Top Law Schools

Right now, I've narrowed it down to 2 choices. Penn State offered me $18,500/yr and I'll be paying sticker at Rutgers, although it's in-state tuition. I really liked Penn State's campus and facilities, and I'm not too keen on spending much of my time in Newark. However, the employment stats for these two schools show that the prospects coming out of Rutgers seem to be far superior to that of PSU. The average private practice salary is $55k at PSU, while it's over $100k at Rutgers, not to mention the percentage of grads employed out of Rutgers is higher. I'm currently making around $55k now, and I'm worried about being around $100k in debt for a job where I'd be making just as much as I am now. My debt will be similar at both schools. Any input/thoughts? I'd much rather go to PSU, but I'm not sure if it's worth the risk.

Where are you from, have ties to? Frankly, neither of those schools are worth the debt.

That being said, I will bet you next to anything that the 55k a year job you have is better than any legal job you will get from either of those two schools.

Keep the job, and retake. Or go get an MBA.

/thread.

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Agree with the above poster. But if to have to choose avoid Penn State. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are too overcrowded to really offer much in terms of placement. They used to send a decent amount of Harrisburg, but it is a tertiary market in pa and state gov hiring has dried up there.

Penn State

If you have ties in Jersey and want to work in Jersey, Rutgers.

If you have ties in Central PA and want to work in Central PA, Penn State.

Is Penn State Law still operating in both Carlisle & State College ?

Regarding your question: Visit, then decide as employment prospects are probably similiarly dismal.

CanadianWolf wrote:Is Penn State Law still operating in both Carlisle & State College ?

Regarding your question: Visit, then decide as employment prospects are probably similiarly dismal.

Isn't the Dickinson campus in Carlisle...?

The original campus is in Carlisle, but Penn State bought out the Dickinson School of Law & may be operating out of two locations now.

I'm from Jersey, but I don't have any connections. I've visited both, and definitely like Penn State more. Yes, they are operating out of both State College and Carlisle. As much as I hate thinking about it, I think I'm going to register to take the LSAT for the third and final time this summer, and barring a vast improvement, I'll end up going to one of these schools.

Unless you have some incredible desire to be a lawyer, you should stay put at your job and retake the LSAT. Choosing either of these schools means losing out on $165K in salary over the next three years, plus probably spending about $100k to attend either school. That's essentially a $265K swing, plus the struggles of law school, with the odds being that you'll wind up right back around the $55k salary when you graduate.

And btw, there is absolutely no way the "average" private practice salary out of Rutgers is $100k. I imagine you're referring to the median, which is misleading in and of itself, plus the fact that it's probably heavily gamed.

rwhyAn wrote:Right now, I've narrowed it down to 2 choices. Penn State offered me $18,500/yr and I'll be paying sticker at Rutgers, although it's in-state tuition. I really liked Penn State's campus and facilities, and I'm not too keen on spending much of my time in Newark. However, the employment stats for these two schools show that the prospects coming out of Rutgers seem to be far superior to that of PSU. The average private practice salary is $55k at PSU, while it's over $100k at Rutgers, not to mention the percentage of grads employed out of Rutgers is higher. I'm currently making around $55k now, and I'm worried about being around $100k in debt for a job where I'd be making just as much as I am now. My debt will be similar at both schools. Any input/thoughts? I'd much rather go to PSU, but I'm not sure if it's worth the risk.

The median outcome for both schools will be 40-55K. A lot of the people who went into government at Rutgers and who are making around 50K probably did not plan on working in the public sector- that's just where many of the jobs for Rutgers grads are. And honestly, I'd probably work for a local PD/DAs office over a small firm if they both paid 40K.

If you don't want to retake, go to Penn State. NJ's market is strictly NJ. You can do more with your PSU degree. The alumni network for PSU is unlike any other school.

dissonance1848 wrote:Where are you from, have ties to? Frankly, neither of those schools are worth the debt.

That being said, I will bet you next to anything that the 55k a year job you have is better than any legal job you will get from either of those two schools.

Keep the job, and retake. Or go get an MBA.

/thread.

I'm pretty sure OP said they narrowed it down to two choices.."retake" wasn't one of them

That said, i think he should go with Rowan i mean rutgers

MarcusAurelius wrote:

dissonance1848 wrote:Where are you from, have ties to? Frankly, neither of those schools are worth the debt.

That being said, I will bet you next to anything that the 55k a year job you have is better than any legal job you will get from either of those two schools.

Keep the job, and retake. Or go get an MBA.

/thread.

I'm pretty sure OP said they narrowed it down to two choices.."retake" wasn't one of them

That said, i think he should go with Rowan i mean rutgers

Unacceptable choices.

MarchMadness wrote:If you don't want to retake, go to Penn State. NJ's market is strictly NJ. You can do more with your PSU degree. The alumni network for PSU is unlike any other school.

PSU alumni network is big, sure, but I don't think it really translates to legal jobs. There is far less competition in NJ, there is only three law schools in the state. The chances of finding a job outside PA or NJ for either school (respectively) are fairly minimal, and I honestly wouldn't attend either for less than nothing.



Retake.

MarcusAurelius wrote:I'm pretty sure OP said they narrowed it down to two choices.."retake" wasn't one of them

That said, i think he should go with Rowan i mean rutgers

He said Rutgers Newark, herp derpington.

rwhyAn wrote:As much as I hate thinking about it, I think I'm going to register to take the LSAT for the third and final time this summer, and barring a vast improvement, I'll end up going to one of these schools stay in my current job and not take on a mountain of debt for a similar salary and much worse hours.

FTFY.

InGoodFaith wrote:

MarcusAurelius wrote:I'm pretty sure OP said they narrowed it down to two choices.."retake" wasn't one of them

That said, i think he should go with Rowan i mean rutgers

He said Rutgers Newark, herp derpington.

CRAP

Jaeger wrote:

MarcusAurelius wrote:

dissonance1848 wrote:Where are you from, have ties to? Frankly, neither of those schools are worth the debt.

That being said, I will bet you next to anything that the 55k a year job you have is better than any legal job you will get from either of those two schools.

Keep the job, and retake. Or go get an MBA.

/thread.

I'm pretty sure OP said they narrowed it down to two choices.."retake" wasn't one of them

That said, i think he should go with Rowan i mean rutgers

Unacceptable choices.

Jaeger, care to elaborate?