Top Law Schools

So far I have 3 options. Its still early but I want TLS advice.

1) 39k per year (117k total) to USD, which estimates total cost at 180k (63k debt)
2) No money to GWU (234k total)
3) No money to BU (220k total)

Is it a no brainer to take the offer from USD? And is there any way I can use this offer to my advantage to receive more money from GWU or BU? Any advice would be great!

Somebody's going to recommend you start a poll. Might as well be me.

bjokay wrote:So far I have 3 options. Its still early but I want TLS advice.

1) 39k per year (117k total) to USD, which estimates total cost at 180k (63k debt)
2) No money to GWU (234k total)
3) No money to BU (220k total)

Is it a no brainer to take the offer from USD? And is there any way I can use this offer to my advantage to receive more money from GWU or BU? Any advice would be great!

Where do you want to end up?

What do you want to practice?

Where are your professional ties?

gw or bu at sticker is pretty darn risky my friend

What are the stips on the USD scholarship

Bronck wrote:What are the stips on the USD scholarship

This. If the scholarship is guaranteed, which it most likely isn't, USD is the best choice out of the options that you have presented.

Take the scholarship. GW and BU are both super expensive and not a great chance at a job that will comfortably pay off your loans.

The scholarship is guaranteed to USD as long as I maintain a 2.0 GPA.

As an update I have now received a 60K scholarship offer from George Washington, which would put the total cost at about $180k.

I have pretty much ruled out BU and so I am deciding between a $117k scholarship to USD, or a $60k scholarship to GWU. I only have until April 2nd to decide.

What's the best move in terms of long term earnings potential/quality of life/debt/etc???

BTW the Scholarship at GWU is guaranteed with NO Stips

What is your reason for attending law school?

Yeah, we really want to know what your goals, preferred part of the country, etc. are to advise you on this.

1) I want a stable job that will lead to high salary employment as I grow older
2) I want to establish connections for the future
3) I seek greater intellectual prowess and a mental challenge
4) TO BECOME A LAWYER

bjokay wrote:1) I want a stable job that will lead to high salary employment as I grow older
2) I want to establish connections for the future
3) I seek greater intellectual prowess and a mental challenge
4) TO BECOME A LAWYER

I struck the parts that law school will not help you achieve, or can be done through other career paths.

The goals you're left with are not concrete in any way. They reek of the unformed, uninformed, half-cocked backup plans that many of my classmates entered with, and now regret to the maximum. I highly suggest you refine your life and career goals before investing any amount of time or money into this decision.

With that said, GW gives you the best chance at what people here consider high-paying jobs - goal #1, I guess. GW or BU will suffice for #4.

But more likely than not you'll end up as one of the people in the middle of the class without #1, restricted to #4 in some capacity, and with absolutely no idea what to do next because you didn't know what you really wanted to begin with.

Hope to see you in the Fall!

I was in the same situation as you. GW with no $, or USD for (almost) free.

I chose USD, and I don't regret it at all. Had I gotten into GULC, I would have gone there. But I was waitlisted, so I chose USD.

uncredited wrote:
The goals you're left with are not concrete in any way. They reek of the unformed, uninformed, half-cocked backup plans that many of my classmates entered with, and now regret to the maximum. I highly suggest you refine your life and career goals before investing any amount of time or money into this decision.

I tire of posts like this. Just because you went in with what you assume were bad ideas or misconceptions and are now bitter, it doesn't mean others will end up like you. I mean, what the hell is a solid response to the question, "Why do you want to go to law school?" I'm sure you can vet any response to a point that makes it sound foolish. You haven't read this guy's personal statement. You have no idea why he wants to go into law. Sure, he may have given you a snippet, but what makes you arrogant enough to think that you are the Lord Protector of Justifications for Law School?

Jaeger wrote:

uncredited wrote:
The goals you're left with are not concrete in any way. They reek of the unformed, uninformed, half-cocked backup plans that many of my classmates entered with, and now regret to the maximum. I highly suggest you refine your life and career goals before investing any amount of time or money into this decision.

I tire of posts like this. Just because you went in with what you assume were bad ideas or misconceptions and are now better, it doesn't mean others will end up like you. I mean, what the hell is a solid response to the question, "Why do you want to go to law school?" I'm sure you can vet any response to a point that makes it sound foolish. You haven't read this guy's personal statement. You have no idea why he wants to go into law. Sure, he may have given you a snippet, but what makes you arrogant enough to think that you are the Lord Protector of Justifications for Law School?

I actually went into GW with a step-by step plan and backup plan knowing exactly what I wanted and how to best achieve that, taking into account the realities of the legal market and my odds of earning the required GPAs and work experience. I'm now a 2L here, in the top 15%, and with the option of proceeding however I wish - that happens to be prosecution, which was my original goal. Enough people at my school are aware of me and my account here that you can verify this if you really want. But if your foolish and baseless ad hominid attacks aren't enough to fully discredit the rest of your statement, I'll do you the favor.

Among those who are in similar positions to me there's several similarities - one of which is that they came to law school with an informed and fully-contemplated plan to achieve very specific career goals. I have no idea whether this actually determines anything, but when hundreds of thousands of dollars are on the line and their success depends upon doing well academically, its enough of a correlation to mention. Among those who seem dissatisfied with their position or are currently unable to find the job they want, these are overwhelmingly the people who, when asked what they wanted to do with a law degree, gave answers just like the OPs - completely vague with a focus on nothing more than "intellectualism" and "making money".

No, I didn't read his personal statement, but he didn't offer it. So I asked the next best thing, which is why he wants to attend. The answer to this question in part determines the wisdom of his choice. If he wants big law, USD is certainly not better than GW/BU - that's exactly what I told him above. But if his goals were otherwise, USD may have been on top.

I didn't "vet any response", I told him his particular response was immature and uninformed because it is. If instead of "make money and be a lawyer" the response was "I want to work in biglaw with a focus on IP litigation, and these 5 firms are my targeted employers" that shows a higher level of planning that has become almost required to succeed at achieving those goals.

When someone asks "what law school should I attend?" they're always really asking "what law school should I attend in order to achieve what I want to do?" - and the only way I can answer the first half is to know the second. If the answer to the second is bad, I will advise someone asking for advice that their answer is bad and they should think more carefully about it before considering schools.

Now GTFO

Dunno dude. Know lots of people in the top 20% who came in either with only nebulous goals or changed goals (PD office original plan; now accepting offer at midlaw doing transactional work, etc...). I think you should know going in, but that doesn't necessarily mean not knowing is some kiss of death.


ETA: also, how in the heck are you supposed to know for sure what you want to do in a field before taking any classes in it. I was surprised how interested I became in tax and family law... Should I really stick with my plans for the DAs office even though I like those better than crim?

ETAx2: in fact, for me, the less you know about what you want to do in law, the more you should minimize debt, just in case.

3.81 172 URM? Why aren't you deciding between HYS and CCN $?

USD because ITE the other options aren't that much better.

USD given the circumstances. Also, outstanding av.

nelaw2010 wrote:I was in the same situation as you. GW with no $, or USD for (almost) free.

I chose USD, and I don't regret it at all. Had I gotten into GULC, I would have gone there. But I was waitlisted, so I chose USD.

OP, have you PMed this poster nelaw2010? You should get the low-down on USD from them and if the situation there seems decent then go for it.

USD appealing option if USNews decide to suddenly go for think of hardly-clad stumpet and nubile whorings per capita when think ranking, yes? Then might well be Harvard of SoCal, but for now overprice at any scholarship, fetid nest of plaid-shorted bro make constant stupidings, yes?

Consider instead Boston. Not Harvard, but turgid high-rise law school tower like engorged manhood over tier-2 toilet, yes?

ChardPennington wrote:USD appealing option if USNews decide to suddenly go for think of hardly-clad stumpet and nubile whorings per capita when think ranking, yes? Then might well be Harvard of SoCal, but for now overprice at any scholarship, fetid nest of plaid-shorted bro make constant stupidings, yes?

Consider instead Boston. Not Harvard, but turgid high-rise law school tower like engorged manhood over tier-2 toilet, yes?

What.

The.

F%#$.....

Moving this to the proper subforum

ChardPennington wrote:USD appealing option if USNews decide to suddenly go for think of hardly-clad stumpet and nubile whorings per capita when think ranking, yes? Then might well be Harvard of SoCal, but for now overprice at any scholarship, fetid nest of plaid-shorted bro make constant stupidings, yes?

Consider instead Boston. Not Harvard, but turgid high-rise law school tower like engorged manhood over tier-2 toilet, yes?

I want to petition the mods to give you the title of "Most Incomprehensible Poster on TLS" Nm you do it on purpose; well played.

OP: Any stips on the USD scholly?