scholarships vs. higher caliber school Forum

[emcsanden]

I was admitted to a school of my choice (will not state specific schools b/c I don't want current students or alum adding bias to the answers) but it did not give me any scholarships. It is a top 20 school with an amazing public interest program, but also thrives in classroom discussion of philosophy and theory. I am that sick individual that would be a career student if I could, and want to be in law school for the sake of studying law - I'm not just after the piece of paper. Ideally I am looking to becoming a law professor. The schools that have offered me substantial scholarships mostly focus on students passing the bar and are second tier schools. I am completely torn between choosing the money or choosing the school that will make me the most happy academically. To preface, I didn't go into applying for school thinking it would be cheap. Thoughts?

[goldenflash19]

If you're goal is to be a law professor, then anything outside of HYS likely won't get you where you want to be. Be sure that if you venture outside HYS, you wouldn't mind a career as a lawyer. If the T20 school you mentioned is actually T14, then it's your best bet. If it's 15-20, then I'd be careful @ sticker.

[larsoner]

If you're goal is to be a law professor, then anything outside of HYS likely won't get you where you want to be. Be sure that if you venture outside HYS, you wouldn't mind a career as a lawyer. If the T20 school you mentioned is actually T14, then it's your best bet. If it's 15-20, then I'd be careful @ sticker.

That's a little not true. A lot of professors come from HYS, but its really the top 5 or 6 that make the bulk. You can do it from UChicago.

[cinephile]

What's the T2 like? Does it have strong placement in its region, like the only school in the city/state?

Also, what do you hope to do if academia doesn't work out?

[emcsanden]

The schools are in California, both so-Cal but I'm waiting to hear back from the Bay Area schools. So a plethora of schools to choose from being from California. The T2 school is known in the area and is employed a lot in the area but not much outside of Southern California (where I don't plan on spending the rest of my life). The VP of the SBA specifically told me that she avoids the faculty and office hours at all cost and she's supposed to be the Ambassador of the school.

[emcsanden]

Obviously I can't jump right into academica so I will focus on public interest practice and hopefully some work overseas. Possibly consulting for non-profits if possible....so also not very much on the income making either. I don't have any debt, but this is equivalent to buying a house. Do I just work my tail off trying to find outside scholarships?

[cinephile]

Well, given that the T20 school you're considering is in LA, that makes a difference. I don't know what the LRAP is like there, so if you end up doing public interest, I don't know how that would work out. But also since the T2 is in a state with so many law schools, that might not be the best bet.

Hopefully the decision will be easier after you hear back from the UC schools and they offer scholarships.

[emcsanden]

Overall would you all say that finding outside scholarships to supplement lack of merit scholarships is relatively easy if you're willing to put the time in?

[T00L]

Overall would you all say that finding outside scholarships to supplement lack of merit scholarships is relatively easy if you're willing to put the time in?

No. especially in Cali. No one has money. The only schools in the state that aren't broke are USC and Stanford....or Pepp. The UC system is totally broke.

[cinephile]

Most outside scholarships I'm familiar with are for specific ethnic groups or for those from specific regions (like Cuyahoga County law scholarship).

[AreJay711]

Publish and you have a chance at some lower ranked schools (and continue to publish and you can move up). If I were you, I would go to the higher ranked school since that will give you a better chance to do academic research and could potentially help you get an academic job. Its hard to imagine that someone wouldn't have graduating from Chapman held against them compared to someone from UCLA for example.

[romothesavior]

Your odds of becoming a professor at a T20 are close to nil. I'll bet fewer than 10 students per class at any T20 range school become a professor, and a lot of those are adjuncts who go out into private practice before coming back. I'd be surprised if more than a couple ever become tenured profs.

[timbs4339]

Your odds of becoming a professor at a T20 are close to nil. I'll bet fewer than 10 students per class at any T20 range school become a professor, and a lot of those are adjuncts who go out into private practice before coming back. I'd be surprised if more than a couple ever become tenured profs.

TCR. If you want to be a career student, get a masters and a Ph.D. Go for political science or government.

The PI jobs from these schools will be in direct services public interest or state/local prosecution. That's lawyer work. Hardcore lawyer work. Do not do this if you are not willing to work with real clients or on real cases immediately after graduation. No non-profit will pay you to consult unless you have been working for many years.

[dingbat]

Your odds of becoming a professor at a T20 are close to nil. I'll bet fewer than 10 students per class at any T20 range school become a professor, and a lot of those are adjuncts who go out into private practice before coming back. I'd be surprised if more than a couple ever become tenured profs.

Looking at my shiny new admitted student handbook from a good law school, excluding foreign educated professors, approximately 1/8 of the professors got their JD at a non-T14.
(1/6 went to Yale)

What is worth mentioning is that OP said s/he wants to be a career student.
As such, I'd like to point out that a good route is to get a J.D. on the cheap, then get an LLM at a T-14, which will give OP the opportunity to teach