Help Me Narrow Down My Admits Forum

[boilerup89]

So it's that time of year again when people have most of their acceptances and are trying to narrow down the choices. Schools are listed by estimated total COA in ascending order. rank does not reflect preference. Schools with no current scholly offers are assumed sticker. Not yet admitted to U Utah and ASU but I assume I will.

1) U Miami - 24k/year 3.2 stip COA: $79,632
2) Penn State U - 20k/year top half stip COA: $86, 886
3) U Pitt - 8k year 3.0 stip COA: $98,300 Note I can prob talk this one down
4) ASU - sticker as of now assuming 2 yr instate COA: $117,835
5) CU Boulder - sticker as of now assuming 2yr instate COA: $120,904
6) U Utah - sticker as of now assuming 1.5 yr instate COA: $122,981

From Florida but Indiana resident. Hate Indiana. Not retaking LSAT. Geographic preference for out west, but open.

Thanks for any potential input.

[YankeesFan]

If you want to be out West than CU and ASU need to be at the top of your list. I would immediately get rid of Penn State as it is really expensive and won't get you west of Pittsburgh, same with Pitt although it does have slight reach on the I-95 corridor. U Miami is only really an option if you want South Florida. I wouldn't take Utah, ASU and CU will get your further and for a little bit less.

Enjoy choosing between ASU and CU, both are good schools.

[NoleinNY]

Why no FSU/UF?

[boilerup89]

Why no FSU/UF?

I was told getting residency was extremely hard for UF (despite most of my life in FL) . Additionally their administration has left me disappointed every-time I have interacted with them.

As for FSU I dislike the Panhandle/Tallahassee area. And the residency issue remains.

[rebexness]

[Sandro]

please don't do Miami @ 80k+ debt with a 3.2 stip. I don't know your stats but if you want FL I'm really confused as to why FSU/UF isnt on the table. The extra money to go to FSU would be worth it imo.

[Jackson Pollock]

Might help if you post the medians at the schools with grade stipulations.

[Top14Hope]

I picked UM, but...

If you want to live in Colorado, or even are kind of leaning towards doing so. You need to go to CU. If you are going to live in Florida, you need to take it off the list and probably pick UM.

Miami is a really tight place to be.

[boilerup89]

Might help if you post the medians at the schools with grade stipulations.

UM and Pitt both have a 3.0 median...roughly they don't post but from what I can tell it should be close

[The Gentleman]

0L here, so I generally have little to no idea what I'm talking about. With that said, I would advise you to pick whichever one of ASU/CU/Utah you like the most. They're all pretty solid schools and any one will give you a great chance of working out west.

And taking a scholarship with grade stips is a huge gamble. Even more reason to pick the better school in the area you want to practice.

[patrickd139]

Problems I see in your posts: 1) assumptions you will get into T1 schools, 2) refusing to apply to the best school in the market you live and might want to practice in because their "administration has left [you] disappointed," 3) wanting national job prospects while simultaneously refusing to retake the LSAT in order to get into a school with national job prospects, 4) your complacency with the stipulations attached to all the scholarships, 5) assumptions you will land above the median at any school anywhere.

Thoughts: these are just mine personally, reasonable minds can (and will) disagree.
1) Arrogantly misplaced.
2) Perhaps not the best decision, especially considering the inference we can draw from your scholarships at other schools. If you want Florida, particularly South Florida, UF or a T14 seems to be the place to go.
3a) Narrow down where you want to practice more than "out west." "Out west" is not a job market. Seattle is vastly different from Phoenix, likewise with SF and LA.
3b) If you truly are open to any geographic location, pick the cheapest COA on your list. Also, please consider that the regional schools you list are still going to require you (as an out of region student) to cultivate significant contacts to convince employers to take a chance on you during the summer by paying you.
4) Realize that if your stipulations require you to be in the top X% of the class, there is a (100%-X%) chance you will lose your scholarship. Try and get the stipulations removed.
5) Odds are statistically against you.

[Grizz]

If you don't want to retake, you're overpaying for these schools.

I agree with parickd, especially in re Miami. Don't go to Miami unless it's free

[boilerup89]

Problems I see in your posts: 1) assumptions you will get into T1 schools, 2) refusing to apply to the best school in the market you live and might want to practice in because their "administration has left [you] disappointed," 3) wanting national job prospects while simultaneously refusing to retake the LSAT in order to get into a school with national job prospects, 4) your complacency with the stipulations attached to all the scholarships, 5) assumptions you will land above the median at any school anywhere.

Thoughts: these are just mine personally, reasonable minds can (and will) disagree.
1) Arrogantly misplaced.
2) Perhaps not the best decision, especially considering the inference we can draw from your scholarships at other schools. If you want Florida, particularly South Florida, UF or a T14 seems to be the place to go.
3a) Narrow down where you want to practice more than "out west." "Out west" is not a job market. Seattle is vastly different from Phoenix, likewise with SF and LA.
3b) If you truly are open to any geographic location, pick the cheapest COA on your list. Also, please consider that the regional schools you list are still going to require you (as an out of region student) to cultivate significant contacts to convince employers to take a chance on you during the summer by paying you.
4) Realize that if your stipulations require you to be in the top X% of the class, there is a (100%-X%) chance you will lose your scholarship. Try and get the stipulations removed.
5) Odds are statistically against you.

I'm sorry but you have the wrong idea. I understand those schollys are not a given thats why I provide the stipulations. As for the markets, when I say "out west" I mean in the markets that i chose. I am aware of the fact they are all regional schools at best, and in no way implying a desire for national reach. It's just an indication that the western schools are preferable. The assumption on the two applications to the two T1s I have not gained admissions to are for the purpose of discussion. That being said I already got into CU which it the hardest statistically of all the schools I applied to gain admittance.

UF didn't impress me but more importantly I foresaw the COA OOS as being prohibitive. I do in fact harbor a bit of regret for not applying at FSU though.

I'm sorry you found my post arrogant, but I can assure you thats not the case. I was just trying to keep it short and sweet.

[patrickd139]

As for the markets, when I say "out west" I mean in the markets that i chose. I am aware of the fact they are all regional schools at best, and in no way implying a desire for national reach. It's just an indication that the western schools are preferable.

In that case, if you want Miami, go to UMiami. If you want Pittsburgh, go to Pitt or PSU. If you want Denver, CU. My point is, none of those schools is going to reach any market other than the one in which its sits. None of the schools you have as options are worth sticker, IMO. You should pick your market first.

[ChriLa425]

I agree, we're not talking big differences in the caliber of the schools here, so you absolutely need to spend some time in the cities where the law schools are located, even if just to visit. Chances are you won't be leaving that place, so make sure you like it! Case in point: I grew up near Pittsburgh and I find it boring and stifling. Cannot wait to leave. On the other hand I have many friends who couldn't be happier and wouldn't leave if you paid them. I'm a lowly 0L so feel free to ignore me, but I think that at these schools relocation will probably be hard so KNOW WHAT KIND OF CITY YOU WANT! If you will be miserable in Miami, for instance, then seems like a no-brainer.

[DeeCee]

I agree, we're not talking big differences in the caliber of the schools here, so you absolutely need to spend some time in the cities where the law schools are located, even if just to visit. Chances are you won't be leaving that place, so make sure you like it! Case in point: I grew up near Pittsburgh and I find it boring and stifling. Cannot wait to leave. On the other hand I have many friends who couldn't be happier and wouldn't leave if you paid them. I'm a lowly 0L so feel free to ignore me, but I think that at these schools relocation will probably be hard so KNOW WHAT KIND OF CITY YOU WANT! If you will be miserable in Miami, for instance, then seems like a no-brainer.

THIS. And how debt averse you are. If you want to go out west, I certainly wouldn't pick an east coast regional school. Pick one out west, such as CU or ASU.

[imbored25]

ASU/CU/Utah depending on which state you want to live in

[NoleinNY]

Yeah... The panhandle isn't that great, and UF administration (and a lot of the students) can be obnoxious... But IMHO, those aren't terribly compelling reasons to not see what you can get out of them. Granted, your preference for heading West is important; but if you're willing to even consider Miami, UF and FSU should be on the table. They are both good schools, have lower costs of living, etc.

tl; dr: Forget Miami. If you want Florida, go to one of the state schools.

[Moral_Midgetry]

retake

[BarbellDreams]

Retake. If no hen pick where you wanna live and go. 3.2 stip is rough and if you lose it you'll be absolutely screwed at Miami. None of the options are very smart from a financial point of view but honestly I would just go to the cheapest one without any stips that are higher than median to keep the scholarship.