Top Law Schools

Hello,

I'm a prospective law student that's been admitted to roughly 17 schools so far. I'm having a hard time choosing between certain schools; that and deciding whether either savings on money or higher rank is worth more. I'd like to know your opinions

Here's the schools I've been thinking about:

Indiana-Bloomington Maurer School of Law - Out of state tutiton, $43, $10,000 scholarship. Conditions unknown as of now. I'm not sure if I can lift in-state tuition after a year; the guidelines seem kind of strict.
Chicago-Kent - $42k with a $18k scholarship, no conditions.
Loyola-Chicago- $38k with a $12k scholarship, no conditions
Rutgers-Newark - Out of state for first year, $36k, residency thereafter and a $12k scholarship, maintain 3.0.
University of Cincinnati - $22k in state tuition after GMR, $6500 scholarship, no conditions.
University of Houston- $26k in state due to residency waiver, $2.5k scholarship

Other schools I've gotten into:
DePaul- $40k, 25k scholarship no conditions.
Seton Hall - $46k, 25k scholarship
Cardozo - $47k, $20 k scholarship no conditions
Temple - instate, nadda.
University of Villanova - $36k, $15k scholarship, maintain 3.0.
Case Western, nadda.
As well as some other schools I won't really consider as they're either too low or I don't want to live there.

I'm waiting on:
University of Wisconsin
Ohio State
University of Iowa
University of Illnois - After the initial pass, they said they needed more time to decide whether to admit me straight out or waitlist me.
Some background:

I was born and raised, as well as currently live in, Philadelphia. I went to University of Pittsburgh for my undergraduate, where I graduated with a 3.2 (3.06 according to LSAC) GPA. I scored a 164 on the LSAT. While my GPA normally wouldn't get me into some of the above schools, I lifted 4.0s in my third year and 3.8s for my fourth year. I was a double major and a minor. As for ties, I don't really have many, even here in my hometown. I want to leave Philadelphia as I greatly dislike it here. Mid-west is preferable, I like Chicago a lot as well as several other states in the surrounding area. I do know some people in Chicago, some of which have lawyer friends that work in firms (not the Starbucks variety) that they say they'll introduce me to if I end up going to school in the mid-west.


Debt-wise, I have not a cent from undergraduate, so everything will be fresh for law school.

Thanks for the help in advance!

I'd say Rutgers looks like the best deal. But if you want to work in the midwest, that's not really an option. I'd avoid the Chicago schools though.

From the people I have talked to and from what I have read you can get in state tuition at RU Newark the first year. You just have to show them a signed 12 month lease from NJ.

Do your homework and make sure that is true, but would save you a bunch off that calculation.

JC

If you want to live in the Midwest, go to school in the midwest.
None of these schools are particularly portable

What about a retake? Get up to a 168+ and you're looking at better schools with money. Get up to 170+ and you're looking at T14.

Samara wrote:What about a retake? Get up to a 168+ and you're looking at better schools with money. Get up to 170+ and you're looking at T14.

With a 3.06 LSDAS GPA?

dingbat wrote:If you want to live in the Midwest, go to school in the midwest.
None of these schools are particularly portable

This. Chicago is tough as it is. Go to a midwestern school and enjoy living an hour or two outside of Chicago, at least. All of those schools place within their respective cities only and marginally at that.

justinp wrote:

Samara wrote:What about a retake? Get up to a 168+ and you're looking at better schools with money. Get up to 170+ and you're looking at T14.

With a 3.06 LSDAS GPA?

Yes. NU if you have work experience, GULC, UVA (with ED), etc.

If you can go to Temple I'd highly recommend that. Going to a school with the hope that you MIGHT be able to establish in-state residency is not smart.

Try bargaining with the schools at the top of your list to see if you can get an offer of full tuition & fees.

Linsanity wrote:If you can go to Temple I'd highly recommend that. Going to a school with the hope that you MIGHT be able to establish in-state residency is not smart.

But OP doesnt want Philly...the one market Temple places well into.

bk187 wrote:

justinp wrote:

Samara wrote:What about a retake? Get up to a 168+ and you're looking at better schools with money. Get up to 170+ and you're looking at T14.

With a 3.06 LSDAS GPA?

Yes. NU if you have work experience, GULC, UVA (with ED), etc.

+1 I'm 3.09/175 and I'm in at NU, waitlisted at GULC, UVa, and Penn. Plenty of people with lower GPAs than yours ED to UVa with a 170+ and get in. UVa ED is the splitter golden ticket.

Samara wrote:

bk187 wrote:

justinp wrote:

Samara wrote:What about a retake? Get up to a 168+ and you're looking at better schools with money. Get up to 170+ and you're looking at T14.

With a 3.06 LSDAS GPA?

Yes. NU if you have work experience, GULC, UVA (with ED), etc.

+1 I'm 3.09/175 and I'm in at NU, waitlisted at GULC, UVa, and Penn. Plenty of people with lower GPAs than yours ED to UVa with a 170+ and get in. UVa ED is the splitter golden ticket.

Today I learned...

Another soul saved by TLS?

Hey all, thanks for the advice.

Yeah, I heard the Chicago market is pretty tough and the schools I got into in Chicago aren't really placed high at all.

Retaking isn't really an option. I haven't been able to get a decent job after graduation and I'm only twenty-two; I don't want to sit around with a crappy job for another year.

I don't want to go to Temple or stay in Philadelphia, I really hate it here. Rutgers does seem like a good deal, I thought University of Cincinnati was decent as well. I'll look into seeing if I can get residency first year onwards.

As for bargaining, I'm not sure if I have much room. I don't fit the GPA profile for these schools as it is. I'll try though.


Is it worth paying 20k more a year for a much higher ranked school in the end? I'm not too worried about debt since I don't have any from undergraduate, but an additional 60k+ sucks.

Lastly, as for living costs: I can find great apartments for around $8000 a year with all utilities included in Bloomington and I wouldn't need a car. However, in most of the other choices, I'd need a car to get around except for Newark. However, in Newark, the apartment prices are really high for an apartment that's decent and either a 1BR or a studio. Does anyone have any experience in just how much living expenses in cities/high cost areas add up?

Barthomeloi wrote:Retaking isn't really an option. I haven't been able to get a decent job after graduation and I'm only twenty-two; I don't want to sit around with a crappy job for another year.

You're not going to be able to get a "decent" job out of the schools you listed.

Hey all,

I got into University of Illnois - Urbana with $20,000.

As for jobs,

I can't get a decent job from schools in the middle of Tier 1? Indiana is around 23, same with Illinois.

Median salary is $100,000 at Indiana, $130,000 at Illinois for private sector starting. That seems pretty decent to me.

Barthomeloi wrote:Hey all,

I got into University of Illnois - Urbana with $20,000.

As for jobs,

I can't get a decent job from schools in the middle of Tier 1? Indiana is around 23, same with Illinois.

Median salary is $120,000 at Indiana, $160,000 at Illinois for private sector. That seems pretty decent to me.

Barthomeloi wrote:Hey all, thanks for the advice.

Yeah, I heard the Chicago market is pretty tough and the schools I got into in Chicago aren't really placed high at all.

Retaking isn't really an option. I haven't been able to get a decent job after graduation and I'm only twenty-two; I don't want to sit around with a crappy job for another year.

I don't want to go to Temple or stay in Philadelphia, I really hate it here. Rutgers does seem like a good deal, I thought University of Cincinnati was decent as well. I'll look into seeing if I can get residency first year onwards.

As for bargaining, I'm not sure if I have much room. I don't fit the GPA profile for these schools as it is. I'll try though.


Is it worth paying 20k more a year for a much higher ranked school in the end? I'm not too worried about debt since I don't have any from undergraduate, but an additional 60k+ sucks.

Lastly, as for living costs: I can find great apartments for around $8000 a year with all utilities included in Bloomington and I wouldn't need a car. However, in most of the other choices, I'd need a car to get around except for Newark. However, in Newark, the apartment prices are really high for an apartment that's decent and either a 1BR or a studio. Does anyone have any experience in just how much living expenses in cities/high cost areas add up?

Deleted.

chimp wrote:

Barthomeloi wrote:Hey all,

I got into University of Illnois - Urbana with $20,000.

As for jobs,

I can't get a decent job from schools in the middle of Tier 1? Indiana is around 23, same with Illinois.

Median salary is $120,000 at Indiana, $160,000 at Illinois for private sector. That seems pretty decent to me.

Yeah, I was looking at the wrong numbers :S. I fixed it above.

BearsGrl wrote:

Barthomeloi wrote:Hey all, thanks for the advice.

Yeah, I heard the Chicago market is pretty tough and the schools I got into in Chicago aren't really placed high at all.

Retaking isn't really an option. I haven't been able to get a decent job after graduation and I'm only twenty-two; I don't want to sit around with a crappy job for another year.

I don't want to go to Temple or stay in Philadelphia, I really hate it here. Rutgers does seem like a good deal, I thought University of Cincinnati was decent as well. I'll look into seeing if I can get residency first year onwards.

As for bargaining, I'm not sure if I have much room. I don't fit the GPA profile for these schools as it is. I'll try though.


Is it worth paying 20k more a year for a much higher ranked school in the end? I'm not too worried about debt since I don't have any from undergraduate, but an additional 60k+ sucks.

Lastly, as for living costs: I can find great apartments for around $8000 a year with all utilities included in Bloomington and I wouldn't need a car. However, in most of the other choices, I'd need a car to get around except for Newark. However, in Newark, the apartment prices are really high for an apartment that's decent and either a 1BR or a studio. Does anyone have any experience in just how much living expenses in cities/high cost areas add up?

You'll need a car with IUB - not for the schooling, but because you'll want to travel to interviews and non-Bloomington activities. Let me know if you have any general questions about this school. Have you been to the school before? I went there for UG.

Hey,

Ah, I see. I already have an available car, I'll have to see about insurance. How is the public transit system? I'm planning on minimizing driving to save gas. I haven't been down to the school before but I'm planning to soon.

For what's it worth...you can get RU-N at in-state tuition for your first year too. You just need to show a 12-month in Jersey lease before the first day of classes.