Minn vs. Wisc vs. Hastings vs. Pitt Forum

[kristyk]

I created a post last month for just Hastings and Pitt, but my situation has changed a bit (I got off the WL at Wisconsin and received IST at Hastings) so I thought I would throw this out to the peanut galley for additional thoughts...

Minnesota
*Still on WL but want to know what to do if they accept me at some point
OOST: $40k

Wisconsin
OOST: $37.5k

Hastings
IST: $39k

Pittsburgh
Scholly w/ 3.0 stip: $21k

I'd be fine living/working in any of these markets: Minneapolis/Madison/Milwaukee/Chicago, Pittsburgh (or possibly Philly), San Fran (COL is high, but Bay Area is nice).

I don't have grand aspirations for Biglaw. Ideally I'd like to do private practice for a while then move in-house as a GC at a hospital or research university. I'm most interested in the opportunities at Minnesota because of its Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences. Hastings has a similar consortium through a partnership with UCSF, and Pittsburgh has a health law / bioethics concentration. Wisconsin doesn't necessarily, but I really like their law-in-action approach.

Thoughts? Further clarification needed? Thanks in advance.

[dpk711]

In your situation, I would honestly go to the one you would be most comfortable living at.

[Gideon Strumpet]

Kinda pointless putting an option in this that everyone will vote for, and you don't actually have.

[3ThrowAway99]

I think it is partly a question of where you want to live (east-coast, mid-west, or west-coast). But all other things equal, I would take UMN first, Wisconsin second, Hastings third, and Pitt fourth (including with the scholly amount you were offered).

[northwood]

Pick a state. However, if you are going by cost- then I would go with Hastings, as you have in state residency, and that leads me to believe that you have ties to the region and may want to end up back there.
FWIW dont go to Pitt hoping for Philly. Temple, Villanova ( not to mention Penn) are the schools there

It all comes down to how the schools compare to what you want from your law school. If one of those schools matches, and you feel at home- go there. You need to create some sort of pros and cons list for each school, and create a requirements list for law school and where you want to settle down and practice for a long time. Then compare each school to the requirements list.

[kristyk]

Thanks folks -- it's what I figured but helped to confirm it -- I need to figure out where I feel most comfortable and go there.

I realize in hindsight as one poster pointed out that it was a bit silly to include a school I'm WL at in my poll... I'm hopeful, but I won't be crushed if I don't get in because I realize I have other solid options.

Thanks again.

[thexfactor]

holy shit hastings in state is 39k?????

[Gideon Strumpet]

holy shit hastings in state is 39k?????

State funded school in a bankrupt state FTW.

[thexfactor]

holy shit hastings in state is 39k?????

State funded school in a bankrupt state FTW.

shit i dont want to know what out of state tuition is.....

[kristyk]

holy shit hastings in state is 39k?????

State funded school in a bankrupt state FTW.

shit i dont want to know what out of state tuition is.....

Yeah, you definitely don't haha

[northwood]

OP: Which school did you choose?

[kristyk]

OP: Which school did you choose?

I haven't "officially" made a decision, but I am leaning towards Pitt because of the scholly money. I'm actually not from CA -- I only got IST after I told the Assistant Dean that I couldn't afford to pay OOST (but, as others have pointed out, IST is still insane) -- I'm from NY so Pitt also has the added benefit of being closer to my family, and closer to friends, who live either in NY or DC.

But my heart was really set on Minnesota, so getting off their WL would be a big deal to me... fingers crossed.