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Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:04 pm
by xreptarrr
Hello everyone,
I need opinions to help me formulate a decision for law school. Here's some background info:
- Graduated 2010 with BA in Political Science from FIU
- Been working full time since senior year at a university for their fundraising operations
- LSAT/GPA: 149 (twice)/3.2
I was accepted at Barry with a $6,000 scholarship for 3 years, and St. Thomas and Nova placed me in their Summer Conditional Program. The only difference is that Nova's conditional program is just getting a C average in the 2 classes they offer (from what I understand), while St. Thomas' is a 3 week program where 2 hour sessions are given and then at the end of each week you take an exam on the material and you have to be in the top 20% of the class to be admitted to the entering class. I contacted the admissions office and they normally take up to 60-100 people for the summer program in St. Thomas. I'm not a statistician or anything but that would mean you'd have to rank anywhere from top 12-20 in the program to get in. Oh and btw, the program is $2k...
I haven't really taken Nova seriously just because I've heard it's overpriced and mediocre, so it's basically coming down to Barry and St. Thomas. My concern is that if I go with St. Thomas and don't make the top 20%, I'll get left out of St. Thomas and Barry and basically lose entry into both. Any ideas/words of wisdom?
Has anyone done the Summer Conditional Program at St. Thomas? I'd really love to get in contact with someone who went through the program to get a feel as to how strenuous the material really is. What about just paying the seat deposit at Barry just as a backup and going to the summer program at St. Thomas? I'd rather lose $400 bucks than an entire year of law school and a blemish on my application.
Any feedback would be greatly (GREATLY!) appreciated!
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:10 pm
by Antilles Haven
Barry is much better than Nova, just keep that in mind.
Also, you should absolutely definitely not go to any of these schools.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:13 pm
by xreptarrr
Don't really have a choice...they're the only ones that I got accepted to. I applied at FIU and Stetson and no luck there. My plan is to just go to one of these the 1st year and then transfer to another school in Florida (like UF or FSU). Just trying to pick the lesser of two evils

Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:24 pm
by cdelgado
I don't want to crush dreams and I'm not here trying to be rude, but don't go to law school. Especially not any of those schools. And don't plan on transferring. The proposition is nearly untenable.
If you really want to go, take some time off and study like crazy then reapply.
Otherwise, don't go. Save the money and the headache. Job prospects from these institutions are bleak at best.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:25 pm
by FeelTheHeat
Antilles Haven wrote:Barry is much better than Nova, just keep that in mind.
Also, you should absolutely definitely not go to any of these schools.
Nova's international tax program is second to none. Egregious trolling.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:29 pm
by LSATmakesMeNeurotic
Do not go to law school. Spend your time and money doing something else.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:34 pm
by Grizz
Only go if you enjoy the idea of debt peonage
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:38 pm
by Guchster
Grizz wrote:Only go if you enjoy the idea of debt peonage
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:38 pm
by xreptarrr
Grizz wrote:Only go if you enjoy the idea of debt peonage
Beats the hell out of going back to FIU and getting an MPA like everyone I know. Pretty soon all of Sweetwater is going to be trolled by a bunch of unemployed MPA grads. Just sayin'.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:41 pm
by Grizz
xreptarrr wrote:Grizz wrote:Only go if you enjoy the idea of debt peonage
Beats the hell out of going back to FIU and getting an MPA like everyone I know. Pretty soon all of Sweetwater is going to be trolled by a bunch of unemployed MPA grads. Just sayin'.
Those aren't the only two oftens. You're dangerously close to messing up your life by going to these schools.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:43 pm
by LSATmakesMeNeurotic
xreptarrr wrote:Grizz wrote:Only go if you enjoy the idea of debt peonage
Beats the hell out of going back to FIU and getting an MPA like everyone I know. Pretty soon all of Sweetwater is going to be trolled by a bunch of unemployed MPA grads. Just sayin'.
You will be an unemployed JD if you go to Barry or Nova, and you'll owe a shit ton of money.
ETA: don't go to law school just because you have nothing better to do with your life.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:43 pm
by Guchster
Send this person to MTal.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:43 pm
by FeelTheHeat
What is wrong with being a mechanic?
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:53 pm
by romothesavior
xreptarrr wrote:Don't really have a choice...they're the only ones that I got accepted to. I applied at FIU and Stetson and no luck there. My plan is to just go to one of these the 1st year and then transfer to another school in Florida (like UF or FSU). Just trying to pick the lesser of two evils

This is a flame. If not, you're being ridiculous. These schools are so bad they are the scuttlebutt of a two year long joke thread.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:57 pm
by xreptarrr
romothesavior wrote:xreptarrr wrote:Don't really have a choice...they're the only ones that I got accepted to. I applied at FIU and Stetson and no luck there. My plan is to just go to one of these the 1st year and then transfer to another school in Florida (like UF or FSU). Just trying to pick the lesser of two evils

This is a flame. If not, you're being ridiculous. These schools are so bad they are the scuttlebutt of a two year long joke thread.
Yeah, I'm aware of the joke thread (I did my research before going out on a limb and posting something independently). Anyway, I'll take everyone's comments under advisement and just mull it over a little more before I decide what to do. Many thanks for the honest opinions.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:27 pm
by MrAnon
I just wanted to add please don't go to these law schools.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:28 pm
by Lil Kev
MrAnon wrote:I just wanted to add please don't go to these law schools.
tcr
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:42 pm
by Bill Cosby
xreptarrr wrote:Don't really have a choice...they're the only ones that I got accepted to. I applied at FIU and Stetson and no luck there. My plan is to just go to one of these the 1st year and then transfer to another school in Florida (like UF or FSU). Just trying to pick the lesser of two evils

Please don't go to a school with the intention of transferring somewhere else, because the odds are your numbers won't be good enough. Of course, you're going to tell us how you're a special butterfly that will rise above all that.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:42 pm
by Lil Kev
Bill Cosby wrote:xreptarrr wrote:Don't really have a choice...they're the only ones that I got accepted to. I applied at FIU and Stetson and no luck there. My plan is to just go to one of these the 1st year and then transfer to another school in Florida (like UF or FSU). Just trying to pick the lesser of two evils

Please don't go to a school with the intention of transferring somewhere else, because the odds are your numbers won't be good enough. Of course, you're going to tell us how you're a special butterfly that will rise above all that.

Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:43 pm
by kalvano
To put into perspective why you shouldn't go to law school, your GPA is a 3.2 and your LSAT is a 149. Your plan is to go and then transfer, which requires absolutely stellar grades. Do you see any difficulty here?
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:45 pm
by smelltheglove
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:46 pm
by lifestooquick
I thought this was NorB joke/troll. This is serious?! Please listen to everyone and don't go. Study your ass off and retake the LSAT - you can do it! Plus, it will be a million times easier than trying to transfer.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:46 pm
by Tom Joad
Two great common pieces of advice you see in threads like this:
1. Don't go to a school you wouldn't want to graduate from with median grades (because the odds are that is what will happen).
2. Studying for the LSAT and retaking is way easier and less risky than trying to transfer up.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:47 pm
by Lil Kev
lifestooquick wrote:I thought this was NorB joke/troll. This is serious?! Please listen to everyone and don't go. Study your ass off and retake the LSAT - you can do it! Plus, it will be a million times easier than trying to transfer.
Powerscore books will help quite a bit.
Re: Need Help Making a Decision for Fall 2012
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:21 am
by timbs4339
Don't look at this as a decision you have to make RIGHT NOW between a) go to law school this year and b) never go to law school. You need to at the very least take a year off and reevaluate how you can get a better LSAT score. I suggest a topic in the LSAT forum, discussing in detail your prep methods. Not being able to apply to law school this year does not have to mean you will never be a lawyer. It just means you are exercising good judgment (a very important skill for lawyers) in choosing to delay law school until you can make an investment in a school that will give you decent job prospects.