Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law Forum
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Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
I have been lurking on this post for quite some time, and thought that today I might contribute today by posing a question.
What is the best school for someone looking to become an ADA? Obviously, many will say the best school that you can get into. However, is this accurate? Shouldn't debt play a major role in deciding on where to attend law school, given the poor starting salaries of ADA's?
Just for example....Would be going to Boston College for sticker be worth it? Or would it be wise to go to Northeastern on a massive scholly? (In order to get a job working for the Suffolk County D.A's Office @ 40k per year)
What is the best school for someone looking to become an ADA? Obviously, many will say the best school that you can get into. However, is this accurate? Shouldn't debt play a major role in deciding on where to attend law school, given the poor starting salaries of ADA's?
Just for example....Would be going to Boston College for sticker be worth it? Or would it be wise to go to Northeastern on a massive scholly? (In order to get a job working for the Suffolk County D.A's Office @ 40k per year)
- A'nold
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Wait......a question doesn't contribute without an answer......did I just contribue? I think the answer is yes.
- pugalicious
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
In before someone says "Yale".
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Stung by A'nold... and a Yale response. This thread is shaping up nicely.
- Always Credited
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
A 40k/year government job will fall under both IBR and your school's LRAP. So debt actually wouldn't play a significant factor in your decision.
I just made essentially the same decision between two different schools, and chose to pay sticker at the better school. Northeastern is a different, weird issue though since they have strong ties to the PI community in Boston. Whether or not these ties beat out BC in the Government sector, though, is something you need to research yourself. That should make your decision for you.
I just made essentially the same decision between two different schools, and chose to pay sticker at the better school. Northeastern is a different, weird issue though since they have strong ties to the PI community in Boston. Whether or not these ties beat out BC in the Government sector, though, is something you need to research yourself. That should make your decision for you.
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Thanks. I had figured that much. IBR is in the plan. What I should I have added in my orginal post was my concern with prestige and hiring practices of DA Offices. Will going to a tier 2 school reduce my chances in large metro DA offices. I have heard that it will not. But this is not the case in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office (e.g. Sonia Sotomayor). Typically ADA's profiles are not posted on County websites, which makes finding any real data difficult to obtain. I guess BC would be the most practical choice, but 200k in debt is scary- even with IBR.
- A'nold
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Sorry, it was just your initiation post.modestsquirrel wrote:Stung by A'nold... and a Yale response. This thread is shaping up nicely.
To answer your OP, I would think that it depends on the school and the school's LRAP. If you are unsure about whether you want to do P.I. or not you might want to go to the better school. Also, if you are sure you want to do P.I., then you have the federal IBR.....so, I guess, if you have no real reason to attend the lower ranked school other than $, probs go to the higher ranked one.
- Always Credited
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Meh, I'm "paying" 200k myself at GWU. Either I'll have a government job lined up, and thus IBR, or I cut my losses after 1L if I don't do well and only pay 60k. So either way I won't be 200k in debtmodestsquirrel wrote:Thanks. I had figured that much. IBR is in the plan. What I should I have added in my orginal post was my concern with prestige and hiring practices of DA Offices. Will going to a tier 2 school reduce my chances in large metro DA offices. I have heard that it will not. But this is not the case in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office (e.g. Sonia Sotomayor). Typically ADA's profiles are not posted on County websites, which makes finding any real data difficult to obtain. I guess BC would be the most practical choice, but 200k in debt is scary- even with IBR.
Prestige > Debt, for government/PI/Biglaw in my opinion.
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
All is forgiven... But, thanks. You both confirmed what I had thought originally.
Always Credited: We could always take jobs as police officers, dmv employees, etc. and really cash in on our JD's through IBR if all else fails. NYPD after 5 years pays 90k... (I just got a recruitment email) Whoop woo IBR!
Always Credited: We could always take jobs as police officers, dmv employees, etc. and really cash in on our JD's through IBR if all else fails. NYPD after 5 years pays 90k... (I just got a recruitment email) Whoop woo IBR!
- Always Credited
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
I'd beat the shit out of people if I were ever given a nightstick and a badgemodestsquirrel wrote:All is forgiven... But, thanks. You both confirmed what I had thought originally.
Always Credited: We could always take jobs as police officers, dmv employees, etc. and really cash in on our JD's through IBR if all else fails. NYPD after 5 years pays 90k... (I just got a recruitment email) Whoop woo IBR!
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Having lived in Bed-Stuy/ Clinton Hill for a small but enlightening period after college I will say that I will probably just get beaten. See quote from Biggie:
"Live from Bedford-Stuyverson, the livest one
Representin BK to the fullest
Gats I pull it, bastards duckin when Big be buckin
Chickenheads be cluckin in my bathroom fuckin
It ain't nuttin..."
"Live from Bedford-Stuyverson, the livest one
Representin BK to the fullest
Gats I pull it, bastards duckin when Big be buckin
Chickenheads be cluckin in my bathroom fuckin
It ain't nuttin..."
- A'nold
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Dropping out would be dumb. It'd be better to finish it out and get some po-dunk ADA job and use IBR.Always Credited wrote:Meh, I'm "paying" 200k myself at GWU. Either I'll have a government job lined up, and thus IBR, or I cut my losses after 1L if I don't do well and only pay 60k. So either way I won't be 200k in debtmodestsquirrel wrote:Thanks. I had figured that much. IBR is in the plan. What I should I have added in my orginal post was my concern with prestige and hiring practices of DA Offices. Will going to a tier 2 school reduce my chances in large metro DA offices. I have heard that it will not. But this is not the case in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office (e.g. Sonia Sotomayor). Typically ADA's profiles are not posted on County websites, which makes finding any real data difficult to obtain. I guess BC would be the most practical choice, but 200k in debt is scary- even with IBR.
Prestige > Debt, for government/PI/Biglaw in my opinion.
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Agreed. In for a penny in for a dollar.
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
To increase chances of becoming an Assistant District Attorney, seek out law schools with solid prosecutorial clinics. It is also important to get into a well organized big city prosecutorial (DA) internship/externship program, although this can be quite political in nature. Many law schools have courses taught by the local DA or Assistant DAs. This can be an entry into the DA's office if you do well in class & earn the recommendation of the instructor.
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Not buying itAlways Credited wrote:
Prestige > Debt, for [strike]government/PI/Biglaw in my opinion[/strike] Everything
- Always Credited
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Not true for small law. You either maximize your chances at getting a job to pay off big debt (YHSCCN) or you maximize your chances at being able to use programs like IBR to pay debt efficiently (government, public interest). If you go for prestige and get stuck with a small firm gig, which many people get stuck with, you are fucked.rando wrote:Not buying itAlways Credited wrote:
Prestige > Debt, for [strike]government/PI/Biglaw in my opinion[/strike] Everything
So no. Not everything.
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Re: Most appropriate school for prosecution/criminal law
Fair enough. I still don't know if I'd be willing to put all my debt eggs in the IBR LRAP baskets, so to speak. But that is just me. your point is well taken.Always Credited wrote:Not true for small law. You either maximize your chances at getting a job to pay off big debt (YHSCCN) or you maximize your chances at being able to use programs like IBR to pay debt efficiently (government, public interest). If you go for prestige and get stuck with a small firm gig, which many people get stuck with, you are fucked.rando wrote:Not buying itAlways Credited wrote:
Prestige > Debt, for [strike]government/PI/Biglaw in my opinion[/strike] Everything
So no. Not everything.
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