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Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:01 pm
by matt690
Hello everyone,
I currently have 10 hours to make a final decision, and I am having a lot of difficulty.
I will be attending in the fall and making a decision later today. I had narrowed down my schools to Hofstra Law and Syracuse Law, and I am also now in the back of my mind considering Buffalo Law.
The cost for attending any of the schools is virtually the same. Buffalo would be in-state tuition plus housing, while Syracuse has given $20,000 in scholarship (2.8 gpa stip), and Hofstra has given $10,000 in guaranteed annual grant funding.
I want to practice in Long Island / NYC and/or in Florida. I realize all of these schools are ranked just about equally. I believe they are viewed equally among attorneys and professionals, but I'm curious if everyone feels the same...? Below are some pros and cons for each school, followed by several questions:
Buffalo:
-Haven't really been considering
-Beleive Buffalo has the lowest reputation and is the most regional school (not good for tri-state area jobs or Floriad jobs now or in the future)
Syracuse:
-Went to undergrad here, want to be back here
-Really enjoy the campus and being here (feel can be a positive to a very stressful environment)
-Was not very impressed with the program, concerned with a lack of organization and initiative. Heard about student concerns with the administration and new curve. Read that 1L students have concerns with the law school, but unsure what these concenrs are.
-Despite the above, leaning towards Syracuse
Hofstra:
-I am From Long Island
-Best reputation, especially for long-island and tri-state area
-Easy access to city and long-island law firms for jobs and internships
-Very impressed with alumni and admitted student weekend
-The one deterring factor is that I do not want to spend 3 years in long island at school. Also did not like the campus. If I am going to be working hard and stressed in law school, I at least want to be content with my atmopshere, school, and surroundings.
Questions:
-What should I consider when making these decisions?
-Will Hofstra be much better for getting jobs, espcially in Long Island or NYC?
-Should I be concerned with the doubts I had about Syracuse and the concerns I heard about from students.
Thanks so much for your information and opinions.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:06 pm
by The Rover
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:09 pm
by llachans
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:10 pm
by Davidbentley
Son, when you're offered the choice between a shit sandwich and a turd salad, the best course of action is to abstain courteously. Retake.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:12 pm
by matt690
Now that I'm down to two or three schools and have a few hours decide, I'm trying to ask for opinions given the three opens (given the new list of pros and cons I have created). Thanks so much.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:13 pm
by romothesavior
All three of these schools place ~10% into firms of 50+. That is just downright awful. Throw in academia, public interest, and government long term jobs, and you're in the 25% range. None of these schools are a good idea. Your odds of getting a legal job at all are just better than a coin flip, and your odds of getting a respectable job that pays somewhat well or that qualifies for 10-year IBR are probably 25%.
Source:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... Bd3c#gid=5
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:13 pm
by flem
llachans wrote:
Seriously dude.
Oh for fucks sake.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:14 pm
by romothesavior
Also, LOL @ going to an upstate NY school (not named Cornell) and wanting to get to Florida.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:16 pm
by flem
matt690 wrote:Now that I'm down to two or three schools and have a few hours decide, I'm trying to ask for opinions given the three opens (given the new list of pros and cons I have created). Thanks so much.
I'll make you a deal, you pay me $25,000. I'll hand you a copy of the classifieds section and kick you in the dick.
I just saved you 3 years and 100K. You're welcome.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:19 pm
by Mr. Pancakes
tfleming09 wrote:matt690 wrote:Now that I'm down to two or three schools and have a few hours decide, I'm trying to ask for opinions given the three opens (given the new list of pros and cons I have created). Thanks so much.
I'll make you a deal, you pay me $25,000. I'll hand you a copy of the classifieds section and kick you in the dick.
I just saved you 3 years and 100K. You're welcome.
--ImageRemoved--
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:20 pm
by traehekat
matt690 wrote:I currently have 10 hours to make a final decision, and I am having a lot of difficulty.
If in 10 hours you are attending law school, you have made a mistake.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:51 pm
by matt690
Thanks for everyone's opinions so far, going to have a tough choice to make tonight. Leaning towards 'Cuse or Hofstra over Buffalo.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:59 pm
by flem
matt690 wrote:Thanks for everyone's opinions so far, going to have a tough choice to make tonight. Leaning towards 'Cuse or Hofstra over Buffalo.
Good luck, seriously. But it's really obvious you haven't actually read any of the responses in any of the threads.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:15 pm
by matt690
Why have the people voted, voted for the schools they did? Thanks so much.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:37 pm
by matt690
Does anyone know anyone at or who went to any of these schools, and if so, what their experiences and opinions were?
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:05 pm
by 1776
Doesn't sound like you really researched the schools, which would be a huge mistake. You're making a huge investment, do a little research yourself. People have given you PLENTY of good advice.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:50 pm
by traehekat
matt690 wrote:-What should I consider when making these decisions? The most important thing you should be comparing doesn't exist to any significant extent at any of these schools, and that would be job prospects. Since you can't really compare those, I guess the next thing to consider would be how much each school costs (i.e. do you want to give away $100,000 or $150,000?). Finally, consider the environment in which you would care to waste this money, and in this regard, you should go wherever you will be happiest, because God knows you won't be happy once your 3 years are up.
-Will Hofstra be much better for getting jobs, espcially in Long Island or NYC? I don't know but if it is it wouldn't be by any significant margin. See above answer.
-Should I be concerned with the doubts I had about Syracuse and the concerns I heard about from students. Yes, but you don't seem to be too concerned with what everyone is telling you about all these schools, so why even bother asking?
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:55 pm
by dooood
traehekat wrote:matt690 wrote:I currently have 10 hours to make a final decision, and I am having a lot of difficulty.
If in 10 hours you are attending law school, you have made a mistake.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:17 pm
by matt690
Why did those who picked Syracuse do so?
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:21 pm
by Ludo!
matt690 wrote:Why did those who picked Syracuse do so?
Probably because they also ignored relevant posts and made a poor decision to attend a terrible law school
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:24 pm
by stillwater
You could attend one of the three for 1L, then transfer to another one of the three each subsequent year, allowing you to attend all 3! No need for big decisions now.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:57 pm
by SunshineMagic
matt690 wrote:Why did those who picked Syracuse do so?
I think SUNY(Buffalo??) is a good school but I don't really know upstate schools at all... People on here are going to tell you not to go which is probably what you should do but if you must go I would pick the cheapest school with the best local rep and the most alums in the area... All of the schools are really local so plan on living where you go for at least 5 years after school.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:23 pm
by dixiecupdrinking
If you have to go to one of these you should probably go to Hofstra since you want to work in Long Island. (Forget Florida. Not going to happen.) The fact that you apparently don't want to spend three years at law school in Long Island... but want to work there later... gives me pause. I don't really get what you are hoping to accomplish. As others have told you, these are all pretty bad law schools with poor career prospects. That's not elitism, though your "take the high road" responses in this thread lead me to believe you think people are just being snobs here. Perhaps you do have realistic expectations of what your life will be like after you graduate. What are you expecting to do?
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:43 pm
by goldeneye
dooood wrote:traehekat wrote:matt690 wrote:I currently have 10 hours to make a final decision, and I am having a lot of difficulty.
If in 10 hours you are attending law school, you have made a mistake.
This. You have a gpa that everyone on this forum would kill for. Spend 4 months studying and get into HYS.
Re: Urgent, Please Help
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:37 am
by llachans
What'd OP end up doing? Also, you realize there's specific school forums where you could talk to current students and alumni from all of the schools you listed. Sounds like you didn't research as much as you could have. Regardless, good luck with your choice!