BP decides where you go to law school Forum

[Helmholtz]

Fucking confused and one week left to decide. Thanks for the opinions, BP.

Berkeley ($135,000) vs. Michigan (Darrow)

TOTAL COST DIFFERENCE OVER THREE YEARS = approx. $25,000

I live in the Bay Area and love it here. I'd rather not leave, but I was 100% ready to do so for Michigan until Berkeley gave me a scholarship last week. It was my original first choice, but the price difference is still very significant, and I have come to believe that Michigan is just as strong of a school. For life/happiness purposes, though, Boalt would certainly be a smoother transition (plus I love the no letter grades thing). Essentially I'm not *too* worried about the price difference, but it is still a factor.

Other than pursuing a CLERKSHIP, I don't know what the hell I will do after law school -- probably lots of things. I have been an entrepreneur my whole post-UG career and will likely want to work in a variety of fields (legal and otherwise) for the rest of my life. Interested in BigLaw I guess, but only for a few years at most. More interested in gov't/P.I./"all the other stuff".

As far as location, I would like to live/work abroad for some time, but ultimately I see myself in any of the following: Pacific Northwest, NorCal, Southeast. Possibly will want to move around, though. I want flexibility. Michigan champions the flexibility of its degree, but is there really going to be a difference between the two schools in terms of job prospects?

Oh, and I do not like Ann Arbor very much. I hate cold weather but was ready to do another 3 years in icy hell (I've lived extensively in the Northeast before).

<-- Michigan 0L

I would go to Berkeley if I were you.

[09042014]

The organizations on the list for the externship are so freaking cool:

http://www.law.northwestern.edu/humanri ... ships.html

DO IT.

[SaintClarence27]

The organizations on the list for the externship are so freaking cool:

http://www.law.northwestern.edu/humanri ... ships.html

DO IT.

+1 (though it pains me to see NU spots taken)

[NayBoer]

ultimately I see myself in any of the following: Pacific Northwest, NorCal

Boalt.

[D. H2Oman]

Bump

someone ask me something.

[09042014]

Bump

someone ask me something.

Dude I did, cute pic, lets go

[SaintClarence27]

Bump

someone ask me something.

If I get into NU, should I go there rather than UIllinois with 18k/year? My family lives in Champaign, and I'm sure I'll have alreay put down $1000 in seat deposits to UIllinois.

[Holly Golightly]

Bump

someone ask me something.

If you hadn't gotten into GULC, which school would you tell me to go to?

[09042014]

Bump

someone ask me something.

If I get into NU, should I go there rather than UIllinois with 18k/year? My family lives in Champaign, and I'm sure I'll have alreay put down $1000 in seat deposits to UIllinois.

ITE yes, but don't feel bad, that's a dam good scholarship. Enjoy Dos Reales, Blind Pig, and sport fucking 19 year olds at Kams.

[D. H2Oman]

Bump

someone ask me something.

If I get into NU, should I go there rather than UIllinois with 18k/year? My family lives in Champaign, and I'm sure I'll have alreay put down $1000 in seat deposits to UIllinois.

Yes, the 1000 dollars is worth losing.

[DerrickRose]

Bump

someone ask me something.

If I get into NU, should I go there rather than UIllinois with 18k/year? My family lives in Champaign, and I'm sure I'll have alreay put down $1000 in seat deposits to UIllinois.

ITE yes, but don't feel bad, that's a dam good scholarship. Enjoy Dos Reales, Blind Pig, and sport fucking 19 year olds at Kams.

*heart flutters*

[D. H2Oman]

Bump

someone ask me something.

If you hadn't gotten into GULC, which school would you tell me to go to?

For your goals I really do think it's very close. But I'd probably give a small edge to Northwestern.

[bk1]

I'll bite.

Davis (Sticker) vs Reapply

Desires: Dreams of BigLaw (understand its hard). Would like best possible job prospects for someone in my situation (my GPA wrecks me). Would prefer to work in a major city (SF/NY/DC/LA).

Stats: 2.85/166/URM

Will be retaking LSAT, can most likely get 172+. I didn't ED anywhere and applied very late this cycle. Will be correcting that mistake when I reapply.

[DerrickRose]

I'll bite.

Davis (Sticker) vs Reapply

Desires: Dreams of BigLaw (understand its hard). Would like best possible job prospects for someone in my situation (my GPA wrecks me). Would prefer to work in a major city (SF/NY/DC/LA).

Stats: 2.85/166/URM

Will be retaking LSAT, can most likely get 172+. I didn't ED anywhere and applied very late this cycle. Will be correcting that mistake when I reapply.

Obvious reapply. Buena Suerte.

[bk1]

I'll bite.

Davis (Sticker) vs Reapply

Desires: Dreams of BigLaw (understand its hard). Would like best possible job prospects for someone in my situation (my GPA wrecks me). Would prefer to work in a major city (SF/NY/DC/LA).

Stats: 2.85/166/URM

Will be retaking LSAT, can most likely get 172+. I didn't ED anywhere and applied very late this cycle. Will be correcting that mistake when I reapply.

Obvious reapply. Buena Suerte.

Thought so, but it feels better hearing it from others.

[DanInALionsDen]

Why not.

LSAT: 171, GPA 3.77 (it'll be a 3.8 after this semester)

In:

GULC
GW-105k
BU-90k
UCLA- 7,500/yr +15 need based for the 1st year, reassessed every subsequent year.

WL:
Duke
UVA
NYU
Columbia

Pending (but 99% chance of WL)

Chicago
Penn

What I want to do: I'd like to work in NY biglaw, then transfer out to work in house at record label or film production company... something like that. I know that's probably overly specific. I would also be interested in legal academia, which may be impossible from almost any of these options but Chicago or Columbia...

So,

Assuming WL at Chicago and Penn, where do I go, OR do I wait and reapply? What if I get in off a waitlist? I know this question has a lot of curve balls, but I'm interested to hear what you have to say.

[Joan Hollaway]

Why not.

LSAT: 171, GPA 3.77 (it'll be a 3.8 after this semester)

In:

GULC
GW-105k
BU-90k
UCLA- 7,500/yr +15 need based for the 1st year, reassessed every subsequent year.

WL:
Duke
UVA
NYU
Columbia

Pending (but 99% chance of WL)

Chicago
Penn

What I want to do: I'd like to work in NY biglaw, then transfer out to work in house at record label of film production company... something like that. I know that's probably overly specific. I would also be interested in legal academia, which may be impossible from almost any of these option but Chicago or Columbia...

So,

Assuming WL at Chicago and Penn, where do I go, OR do I wait a reapply? What if I get in off a waitlist? I know this question has a lot of curve balls, but I'm interested to hear what you have to say.

wow rough cycle for those numbers. i would reapply and ED to NYU. how come you didnt apply to mich?

[DanInALionsDen]

wow rough cycle for those numbers. i would reapply and ED to NYU. how come you didnt apply to mich?

Pretty much exactly my plan, assuming I don't get off the waitlist at NYU, I'll reapply and ED. I didn't apply to michigan because I have no desire to live in michigan, even for three years.

[Jericwithers]

wow rough cycle for those numbers. i would reapply and ED to NYU. how come you didnt apply to mich?

Pretty much exactly my plan, assuming I don't get off the waitlist at NYU, I'll reapply and ED. I didn't apply to michigan because I have no desire to live in michigan, even for three years.

Ann Arbor is the number 1 place to live in the country though!

[Joan Hollaway]

wow rough cycle for those numbers. i would reapply and ED to NYU. how come you didnt apply to mich?

Pretty much exactly my plan, assuming I don't get off the waitlist at NYU, I'll reapply and ED. I didn't apply to michigan because I have no desire to live in michigan, even for three years.

fair, i have no desire to live there either but since im not planning on doing much except studying ill suck it up and deal with it for three years

[beef wellington]

I'm in at GULC and WL'ed at Chicago, UVA, NU, pending at NYU. I'm pretty set on PI. Right now my preference goes:

NYU
Chicago
GULC
UVA
NU

Anyone wanna argue for a different order there? I'm thinking I should just withdraw from the bottom two. I like GULC for its location.

[DanInALionsDen]

wow rough cycle for those numbers. i would reapply and ED to NYU. how come you didnt apply to mich?

Pretty much exactly my plan, assuming I don't get off the waitlist at NYU, I'll reapply and ED. I didn't apply to michigan because I have no desire to live in michigan, even for three years.

fair, i have no desire to live there either but since im not planning on doing much except studying ill suck it up and deal with it for three years

So basically, I should probably have done better given my numbers? That's how I feel. I think my whole cycle is a testament to the importance of applying early, and possibly the benefit of being at least 1yr out of school with some professional experience.

[fortissimo]

So basically, I should probably have done better given my numbers? That's how I feel. I think my whole cycle is a testament to the importance of applying early, and possibly the benefit of being at least 1yr out of school with some professional experience.

Your cycle was pretty terrible. Honestly? I think you just had a super shitty personal statement and went to a shitty undergrad...And maybe you are an LSAT retaker. One year of work experience doesn't really matter and with those numbers you should have been able to pull something better even when you applied late.

[DanInALionsDen]

So basically, I should probably have done better given my numbers? That's how I feel. I think my whole cycle is a testament to the importance of applying early, and possibly the benefit of being at least 1yr out of school with some professional experience.

Your cycle was pretty terrible. Honestly? I think you just had a super shitty personal statement and went to a shitty undergrad...And maybe you are an LSAT retaker. One year of work experience doesn't really matter and with those numbers you should have been able to pull something better even when you applied late.

I know that everyone thinks their personal statement is good, but mine was very good. And there was nothing experimental about it that should have made admissions committees really averse––it was just a straight forward explanation of what in my life made me want to pursue law, and where I saw myself going in the field. I even brought it to my school's law advisor, and the guy's a dick, but he told me: "I'd love to tell you it's shit, but it's not shit, it's very good. This is the kind of personal statement you should send to Yale."

As for my undergrad, its not bad at all. It's a T1 state school, and--though I know departmental rankings are unimportant for undergrad--it's ranked in the top 20 for one of my majors and in the top 10 for the other.

My letters of recommendation came from my thesis advisor, my honors faculty mentor who is also the director of the school's undergrad history department, and the vice president for undergraduate education... so I'm kind of felt like my soft factors were pretty solid as soft factors go.

Also, I had targeted letters written specifically for NYU, which makes me think that people are right when they say that its a numbers game over there.

Womp. Womp.

Edit: I did retake the LSAT. 166 the first time. Maybe that explains it??

[im_blue]

So basically, I should probably have done better given my numbers? That's how I feel. I think my whole cycle is a testament to the importance of applying early, and possibly the benefit of being at least 1yr out of school with some professional experience.

Your cycle was pretty terrible. Honestly? I think you just had a super shitty personal statement and went to a shitty undergrad...And maybe you are an LSAT retaker. One year of work experience doesn't really matter and with those numbers you should have been able to pull something better even when you applied late.

+1. Dan, you applied in early January, which isn't really late enough to explain your terrible cycle. I mean, even GULC waitlisted and then accepted you. I would seriously take a look at the PS and LORs to see if there are any red flags there. Don't assume that applying a couple months earlier and a measly year of WE would help much.