money if I end up deciding to attend GULC, even if I decline the scholarship now. It's not certain that there will be money, though.)
3) Say "screw it," and apply again überearly next year.

General numbers: 177 / 3.42. More detailed stats at http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 9&t=112317. Applications went complete silly late (very late January through early March).

[strokes788]

Your numbers are awesome, and I think you have a legit shot at all of those schools. I also think given how much debt you'd still be in (if you take out loans to supplement that 10K scholarship), during a law career you'll be able to pay it back, especially going to a top school as you clearly will go to, so I honestly would say take the risk and wait it out. A 177 is a fantastic score, and its not like you're a super splitter, i.e. 2.9-3.2 range with a 177, a 3.42 is quite respectable and with a 177 I feel like it should give you a shot at getting one of these schools (Im thinking Duke/NYU/Cornell/outside shot at CLS/(I'd take GT over UCLA, espesh if you're out of state, but then, I also went to USC and thus don't like UCLA on principle either..). Best of luck!

[nealric]

GULC wouldn't be a horrible idea (although I'm biased because I go to GULC), but you would probably have better luck applying next year.

[pertristis]

GULC wouldn't be a horrible idea (although I'm biased because I go to GULC), but you would probably have better luck applying next year.

I think we can replace "probably" with "certainly," given the time of the cycle in which I applied. With that said ... I'm not particularly keen on waiting another year to attend. I have no prima facie issues with Georgetown; I just dream of two NY schools.

[Steven Perry]

Well your GPA is low if those two NY schools are what I think they are, but I say wait a year. Send in your applications ASAP and you'll almost certainly see some better results.

[pertristis]

Just a quick time-is-running-out bump ...

[dixiecupdrinking]

Are you sure that accepting the scholarship requires withdrawing from schools that haven't yet given you a decision?

[Tangerine Gleam]

How badly would you prefer to go to one of those other schools over GULC? If the thread was "GULC 10k vs. Duke sticker vs. Penn sticker" would you much prefer one of the others over your current option?

It's a tough call...10k/year at GULC is really nice, but it's not a next-level opportunity, given your stats. If I were you, I'd roll the dice and see what else comes your way by May. If you're truly unhappy with your options by then, you could always reapply next year.

[vanwinkle]

I'm not particularly keen on waiting another year to attend.

I think this is what you should use to decide. Getting into a better school, especially an NYC school, will almost certainly require waiting and reapplying.

Also, $10K/year is not a huge amount of money in the grand scheme of things. You're talking about something like $160K in debt instead of $190K in debt. Either way it's an assload of debt and 3 years of your life, and you should be really sure you want to commit to the school you choose.

You can afford to wait. With your stats, it's likely someone in the lower T14 will throw at least $10K/year at you next cycle if you apply early. It's just a question of whether you're willing to wait a year or not. If you're not, consider taking it. If you are, then wait.

[swester]

No offense, but $10/k a year is practically nothing. Barely covers housing, if you want to look at it that way. At the end of 3 years it's roughly the difference between $180,000 and $150,000.

A 177 can surely do better. Might as well pay full ride at a Top 10.