Full-Ride at T30 vs. Sticker T6 Forum

[UnTouChablE]

I want to push back a little against these 'debt free' hawks. It is a little troubling that someone is advocating T30 ova T6 because of a full scholarship. I don't think this is comparable to t14 vs UCLA full scholarship, I think it is going a little too far.

The job prospects are so radically different that it impacts your career for life. Career prospects should be your main focus when choosing a law school, debt is a major concern but the only way it overrides career prospects is if you have a mitigating factor ie guaranteed job upon graduation.

IBR is huge, so what if it takes you 25yrs to pay off your school loans as long as the loan payments are manageable then you are fine. Life is unpredictable but if you have worked hard and you know it aint just 'stroll' into you GPA and LSAT score then give yourself a chance.

Its maddening because at a T30 your chances at biglaw are minuscule compared to your chances at biglaw at any T6. Disregarding the debt biglaw does not only mean 'biglaw' work it also means exit options and a career that will likely propel you anywhere you eventually want to be at.

Again not saying its impossible but a T6 offers you the best chance for a fulfilling career, period. You can handle the debt but you can never see those opportunities you missed.

[A&O]

From the attorneys I've talked to, Atlanta is a market where lawyers get loads more respect. Unlike New York, where you're likely taking orders from some 24-year old Gordon Gekko wannabe with an MBA and a serious coke habit

I can't tell if you're some BruceWayne impostor. Atlanta firms typically take even worse positions on mega-deals, and second-tier legal work. Instead of taking orders from some "24-year old Gordon Gekko wannabe," you'll be taking orders from some "24-year old Gordon Gekko wannabe wannabe."

And don't even pretend for a second that the Atlanta firms are above taking work from major investment banks and such. If they could, they would.
GDANE

[bk1]

You do realize that the majority of your classmates have near identical LSAT's/GPA's wherever you go to school? It's not like you can just assume you will do well. You are competing against similarly skilled people who are working just as hard as you, nothing is even close to guaranteed.

A lot of people never want to work for biglaw and are fine without the prestige it offers. 3-5 years in biglaw is fucking hell and I would imagine a ton of people would avoid it if it were possible to make less $ with a better work/life balance.

Some people are fine being average lawyers. They have no desire to be partner at a biglaw firm, become a CoA judge, argue before the Supreme Court, or anything like that. They just want to be lawyers and there is nothing wrong with that.

IBR is nice for making loan payments manageable, but I seriously do not want to have debt for 25 years. I can't imagine anybody who really does. Ideally I would like my loans paid off in 10 years, if not 5.

[romothesavior]

I want to push back a little against these 'debt free' hawks. It is a little troubling that someone is advocating T30 ova T6 because of a full scholarship. I don't think this is comparable to t14 vs UCLA full scholarship, I think it is going a little too far.

What is troubling to me is that people are creating this false dichotomy. If OP's profile is right, their numbers are good enough to pull a full ride at some T14/T20 schools.

Why do Georgia for free when you could do Vandy for free? Why not consider UVA with scholly?

[pereira6]

What is troubling to me is that people are creating this false dichotomy. If OP's profile is right, their numbers are good enough to pull a full ride at some T14/T20 schools.

Why do Georgia for free when you could do Vandy for free? Why not consider UVA with scholly?

I think the conversation has deviated from OP's inquiry. I as well think OP should be applying and receiving full rides to much higher than Georgia. If OP landed a sweet deal at Vanderbilt, I bet they have a pretty good in with the Southeastern market.

I am particularly interested in this thread due to my own (ever-changing) situation. As of now I stand with a full scholarship to Illinois, and (as of present time) sticker to Penn. I want Biglaw (not for the money, but for future personal career goals that UnTouChablE alluded to), but I'm very, very put off by the notion that I could have 200k in debt and not even have a reliable shot at the 160k positions. Penn is no TTT and its still scary as hell. There's multiple horror stories all the way up to Columbia.

I know personal risk aversion plays a big role in this, but the vast difference between top school BigLaw recipients and top school shitlaw recipients is absolutely absurd considering the quality of the schools the applicants are coming from. Call me an idealist, but I think any decent individual graduating from an Ivy league law school should be confident with his short-term career options. And that's just not the case.

Anyways, I have a similar situation and its not going to be a fun battle to have with myself (or with a few members of my family who will flip a shit if I choose the 200k option haha)

[BruceWayne]

From the attorneys I've talked to, Atlanta is a market where lawyers get loads more respect. Unlike New York, where you're likely taking orders from some 24-year old Gordon Gekko wannabe with an MBA and a serious coke habit

I can't tell if you're some BruceWayne impostor. Atlanta firms typically take even worse positions on mega-deals, and second-tier legal work. Instead of taking orders from some "24-year old Gordon Gekko wannabe," you'll be taking orders from some "24-year old Gordon Gekko wannabe wannabe."

And don't even pretend for a second that the Atlanta firms are above taking work from major investment banks and such. If they could, they would.

You are the typical cocky elitist TLS poster who things "OMFG" life isn't worth living if I'm not in NYC or SF. Truthfully, you have no idea what your talking about when it comes to what the culture is like in cities outside of the areas you frequent. And there's nothing wrong with that; but for you to talk about other locales that you know nothing about as if you do is just ignorant. The poster is quite correct. Being a lawyer in places like Atlanta is significantly different than what it would be like in NYC. Being a lawyer does have a much higher aura of respect in a place like Atlanta. It's not like an area like NYC where you have Ibankers, CEOs, Management consultants etc. everywhere. There are more down to earth normal people in these areas.