Top Law Schools

Total tuition costs for 3 years (does not factor COL):
UW-Madison $60,000
Loyola-Chicago $84,000

I will not be taking out any loans.
===
Please don't tell me to retake or reconsider. I am going to law school.
===
Plans: I want to work in Chicago. I know Big Law chances are slim at both schools, but that is my top pick. If not possible, I'm fine with mid or small law, hopefully in Chicago. I would not want to work in Wisconsin, but I would if it meant a much better job.
----
PROs/CONs of each school:

UW-Madison
Pros: Dirt cheap, in-state. Diploma privilege. Solid back-up plans at firms in Wisconsin.
Cons: Cannot network for Chicago jobs. Cannot work in Chicago firms except in summer. I'd rather be in Chicago.

Loyola-Chicago
Pros: I can network for Chicago jobs 24/7/365. I can intern/clerk in Chicago firms all year if I wanted. I will be in Chicago.
Cons: More expensive, both tuition and COL. If I strike out with Chicago firms, I am sh*t out of luck.


Realistically speaking, I will have no shot at Big Law Chicago unless I am top 10-15% at Wisconsin, and top 5-10% at LUC, on a good day. I understand that. With that in mind, I am going to guess that it will be just as hard to get top 10-15 at UW as it is to get top 5-10 at LUC. So this should not be a deciding factor.

Am I right?? Any input?


Thanks guys in advance!

Wisco. Better back up options.

Any other input? Thanks

Do you have any ties to Wisconsin? If not, having Wisconsin firms as a "backup" plan might not be so easy.

Greenchair:

You are not taking out any loans, so we'll assume you are coming from a rich family. That is a great advantage to have in all this; you can try to network while others are forced work.

I would go to UW-Madison. It is a great school, and it will give you a nice backup if you strike out in Chicago. Just make it clear to the career service people that you want Chi-town and follow all your advice to make your resume, elevator speech, etc, smell like Chicago. If you play your cards right, you will be able to network will tons of alums who are in the chicago area. All the while, don't be stupid and burn bridges in Milwaukee.

I bet with a nice writing sample, the right resume, and top 25% grades, you can at least interview for Chicago BigLaw through OCI/ your own efforts. Better grades than that and lots of hustle will really help.

Furthermore, even if you miss out on Chicago BigLaw from UW-Madison ( a real probability ), you can hopefully get a job in Wisconsin and continue your efforts to find a small-mid law gig in Chicago.

At Loyola, you are either Chicago or nothing, with a substantial chance at nothing. Loyola is better for a chance at something in Chicago for the reasons you listed, but at the end of the day you'd still be just another desperate Loyola grad in a really bad regional economy. Like what has been said, your back up plans are considerable worse from Loyola.

I'd rather be the Wisco dude who loves the city of Chicago, and exclusively apples/networks with Wicso alumni in Chicago. I think the Wisco network is loyal, far moreso than Loyola. You'll probably swing and miss, but then you can actually become a lawyer in the state of Wisconsin.

My vote in UW-Madison.

Wisconsin. Use the diploma privilege exempting Wisconsin bar sitting & sit for another state bar exam such as Illinois.