Top Law Schools

IUB with 120k - COA Around 60k
UGA in state - COA around 95k
Minnesota with 60k - COA around 120k

After completing 4 years of UG and having it basically not improve my chance of getting a job anywhere, I place a value on going to a school that will offer me the best opportunity to get a good job. I am not talking exclusively biglaw - anything in the 50-60+k range is considered good for me, with debt payments, though biglaw/higher salary is definitely something I want to shoot for.

I am from FL, have lived in ATL for a year+. I have no geographic preference - a job is a job IMO as long as its not in say, Libya. I would say the South would be preferred if any ranking was going on for where I would want to end up but I enjoy new places.

Also - Debt: My parents want to help me out with COL(~15k/year) and maybe more. I have told them repeatedly that I do not want them to have to pay any more for my education but being an only child who is awesome = good luck with that. My great aunt, who I'm basically a son she never had to her, has offered to pay a substantial part of my education but I dont want to factor that in too much right now as it is contingent on her passing away and she is 92 and still trucking.

Where would you go if you were in my position ?

honestly, it doesn't matter, i would just go to the school u like the most and study hard.

UGA - only because you said you would prefer to stay in the south but yeah like the person above said its really up to you and any would be fine.

Congrats on the acceptances Sandro!

I would pick Georgia, simply because of the location and weather. Why would you want to deal with snow and potholes when you could be living it up in the South?

I would go with UGA or Minnesota...seems to be UGA considering you like the south.

Everything is pointing you to UGA. I can't tell of one thing that would make you say "Minnesota makes sense right now".

2things2 wrote:Everything is pointing you to UGA. I can't tell of one thing that would make you say "Minnesota makes sense right now".

The possibility of higher employment prospects in the aggregate would be worth $$ to me in the long run. People have a lot of good things to say about UMN. Just trying to keep my options open.

Job prospects are safest at Minnesota. But I mean, you'd have to be happy with living with Minnesota. Not that I mean that in a derogatory manner... everyone I know loves Minneapolis and tons of young people are moving there.

The way I see it, it breaks down this way:

Georgia: for location
Indiana: for debt avoidance
Minnesota: for safest job placement

Sounds like you're looking a option 3.

danquayle wrote:Job prospects are safest at Minnesota. But I mean, you'd have to be happy with living with Minnesota. Not that I mean that in a derogatory manner... everyone I know loves Minneapolis and tons of young people are moving there.

The way I see it, it breaks down this way:

Georgia: for location
Indiana: for debt avoidance
Minnesota: for safest job placement

Sounds like you're looking a option 3.

Can I get your quick take on why you think jobs are UMN>UGA ? Would it be UMN's carry outside Minnesota in the Upper MW compared to UGA's Georgia centric placement ? UMN's rep ? I know there probably isnt too much difference between the two but they cant be equal...

Sandro wrote:I would say the South would be preferred if any ranking was going on for where I would want to end up

With your ties to Florida and Georgia, I think lawl school and the job search would be least stressful for you @ UGa. To repeat a TLS mantra that you know well, (almost) all lawl schools are regional. Do you want to start at $60k in Minnesota, Indiana, or Georgia? That's your middling result, and one you'd probably be happiest with in Georgia.

It is obvious that IUB has the worst job prospects out of the three. This probably because of its instate competition (IUI and Notre Dame). However, it is also the cheapest.

U Georgia and U Minnesota are very similar in terms of job prospects and regionality (I know it's not a word, but it fits), so I'm not convinced that U Minn is worth $25,000 more than UGA. As a result, I would probably go with UGA solely because it would be cheaper.

Good luck.

Sandro wrote:

danquayle wrote:Job prospects are safest at Minnesota. But I mean, you'd have to be happy with living with Minnesota. Not that I mean that in a derogatory manner... everyone I know loves Minneapolis and tons of young people are moving there.

The way I see it, it breaks down this way:

Georgia: for location
Indiana: for debt avoidance
Minnesota: for safest job placement

Sounds like you're looking a option 3.

Can I get your quick take on why you think jobs are UMN>UGA ? Would it be UMN's carry outside Minnesota in the Upper MW compared to UGA's Georgia centric placement ? UMN's rep ? I know there probably isnt too much difference between the two but they cant be equal...

Well, couple reasons. I think Minnesota is a more established law school with a slightly stronger reputation than Georgia. Georgia is competing with a stronger law school in its home marker, while Minnesota has a deathgrip on its home market. Minneapolis is also faring better economically right now.

So succintly. Minnesota > Georgia for rep, strength of home market, ease of competition. Georgia > Minnesota for weather, sports and women though... sssooo...

I just searched for UGA grads on the King and Spalding and Alston Bird websites and got ten pages of results back each. The network is ridiculous in Atlanta. UGA has also put out a number of Supreme Court Clerks in the last few years. Given your regional preference Athens would be your best fit. It will be tough, but if you do well at Georgia, Big Law in Atlanta is very possible. At 15k/year in tuition, it's a pretty good deal.

Georgia.

danquayle wrote:

Sandro wrote:

danquayle wrote:Job prospects are safest at Minnesota. But I mean, you'd have to be happy with living with Minnesota. Not that I mean that in a derogatory manner... everyone I know loves Minneapolis and tons of young people are moving there.

The way I see it, it breaks down this way:

Georgia: for location
Indiana: for debt avoidance
Minnesota: for safest job placement

Sounds like you're looking a option 3.

Can I get your quick take on why you think jobs are UMN>UGA ? Would it be UMN's carry outside Minnesota in the Upper MW compared to UGA's Georgia centric placement ? UMN's rep ? I know there probably isnt too much difference between the two but they cant be equal...

Well, couple reasons. I think Minnesota is a more established law school with a slightly stronger reputation than Georgia. Georgia is competing with a stronger law school in its home marker, while Minnesota has a deathgrip on its home market. Minneapolis is also faring better economically right now.

So succintly. Minnesota > Georgia for rep, strength of home market, ease of competition. Georgia > Minnesota for weather, sports and women though... sssooo...

I just wanted to echo this sentiment. I am from Mpls originally (plus I went to the U for undergrad) and the quality of life there is fantastic. Mpls is an awesome city. There is tons of stuff to do. The economy is extremely diversified with something like 20 Fortune 500s based in the Twin Cities. Mondale Hall (where the law school is) is kind of old but is a nice facility even with being on the West Bank. You would own the market graduating from the U.

All that being said I must say that the winters are brutal. I live in Florida now and I can honestly say I don't miss the snow one bit. Some people like it but I am not one of those people. If the winter was just a little better I would move back in a heartbeat.

Alright how does this sound : UGA unless I really like Minnesota when I visit ?

Sandro wrote:Alright how does this sound : UGA unless I really like Minnesota when I visit ?

As long as you visit in January and get the full effect of the winter, sure

stratocophic wrote:

Sandro wrote:Alright how does this sound : UGA unless I really like Minnesota when I visit ?

As long as you visit in January and get the full effect of the winter, sure

Yea, I know. I dont mind the cold though, and yes I know i've never lived through a MN winter but there are a lot of FL people who die when it gets below 50... not me.

And how is IUb #2 in the voting yet virtually nobody has advocated for it ? Lets hear something IUb voters!

They're all peers, they're all good schools, Athens is a much better place to live than Minnesota or Bloomington.

Sandro wrote:

stratocophic wrote:

Sandro wrote:Alright how does this sound : UGA unless I really like Minnesota when I visit ?

As long as you visit in January and get the full effect of the winter, sure

Yea, I know. I dont mind the cold though, and yes I know i've never lived through a MN winter but there are a lot of FL people who die when it gets below 50... not me.

And how is IUb #2 in the voting yet virtually nobody has advocated for it ? Lets hear something IUb voters!

I mean... there's not much more that you don't know. It's a solid school that places well in the Midwest and is at least respectable elsewhere. It's very similar to your other two options, except the job prospects are probably slightly worse. (Than at Minnesota).

Anyone who has debt avoidance as their highest priority will choose Indiana.
Anyone who wants the most certain job prospects will choose Minnesota (IMO).
If you want somewhere in between, or to be in the South, you'll go to Georgia.

You've got 3 roughly peer schools... I don't know what else one can say.

Is killing the aunt an option?

Patriot1208 wrote:Is killing the aunt an option?

bahaha... no.

You'd come out with less debt with IUB...why no love?

Why does IUB give everyone a full ride?