Help! BC v. W&M v. Albany Forum

[legalista]

Here is a brief description of the options I'm choosing (or struggling to choose) between:

BC- my top choice from the start (and where I'm still leaning towards right now). I received a $15,000 scholarship, and if this was bigger then BC would be an automatic choice for me, but the amount of debt is really freaking me out, especially now that deposit time has come! I have always loved Boston, and I truly do want to live there, possibly for the rest of my life. I have family there so I am very familiar with the entire area.

W&M- I loved the school and the people when I visited. I also love the price. (17k scholly with a 4k grf stipend) I am very concerned however about it being somewhat regional. I'm not sure that I want to work in the south or DC after graduation.

Albany- I know, it ranks fathoms below the other two schools, but I could live at home, basically paying almost nothing in COA (35k/ year scholly) and my family has a lot of connections in the area which I imagine would become very useful in securing internships/ jobs.

I'm thinking BC right now but the total amount of money is my one hang-up. Yearly COA for me, factoring in the small amount my parents are pitching in for food, would be about 38k. IS BC WORTH IT? I also have no intense desire to do biglaw, but I can definitely see myself doing it for a few years out of school.

Thanks in advance for your feedback, and please leave an explanation of your vote if you don't mind!

[Some Person]

The debt is hard to swallow for sure. I'm thinking of going with a cheaper school that is slightly lower in rankings myself, but the difference in nowhere near BC and Albany. If you like Boston and want to work there, I'd take BC for sure. It has by far the best chance of getting you what you want out of life.

[legalista]

any other thoughts guys?

[StillHerexxx]

I would go with BC. Boston is a big market. So while it hurts your prospects with harvard being there, you are still at a really good school in boston. Plus boston is a great city and not as expensive as nyc or dc to live in.

[legalista]

okay, well the votes are definitely favoring BC without any mercy for the other two options!! That's kind of what I was thinking already- I guess I may have to suck it up and take out the loans! Thank you for your help everyone!

[sullidop]

38 /year is not bad at all.

[aliarrow]

I would go with BC. Boston is a big market. So while it hurts your prospects with harvard being there, you are still at a really good school in boston. Plus boston is a great city and not as expensive as nyc or dc to live in.

10-15% of HLS grads stay in the New England region each year, I wouldn't worry about the Harvard kids.
The only real competition is BU.

I pick BC (as did everyone else), you like the school, you want to end up in Boston, you got a decent scholarship for the school, and its the best school on your list. Seems like a no-brainer.

[Other25BeforeYou]

BC. Your family's connections in the Albany area will still be useful for getting internships/jobs.

[reverendt]

I'm gonna say BC.
Your options coming out of Albany are gonna be very limited.
If you just need a law degree so you can go work at the firm of a family friend or something....then consider Albany.
But if you want more options or have more ambitions than that, go to BC.

[Case2L]

I voted BC after reading your first sentence. You were accepted to your top school, and with some scholarship money to boot. If you attend anywhere else, you'll always wonder what could have been...