60k UG Debt, going to UChi at sticker....how screwed? Forum

[notcreative123]

Currently stuck in a dead end job, making 40k/year in NYC. Had a mediocre GPA (3.2-3.5) from a decent private school, and lost my scholarship one year in due to personal reasons. Didn't have any chance at a scholarship anywhere else in the T14.

Do I have any chance of escaping out from this soul-crushing level of debt ever? Will work biglaw, maybe try to switch to PI or government afterwards if possible to take advantage of IBR/PSLFP. How miserable are the next 10-15 years of my life going to be?

[rayiner]

Currently stuck in a dead end job, making 40k/year in NYC. Had a mediocre GPA (3.2-3.5) from a decent private school, and lost my scholarship one year in due to personal reasons. Didn't have any chance at a scholarship anywhere else in the T14.

Do I have any chance of escaping out from this soul-crushing level of debt ever? Will work biglaw, maybe try to switch to PI or government afterwards if possible to take advantage of IBR/PSLFP. How miserable are the next 10-15 years of my life going to be?

I mean, you're not screwed. You will get big law from U Chi, you'll just have a $3,500 a month loan payment for 10 years. If you gun hard in big law you can expect to make it typically at least 5 years. If you live frugally during that time you can put a pretty big dent in your loans.

[Law Sauce]

Currently stuck in a dead end job, making 40k/year in NYC. Had a mediocre GPA (3.2-3.5) from a decent private school, and lost my scholarship one year in due to personal reasons. Didn't have any chance at a scholarship anywhere else in the T14.

Do I have any chance of escaping out from this soul-crushing level of debt ever? Will work biglaw, maybe try to switch to PI or government afterwards if possible to take advantage of IBR/PSLFP. How miserable are the next 10-15 years of my life going to be?

Not screwed. This is what many of us are doing. Life goes on with debt as long as you have enough income (what you were planning on not having a job). You're at UChi with work experience. Not screwed. Just make sure you get big law.

[twenty]

You're about as screwed as you are if you decided not to do law school at all and just tried to pay off debt on a bachelor's degree.

How miserable are the next 10-15 years of my life going to be?

Not as miserable as you are right now. 40k in NYC sucks.