Univ. of KY or U Nev. Las Vegas or Stetson Forum

[brandynbeavers]

I can't decide where to go. UK is my home state, so I would have a support group plus instate tuition.

Las Vegas offered me a huge scholarship, making it cheaper than instate and is ranked high on their legal research and writing class, but has only been aroudn for 10 years so doens't have a huge alumni base

Stetson is Tier 3 but has good LR&W as well, not to mention a good trial advocacy program, but they didn't offer any scholarship monies, and I'll be paying for this all out of pocket. Any advice would be awesome!

So Confused

[Fancy Pants]

Where do you want to practice? You're going to have a difficult time trying to get a job in KY if you go to somewhere like UNLV (or Stetson) and vice versa.

[brandynbeavers]

That's the thing I don't really know. My family's from KY, but the only member I'm close to is my mother. UNLV offered $$$ which makes their offer inviting, but from what I've heard to stay in the area you really need to go into gaming law. I liked stetson when I went down to visit, but I've heard that Tampa is starting to have some major gang issues, plus stetson would be at sticker so if i didn't get a scholarship for 2nd and 3rd year I'd be looking at 90K in debt for tuition alone. I went to undergrad at UK and like the lexington area, but am not sure I want to stay in KY....am I hearing that a UK degree is really only useful in the KY area?

[sccjnthn]

I would avoid Stetson (due to the high price) and try to decide between UNLV and Kentucky.

Neither school is going to give you a large salary but I would think that once the economy starts recovering Vegas as a city may be able to recapture some of its' extraordinary growth of the last two decades and provide more opportunities.

[JOThompson]

If you want to be in Kentucky, go to school there. Otherwise, I think you'd have the best career prospects with a UNLV degree. The huge scholarship is also very enticing. There's also the possibility you could return to your homestate after a few years of practice in Nevada, especially since it seems you have strong ties to Kentucky.

Let me reiterate what an above poster stated--don't go to Stetson. It is lower ranked, less well regarded, and more expensive. You may never be able to pay off that pile of Stetson debt with a Stetson degree. It's true that their trial ad program is well ranked, but specialty rankings don't translate into better jobs.

[missvik218]

Stetson at sticker is not (nor is it nearly ever) TCR. Think about where you'd rather be .. KY or NV? South or West?

[Fancy Pants]

If you want to be in Kentucky, go to school there. Otherwise, I think you'd have the best career prospects with a UNLV degree. The huge scholarship is also very enticing. There's also the possibility you could return to your homestate after a few years of practice in Nevada, especially since it seems you have strong ties to Kentucky.

I concur with this, I think. Your connections to Kentucky will make it much easier to come back than it would to go from Kentucky to somewhere else.

[brandynbeavers]

I really appreciate all of your advice. I had pretty much ruled out Stetson because of the price....I was just drawn to being close to the beach.

I am leaning towards UNLV, KY is good and all, but my mom will be retiring soon and probably won't stay in KY....and I feel the need to spread my wings and fly a bit. The thing that makes me most hesitant about UNLV is that it's so new and doesn't have an alumni base. Should I even be worried about that?

[brandynbeavers]

please please please if you have any advice or information about either of these schools, let me know!

[Wooster33]

I don't know anything about any of these schools.

But Las Vegas is getting absolutely killed in this economy. I would imagine the situation is comparatively worse there. Something to check into.

Good luck!

[lmarie81]

I don't know if this is an option for you, but I would recommend visiting UNLV. It's quite a change to live in the desert and it may help you gain some insight to what life may be like should you end up working there after graduating. It works really well for some, others may not really like being in that area/climate/culture/etc.

[PhantaManta]

I had a similar choice. St. Johns (home state) vs. UNLV (new state) at comparableprices due to scholarships. I also was feeling like the whole spreading the wings thing might be a good idea, so that was a big factor in me choosing UNLV.

As far as the Las Vegas economy, it is bad right now and it is effecting the state schools, although appearently not so much in the law school thus far.

As far as employment prospects in this economy in Vegas for law graduates, it is very hard to say. There aren't a LOT of UNLV law students on TLS who have experience of job searching, but the two I remember that posted about it said it wasn't too great, but they and most the people they knew had jobs.

I don't have a lot of evidence to back this up, but given that UNLV is the only school in the state, and you can try internships at the DA,public defender, department of homeland security --- I think perhaps it might be comparatively easier to gain expereince and connections in these areas at UNLV that schools in other, more crowded states.

Whether that would help you actually get hired as an ADA (etc.) is impossible to tell, because many states are issuing hiring freezes in these offices.

[beachbud]

Gangs in Tampa? That is a silly piece of feedback to use to rule out Stetson Law, whose main campus is in Gulfport -- an hour away. I have lived both in Tampa and closer to the beach for 10+ years, and I have never heard "a local" talk about a gang problem or concern. At least no more than what I have learned by watching the TV series COPS which seems like it is filmed in Las Vegas every week.

I think the arguments about cost are certainly relevant. Schools that offer scholarship money make it hard to turn down. As is in-state tuition. But tuition (and by default, loans) is an investment in the future. So first and foremost, I hope you make a decision that is right for you personally and professionally. Think about the area of the country you might want to work/live in. Think about the fields of law that you can see yourself being passionate about and then whether or not the school's where you are accepted will make those opportunities feasible.

Good luck.

[brandynbeavers]

I just wanted to say "Thank You" to everyone who offerred advice on my post. I realize that everyone's time is valuable and your insights are truly appreciated.