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I just got into UT-Knoxville last week, and I'm trying to decide between USC (columbia) and UTK...I do want to practice in South Carolina (it's where I live), but I know that UTK is very highly regarded and from their employment report apparently places very well with the best law firms here in SC. I would definitely go to USC if they gave me enough scholarship money but I don't think they are going to send out those letters until late March. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Any advice will be premature until you get any scholarship money.

wamaxey wrote:I do want to practice in South Carolina (it's where I live), but I know that UTK is very highly regarded and from their employment report apparently places very well with the best law firms here in SC. I would definitely go to USC if they gave me enough scholarship money but I don't think they are going to send out those letters until late March. Any advice would be much appreciated.

If you're in state and have the #s to get into UTK, you're going to be able to go to USC for very cheap. I think in-state sticker is something like $20k, and when I toured it sounded like everyone in the 160s got some sort of aid on top of their tuition. If your end goal is to work in SC, there is no better school than USC, 70% of the SC bar went there. Columbia is also going to be mildly cheaper than Knoxville.

Pick a state.

.

South Carolina is a very insular market.

Go to USC.

jwaters wrote:I'm not sure what employment report you are talking about, but I had the career services office from UTK send me a list of all the place graduates of the 2009 class worked for...only one person works in SC and they work for a school district in the state. There of course will be some self-selection bias here since most people who go to UTK want to work in TN, but I say if you want to work in SC then go to school in SC.

I just saw a list on their website of where their alumni work and Ogletree Deakins, nexsen pruet, Nelson Mullins, and all the big South Carolina law firms were on there. But I will most likely be going to USC, I would just really like some scholarship money.

wamaxey wrote:

jwaters wrote:I'm not sure what employment report you are talking about, but I had the career services office from UTK send me a list of all the place graduates of the 2009 class worked for...only one person works in SC and they work for a school district in the state. There of course will be some self-selection bias here since most people who go to UTK want to work in TN, but I say if you want to work in SC then go to school in SC.

I just saw a list on their website of where their alumni work and Ogletree Deakins, Nexsen Pruet, Nelson Mullins, and all the big South Carolina law firms were on there. But I will most likely be going to USC, I would just really like some scholarship money.

Just because they have a couple alumni in every big firm doesn't mean they place well. Try to evaluate recent reports on where their recent grads have gone.

I'm kind of in the same boat...looking at getting the Out of State Equalizer for South Carolina and was just offered in-state tuition at UTK b/c of my military affiliation. I realize the rankings/facilities/etc all lean in UTK's favor and this is TLS; so it should be a no brainer. However, I want to live in the Low Country and South Carolina is all about it's USC grads, or so it appears from everything I've looked at. Also, for what its worth, I've been talking to a few of the South Carolina students and they seem to be very positive regarding the students at the school and the sense of camaraderie and have been extraordinarily helpful with any questions I have.