Very Confused - help much appreciated Forum

[mikel5400]

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I truly appreciate this website and value everyone's information and opinions.

I have applied to 12+ schools, and I've been admitted to many of them. Some lower ranked schools have given some scholarship money, while other higher ranked schools have admitted me without money, making this decision a tough one.

A little information about me:

-I went to undergrad at Syracuse University.
-I will be financing this on my own, and I only want higher loans if its actually worth it.
-I want a good education and a school with a good alumni base.
-I intend to practice real estate or corporate business law - I will want to start in Long Island or NYC, and possibly move to Florida several years after to practice law and become involved in business.

I am debating among the following:
-Syracuse ($20,000 a year scholar, 2.8 GPA stip)
-Hofstra (10,000 a year, top 40% to retain full ot top 50% to retain half)
-Buffalo (state tuition)
-Miami (no money)
-Emory - waitlisted (likely no money).... is a top 25 school worth it at sticker (with my goals)?

A few questions:

-If I did go to Syracuse again, what would the pros and cons be? Am I better off going to another school to be able to take advantage of two different schools alumni, whereas I would only have the Syracuse alumni that I already have?
-How crucial is school location?
-Does initial school matter for initial salary and job? Future jobs and salaries?
-How crucial is a school's alumni base?

Thanks so much for taking the time to help.

[t14fanboy]

le sigh

[traehekat]

If I did go to Syracuse again, what would the pros and cons be? Am I better off going to another school to be able to take advantage of two different schools alumni, whereas I would only have the Syracuse alumni that I already have?
-How crucial is school location?
-Does initial school matter for initial salary and job? Future jobs and salaries?
-How crucial is a school's alumni base?

1. I think if had to choose, I would rather have 2 alumni bases than 1, but it probably doesn't make that much of a difference.
2. School location is everything. If you go to school at Miami, the only firms recruiting there will be Florida firms. Almost certainly a similar story for Hofstra/Syracuse. This assumes firms will even be recruiting at these schools in the first place, which they very well may not be.
3. No, firms do not pay starting associates different salaries depending on where they went to school. Getting a job at all, however, is directly related to what school you go to.
4. Not a very big factor, most schools are going to have alumni working in the city the school is located. If you want to work in another city it might help a bit, but you are almost certainly screwed anyway if you go to Miami and you start looking for a job in Colorado, regardless of whether there are some Miami law grads working in Colorado.

Understand that you have almost no chance of practicing real estate or corporate law out of any of these schools. Miami placed 6% of its 2011 grads in the kinds of firms that do this kind of work. Hofstra and Syracuse are not even ranked in the top 50 schools in firm placement, so they placed LESS than 6%.

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... 2543436520

You should not attend any of these schools.

[spleenworship]

I dunno, real estate law is probably realistic from any of these.

But you aren't going to get to work in NYC or long island from any of these. And the above is right that you are very very unlikely to get big law from any of them. If you are willing to spend your career in upstate new York then buffalo or Syracuse might be worth it.

[t14fanboy]

I voted for Cuse btw. Emory at sticker is not worth it.

[lawyerwannabe]

I voted for Cuse btw. Emory at sticker is not worth it.

Emory is not worth sticker. Miami is definitely not worth sticker.

Syracuse is still more expensive than UB and probably will not further your career goals.

Hofstra is way more expensive than UB but may help you obtain LI employment so I think it comes down to those two schools.

However, I would probably pick UB over all the others simply because all schools give you similar prospects and at least this way you obtain a JD without soul-crushing debt.

[rad lulz]

You have a bunch of school with excessively blah job prospects. Buffalo I guess, because in state's pretty cheap I think. No way I'd pay all that money for Hofstra, Syracuse, Miami, or Emory. That's insane.

[spleenworship]

I clicked on the wrong vote, op. mark another for UB.

[Voodoo94]

Buffalo all the way.

[mikel5400]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone. Buffalo and Syracuse would be the same price with the 'Cuse scholar.

-How much does location matter?
-How much does having a second alumni base matter, since I already have access to 'Cuse alumni?
-Will Hofstra give a big NYC / Long Island advantafe?
-Does school really matter for first job?

[rad lulz]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone. Buffalo and Syracuse would be the same price with the 'Cuse scholar.

-How much does location matter?
-How much does having a second alumni base matter, since I already have access to 'Cuse alumni?
-Will Hofstra give a big NYC / Long Island advantafe?
-Does school really matter for first job?

The whole point of young to a good school is to get that first job. Only 58% of JDs get full time bar passage required employment. You feeling lucky?

[spleenworship]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone. Buffalo and Syracuse would be the same price with the 'Cuse scholar.

-How much does location matter?
-How much does having a second alumni base matter, since I already have access to 'Cuse alumni?
-Will Hofstra give a big NYC / Long Island advantafe?
-Does school really matter for first job?

This assumes you will keep your scholarship. Gpa stipulations?

To answer your other questions:
Outside of the t14, a lot.
Not at all.
A little. Hofstra doesn't do well and should only be attended with a large scholly.
No.... But it is effected by your first job, and all these schools have low employment prospects for prestigious jobs.

[mikel5400]

Thanks for the info so far. Any more opinions, still very confused what to do.

[Dr. Filth]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone. Buffalo and Syracuse would be the same price with the 'Cuse scholar.

-How much does location matter?
-How much does having a second alumni base matter, since I already have access to 'Cuse alumni?
-Will Hofstra give a big NYC / Long Island advantafe?
-Does school really matter for first job?

This assumes you will keep your scholarship. Gpa stipulations?

To answer your other questions:
Outside of the T19, a lot.
Not at all.
A little. Hofstra doesn't do well and should only be attended with a large scholly.
No.... But it is effected by your first job, and all these schools have low employment prospects for prestigious jobs.

nice

[MrAnon]

Thanks for the info so far. Any more opinions, still very confused what to do.

I wouldn't go to any of these schools. Go get a job.

[rocon7383]

none of the above, friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5gw0qUP ... re=related

[spleenworship]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone. Buffalo and Syracuse would be the same price with the 'Cuse scholar.

-How much does location matter?
-How much does having a second alumni base matter, since I already have access to 'Cuse alumni?
-Will Hofstra give a big NYC / Long Island advantafe?
-Does school really matter for first [ERROR: 404]?

This assumes you will keep your scholarship. Gpa stipulations?

To answer your other questions:
Outside of the T19, a lot.
Not at all.
A little. Hofstra doesn't do well and should only be attended with a large scholly.
No.... But it is effected by your first [ERROR: 404], and all these schools have low employment prospects for prestigious [ERROR: 404].

nice

Not me friend... Happy fools day! The mods have outdone themselves this year!

[t14fanboy]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone. Buffalo and Syracuse would be the same price with the 'Cuse scholar.

-How much does location matter?
-How much does having a second alumni base matter, since I already have access to 'Cuse alumni?
-Will Hofstra give a big NYC / Long Island advantafe?
-Does school really matter for first [ERROR: 404]?

This assumes you will keep your scholarship. Gpa stipulations?

To answer your other questions:
Outside of the T19, a lot.
Not at all.
A little. Hofstra doesn't do well and should only be attended with a large scholly.
No.... But it is effected by your first [ERROR: 404], and all these schools have low employment prospects for prestigious [ERROR: 404].

nice

Not me friend... Happy fools day! The mods have outdone themselves this year!

Just noticed. ROFL.

[shoeshine]

R E T A K E

[mikel5400]

Thanks so much. Anyone have any new advice. Still trying to see if Hofstra is worth an extra 30,000 over the course of 3 years for jobs in long island and new york city? If emory budges, will their full tuition be made up in higher salary in the first couple years? How crucial is geographic location, since Hofstra and Syracuse are both in NY, but Hofstra is closer to LI and NYC? Very confused still, thanks so much.

(Also, will law schools ever increase scholar if another school doesn't have a higher offer? Will they ever adjust stips?)

[spleenworship]

Thanks so much. Anyone have any new advice. Still trying to see if Hofstra is worth an extra 30,000 over the course of 3 years for jobs in long island and new york city? If emory budges, will their full tuition be made up in higher salary in the first couple years? How crucial is geographic location, since Hofstra and Syracuse are both in NY, but Hofstra is closer to LI and NYC? Very confused still, thanks so much.

(Also, will law schools ever increase scholar if another school doesn't have a higher offer? Will they ever adjust stips?)

Hofstra isn't worth it with current stipulations, Emory isn't worth it at sticker, location is very important if you arent going in the t14- jobs will be more local. And yes, schools will negotiate on stipulations. And you don't need a higher scholly, you could use lower tuition at in state and tell them your lower COA is something making you consider that school and can they so anything cuz you would rather go to their school. Search for how to negotiate for scholarships, there are several threads.

[mikel5400]

Thanks for all the feedback. Any other opinions out there or insight, really do appreciate it.