Top Law Schools

Hey all,

I want your frank advice on whether I should go to UC Hastings, UC Davis, Loyola LA, or even Southwestern's Scale program for the full sticker price vs going to La Verne, Western, or Whittier on a full scholarship?

I know you all will talk about job prospects for all of them, but I plan on being opening my own business practice and would like to avoid as much debt as possible. The question is though, is the big name worth the price in the end?

Thanks!

simplyxeva wrote:The question is though, is the big name worth the price in the end?

What big name?

I'm assuming all full rides have large stipulations. If you like to gamble, then go all in on the full ride, but don't do so unless you're also willing to pay two years of sticker at the lowers.

simplyxeva wrote: I know you all will talk about job prospects for all of them, but I plan on being opening my own business practice and would like to avoid as much debt as possible. The question is though, is the big name worth the price in the end?

Thanks!

It is damn near impossible to go solo straight out of law school. Law school simply does not teach the skill set to do so. You will need to be employed by someone else at first and Hastings and Davis put you in the best position to do so. They are not worth 200k+ debt though.

What is your GPA/LSAT? would you consider retaking? Where in Cali would you prefer to practice?

I have considered retaking, since my score of 156 can be improved upon. My gpa is a 3.93. However, my parents are pressuring me to go to law school right away, and retaking the lsat is quite daunting when there is always the chance they I may not be able to improve my score by much if at all.

I want to stay in southern California, but I am very hesitant about taking on a 200k+ debt...

simplyxeva wrote:I have considered retaking, since my score of 156 can be improved upon. My gpa is a 3.93. However, my parents are pressuring me to go to law school right away, and retaking the lsat is quite daunting when there is always the chance they I may not be able to improve my score by much if at all.

I want to stay in southern California, but I am very hesitant about taking on a 200k+ debt...

OK. This is a no brainer. RETAKE THE LSAT. Most people on this site would kill for that GPA. Do not waste it on a 156.

Your parents are not seeing the big picture. It is your job to explain to them the benifits of sitting out a year and retaking.

Studying for the LSAT is a lot less daunting than incurring 200k debt and praying for legal employment.

simplyxeva wrote:I have considered retaking, since my score of 156 can be improved upon. My gpa is a 3.93. However, my parents are pressuring me to go to law school right away, and retaking the lsat is quite daunting when there is always the chance they I may not be able to improve my score by much if at all.

I want to stay in southern California, but I am very hesitant about taking on a 200k+ debt...

If you've only taken once and you have a LSDAS GPA of 3.93, you have a moral obligation to retake. You could be looking at UCLA/USC with big money or UC-Berk and even possibly a shot at Stanford.

Kindly tell your parents that your future is very likely impacted in a tremendously negative way by not retaking.

simplyxeva wrote:I have considered retaking, since my score of 156 can be improved upon. My gpa is a 3.93. However, my parents are pressuring me to go to law school right away, and retaking the lsat is quite daunting when there is always the chance they I may not be able to improve my score by much if at all.

I want to stay in southern California, but I am very hesitant about taking on a 200k+ debt...

Explain to them that retaking could mean hundreds of thousands less debt and/or significantly improved job prospects.

I agree; pay for one of the stupid classes if you have to in order to force yourself to study, but hit the books a month before the October test, get a 160+ and go to a great program.

My god; you have a 3.93 and you were considering settling for a 156? Actually study this time, retake, get a 174+ and enjoy HYS.

don't waste that GPA

RETAKE

And TLS saves another lost soul.

Do you have access to money/financing that would make retaking viable?

If not, go to Hastings/Davis.

Definitely retake. Even a 165 could get you UVA with an ED with that gpa.

If you did have to go (there is NO way that you should so I'm not sure why I am saying this) then go with the full ride because no job with no debt is better than being underemployed with tons of debt.

But please please retake.

jfc, retake. You're a college grad now and this is a huge investment. Your parents are well-meaning but horribly misinformed. Don't make a poor financial choice when your fortunes could shift dramatically with a few months of work.

apollo2015 wrote:Do you have access to money/financing that would make retaking viable?

If not, go to Hastings/Davis.

Your suggestion for someone who doesn't have money to pay for a retake is that they go into $200,000+ debt for schools with mediocre job prospects?

bk187 wrote:
Your suggestion for someone who doesn't have money to pay for a retake is that they go into $200,000+ debt for schools with mediocre job prospects?

Their job prospects are fine in the long term. And yes, it is certainly ironic that for some people it is easier to obtain loans for law school than it is to obtain loans for applying to law school.

apollo2015 wrote:Their job prospects are fine in the long term. And yes, it is certainly ironic that for some people it is easier to obtain loans for law school than it is to obtain loans for applying to law school.

Significant portions of the class at schools like Davis and Hastings don't get full time legal jobs. I don't see how that is "fine in the long term." If someone can't get a job and/or fee waivers now to pay for law school apps I'm not convinced that kind of person can go to law school and avoid struggling to land a full time legal job future.

To add onto what everyone else is saying; RETAKE RETAKE RETAKE! That's a Yale GPA there and wasting it would be a crime.

You 100% have to retake.

I don't know the specifics of your situation, and I don't care.

RETAKE, RETAKE, RETAKE.

If your parents don't understand, have them call me and I'll set them straight.

.

nelaw2010 wrote:
If your parents don't understand, have them call me and I'll set them straight.

+1

Nova wrote:

simplyxeva wrote:I have considered retaking, since my score of 156 can be improved upon. My gpa is a 3.93. However, my parents are pressuring me to go to law school right away, and retaking the lsat is quite daunting when there is always the chance they I may not be able to improve my score by much if at all.

I want to stay in southern California, but I am very hesitant about taking on a 200k+ debt...

OK. This is a no brainer. RETAKE THE LSAT. Most people on this site would kill for that GPA. Do not waste it on a 156.

Your parents are not seeing the big picture. It is your job to explain to them the benifits of sitting out a year and retaking.

Studying for the LSAT is a lot less daunting than incurring 200k debt and praying for legal employment.

This.

Also, I wouldn't give my parents that much leverage unless they were actually PAYING for school.

Without that incentive, you just just be straight with them and do better on the lsat.

bk187 wrote: Significant portions of the class at schools like Davis and Hastings don't get full time legal jobs. I don't see how that is "fine in the long term."

You have data showing their employment statuses 5 to 25 years out? We are probably thinking of different time horizons by "long term".

apollo2015 wrote:

bk187 wrote: Significant portions of the class at schools like Davis and Hastings don't get full time legal jobs. I don't see how that is "fine in the long term."

You have data showing their employment statuses 5 to 25 years out? We are probably thinking of different time horizons by "long term".

Unfortunately, if you don't get that first lawyering job, chances are you never get a lawyering job. You might eventually build a successful and satisfying career running a bakery or inventing a better mousetrap, but you likely won't ever be a lawyer.