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I wish I could help you out with your situation. Life sucks sometimes, but if you tough it out, it'll get better

I think buffalo might be a better experience than Syracuse (and serves a bigger market) but, seriously ride that waitlist and hope for the best. Flipping burgers for a year sucks, but so does graduating with a useless degree

Have you sent LOCI's yet?

Is there zero chance of you getting a job that makes you less miserable? I have no idea about the year off vs your options now, but if you take the year off, it would make a helluva difference to work elsewhere.

Does you college have any kind of alumni association? Try to network through there to get a paralegal job for the year--you'll make significantly more money.

Dude, move to st louis MO. your rent will be around 500 a month or less in a good neighborhood (U city, etc.) I am serious. Save a bit and get the hell out of NYC. I've been to the Bronx. I know MANY people getting out of NYC because it can be a real hellhole. PM me if you want more details. You can get a job flipping burgers pretty much anywhere.

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commoner wrote:Dude, move to st louis MO. your rent will be around 500 a month or less in a good neighborhood (U city, etc.) I am serious. Save a bit and get the hell out of NYC. I've been to the Bronx. I know MANY people getting out of NYC because it can be a real hellhole. PM me if you want more details. You can get a job flipping burgers pretty much anywhere.

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Dude it's a total hell hole, thank you! And the Bronx is just.. well.. you know. It's a vicious cycle trying to get out too. Thanks for the Missouri advice.. I'll look into it. How's the job market in MO for paralegals?

dingbat wrote:I wish I could help you out with your situation. Life sucks sometimes, but if you tough it out, it'll get better

I think buffalo might be a better experience than Syracuse (and serves a bigger market) but, seriously ride that waitlist and hope for the best. Flipping burgers for a year sucks, but so does graduating with a useless degree

Have you sent LOCI's yet?

Thank you I've been toughing it out for 18 years, lol. Buffalo is cheaper too.. I have sent out LOCIs. But my Fordham WL decision came in last Friday, when Kathryn E was posting about sending out WL decisions. So at this point my chances are lower than they were before I applied, I feel. I am planning on handing in my LOCI on Monday in person to Fordham. I sent in my LOCI to American 2 weeks ago.

Sorry for the triple response... On my phone.

catwomangirl wrote:Is there zero chance of you getting a job that makes you less miserable? I have no idea about the year off vs your options now, but if you take the year off, it would make a helluva difference to work elsewhere.

Does you college have any kind of alumni association? Try to network through there to get a paralegal job for the year--you'll make significantly more money.

Well in NYC the market is very competitive. I'm competing with ivy leagues. I've sent out cover letters and resumes to at least 100+ ads on craigslist. I wish I had the networking some schools like NYU have, but I went to a SUNY. I'm still trying, still applying.

You could be trading one shitty year of burger flipping hell for a lifetime of burger flipping hell, is that worth it?

zozin wrote:You could be trading one shitty year of burger flipping hell for a lifetime of burger flipping hell, is that worth it?

That is exactly what I have been thinking in the back of my head. One more year of absolute hell, or coming back in my late 20's to eternal hell? Shit dude.. well sorted. Blurg. :

luuma wrote:Sorry for the triple response... On my phone.

catwomangirl wrote:Is there zero chance of you getting a job that makes you less miserable? I have no idea about the year off vs your options now, but if you take the year off, it would make a helluva difference to work elsewhere.

Does you college have any kind of alumni association? Try to network through there to get a paralegal job for the year--you'll make significantly more money.

Well in NYC the market is very competitive. I'm competing with ivy leagues. I've sent out cover letters and resumes to at least 100+ ads on craigslist. I wish I had the networking some schools like NYU have, but I went to a SUNY. I'm still trying, still applying.

I think it sometimes helps to actually talk on the phone. If there is even one alumnus from your school (there has to be, I would think), then ask for an informational interview on how to follow in their footsteps...once they meet you and see how courteous and professional you are, BAM job.

Is Syracuse offering $8,000 a year scholarship or will Syracuse cost $8,000 after scholarships are applied ?

catwomangirl wrote:

luuma wrote:Sorry for the triple response... On my phone.

catwomangirl wrote:Is there zero chance of you getting a job that makes you less miserable? I have no idea about the year off vs your options now, but if you take the year off, it would make a helluva difference to work elsewhere.

Does you college have any kind of alumni association? Try to network through there to get a paralegal job for the year--you'll make significantly more money.

Well in NYC the market is very competitive. I'm competing with ivy leagues. I've sent out cover letters and resumes to at least 100+ ads on craigslist. I wish I had the networking some schools like NYU have, but I went to a SUNY. I'm still trying, still applying.

I think it sometimes helps to actually talk on the phone. If there is even one alumnus from your school (there has to be, I would think), then ask for an informational interview on how to follow in their footsteps...once they meet you and see how courteous and professional you are, BAM job.

Great point! I'll look into this.. Thank you

CanadianWolf wrote:Is Syracuse offering $8,000 a year scholarship or will Syracuse cost $8,000 after scholarships are applied ?

8k/a yr as a scholarship.. So 35k of loans per year.. for tuition. I would have gone in the blink of an eye if the tuition was only 8k a year.

Syracuse offers $27,000 a year scholarship to several with low 150s & GPAs around 3.2. Some are URMS & some are not. If you were admitted to Colorado, your numbers should be high enough to get a much higher scholarship (think $33,000 per year) to Syracuse. Have you asked Syracuse for an increased scholarship ? I am not recommending Syracuse unless you receive a near full tuition & fees scholarship. But Syracuse for free or near-free is better than getting stabbed in the Bronx.

Colorado, Oregon & Lewis& Clark offer complete lifestyle changes. Buffalo offers reasonable tuition but total COA would still exceed $100,000. As you probably know, both Buffalo & Syracuse are a bit depressed economically, but surrounded by natural beauty if you venture out a bit. Where do you want to live & work after law school ?

In my opinion, Fordham, American & Albany are not worth sticker price.

CanadianWolf wrote:Syracuse offers $27,000 a year scholarship to several with low 150s & GPAs around 3.2. Some are URMS & some are not. If you were admitted to Colorado, your numbers should be high enough to get a much higher scholarship (think $33,000 per year) to Syracuse. Have you asked Syracuse for an increased scholarship ? I am not recommending Syracuse unless you receive a near full tuition & fees scholarship. But Syracuse for free or near-free is better than getting stabbed in the Bronx.

I did I called and spoke to them last week, I missed the cut off for $$$ by a mili point.

As for where I want to practice law, anywhere where the quality of living is good and international law prospects high.

Dude it's a total hell hole, thank you! And the Bronx is just.. well.. you know. It's a vicious cycle trying to get out too. Thanks for the Missouri advice.. I'll look into it. How's the job market in MO for paralegals?

I don't know if it is very good but flipping burgers in a safe cool place like certain neighborhoods in St Louis sure beats the hell out of looking over your shoulder in the Bronx. You'll be amazed how much cleaner and more livable out of town can be. You can also save up for a test prep course like Testmasters or Powerscore and increase your score significantly. I would get the hell out of NYC I know the place is addicting I lived there for 4 years but you owe it to yourself to seek greener pastures.

Be patient. I bet that cut-off point will change soon. Otherwise, all of your other options are quite expensive, including Buffalo. Try calling every law school that accepted you & ask for scholarship money. A lot of funds are being freed up as acceptees withdraw to attend other schools in this down application cycle.

P.S. Have you considered deferring a year so that you can get Colorado residency & in-state tuition ? Same for Oregon--although resident & non-resident tuition differs by only about $4,500 per year ?

CanadianWolf wrote:Be patient. I bet that cut-off point will change soon. Otherwise, all of your other options are quite expensive, including Buffalo. Try calling every law school that accepted you & ask for scholarship money. A lot of funds are being freed up as acceptees withdraw to attend other schools in this down application cycle.

P.S. Have you considered deferring a year so that you can get Colorado residency & in-state tuition ? Same for Oregon--although resident & non-resident tuition differs by only about $4,500 per year ?

I have considered moving to CO, to save on in state.. but ultimately I think Cornell is where my heart is. Which means either go to school and try transferring, or fighting for my life for another 15 months here.. I think its the one year and 3 months completely lost.. that bugs me the most.

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Those schools are too expensive for shitty job prospects. Even if your living situation sucks, don't go.

luuma wrote:international law prospects high.

No school provides this.

commoner wrote:

Dude it's a total hell hole, thank you! And the Bronx is just.. well.. you know. It's a vicious cycle trying to get out too. Thanks for the Missouri advice.. I'll look into it. How's the job market in MO for paralegals?

I don't know if it is very good but flipping burgers in a safe cool place like certain neighborhoods in St Louis sure beats the hell out of looking over your shoulder in the Bronx. You'll be amazed how much cleaner and more livable out of town can be. You can also save up for a test prep course like Testmasters or Powerscore and increase your score significantly. I would get the hell out of NYC I know the place is addicting I lived there for 4 years but you owe it to yourself to seek greener pastures.

I know you qualified it by saying "certain" neighborhoods, but I'm not sure why you're selling St. Louis over the Bronx from a safety angle when St. Louis is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous while NYC is consistently one of the safest. It costs much less, sure, but there are safer cheap cities in flyover country.

OP, I definitely think you should take a year off, but I don't think you're limited to burger flipping. Continue to cast a wide net with your job applications, sign up with a temp agency. If you align with either of the major parties, see if you can get a low-level campaign job ( they're miserable and pay as little as burger flipping but look better on your resume.)

SUNY schools don't have the prestige points that NYU does, but they still have quite a few alumni in the city. That's a good network to work within. Check with your career services office to see if they know of any alumni who'd be willing to meet with you.

Best of luck! If you're seriously considering a move, I can tell you my thoughts on different cities, having had to research a number when I left NY (Bronx specifically, though a much different situation) 2 years ago.