New Enlgand Law Boston or Charlotte School of Law Forum

[prelaw2ucf]

So im gonna get blasted with with remarks but ... If you HAD to chose between New England Law Boston (small scholly) or Charlotte School of Law (huge scholly) which would you chose? retaking and all that im not interested in; just which of the two schools and why. Although Charlotte is still only provisional approved they are up for full approval in June ( and since Fl Coastal and Phoenix are approved; im sure they will be as well ). Its just hard for me to make a decision, ill really like Boston but its really expensive. I also kinda prefer the Southern location of Charlotte ... any suggestions?

[Grizz]

Due to horrific job prospects, retake or don't go.

[prelaw2ucf]

Due to horrific job prospects, retake or don't go.

and it begins thanks.

[dakatz]

There is no such thing as "if you HAD to choose one of these schools". Not going to a school is always a viable option and one that should be considered. What are your goals? And would these schools be entirely free with no scholarship stipulations?

[twister52]

Due to horrific job prospects, retake or don't go.

and it begins thanks.

OP, rad law has a point and is trying to help. If these are your only two options, and you are dead set on going, I would say Charlotte. Boston is a great place, though New England Law will put you in last place in the market, and struggling to find a job.

How much debt are you looking at between the two, and what are the stips on the scholarships?

[prelaw2ucf]

Due to horrific job prospects, retake or don't go.

and it begins thanks.

OP, rad law has a point and is trying to help. If these are your only two options, and you are dead set on going, I would say Charlotte. Boston is a great place, though New England Law will put you in last place in the market, and struggling to find a job.

How much debt are you looking at between the two, and what are the stips on the scholarships?

I know rad law was trying to help (no disrespect meant) ive researched enough to know but my situation doesnt allow a retake etc.

the stip is 3.0 good standing. I have read that the market is better in Charlotte and im thinking that in Boston the competition would be crucial (not that it wont be anywhere). Im honestly looking at more debt in Boston scholarship is lower and cost of living is higher. The big plus for me in Boston is the alumni network .. and charlotte is lacking that.

[MrAnon]

When people say retake or don't go they are not being mean spirited or offering knee jerk advice as a joke. It really is a serious point that when you are down to choosing between two schools like this you really should not be attending law school at all. Unless you stand to inherit a law firm from your father where you can put the degree to use these options for schools are worse than most other available options at this point in life.

[adt231]

but my situation doesnt allow a retake etc.

Would you care to elaborate as to why? I really think that even if you truly want to be a lawyer, there are many other options other than going to law school right now. Working as a paralegal in order to save up money while studying everyday for many hours for the LSAT is one such option, for instance.

the stip is 3.0 good standing.

If you do end up going to Charlotte (which I do think is a less terrible option than NE), this has got to be removed. I know that you are probably thinking that "for sure I'll be above a 3.0 if I got this scholarship in the first place" but this could be VERY difficult, depending on how large the amount of deceit and manipulation is at the school. If you are not sure what I'm alluding to, check this article out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/busin ... rants.html

[adt231]

Also, OP, is it true that you have a 165 on your LSAT? This strongly suggest two things to me:

(1) You really should take sometime off to work and save up money and study study study for the LSAT in order to get even a few points higher and then apply to a bunch of the good midwestern schools (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Notre Dame, etc.) -- since you may be able to get a full ride or close to it. Plus, you can use the money you've saved towards your living expenses. This will allow you to graduate will very little debt and have DRASTICALLY better job prospects than you will from Charlotte or NE.

(2) Why are you even considering Charlotte and NE with a 165? There are plenty of T2's that would be throwing money at that LSAT (even some T1's).

[prelaw2ucf]

Also, OP, is it true that you have a 165 on your LSAT? This strongly suggest two things to me:

(1) You really should take sometime off to work and save up money and study study study for the LSAT in order to get even a few points higher and then apply to a bunch of the good midwestern schools (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Notre Dame, etc.) -- since you may be able to get a full ride or close to it. Plus, you can use the money you've saved towards your living expenses. This will allow you to graduate will very little debt and have DRASTICALLY better job prospects than you will from Charlotte or NE.

(2) Why are you even considering Charlotte and NE with a 165? There are plenty of T2's that would be throwing money at that LSAT (even some T1's).

Im old and exhausted my lsat trys already. I have some other issues that id rather not get into on the forum. but i did apply to a ton of schools etc. waitlisted at ALOT and just trying to make my decision by Friday .. i think im gonna give charlotte a try ..

thanks everyone

[Magnolia]

New England Law is out because of the cost, but CSoL isn't a better option here. It's the worst school in a state with 7 schools and without a thriving legal market. Charlotte got absolutely killed in the recession and it's very difficult to get a job there now. The legal market in Raleigh/Durham wasn't huge to begin with and it certainly can't absorb all of the grads who can't get jobs in Charlotte. You'll be competing with graduates from the 6 better NC schools plus graduates from the whole t13 and probably Vandy with ties to NC. There aren't enough jobs to go around and you'll be last in line for one.

I don't know what CSoL curves to, but you should find out. My guess is that it's somewhere between 2.7 and 2.3, which will make it difficult to impossible to maintain a 3.0. You'll lose your scholarship and you'll end up with 100k+ in debt and no job.

You don't even have to retake. You have a 165 for crying out loud. If you got waitlisted everywhere this year, have someone look over your application materials for errors. You should have better options than this. Wait until next cycle and apply as early as possible. Then come back and make a thread about choosing between your various scholarship offers to T1 and T2 schools.

[prelaw2ucf]

New England Law is out because of the cost, but CSoL isn't a better option here. It's the worst school in a state with 7 schools and without a thriving legal market. Charlotte got absolutely killed in the recession and it's very difficult to get a job there now. The legal market in Raleigh/Durham wasn't huge to begin with and it certainly can't absorb all of the grads who can't get jobs in Charlotte. You'll be competing with graduates from the 6 better NC schools plus graduates from the whole t13 and probably Vandy with ties to NC. There aren't enough jobs to go around and you'll be last in line for one.

I don't know what CSoL curves to, but you should find out. My guess is that it's somewhere between 2.7 and 2.3, which will make it difficult to impossible to maintain a 3.0. You'll lose your scholarship and you'll end up with 100k+ in debt and no job.

You don't even have to retake. You have a 165 for crying out loud. If you got waitlisted everywhere this year, have someone look over your application materials for errors. You should have better options than this. Wait until next cycle and apply as early as possible. Then come back and make a thread about choosing between your various scholarship offers to T1 and T2 schools.

Thanks Magnolia

you response it what i was looking for ; I appreciate ya.

[northwood]

OP- that score is fine for a lot of schools. Look over your application and use this forum and the law school personal statement boards to help you fine tune that portion of the application. If you spend some time working on that, touch up your resume a bit, and apply to schools in the region you want to work in ( and write an optional essay for why you want to go there) then yuou should have better options for the next cycle. Maybe your issue is your gpa- sadly theres not much you can do about it, but I would look over your completed applications with a fine tooth comb and use the summer months to critique it and start researching schools- and writing a rough draft for the optional essays. Charlotte is a for profit school- so they only care about the bottom line- not so much about the students. NE I dont know, but NE is saturated with schools and a lot of students- so that school is on the bottom of the totem pole there. Before you make the financial commitment to any school- make sure this is what you want to do. Sleep on it for a few weeks, and then if it is what you want- then go get it. If its not, then now is the time to walk away.

best of luck!

[TheFactor]

don't go to the 7th best law school in NC and expect to find a legal job

[Moral_Midgetry]

Also, OP, is it true that you have a 165 on your LSAT? This strongly suggest two things to me:

(1) You really should take sometime off to work and save up money and study study study for the LSAT in order to get even a few points higher and then apply to a bunch of the good midwestern schools (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Notre Dame, etc.) -- since you may be able to get a full ride or close to it. Plus, you can use the money you've saved towards your living expenses. This will allow you to graduate will very little debt and have DRASTICALLY better job prospects than you will from Charlotte or NE.

(2) Why are you even considering Charlotte and NE with a 165? There are plenty of T2's that would be throwing money at that LSAT (even some T1's).

Im old and exhausted my lsat trys already. I have some other issues that id rather not get into on the forum. but i did apply to a ton of schools etc. waitlisted at ALOT and just trying to make my decision by Friday .. i think im gonna give charlotte a try ..

thanks everyone

As someone who worked in the Charlotte legal market I know how bad the market is for CSoL grads. It sucks. Balls. Going to CSoL would be a huge mistake and would be nothing more than delaying a entry level job in retail for three years. Other lawyers in Charlotte and NC think that CSoL is a joke. There is so much competition from UNC and Wake + t14 with ties you'd be lucky to get a job as a paralegal with a CSoL degree (which you can do in NC with a bachelors degree). With a 165 you should really be thinking retake/reapply early. There is nothing that forces someone to go to law school so for your sake don't go with these options.

[YourCaptain]

I have a friend who went to NELS; dropped out after first semester after finding out about their job prospects. He said he knew they were *bad* but said that it was virtually unspeakable how desperate the situation is there-most 2/3Ls don't have unpaid internships, much less gainful employment.

[prezidentv8]

I'll say this much:

Be REALLY careful about these kinds of schools.

And even if they're free and you can get rid of the stips, you have to give up 3 years of other things you could be doing - for absolutely god awful odds at landing any job (legal or otherwise).

[BarbellDreams]

A 165 should get you money at T2 schools. A degree from the two schools you listed will get out unemployment and a very large student loan bill. Given those two facts I think you know what you should be doing.

[bport hopeful]

I dont even think retake is the answer. How are these your two choices with a 165?

[prelaw2ucf]

I dont even think retake is the answer. How are these your two choices with a 165?

as stated previously in my post there were some other issues and a low gpa .. but again thanks everyone I made my choice .. all your helpful input was appreciated.

[Moral_Midgetry]

I dont even think retake is the answer. How are these your two choices with a 165?

as stated previously in my post there were some other issues and a low gpa .. but again thanks everyone I made my choice .. all your helpful input was appreciated.

Enjoy working at American Eagle at Concord Mills Mall in 3 years.

[adt231]

I dont even think retake is the answer. How are these your two choices with a 165?

as stated previously in my post there were some other issues and a low gpa .. but again thanks everyone I made my choice .. all your helpful input was appreciated.

Is your choice Charlotte? If so, good luck.

Also, if so, why are you taking such a tremendous risk with the rewards being very unlikely and not even that great? Do you have a lot of money available to pay for your schooling and/or do you simply have a burning desire to study the law non-stop in preparation for stressful and intense exams?

[prelaw2ucf]

I dont even think retake is the answer. How are these your two choices with a 165?

as stated previously in my post there were some other issues and a low gpa .. but again thanks everyone I made my choice .. all your helpful input was appreciated.

Enjoy working at American Eagle at Concord Mills Mall in 3 years.

lol thanks buddy, good luck to you as well.

wow

[Zazelmaf]

Good luck. A lot of people told me not to go to law school, but if you give it everything you got and really study hard AND always keep your eye on the final, don't text or facebook in class, you should come out with good grades. Not saying that you will for sure, but where I went, I was the only person in the library on many days in the beginning. You are older, and I think that will help you out. A lot of young people seem to be grabbed into having fun over studying, especially during the beginning of the second semester once midterms are done.

Don't give up because others say it won't happen; but at the same time, realize that it's hard work (even though I actually enjoy it, and would NEVER in a million years trade it for the old life I gave up for it.)

[adt231]

Good luck. A lot of people told me not to go to law school, but if you give it everything you got and really study hard AND always keep your eye on the final, don't text or facebook in class, you should come out with good grades. Not saying that you will for sure, but where I went, I was the only person in the library on many days in the beginning. You are older, and I think that will help you out. A lot of young people seem to be grabbed into having fun over studying, especially during the beginning of the second semester once midterms are done.

Don't give up because others say it won't happen; but at the same time, realize that it's hard work (even though I actually enjoy it, and would NEVER in a million years trade it for the old life I gave up for it.)

While much of this is true, hard work, determination and positive thinking are not jointly sufficient to succeed as a lawyer. The problem with schools like Charlotte and NE are that EVEN if you do everything you mention AND come out at the top of your class (and, importantly, those things do not always come together due to other circumstances), then you are STILL NOT guaranteed A legal job, let along a GOOD legal job.

But, as long as the OP knows what he/she is getting himself/herself into, then is their right to decide to do it, even if it is far from being a rational choice.