Where should I attend? (ALL TTT, TTTT options) Forum

[Always Credited]

I've turned down acceptances and Scholarship offers at Pace, NY Law, Hofstra, and Widener.. simply because I did not want to be in the NYC area with such a high cost of living and poor quality of life... did I make a mistake?

Did you research any of these schools that you turned down? Neither Pace nor Hofstra are in NYC. While they are in the metropolitan area, they are both in the suburbs (at least 30 min outside of the city) and the cost of living is dramatically lower than NYC. And I can't imagine the QoL on Long Island or in Westchester being worse than that of Hamden. With Hofstra's jump in the rankings (and arguably before their jump), and scholarship offer I'd say that you made a mistake. Hofstra should have at least been one of your top picks, if these schools were your only choices.

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[nyjfanjmk]

I can't speak about the other two choices, but Quinnipiac isn't a bad option. It's on a very nice campus in a small town where you'll find affordable housing, and has small classes and, from what I've seen, a very friendly student body. You'll probably have to work hard to find a good job after, but it's only one of two law schools serving the Connecticut job market (Yale doesn't count for CT), and the alumni network is strong. Don't let others scare you into thinking that you won't get a job out of a third-tier school, you might just have to work harder.

[Rand M.]

I've turned down acceptances and Scholarship offers at Pace, NY Law, Hofstra, and Widener.. simply because I did not want to be in the NYC area with such a high cost of living and poor quality of life... did I make a mistake?

Did you research any of these schools that you turned down? Neither Pace nor Hofstra are in NYC. While they are in the metropolitan area, they are both in the suburbs (at least 30 min outside of the city) and the cost of living is dramatically lower than NYC. And I can't imagine the QoL on Long Island or in Westchester being worse than that of Hamden. With Hofstra's jump in the rankings (and arguably before their jump), and scholarship offer I'd say that you made a mistake. Hofstra should have at least been one of your top picks, if these schools were your only choices.

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[doinmybest]

Please tell me those are the amounts you will be paying.

Darling, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, even if you aren't planning on doing "firm work." Those aren't going to cut it. Do yourself a favor, invest the money you would have on an apartment deposit on an LSAT course if law is really your dream.

South Carolina Law has a 56% employment rate at graduation. I guarantee Charleston is twice as bad. Do you know what that means? That means to get a job, any legal job AT ALL you would have to be in the top quarter of your class. Don't do that to yourself.

Retake, or reconsider law, sweetheart.

And whoever says Charleston places well = wrongo.

I know it would be painful OP, but I seriously suggest you use your reretake option. Even as little as 5 points could do wonders for you.

^
Pay attention to the above quotes, since they offer you the best advice anyone could give you. I was in a similar situation a year ago. I took a year off to work, travel and study. I never regretted it. In fact, it was probably the best decision I have ever made in my entire life, since I will be attending my first choice school with $$ or even HYS if I get off the WL.

[holydonkey]

retake

[Case2L]

OP, in another thread I believe you mentioned that you've been accepted to Pace. Why is Pace not included in the poll? It's a better school than the 3 in the poll, they have a nice niche in the Environmental Law field, and RFK Jr. teaches there. My vote is none of the above, and go to Pace.

Edit: just saw that you turned down Pace. I think you should have gone with Pace.

[savagecheater]

You need to re-take, break 160

[Kilpatrick]

I didn't know you could change the font color. Why is this even an option?

OP, you said you just graduated. In that case, take some time off. Retake. I know you're probably anxious to get started on some kind of a career path, but believe me, it's going to be the wrong kind of path if you go to one of these schools.

[MentalGopher]

I'm with Kilpatrick on this. Take a year off. You can retake the LSAT and get a better score that'll get you into a T2 or T1 school. Your UGPA isn't a total wash and a score in the mid-160s would do wonders for your choices.

But if that's not an option, all I can say is DON'T go to Ave Maria.

[>:-)]

just go to cooley.

[Grizz]

Retake or don't go.

Debt + horrible job prospects = misery

[>:-)]

cooley is the best place ever. Its like heaven. Go there.

[You Gotta Have Faith]

YAY!!!! Such a COLORFUL THREAD!!!

This is Fantastic!!

[>:-)]

you want color go to cooleys auburn hills campus(near detroit)

[You Gotta Have Faith]

But for real... to answer OP's question.

If you're sure you don't want to work in a firm, and you know you want PI/Gov't work, then go wherever you will ultimately spend the least, given that it's in an area you find desirable to live in, and a reasonably decent school.

After a certain number of years (I think it's currently at 10) any remaining debt will be forgiven (check with the school for what the current stats are). This is of course contingent on the fact that you actually do work in such a a field. This has been done in recent years to encourage people to go into PI Law fields since not enough people were previously doing it (obviously because of the large amounts of debt taken on for jobs that didn't pay as much).

The rules for you, in that field at least, would be noticeably different from those who are looking to get a better-paying job and kill off the debt.

[>:-)]

A 160 at cooley is a FULL repeat FULL scholarship. You'd be close, I think 75%

I'm just relaying what I've read on other threads about Charleston...I imagine it's slightly true (only in that the school does place some grads in jobs around the Charleston area and many currently-employed lawyers in Charleston likely attended the school. Doesn't mean it's a sure bet, ITE, but what is?

[eandy]

I'm just relaying what I've read on other threads about Charleston...I imagine it's slightly true (only in that the school does place some grads in jobs around the Charleston area and many currently-employed lawyers in Charleston likely attended the school. Doesn't mean it's a sure bet, ITE, but what is?

Charleston is a new school, so no, "many currently-employed lawyers" in Charleston did NOT attend the school. As I said, wrongo.

[trialjunky]

I've turned down acceptances and Scholarship offers at Pace, NY Law, Hofstra, and Widener.. simply because I did not want to be in the NYC area with such a high cost of living and poor quality of life... did I make a mistake?

Did you research any of these schools that you turned down? Neither Pace nor Hofstra are in NYC. While they are in the metropolitan area, they are both in the suburbs (at least 30 min outside of the city) and the cost of living is dramatically lower than NYC. And I can't imagine the QoL on Long Island or in Westchester being worse than that of Hamden. With Hofstra's jump in the rankings (and arguably before their jump), and scholarship offer I'd say that you made a mistake. Hofstra should have at least been one of your top picks, if these schools were your only choices.

THIS