Fordham (18k) or Brooklyn (full ride) plus other issues.. Forum

[goosey]

so this isnt as clear cut as these threads usually are...

Fordham is my dream. It seems like there isnt much of a decision but there are other things in the mix:

1- my religion prohibits taking on interest bearing loans. I know that a lot of people would think "are u for real?!" but my faith values matter a lot to me. And I dont want to start my legal career by compromising my values.

2- when all is said and done, 18k isnt a huge amount of money to come up with in a year (this is what the balance would be for me after 18k in aid)--being a part time student, I think there is a possibility for me to come up with that amount throughout the year. But then there is the chance that it just doesnt happen. then what?

3- graduating without debt would provide a lot of freedom. Fordham will wind up costing me about 72k in loans, if I do take out loans. Brooklyn will cost me 0.

4- I am not really "Big Law or Bust"--there are different areas that interest me, and while I know Fordham is better for Big Law, and while Fordham is my #1, there are conscience issues involved. And my main concern is am I going to tread into muddy waters (meaning, possibly compromise my values) for a school that will give me a better shot at Big Law when I dont even want Big law.

5- the name on my degree will always be there.

6- I worked really hard to get to Fordham. I cant imagine walking away from my dream once I get it--after all that work

now what?

[Mr. Matlock]

First off, I thought I read today that you withdrew from Fordham????????

Second, if those are your parameters, you don't have a choice, and with this new information, probably never did. Brooklyn.

Keep in mind with Fordham, it's $18K this year, $20K the next, etc...

[goosey]

First off, I thought I read today that you withdrew from Fordham????????

Second, if those are your parameters, you don't have a choice, and with this new information, probably never did. Brooklyn.

Keep in mind with Fordham, it's $18K this year, $20K the next, etc...

I did.

And then I promptly un-withdrew and got an offer.

what do you mean 18k this yr and 20k next?

[SaintClarence27]

Wow, I wish I had your religion a few years ago (purely in self-interest, obviously)

That said, dropping out (even with 0 in debt) is a dangerous proposition. You can do Brooklyn, graduate in 3 years, and have NO debt, and that's awesome. Take it and don't look back.

[A'nold]

Wouldn't this mean that you are Jewish? If so, I don't see how you will be able to work in biglaw and never word a Saturday if you are determined to adhere to legalism (not saying this is bad, just putting it out there).

[goosey]

Wouldn't this mean that you are Jewish? If so, I don't see how you will be able to work in biglaw and never word a Saturday if you are determined to adhere to legalism (not saying this is bad, just putting it out there).

no I am not jewish. And also, like I said, I am not big law or bust

[Always Credited]

so this isnt as clear cut as these threads usually are...

Fordham is my dream. It seems like there isnt much of a decision but there are other things in the mix:

1- my religion prohibits taking on interest bearing loans. I know that a lot of people would think "are u for real?!" but my faith values matter a lot to me. And I dont want to start my legal career by compromising my values.

2- when all is said and done, 18k isnt a huge amount of money to come up with in a year (this is what the balance would be for me after 18k in aid)--being a part time student, I think there is a possibility for me to come up with that amount throughout the year. But then there is the chance that it just doesnt happen. then what?

3- graduating without debt would provide a lot of freedom. Fordham will wind up costing me about 72k in loans, if I do take out loans. Brooklyn will cost me 0.

4- I am not really "Big Law or Bust"--there are different areas that interest me, and while I know Fordham is better for Big Law, and while Fordham is my #1, there are conscience issues involved. And my main concern is am I going to tread into muddy waters (meaning, possibly compromise my values) for a school that will give me a better shot at Big Law when I dont even want Big law.

5- the name on my degree will always be there.

6- I worked really hard to get to Fordham. I cant imagine walking away from my dream once I get it--after all that work

now what?

You have one choice to make, and only you can make it - compromise your religious values for your dream, or attend Brooklyn.

No one on this internet forum, or perhaps no one else but YOU, period, can make that choice. It depends entirely on what matters to you - there is (to my knowledge) no High Prophet holding a sword to your neck requiring you to follow your religion to the letter; there are a lot of people who will tell you Fordham >>>>>>>> Brooklyn; and there is what you've worked hard for, undoubtedly knowing the whole time that Fordham would not give you enough merit aid to dispose of loans entirely.

Ultimately you should probably re-examine, carefully, your own value system. And decide based on that.

[Mr. Matlock]

First off, I thought I read today that you withdrew from Fordham????????

Second, if those are your parameters, you don't have a choice, and with this new information, probably never did. Brooklyn.

Keep in mind with Fordham, it's $18K this year, $20K the next, etc...

I did.

And then I promptly un-withdrew and got an offer.

what do you mean 18k this yr and 20k next?

The cost will increase every year. Plus, once your married, unfortunately need based aid all but disappears.

BTW, congrats. Has your new husband, mom, dad........ rich uncle, offered at anytime to help pay? If not, living in NYC..... I just can't see how you would ever be able to do it without loans. Loans that YOUR tax dollars are helping to subsidize others in the exact same situation. (Trying to help you rationalize )

[goosey]

First off, I thought I read today that you withdrew from Fordham????????

Second, if those are your parameters, you don't have a choice, and with this new information, probably never did. Brooklyn.

Keep in mind with Fordham, it's $18K this year, $20K the next, etc...

I did.

And then I promptly un-withdrew and got an offer.

what do you mean 18k this yr and 20k next?

The cost will increase every year. Plus, once your married, unfortunately need based aid all but disappears.

BTW, congrats. Has your new husband, mom, dad........ rich uncle, offered at anytime to help pay? If not, living in NYC..... I just can't see how you would ever be able to do it without loans. Loans that YOUR tax dollars are helping to subsidize others in the exact same situation. (Trying to help you rationalize )

lol, thanks.

Im not married yet, and marriage plans have been postponed for a while. I will be living on Long Island and theres no real cost of living expense. I basically just need to have money for books, tuition, and commuting. I need 18k total per year..also, 10k out of my bls package is need-based, so if that were to disappear I would not be a happy camper.

[Always Credited]

Any stipulations on Brooklyn? That school always has stipulations, and they section stack. So be careful.

[goosey]

Any stipulations on Brooklyn? That school always has stipulations, and they section stack. So be careful.

top 40%

[vanwinkle]

--ImageRemoved--

[FuManChusco]

Definitely Islamic. Good luck spending your whole life avoiding interest bearing loans in the 21st century. Go to Fordham.

edit: just saw the stipulations. now it shouldn't even be a question. go to Fordham.

[Mr. Matlock]

--ImageRemoved--

[Always Credited]

Any stipulations on Brooklyn? That school always has stipulations, and they section stack. So be careful.

top 40%

Don't do it. Go to Fordham or you're taking a terrible, terrible risk.

[goosey]

Definitely Islamic. Good luck spending your whole life avoiding interest bearing loans in the 21st century. Go to Fordham.

Its Muslim, not Islamic . Secondly, I know plenty of people that have done so, including myself---theres even interest-free mortgages. unfortunately nobody has worked on interest-free student loans yet

[NayBoer]

If you don't want biglaw, Fordham still has benefits. But I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the difficulty of coming up with a pile of money every year. I'd take BLS, assuming no GPA stipulation.

Wouldn't this mean that you are Jewish?

You're thinking the opposite. Jews were allowed to charge interest in Catholic medieval Europe because they were free of the rules against usury.

[los blancos]

Definitely Islamic. Good luck spending your whole life avoiding interest bearing loans in the 21st century. Go to Fordham.

Its Muslim, not Islamic . Secondly, I know plenty of people that have done so, including myself---theres even interest-free mortgages. unfortunately nobody has worked on interest-free student loans yet

And they're basically just repackaged and rebranded mortgages. You still pay interest, they just call it something different and it's approved by clergy.

I would think deeply about what you're doing here. And think seriously about LRAP.

[Mr. Matlock]

Ahhhhh goosey.... you and I go way back. I know how hard you've fought, clawed, and suffered to get to THIS VERY SPOT!! Have you fully discussed this situation with your family and cleric? Do they fully know what this means to you? I just want you to be happy. You've earned it.

[los blancos]

Ahhhhh goosey.... you and I go way back. I know how hard you've fought, clawed, and suffered to get to THIS VERY SPOT!! Have you fully discussed this situation with your family and cleric? Do they fully know what this means to you? I just want you to be happy. You've earned it.

+7437184931843

I personally never had to deal with student loans and probably never will but I have plenty of Muslim friends taking out loans for their educations, many of them from very observant families. I think you'll regret taking a black and white approach to this.

[goosey]

Definitely Islamic. Good luck spending your whole life avoiding interest bearing loans in the 21st century. Go to Fordham.

Its Muslim, not Islamic . Secondly, I know plenty of people that have done so, including myself---theres even interest-free mortgages. unfortunately nobody has worked on interest-free student loans yet

And they're basically just repackaged and rebranded mortgages. You still pay interest, they just call it something different and it's approved by clergy.

I would think deeply about what you're doing here. And think seriously about LRAP.

yeah but "interest" in Shariah is paying back or taking back more than you borrowed or loaned. If you are buying a 500k house for 600k and actually borrowing 600k that is not interest--you are just paying extra for something, it is profit for the other party. Islamic mortgages work in a way in which you pay back exactly what you borrowed--you borrow x and return x. borrowing 500k and paying back 750k is interest. It seems like a technicality and thats because it is--interest is a technicality. And I'm not here to argue the deep technicalities of Islamic law, nor do I expect anyone to understand where I am coming from or why it matters, just asking for advice on where I should attend.

And yeah, I understand the black & white thing..I mean I worked this hard knowing I wasnt getting any merit aid from anywhere. BLS took me by surprise. But there is that grey area of not having any other choice. I just feel like if I HAVE the choice to not compromise my values, it becomes much more complex a decision

[FuManChusco]

The religious beliefs that still exist in the modern day confuse the hell out of me. Is Muhammad seriously that pissed off about interest? Did he take out a loan at 18% interest when he was trying to buy camel in the year 600? Why ask for advice if you are unable to take it? Think about this. If you end up at median at Brooklyn and lose your scholly, you're either going to have to break your religious values or drop out. Good luck with that.

[Mr. Pablo]

1) My trite answer to your question (if only because I don't have a better one) : You should go to the school that you think you will be happiest at.

2) I always thought that it was against Islamic law to charge interest, but that you can't even pay interest is not something I knew. Everyday, I'm learning things.

[goosey]

Ahhhhh goosey.... you and I go way back. I know how hard you've fought, clawed, and suffered to get to THIS VERY SPOT!! Have you fully discussed this situation with your family and cleric? Do they fully know what this means to you? I just want you to be happy. You've earned it.

yeah I have. My family says theyll support whatever decision I make, but I need to think about what kind of life I want for myself and if I want career to be my focus, then go to fordham; if I want to have children and have a career on the side, then go to bls.

problem is I want both

[FuManChusco]

Ahhhhh goosey.... you and I go way back. I know how hard you've fought, clawed, and suffered to get to THIS VERY SPOT!! Have you fully discussed this situation with your family and cleric? Do they fully know what this means to you? I just want you to be happy. You've earned it.

yeah I have. My family says theyll support whatever decision I make, but I need to think about what kind of life I want for myself and if I want career to be my focus, then go to fordham; if I want to have children and have a career on the side, then go to bls.

problem is I want both

The top 40% stipulation is awful. GO TO FORDHAM. I really can't say it enough.