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Any suggestions on which law schools I should consider?
I graduated Dec '09 from Univ of FL:
Anthropology major, Business Administration minor
(Staff Accountant at a CPA firm since Jan of this year)
My low GPA [2.8] is due to some medical issues my first two years. My junior/senior years went much better- mostly As. My highest LSAT is 160 (my first was 153).
[These are some of the random things I've done that will be worked into my personal statement and resume and whatnot: FL Archaeology Field School, Summer Abroad at Univ of Mannheim, Germany, DC Political Activism (Amnesty International), AKP (International Professional Business Fraternity), Human Rights Awareness on Campus, P2P Alumnus, Local High School Finance Academy Advisory Board Member]

So basically...LSAT 160, UF Anthropology 2.8 (med issues), and some extracurricular activities.
States I'm considering: FL, CA, CO, MI, IL, IN, VA, MA, NY (basically FL, CA, CO or various northeastern locations).

Some schools I'm considering:
FL: Florida International, Stetson, Univ of Miami
CA: Chapman, Golden Gate, Santa Clara, Southwestern, Univ of Pacific, Univ of San Francisco, Whittier
CO: Univ of Denver
IN: Indiana Univ- Indianapolis
IL: John Marshall, Southern IL, Northern IL
NY: Syracuse, Albany, Pace
MI: Michigan State
MA: New England Law

I wouldn't go unless you can go for free. So apply low and see if you can get a fullride somewhere. Drop out if your scholly gets taken away.

This might be hard, because even Cooley won't give you a full ride.

Cost is secondary for me. My undergrad was free. I'm not as concerned with maximizing my investmemt financially...I just want to practice law. Not going isn't an option for me. Do you have any suggestions as far as which schools in these states I should apply to (which would provide the best preparation for practicing law...)?

capnb wrote:Cost is secondary for me. My undergrad was free. I'm not as concerned with maximizing my investmemt financially...I just want to practice law. Not going isn't an option for me. Do you have any suggestions as far as which schools in these states I should apply to (which would provide the best preparation for practicing law...)?

Not going very much is an option.

You should be concerned with minimizing your debt because the median starting income from any of these schools is under 50K a year, and in this economy many, if not most can't even find any job at graduation. Having 200K in debt would be unbearable at that level of income.

Don't go to John Marshall, or Northern Illinois. Northwestern students are having a tough time in Chicago.

Don't go to a school in a crowded market.

Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

I appreciate your input. Please let me know if you or anyone else has any more input on which schools I should I apply to...

Desert Fox wrote:

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

You don't understand! OP has a trust fund and can GO ANYWHERE without worrying about price. So I have an idea- since you will not be increasing your earning potential by going to any of these schools... why WASTE your parents money? why don't you let your parents keep they're money... or better yet give it to a nice charity? Steven Colbert is supporting Donors choose- 200k would be better spent on these children around the country than at TTTT law school...

/rant

Desert Fox wrote:

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

Wait, the reasoning confuses me here. Too everyone it is unique (well sort of) but definitely challenging, just for a lot of people it is a financial decision that will ruin their lives. People on here may be blunt, but 150k in debt with no possibility of paying that back is close to as bad as it gets financially.

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

That you are too stupid to see why paying 200 thousand dollars for a 50-50 shot at 50, is exactly the reason you can't get into a decent school.

Patriot1208 wrote:

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

Wait, the reasoning confuses me here. Too everyone it is unique (well sort of) but definitely challenging, just for a lot of people it is a financial decision that will ruin their lives. People on here may be blunt, but 150k in debt with no possibility of paying that back is close to as bad as it gets financially.

Indeed, the decision may be risky. The OP repeatedly acknowledged this and asked for advice anyway. That said, people have the right take risks, try to be one of the few instead of one of the many, and (and this will shock you) ask for meaningful advice on the internet about it.

Desert Fox wrote:

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

capnb wrote:Yeah... Anthropology doesn't generally pay much higher than 50K right out of school either. My family is fairly well off so I can afford to go to these schools.

What about Michigan State or Univ of San Francisco? There's also the option of switching into a better school after a year.

Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

That you are too stupid to see why paying 200 thousand dollars for a 50-50 shot at 50, is exactly the reason you can't get into a decent school.

What do you know about my prospects?

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:
Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

That you are too stupid to see why paying 200 thousand dollars for a 50-50 shot at 50, is exactly the reason you can't get into a decent school.

What do you know about my prospects?

You reek of TTT.

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote: Yea but that's 50K with no debt. Having 200K in debt on only 50K is worse than making 35K a year as an Anthropologist.

Hey, I know it gets you guys all hot and excited to tell people not to go to law school, but if someone wants to go, then shut the fuck up. You are not some sage of wisdom. To some people, it is a unique and challenging degree and it is more than a cost/benefit analysis. When you actually crawl out from your TLS rock, you will find that life is not so black and white

That you are too stupid to see why paying 200 thousand dollars for a 50-50 shot at 50, is exactly the reason you can't get into a decent school.

What do you know about my prospects?

If you are to attend a school with the stats of OP and you have no extremely good connections (parents own a firm, father is partner at skadden, just married hillary clinton, etc) then you have a very good chance of not even getting a job as a lawyer. And if you do, it'll be for 45k.

kwais wrote:What do you know about my prospects?

The one thing about TTTs is that the only people who defend them are the people who go there.

If you are to attend a school with the stats of OP and you have no extremely good connections (parents own a firm, father is partner at skadden, just married hillary clinton, etc) then you have a very good chance of not even getting a job as a lawyer. And if you do, it'll be for 45k.[/quote]

So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

d34dluk3 wrote:

kwais wrote:What do you know about my prospects?

The one thing about TTTs is that the only people who defend them are the people who go there.

1) wrong
2) wrong

kwais wrote:If you are to attend a school with the stats of OP and you have no extremely good connections (parents own a firm, father is partner at skadden, just married hillary clinton, etc) then you have a very good chance of not even getting a job as a lawyer. And if you do, it'll be for 45k.

So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?[/quote]

Butt fucked by debt and jobless isn't merely "not wealthy".

kwais wrote:So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

No one's talking about "allowing" anyone. He can do whatever he wants. If you asked, though, I would tell you it's a fucking terrible decision to stick your hand in a wood chipper and/or go to a TTT.

kwais wrote:

patriot1208 wrote:If you are to attend a school with the stats of OP and you have no extremely good connections (parents own a firm, father is partner at skadden, just married hillary clinton, etc) then you have a very good chance of not even getting a job as a lawyer. And if you do, it'll be for 45k.

So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

You are conflating not being wealthy and being financially ruined. I don't have a problem with making 50k a year. I do have a problem with, for myself and others, of making 50k while being so far in debt they may never pay it off.

Desert Fox wrote:

kwais wrote:If you are to attend a school with the stats of OP and you have no extremely good connections (parents own a firm, father is partner at skadden, just married hillary clinton, etc) then you have a very good chance of not even getting a job as a lawyer. And if you do, it'll be for 45k.

So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

Butt fucked by debt and jobless isn't merely "not wealthy".[/quote]

Awesome analysis. Nevertheless, some people want a legal education and the chance to practice. Doesn't make them stupid. In the end, it probably makes them more intellectually curious (and therefore more interesting) than those who approach their education as a simple math problem.

d34dluk3 wrote:

kwais wrote:So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

No one's talking about "allowing" anyone. He can do whatever he wants. If you asked, though, I would tell you it's a fucking terrible decision to stick your hand in a wood chipper and/or go to a TTT.

The fact that you compare these two things speaks volumes about your perspective, elitism and character.

kwais wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

kwais wrote: So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

Butt fucked by debt and jobless isn't merely "not wealthy".

Awesome analysis. Nevertheless, some people want a legal education and the chance to practice. Doesn't make them stupid. In the end, it probably makes them more intellectually curious (and therefore more interesting) than those who approach their education as a simple math problem.

What? Again, the reasoning is curious, at best. Intellectual curiosity is worth being financially ruined for the rest of your life? As in, not being able to retire, buy a home, get a loan, etc?

kwais wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:

kwais wrote:So. Will you still see fit to allow someone to pursue a legal education if they won't be wealthy?

No one's talking about "allowing" anyone. He can do whatever he wants. If you asked, though, I would tell you it's a fucking terrible decision to stick your hand in a wood chipper and/or go to a TTT.

The fact that you compare these two things speaks volumes about your perspective, elitism and character.

I could care less about the name on the diploma. It's the job prospects that make it career suicide.

Now go back to studying. I know you want to make that Nova Southeastern Law Review.