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Here is the deal:

I got into Emory with a 24k scholarship per year. I'm awarded 20k/year from FAFSA so...essentially...my debt from Emory will only be 20k/yr since my parents are helping with living expenses.

Keeping into consideration that I want to practice in Florida or GA, should I go for Emory over schools like UM/UF/FSU/Stetson? I hear that Emory has an excellent reputation in the South. That 60k total debt from Emory doesn't seem too debilitating.

Also: I really don't even want a BigLaw job...I'd be happier in a Mid/Small firm anyways.

What do you all think?

Emory Hands Down! You dont want to be limited to FL if you choose to move in the future

Are you a Florida resident ? Have you been admitted to all of the 4 listed law schools in Florida ? Willing to share your LSAT & GPA ?

I am a Florida resident.

It seems as if an Emory degree just has way more prestige.

i totally agree.

drummerboy wrote:i totally agree.

drummerboy agrees, anyone disagree?

If you think you are going to take the Florida Bar/practice in Florida, then you need to go to UF, IMO.

If you will not being living in Florida, then obviously go to Emory.

Emory, definitely.

Actually, I visited ATL this weekend and it was wonderful!!

I wouldn't mind living there whatsoever.

If you were 100% going to stay in Florida or Georgia, AND you have in-state in Florida, i would say at least consider FSU/UF. (the other florida law schools are not very well respected by some and cost ALOT).

Otherwise, Emory at 60K is an easy choice.

Best of luck!

Sorry, but I couldn't see whether you have scholarship at any of the florida schools. Any half to full ride at any of those places?

FSUAlumniAtlanta wrote:If you were 100% going to stay in Florida or Georgia, AND you have in-state in Florida, i would say at least consider FSU/UF. (the other florida law schools are not very well respected by some and cost ALOT).

Otherwise, Emory at 60K is an easy choice.

Best of luck!

Coming from, what appears to be, an FSU Alumni in Atlanta, that advice is truly helpful. I WOULD have in-state in Florida. If I were to pick between UF/FSU, I would definitely pick FSU...I totally didn't feel like I fit in at UF.

Emory, on the other hand, was wonderful. I got along amazingly with the faculty and student ambassadors. Atlanta is such a vibrant city and Emory is located in such a great area. That being said, Tallahassee is less than desirable (no offense, of course).

tea_drinker wrote:Sorry, but I couldn't see whether you have scholarship at any of the florida schools. Any half to full ride at any of those places?

1) FSU and UF would be less money, hands down.
(Essentially, I have a half scholarship at Emory and pretty much full rides at UF/FSU.)

2) I really didn't get along, as I was saying, with the UF students and Tallahassee was so depressing.

3) I'm really not looking for biglaw jobs. I'm going to law school to be a lawyer, not a super-mega conglomerate lawyer. (I would be happy in a Med/Small firm making enough money to be comfortable while still being able to easily pay off the debt.)

4) I'm not going to lie to you...I really am drawn to the prestige attached to the Emory J.D.

It seems like Emory is the smart choice.

massattack wrote:

tea_drinker wrote:Sorry, but I couldn't see whether you have scholarship at any of the florida schools. Any half to full ride at any of those places?

1) FSU and UF would be less money, hands down.
(Essentially, I have a half scholarship at Emory and pretty much full rides at UF/FSU.)

2) I really didn't get along, as I was saying, with the UF students and Tallahassee was so depressing.

3) I'm really not looking for biglaw jobs. I'm going to law school to be a lawyer, not a super-mega conglomerate lawyer. (I would be happy in a Med/Small firm making enough money to be comfortable while still being able to easily pay off the debt.)

4) I'm not going to lie to you...I really am drawn to the prestige attached to the Emory J.D.

It seems like Emory is the smart choice.

Well, then, congrats on your decision! You will have fun in Atlanta.

drummerboy, you are one of the funnier posters on this site lol

Whoever is recommending Emory is doing so off of ranking alone and not paying attention to what the OP wants. Emory is suffering in a major way ITE because of their lack of mid/small law presence. They formally funneled their graduates towards big law with the rest going into PI, and its strengths are in those relationships. Because of the recession and big law hiring drying up, Emory has been hit particularly hard because of their big law affiliations and how they failed to establish said relationships with the middle markets, which have long been occupied by UGA/GSU/etc. graduates. This is why they are experiencing such severely bad employment prospects. There was a post made a little while ago that caused some controversy but had some good statistics taken from this year's 3L class.

Given your aspirations, I would vote for UF. Its reputation in Florida is unparalleled, you will leave debt free which is HUGE, and will have the opportunity to move the further along in your career you go.

Wow. This TLS thing is great! Thank you all so much for your advice.

I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors!

FeelTheHeat wrote:drummerboy, you are one of the funnier posters on this site lol

Whoever is recommending Emory is doing so off of ranking alone and not paying attention to what the OP wants. Emory is suffering in a major way ITE because of their lack of mid/small law presence. They formally funneled their graduates towards big law with the rest going into PI, and its strengths are in those relationships. Because of the recession and big law hiring drying up, Emory has been hit particularly hard because of their big law affiliations and how they failed to establish said relationships with the middle markets, which have long been occupied by UGA/GSU/etc. graduates. This is why they are experiencing such severely bad employment prospects. There was a post made a little while ago that caused some controversy but had some good statistics taken from this year's 3L class.

Given your aspirations, I would vote for UF. Its reputation in Florida is unparalleled, you will leave debt free which is HUGE, and will have the opportunity to move the further along in your career you go.

I agree with your points. Except the 3L stat one. I remember reading through that and, if I remember correctly, those stats were based off of employment right after graduation and (in some cases) employment before graduation. I was at the ASW at emory and they gave us updated 2010 stats that show almost 95% employment rates 9 months after graduation. I think that I would take your point that debt free school would be HUGE! That being said, the misunderstood employment prospects coming out of Emory, combined with the minimal $60K in debt and prestige of Emory, seems IMO to outweigh the prowess that UF may have in FL. I am in no way downplaying UF...it's a great school. But, if we are going based off employment prospects (like the ones you illustrated in your statement against Emory), then wouldn't the smarter choice in FL be FSU (considering they had higher employment statistics)? I may be wrong, of course, but this is just an observation.

(I appreciate you keeping to my original post as well...now, to avoid confusion, let us take out the variable of wanting to practice in FL and replace it with me completely okay with practicing in ATL)

If you want to be in Atlanta, Emory would be cool. The school has been discussed ad nauseam on TLS. You will be able to find a LOT of information on it regarding employment prospects, why it seems to be so persecuted lately, and more. The employment rates 9 months after graduation is meaningless, and seeing as how good your options are I am sure you can understand why. I find no reason to agree that the employment prospects coming out of Emory are misunderstood; they are being seriously hit hard by their lack of connections to midlaw in Atlanta and a number of other unfortunate stories stemming from the school (search donuts and Emory at abovethelaw.com)

$60k is not minimal debt. It is $750/month for 10 years. Erase that and imagine the better quality of life you can have. Vacations, better car, house, whatever. As for FSU and UF, that is for a whole other debate, and if someone wants to open that door I will gladly partake, but UF is indisputably the best option for seeking legal employment in Florida.

If UF/FSU are cheaper and you want to work in Florida, why not take one of them?

I guess I am Funny. Currently a bonafide Emory Troll. However, Feel the heat and I go way back. Hes right about the Biglaw, Midlaw, Small Law stuff. It has hurt Emory and they surely expressed that at ASD. They are making a huge effort to eliminate that biglaw bias by actively promoting the smaller affiliations. Indeed, a keynote speaker was an Emory Alumnus with a hugely successful small law practice ( 10 JDS) and he expressed his disdain for the biglaw mentality that has plagued many a TLS and Emory Alumni. Thus, the current direction is to concentrate on all opportunities, especially the smaller Atlanta based firms. IMO and that of the current students and faculty is that the future will be much brighter. They predict the ranking will clearly improve in the next several years and that the trajectory will continue in an upward direction as it has been prior to 2011.

FeelTheHeat wrote:If you want to be in Atlanta, Emory would be cool. The school has been discussed ad nauseam on TLS. You will be able to find a LOT of information on it regarding employment prospects, why it seems to be so persecuted lately, and more. The employment rates 9 months after graduation is meaningless, and seeing as how good your options are I am sure you can understand why. I find no reason to agree that the employment prospects coming out of Emory are misunderstood; they are being seriously hit hard by their lack of connections to midlaw in Atlanta and a number of other unfortunate stories stemming from the school (search donuts and Emory at abovethelaw.com)

$60k is not minimal debt. It is $750/month for 10 years. Erase that and imagine the better quality of life you can have. Vacations, better car, house, whatever. As for FSU and UF, that is for a whole other debate, and if someone wants to open that door I will gladly partake, but UF is indisputably the best option for seeking legal employment in Florida.

I'm not too sure about that. The only way they are rendered meaningless is the fact that the debt accumulated during the time unemployed will, surely, be hard to pay back without a job. However, most loans don't require you to pay them back until 6 months after graduation. So that leaves (and this is assuming I haven't found a job by then) about $2250...more or less. Let us remove another variable by saying that I have saved money to pay the difference. Given the 50% chance I wont be employed right after graduation thus putting into the category of that 95% of people who end up getting a job within 9 months....if the difference is taken care of, should I really be terrified about attending Emory knowing that while, indeed, 50% of the people before or at graduation are unemployed...I, most likely, will be employed within 9 months? I guess I need to figure that out. What do you think FeelTheHeat?

bk187 wrote:If UF/FSU are cheaper and you want to work in Florida, why not take one of them?

sorry guys...my bad....I meant to say Florida AND Atlanta**

I truly apologize if that caused any confusion.

FeelTheHeat wrote:The employment rates 9 months after graduation is meaningless

There is no way you can possibly defend this statement.

massattack wrote:

bk187 wrote:If UF/FSU are cheaper and you want to work in Florida, why not take one of them?

sorry guys...my bad....I meant to say Florida AND Atlanta**

I truly apologize if that caused any confusion.

Oh that makes more sense. Then I say 60k debt from Emory is definitely fine.

The guy who said "look at what 750/month for 10 years can buy you" isn't looking at it right. Basically you are paying that money to be a lawyer. So if you value a vacation/car/whatever that money would be spent on over being a lawyer then of course don't take out 60k in debt, but if you want to be a lawyer, paying 60k at Emory is pretty good.

+1