Rutgers - Newark ($) vs. Suffolk ($$$) Forum

[Eric475]

Okay so I'm still waiting on Fordham and BU but I probably won't get into either of those and even if I did I'm not sure sticker is worth it.

Rutgers is offering me a merit scholarship of 8k/year, which I think would make tuition about 15k/year (3.0 stipulation sucks I know)

Suffolk is offering me a full tuition scholarship (also 3.0 stipulation).

I'm from the Boston area, but went to undergrad in NY state. None of my contacts in Boston are very lawyerly, though. Obviously Suffolk is a TTT (TTTT?) but full tuition is definitely tempting. Does anyone out there know if anyone from Suffolk is getting jobs? I'm sure it's dismal but I want a better idea of just how dismal.

Rutgers is at least ranked in the top 100, and although I've heard it's dismal there I at least know it is possible to get Biglaw in NYC.

Biglaw would be the dream goal but, really any job after Suffolk would be good.

Basically, is rutgers worth paying 45k more than Suffolk for?

[dpk711]

In all probability none of these schools will get you big law -- where are your work preferences?

[Eric475]

In all probability none of these schools will get you big law -- where are your work preferences?

Honestly, I don't really have any work preferences, I just want to be able to work. That said, I love Boston, and I love NYC. As for Newark and North Jersey, to be honest I've only ever really driven through.

EDIT: I realize big law is very unlikely for both schools, I'm not at all expecting to get it, but it's good to have lofty goals. I just want to be able to get a job!

[ballpop]

Rent an apt in Jersey, go to Rutgers for 13k a year, profit (EDIT--Moderately)

[Eric475]

Interesting to see six for rutgers and none for suffolk. Maybe free tuition at a not-so-highly ranked school isn't even worth it?

[kelc213]

Suffolk is offering me a full tuition scholarship (also 3.0 stipulation).

I'm from the Boston area, but went to undergrad in NY state. None of my contacts in Boston are very lawyerly, though. Obviously Suffolk is a TTT (TTTT?) but full tuition is definitely tempting. Does anyone out there know if anyone from Suffolk is getting jobs? I'm sure it's dismal but I want a better idea of just how dismal.
Biglaw would be the dream goal but, really any job after Suffolk would be good.

Basically, is rutgers worth paying 45k more than Suffolk for?

If you're going to do Suffolk on a full-ride and be a full-time student, you're still going to spend a ton of money living/renting in Boston, maybe not 15K, but still you'll have some debt associated with the city costs. If you could be a part-time student there and still keep the scholarship but work full-time (most people I know at Suffolk Law are paralegals during the day,) then it may be worth it to combat the COL debt and make some more lawyerly contacts in Boston. Pretty sure the part-time program takes one more year to complete though.

Having personally worked at a law firm for almost 2 years and now in state politics for about a year, Suffolk has a surprising amount of area prestige, most of my colleagues/associates when I tell them I'm heading to law school they immediately say, "Oh, Suffolk?" not BU/NU/BC. I don't think anyone in Boston really cares what Suffolk's ranking is: the firms that are hiring from BU/Harvard/BC do, and I don't think those firms overlap much with those that are hiring from Suffolk/NEC etc.

I say do Suffolk part-time if you can swing it and don't mind the extra workload and stress of having a full-time job and night classes. If that's not an option, Rutgers at 15K a year plus lower cost of living and seemingly better job prospects is the way to go (although central NJ isn't exactly a hotbed of activity and intrigue, depending on what you're into.)

[JD2014]

That said, I love Boston, and I love NYC

Rutgers Newark is probably not going to get you a job in NYC. RU-N grads are in New Jersey, at firms in Newark, Morristown, Roseland and other suburban cities. If all you've ever done is driven through New Jersey, you should hesitate before signing up to live there for the next 5-10 years.

[Eric475]

Suffolk is offering me a full tuition scholarship (also 3.0 stipulation).

I'm from the Boston area, but went to undergrad in NY state. None of my contacts in Boston are very lawyerly, though. Obviously Suffolk is a TTT (TTTT?) but full tuition is definitely tempting. Does anyone out there know if anyone from Suffolk is getting jobs? I'm sure it's dismal but I want a better idea of just how dismal.
Biglaw would be the dream goal but, really any job after Suffolk would be good.

Basically, is rutgers worth paying 45k more than Suffolk for?

If you're going to do Suffolk on a full-ride and be a full-time student, you're still going to spend a ton of money living/renting in Boston, maybe not 15K, but still you'll have some debt associated with the city costs. If you could be a part-time student there and still keep the scholarship but work full-time (most people I know at Suffolk Law are paralegals during the day,) then it may be worth it to combat the COL debt and make some more lawyerly contacts in Boston. Pretty sure the part-time program takes one more year to complete though.

Having personally worked at a law firm for almost 2 years and now in state politics for about a year, Suffolk has a surprising amount of area prestige, most of my colleagues/associates when I tell them I'm heading to law school they immediately say, "Oh, Suffolk?" not BU/NU/BC. I don't think anyone in Boston really cares what Suffolk's ranking is: the firms that are hiring from BU/Harvard/BC do, and I don't think those firms overlap much with those that are hiring from Suffolk/NEC etc.

I say do Suffolk part-time if you can swing it and don't mind the extra workload and stress of having a full-time job and night classes. If that's not an option, Rutgers at 15K a year plus lower cost of living and seemingly better job prospects is the way to go (although central NJ isn't exactly a hotbed of activity and intrigue, depending on what you're into.)

This sounds like a pretty good idea. How difficult is it to get one of these paralegal jobs? I'm sure there can't be a whole lot of openeings.