UNC vs. American Forum

[DeeCee]

What do you think? I'm looking to get out of NC, especially since my grad and undergrad are from two other North Carolina schools. My ultimate goal is to work in DC, I don't want to only be tied to NC. However, American is not cheap ($40,000ish), and I would get in-state tuition at UNC ($17,000ish), AND Chapel Hill COL is much cheaper. I feel that American (and DC in general) is my dream, but UNC is realistic and not a bad school. I'm still waiting on many schools' decisions, though I believe my decision will end up coming down to these two because of my numbers.

TIA.

[johnnyutah]

UNC. Do not pay 40k a year to go to American unless you are very rich.

[DeeCee]

UNC. Do not pay 40k a year to go to American unless you are very rich.

I am definitely not rich and I still have a little bit of debt from grad school.

[johnnyutah]

UNC. Do not pay 40k a year to go to American unless you are very rich.

I am definitely not rich and I still have a little bit of debt from grad school.

I know you don't want to stay in NC, but I wouldn't use American to get out. It's too much money to spend for too iffy of job prospects.

[DeeCee]

UNC. Do not pay 40k a year to go to American unless you are very rich.

I am definitely not rich and I still have a little bit of debt from grad school.

I know you don't want to stay in NC, but I wouldn't use American to get out. It's too much money to spend for too iffy of job prospects.

That's what worries me is the price. I love American and the DC area, and I really want to get into government or something in environmental law. If I got off the WL at GW (fat chance but it might happen), would that be worth sticker compared to UNC?

[TarHeel11]

UNC. Do not pay 40k a year to go to American unless you are very rich.

I am definitely not rich and I still have a little bit of debt from grad school.

I know you don't want to stay in NC, but I wouldn't use American to get out. It's too much money to spend for too iffy of job prospects.

That's what worries me is the price. I love American and the DC area, and I really want to get into government or something in environmental law. If I got off the WL at GW (fat chance but it might happen), would that be worth sticker compared to UNC?

Only if the type of environmental law you're interested in practicing is representing large industrial corps. Otherwise the debt difference between GW and UNC should be the deciding factor, especially if your plan is government work or public interest environmental work.

[DeeCee]

Only if the type of environmental law you're interested in practicing is representing large industrial corps. Otherwise the debt difference between GW and UNC should be the deciding factor, especially if your plan is government work or public interest environmental work.

LOL, honest answers coming from TarHeel. JK JK...but, do you think UNC would have a similar reach as GW or American (maybe I should just say American since I'm in there) in the federal government? I really don't want to do BIGLAW for the rest of my life to pay loans back, but I'm a little concerned because UNC stopped their LRAP for the time being, due to the state budget crisis.

[dextermorgan]

American is a terrible decision for almost everyone.

[DeeCee]

American is a terrible decision for almost everyone.

I'm not being a smart ass when I say this....could you explain why? I very much like the school and what it stands for. However, I am trying to decide a school based on DC job prospects more so than atmosphere.

[TarHeel11]

Only if the type of environmental law you're interested in practicing is representing large industrial corps. Otherwise the debt difference between GW and UNC should be the deciding factor, especially if your plan is government work or public interest environmental work.

LOL, honest answers coming from TarHeel. JK JK...but, do you think UNC would have a similar reach as GW or American (maybe I should just say American since I'm in there) in the federal government? I really don't want to do BIGLAW for the rest of my life to pay loans back, but I'm a little concerned because UNC stopped their LRAP for the time being, due to the state budget crisis.

The LRAP was pretty short lived anyway. I hope no one counted on it being there for them. They had only instituted it recently because the tuition was finally starting to creep past the territory where they could say they didn't need it because the cost was so low.

Sure, I'm a Tar Heel, but I also think cost should be the driving factor when people are deciding between comparable schools. I think that's compounded when people are talking about doing government or public interest work. I made my decision largely based on UNC's in-state tuition, and I think UNC's biggest asset is its relatively low cost.

Back to your question: I think UNC puts you on a good footing for federal government work. My experience is anecdotal, but everyone I've known from the '08, '09 and '10 classes who wanted federal government work has been able to find it. And most of that has been in D.C. I know far fewer folks who went to American, but the ones I know wanted public interest or government work. They've struggled a great deal more finding jobs than the Carolina law folks I've known who wanted to/went to D.C.

I've only known a couple of G.W. lawyers and I can't give a decent assessment of how job prospects for UNC grads stacks up to the same for G.W. grads.

[johnnyutah]

American is a terrible decision for almost everyone.

I'm not being a smart ass when I say this....could you explain why? I very much like the school and what it stands for. However, I am trying to decide a school based on DC job prospects more so than atmosphere.

Because American will give you terrible job prospects in all likelihood.

[dextermorgan]

American is a terrible decision for almost everyone.

I'm not being a smart ass when I say this....could you explain why? I very much like the school and what it stands for. However, I am trying to decide a school based on DC job prospects more so than atmosphere.

American is a very expensive school, in a very high COL city, with mediocre job prospects/bar passage rate, in one of the most competitive, most targeted markets.

[DeeCee]

Only if the type of environmental law you're interested in practicing is representing large industrial corps. Otherwise the debt difference between GW and UNC should be the deciding factor, especially if your plan is government work or public interest environmental work.

LOL, honest answers coming from TarHeel. JK JK...but, do you think UNC would have a similar reach as GW or American (maybe I should just say American since I'm in there) in the federal government? I really don't want to do BIGLAW for the rest of my life to pay loans back, but I'm a little concerned because UNC stopped their LRAP for the time being, due to the state budget crisis.

The LRAP was pretty short lived anyway. I hope no one counted on it being there for them. They had only instituted it recently because the tuition was finally starting to creep past the territory where they could say they didn't need it because the cost was so low.

Sure, I'm a Tar Heel, but I also think cost should be the driving factor when people are deciding between comparable schools. I think that's compounded when people are talking about doing government or public interest work. I made my decision largely based on UNC's in-state tuition, and I think UNC's biggest asset is its relatively low cost.

Back to your question: I think UNC puts you on a good footing for federal government work. My experience is anecdotal, but everyone I've known from the '08, '09 and '10 classes who wanted federal government work has been able to find it. And most of that has been in D.C. I know far fewer folks who went to American, but the ones I know wanted public interest or government work. They've struggled a great deal more finding jobs than the Carolina law folks I've known who wanted to/went to D.C.

I've only known a couple of G.W. lawyers and I can't give a decent assessment of how job prospects for UNC grads stacks up to the same for G.W. grads.

I really appreciate your perspective. Do you plan on staying in NC? I hope to relocate northward and I was just wondering about the prospects from DC-north if you know. I know with my current grad degree (geography) many of my friends have been trying to get EPA and other similar jobs in DC and it's just not working out, so I have been hyper paranoid about making sure I am set up for what I want for law school.

Granted, these grad students are not lawyers, but I feel my current grad degree will not take me the places I want to be (thought I'd become a geography prof but I disliked teaching and liked research and enviro advocating instead), which is why I'm now doing law.

[DeeCee]

American is a terrible decision for almost everyone.

I'm not being a smart ass when I say this....could you explain why? I very much like the school and what it stands for. However, I am trying to decide a school based on DC job prospects more so than atmosphere.

American is a very expensive school, in a very high COL city, with mediocre job prospects/bar passage rate, in one of the most competitive, most targeted markets.

Do you know other good schools that feed into the DC market without American's prospects?
I thought maybe UMaryland, UVA (don't think that's happening but I can wish), GW, Georgetown (definite wish), and UNC.

[YankeesFan]

George Mason, which is especially strong with government placement.

[dextermorgan]

George Mason, which is especially strong with government placement.

Or even William and Mary, although I would probably take UNC over W&M.

[TarHeel11]

I really appreciate your perspective. Do you plan on staying in NC? I hope to relocate northward and I was just wondering about the prospects from DC-north if you know. I know with my current grad degree (geography) many of my friends have been trying to get EPA and other similar jobs in DC and it's just not working out, so I have been hyper paranoid about making sure I am set up for what I want for law school.

Granted, these grad students are not lawyers, but I feel my current grad degree will not take me the places I want to be (thought I'd become a geography prof but I disliked teaching and liked research and enviro advocating instead), which is why I'm now doing law.

I'm staying in N.C.

I know recent grads in Boston, New York, D.C., Baltimore and Philly and current students who are headed to jobs in D.C., New York and Boston. Those jobs range from working for a small two-person firm, to government, to nonprofit, to V5.

Again my experience is anecdotal, but among those cities D.C. is the one that UNC seems to send the most law grads off to, then New York followed by a big drop off to Boston.

[DeeCee]

I really appreciate your perspective. Do you plan on staying in NC? I hope to relocate northward and I was just wondering about the prospects from DC-north if you know. I know with my current grad degree (geography) many of my friends have been trying to get EPA and other similar jobs in DC and it's just not working out, so I have been hyper paranoid about making sure I am set up for what I want for law school.

Granted, these grad students are not lawyers, but I feel my current grad degree will not take me the places I want to be (thought I'd become a geography prof but I disliked teaching and liked research and enviro advocating instead), which is why I'm now doing law.

I'm staying in N.C.

I know recent grads in Boston, New York, D.C., Baltimore and Philly and current students who are headed to jobs in D.C., New York and Boston. Those jobs range from working for a small two-person firm, to government, to nonprofit, to V5.

Again my experience is anecdotal, but among those cities D.C. is the one that UNC seems to send the most law grads off to, then New York followed by a big drop off to Boston.

Thanks! I'm glad to know I don't have to spend huge $$ to get into the D.C. market. This is definitely changing my perspective. Though I am really interested in government/PI, if my mind changes it is nice to know that UNC has that type of reach, and that I might not have to go into debt for the rest of my life to attend law school.

However, I'm still ready to get out of NC and see some new places, not that the state is bad or anything. We'll see what happens, but I'm starting to think that unless American offers $$, I really can't afford to go, unless I rack up $180k.