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Whose got Undergraduate debt? Whose got a lot of it? Whose SO is bringing a bunch of it with them?

How is your UG debt influencing your decision? Are you thinking of going all in at the best school you get into since you already have a bunch of debt? or are you going to take the highest rank school that gives you are big scholarship? Some kind of compromise between the two?

Law Sauce wrote:Whose got Undergraduate debt? Whose got a lot of it? Whose SO is bringing a bunch of it with them?

How is your UG debt influencing your decision? Are you thinking of going all in at the best school you get into since you already have a bunch of debt? or are you going to take the highest rank school that gives you are big scholarship? Some kind of compromise between the two?

I don't have a whole lot from UG, but I do have grad school debt. Wife will have a bunch too. Making this law school thing even more perilous. My decision will be driven by a number of factors, but cost has been rising on the list our priorities now that I have offers different so large in cost among peer schools.

I am currently a 1L but I was in this position last year.

I had a lot of debt, my SO had less but still a decent amount out of UG. At that point I just decided to take the best school I can get into simply because there really isn't much difference in amount of debt once you get into the upper tiers like I did.

Ohaithere, I went to a UC out-of-state for UG... I've got some debt. I've paid off a lot of it over the past 3 years, though, so it really does not have much influence on my decision of where to attend.

krad wrote:Ohaithere, I went to a UC out-of-state for UG... I've got some debt. I've paid off a lot of it over the past 3 years, though, so it really does not have much influence on my decision of where to attend.

Good for you. Both of our other student loan debt should add up to about 100k. So it's making choosing a law school a bit more - interesting.

Went out of state for UG, graduated in 2008 with 30k in debt. Been working a good job since, and down to 20k.

It has definitely given me a good perception of how crappy it is, and thus greatly influencing my law school decision. Cost is pretty much the #1 factor for me now.

r6_philly wrote:

krad wrote:Ohaithere, I went to a UC out-of-state for UG... I've got some debt. I've paid off a lot of it over the past 3 years, though, so it really does not have much influence on my decision of where to attend.

Good for you. Both of our other student loan debt should add up to about 100k. So it's making choosing a law school a bit more - interesting.

I owe 60k in grad debt; yes, it is making things... interesting. I don't know what's going to happen; paying sticker for any school no matter how highly ranked has me a little nervous...

SMA22 wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

krad wrote:Ohaithere, I went to a UC out-of-state for UG... I've got some debt. I've paid off a lot of it over the past 3 years, though, so it really does not have much influence on my decision of where to attend.

Good for you. Both of our other student loan debt should add up to about 100k. So it's making choosing a law school a bit more - interesting.

I owe 60k in grad debt; yes, it is making things... interesting. I don't know what's going to happen; paying sticker for any school no matter how highly ranked has me a little nervous...

FWIW I was committed to willing to pay sticker to the highest ranked school until I got that letter with a lot of 0's on it. (they even bolded them for me )

I have some UG debt too. The financial aid packages will be a HUGE factor for me in my final decision. With that being said though, I would be willing to pay a bit more for a school that really fits my personality and interests. If it's the difference between no help at all and a significant need-based grant among peer schools though, I would put a lot of thought into it before turning down the money. FWIW I have several tempting schollies from non-T14 schools, and I'm turning them down without any hesitation.

r6_philly wrote:

SMA22 wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

krad wrote:Ohaithere, I went to a UC out-of-state for UG... I've got some debt. I've paid off a lot of it over the past 3 years, though, so it really does not have much influence on my decision of where to attend.

Good for you. Both of our other student loan debt should add up to about 100k. So it's making choosing a law school a bit more - interesting.

I owe 60k in grad debt; yes, it is making things... interesting. I don't know what's going to happen; paying sticker for any school no matter how highly ranked has me a little nervous...

FWIW I was committed to willing to pay sticker to the highest ranked school until I got that letter with a lot of 0's on it. (they even bolded them for me )

Yeah, given your situation I would definitely be considering UVA. PS. the law building is AMAZING! I am not part of this club, but $$ will factor in my decision.

...

law_monkey wrote:I have some UG debt too. The financial aid packages will be a HUGE factor for me in my final decision. With that being said though, I would be willing to pay a bit more for a school that really fits my personality and interests. If it's the difference between no help at all and a significant need-based grant among peer schools though, I would put a lot of thought into it before turning down the money. FWIW I have several tempting schollies from non-T14 schools, and I'm turning them down without any hesitation.

Yea, I agree with you. Its seems worth it to pay for the national degree. But money at any T14 would probably win (maybe...)

Are you leaning any direction yet? NYU?

I'll owe about $20,000, but I'm trying to not make it that much of a factor in my decision.

Well my undergrad loans will amount to $130 per month in payments so I didn't let it really change my decision. In making decisions I planed on having more than $130 a month for discretionary spending so it was basically a non factor.

I have about 10,000 in student loans and about 10,000 is other debt I'm trying to pay off.

Law Sauce wrote:
Yea, I agree with you. Its seems worth it to pay for the national degree. But money at any T14 would probably win (maybe...)

Are you leaning any direction yet? NYU?

If I'm leaning any way right now it's Penn. But I won't know until I have money info and go on campus visits.

SO and I will have a combined 60k or so... only 13k from me
hoping to get out of this with not a ton of extra debt, but seems I'll most likely be adding at least another 60k to the pot. We'll see...

Up to my eyeballs in debt, both private (ugh) and government.

Therefore, looking to go to law school for free or near free. OR at least cheap enough at a good school to increase my chances of getting a job that will allow me to pay it back.

I don't have a ridiculous amount of UG debt, but enough for me to know that paying it down blows. That being said, I'm not sure if it is pushing me towards higher ranked or lower ranked schools.

cowgirl_bebop wrote:Up to my eyeballs in debt, both private (ugh) and government.

Therefore, looking to go to law school for free or near free. OR at least cheap enough at a good school to increase my chances of getting a job that will allow me to pay it back.

Ahhh after I counted up my debt now I want a free ride!

r6_philly wrote:

cowgirl_bebop wrote:Up to my eyeballs in debt, both private (ugh) and government.

Therefore, looking to go to law school for free or near free. OR at least cheap enough at a good school to increase my chances of getting a job that will allow me to pay it back.

Ahhh after I counted up my debt now I want a free ride!

I practically have on choice. There is no way I can afford to take on more debt (aside from piddly government loans) and pay back what I have. By the time I start law school my UG debt is going to be in repayment and Im going to be paying hefty sums over the summers and then back to regular repayment as soon as I get out of law school.

Come on IUB! Show me some splitter love and I'll gladly live/work in the one place I swore never to!

cowgirl_bebop wrote:
I practically have on choice. There is no way I can afford to take on more debt (aside from piddly government loans) and pay back what I have. By the time I start law school my UG debt is going to be in repayment and Im going to be paying hefty sums over the summers and then back to regular repayment as soon as I get out of law school.

Come on IUB! Show me some splitter love and I'll gladly live/work in the one place I swore never to!

Did you search the T1/2 ranks and look for named scholarships with stipends? I was going to resort to that, but I figure I can deal with it. I will have a 120k+ income regardless when I come out, but if I pay full sticker I am going to be looking at 300k debt when I get out. $4000 a month payment is no joke. I am going to make my wife pay back her own loans Go to work just for the loan payments lol

r6_philly wrote:

cowgirl_bebop wrote:
I practically have on choice. There is no way I can afford to take on more debt (aside from piddly government loans) and pay back what I have. By the time I start law school my UG debt is going to be in repayment and Im going to be paying hefty sums over the summers and then back to regular repayment as soon as I get out of law school.

Come on IUB! Show me some splitter love and I'll gladly live/work in the one place I swore never to!

Did you search the T1/2 ranks and look for named scholarships with stipends? I was going to resort to that, but I figure I can deal with it. I will have a 120k+ income regardless when I come out, but if I pay full sticker I am going to be looking at 300k debt when I get out. $4000 a month payment is no joke. I am going to make my wife pay back her own loans Go to work just for the loan payments lol

Yea, I am in the same boat r6, at least that boat:) I really do want to help my SO out cause she would really love to teach and that just isnt going to do it. Im also not so sure I can bank on 120+ as much as you can with your background. On top of all that, if we both go to UVa, you will take out 90 less. Thats like 2000 a month less, just for that. I think your choice is a lot easier.

That being said, I think the UG debt is still pushing me to the higher rankings and not the big scholarships. shrug. I dont know, a may be being foolish.

r6_philly wrote:

cowgirl_bebop wrote:
I practically have on choice. There is no way I can afford to take on more debt (aside from piddly government loans) and pay back what I have. By the time I start law school my UG debt is going to be in repayment and Im going to be paying hefty sums over the summers and then back to regular repayment as soon as I get out of law school.

Come on IUB! Show me some splitter love and I'll gladly live/work in the one place I swore never to!

Did you search the T1/2 ranks and look for named scholarships with stipends? I was going to resort to that, but I figure I can deal with it. I will have a 120k+ income regardless when I come out, but if I pay full sticker I am going to be looking at 300k debt when I get out. $4000 a month payment is no joke. I am going to make my wife pay back her own loans Go to work just for the loan payments lol

I applied to a the schools I thought I had the best chance to get into with money. Schools that are awarding little to no money I didnt even bother with. So far, I have a full-ride to SJU in my back pocket and Im hoping for some good news from IUB. I got into GW without a dime, and other than that just some more regional schools that give me a shot and some super-reaches for shiggles. My low GPA doesnt make me a very competitive candidate for those scholarships at the good T1 schools though (IUB is in the top 30, but IDK if people consider it T1).

I figure in the WORST case, I go to Queens, try to be near the top of the class, and do the best I can. I know I cannot afford to take out another assload of loans for law school. My monthly payment starting this year is north of $1000/mo, and I cant handle much more than that IUB is a much better school with much better prospects, so I wuld go there if they gave me one of their $120K+ schollys, but I hate the cold, the midwest, and particularly Bloomington. But I'll suffer for 3 years if it gives me a way to get out from under this debt