BU(37k) vs. Gtown (30k) vs. GW (20k) Forum

[wildflower88]

Hey lovely TSLers! I don't post here much but I definitely have learned a lot about applying for law school from reading all the posts on TLS. Anywho, as you can see from the poll I'm trying to decide between two schools in DC and another school in Boston.

I am HIGHLY interested in pursuing some kind of work related to international human rights. I have lived/studies/interned/worked abroad in the past and I am currently working on gaining fluency in a foreign language. If I can't get a job in international human rights I am willing to work in refugee/asylum/immigration law...but I do want the option to pursue my true goal of working in international human rights.

I've heard a lot about the opportunities that going to school in DC can provide someone with my interests but I've also heard from others that its better to minimize debt now. COA is roughly: 60k at BU, 70K at Gtown and 70k at GW. My aid packages are final at BU and Gtown. GW is still tentative but not expecting any more since 20K is merit and they don't give need aid if your merit if for more than 16k. Any pearls of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[tennisking88]

Hey lovely TSLers! I don't post here much but I definitely have learned a lot about applying for law school from reading all the posts on TLS. Anywho, as you can see from the poll I'm trying to decide between two schools in DC and another school in Boston.

I am HIGHLY interested in pursuing some kind of work related to international human rights. I have lived/studies/interned/worked abroad in the past and I am currently working on gaining fluency in a foreign language. If I can't get a job in international human rights I am willing to work in refugee/asylum/immigration law...but I do want the option to pursue my true goal of working in international human rights.

I've heard a lot about the opportunities that going to school in DC can provide someone with my interests but I've also heard from others that its better to minimize debt now. COA is roughly: 60k at BU, 70K at Gtown and 70k at GW. My aid packages are final at BU and Gtown. GW is still tentative but not expecting any more since 20K is merit and they don't give need aid if your merit if for more than 16k. Any pearls of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Georgetown is the credited response.

[wildflower88]

Thanks all who voted and tennisking88. I was pretty confident Gtown was my best bet but then BU started confusing me with all that $$ lol. Now I just have to wait and see if GW ups their offer or if UVA gives me good $. But very excited about the possibility of Gtown in the fall

[Blindmelon]

How is Gtown COA only 10k more than BU? COL in DC is much higher. If its only 10k more, then Gtown easy.

[wildflower88]

How is Gtown COA only 10k more than BU? COL in DC is much higher. If its only 10k more, then Gtown easy.

Yikes! So I just went back to each schools website looking for the data on COA (I must have been drinking some special juice) and realized that COA at GW is ~77K and at Gtown it's ~73k. I don't understand how two DC schools can have that big a difference in COA...but whatever. Considering the updated COA figures do y'all still think Gtown is my best bet?

I mean coming out of Gtown my debt would be 150k easy but coming out of BU it would only be 72k...

[Blindmelon]

What would be your second choice career goal if you couldn't do human rights work?

[wildflower88]

Legally I'd probably want to work with refugee/asylum seekers either here in the US or abroad. And if that wasn't an option I'd want to work in development/capacity building with organizations like USAID, UNHCR, or the like

[KMaine]

Word on the street is that GT has a pretty good LRAP program. You should look into that. You don't want to be paying off 150k with that sort of job. That said, I think that GT would give you more of a leg up in finding one of those jobs.

[sunynp]

Legally I'd probably want to work with refugee/asylum seekers either here in the US or abroad. And if that wasn't an option I'd want to work in development/capacity building with organizations like USAID, UNHCR, or the like

You aren't going to service the amount of debt you have with working with refugee/asylum seekers. In New York you can do pro bono cases for this, but they are referred to by an agency to you. I know there are groups that do these cases, but I have no idea who they are or how to find them. I know that City College has an immigration center, but I have no idea if they are hiring anyone. They have a number of attorneys already and they are mostly first generation immigrants with connections to their communities. (I know someone who wanted to just work for free as a volunteer, and they couldn't take him because they don't have office space for anyone else, and they don't have enough staff to supervise the work.) Also people are hanging onto their public interest jobs, even if low paying, so that their loans are serviced.

A lot of cases are referred out to biglaw associates as pro bono work.

You should seriously look into this work before you assume you will find a job. Note: LRAP will only help you if you can get a qualifying job. As mentioned, I don't think you should assume those jobs are easy to get.

[CanadianWolf]

Georgetown offers great language programs while the amount you save at BU would allow you to hire an interpretor as needed. Without a full tuition & fees scholarship, GWU is not a contender, in my opinion.

[wildflower88]

Thanks for the responses everybody. I agree that having 150k in debts is not a good idea for what I want to do. That's why I was really starting to be swayed by the offer by BU (they've already given me more than half the COA!) but at the same time I'm not so convinced that BU offers the opportunities I would need to pursue my true goal. Whereas Gtown seems to have them in spades.

Is it truly that hard to find work in international public interest? Even with the assistance from a school like Gtown?

[Blindmelon]

Thanks for the responses everybody. I agree that having 150k in debts is not a good idea for what I want to do. That's why I was really starting to be swayed by the offer by BU (they've already given me more than half the COA!) but at the same time I'm not so convinced that BU offers the opportunities I would need to pursue my true goal. Whereas Gtown seems to have them in spades.

Is it truly that hard to find work in international public interest? Even with the assistance from a school like Gtown?

Well heres the thing. For what you want to do, it will be an uphill battle no matter where you go. Its great to have dreams but think through if law school is worth it if you don't end up in the field you want.

[Nelson]

Is it truly that hard to find work in international public interest? Even with the assistance from a school like Gtown?

What does this even mean? Do you have a specific job in mind that you would need a JD to do? It sounds like you should be looking for a job at a nonprofit or a policy think tank, not going to law school.

[wildflower88]

Is it truly that hard to find work in international public interest? Even with the assistance from a school like Gtown?

What does this even mean? Do you have a specific job in mind that you would need a JD to do? It sounds like you should be looking for a job at a nonprofit or a policy think tank, not going to law school.

Someone had mentioned that people were holding on to their public interest jobs and that I should be careful when assuming I would get a job. I was asking for more clarification on how hard these jobs were to come by. I think its a fair question to ask.

I'm not exactly sure what job I want to have (that's what law school is for imo) but I know my general area of interest. Once I get to law school (wherever that may be) and start seeing more about what is out there I can identify what job exactly I would like to pursue. I already considered a public policy degree, international affairs/development, etc. and at the end of the day decided on pursuing a law degree.

[sunynp]

Is it truly that hard to find work in international public interest? Even with the assistance from a school like Gtown?

What does this even mean? Do you have a specific job in mind that you would need a JD to do? It sounds like you should be looking for a job at a nonprofit or a policy think tank, not going to law school.

Someone had mentioned that people were holding on to their public interest jobs and that I should be careful when assuming I would get a job. I was asking for more clarification on how hard these jobs were to come by. I think its a fair question to ask.

I'm not exactly sure what job I want to have (that's what law school is for imo) but I know my general area of interest. Once I get to law school (wherever that may be) and start seeing more about what is out there I can identify what job exactly I would like to pursue. I already considered a public policy degree, international affairs/development, etc. and at the end of the day decided on pursuing a law degree.

I don't know how hard it is to get the type of job you think you are looking for. I know that in New York there isn't a huge market for lawyers who want to just do asylum cases, but it isn't nonexistent. think you should identify a laundry list of potential employers now and see what they have been doing with hiring. Also, there are people here who are much more well-versed in PI than I am, maybe some of them will comment.