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No stipulations on scholarships. Would like to get into biglaw. International student. U of M offered total 15k and GW offered total 100k. Any feedback is appreciated.

ETA: No IP background.

Given that you are an international student you aren't going to get GradPlus loans right? That means you will have a much harder time getting your debt forgiven should you either miss the biglaw boat or get laid off pre-partner. I think there is definite merit to taking the money given that the standard plan B of LRAP/IBR/10 year forgiveness/25 year forgiveness are all pretty much off the table.

If you want biglaw, I think you have to go Michigan here. GW got destroyed in the latest numbers.

As a foreign student, you probably need to take the $100,000 scholarship offer from GWU even though Michigan offers better job prospects. However, if you are wealthy, or unafraid of $200,000 debt, then Michigan might be the better option.

CanadianWolf wrote:As a foreign student, you probably need to take the $100,000 scholarship offer from GWU even though Michigan offers better job prospects. However, if you are wealthy, or unafraid of $200,000 debt, then Michigan might be the better option.

+1

If biglaw is what you want, definitely Michigan. Congratulations on getting admitted there by the way. Find some way to finance it and you'll have a good shot at paying it back. George Washington is pretty risky, although a pretty generous scholarship (unless you have an IP background then things might change a little)

togepi wrote:

CanadianWolf wrote:As a foreign student, you probably need to take the $100,000 scholarship offer from GWU even though Michigan offers better job prospects. However, if you are wealthy, or unafraid of $200,000 debt, then Michigan might be the better option.

+1

If biglaw is what you want, definitely Michigan. Congratulations on getting admitted there by the way. Find some way to finance it and you'll have a good shot at paying it back. George Washington is pretty risky, although a pretty generous scholarship (unless you have an IP background then things might change a little)

If IP, GW. If not, Michigan.

A $100,000 scholarship to GW is still going to leave you with more than $150,000 in debt at graduation if you debt finance your remaining COA.

Thanks, this is really helping. Keep it coming.

100K versus 15K. Easily GW. If you were going to CNC, or possibly PBV, maybe, just maybe it would be a close call. GW is consistently #20. Going to school in DC is certainly an added life style advantage too. Take the $$$. .

Renne Walker wrote:100K versus 15K. Easily GW. If you were going to CNC, or possibly PBV, maybe, just maybe it would be a close call. GW is consistently #20. Going to school in DC is certainly an added life style advantage too. Take the $$$. .

No it's not. DC stinks when you're poor. I spent 3 years out of college there. Ann Arbor would be WAY better of a place to be as a student.

Also.... Michigan is comparable to PBV. Talk about an overreaction to one or two years of employment numbers (that still blow away GW's). Given that GW would still put you in a ton of debt, Michigan is a strong option here

GW. Take the $$$.

Renne Walker wrote:100K versus 15K. Easily GW. If you were going to CNC, or possibly PBV, maybe, just maybe it would be a close call. GW is consistently #20. Going to school in DC is certainly an added life style advantage too. Take the $$$. .

Egregious anti-Michigan trolling. Also, LOL @ CNC.

As somebody that is usually very debt adverse, I say go to Michigan. Even with a 100k discount, GW is going to put you well into the 6 figures of debt. That is pretty much Biglaw or bust territory and Biglaw from GW is unlikely.

100k is a nice chunk of change. Just saying. Take the $$$ and run.

El_Gallo wrote:As somebody that is usually very debt adverse, I say go to Michigan. Even with a 100k discount, GW is going to put you well into the 6 figures of debt. That is pretty much Biglaw or bust territory and Biglaw from GW is unlikely.

I live in DC now and know what the cost is like. I punched in some numbers and even with the discounts above, my cost at GW would be 130k in debt, and from Michigan 195k in debt.

At 6.8% interest, which is unlikely since you're not a US citizen, Michigan would cost $213,000 after discounting $5,000 a year. If borrowing, your interest is likely to be higher than 6.8% available to US citizens.

GWU, due in large part to the high cost of living, would cost $150,000 at 6.8% interest.

If you could live more affordably in DC than GWU estimates--since you're already there--then you could reduce the total cost of attending GWU.

Do you need loans to pay for law school ?

Are you qualified for & interested in pursuing IP law ? If so, Then GWU. If not, then ask Michigan for more money.

Just updated. Yes, no IP background, and I'd have to finance either through loans.

Minesweeper wrote:

El_Gallo wrote:As somebody that is usually very debt adverse, I say go to Michigan. Even with a 100k discount, GW is going to put you well into the 6 figures of debt. That is pretty much Biglaw or bust territory and Biglaw from GW is unlikely.

I live in DC now and know what the cost is like. I punched in some numbers and even with the discounts above, my cost at GW would be 130k in debt, and from Michigan 195k in debt.

You're in BigLaw or bust territory with either one, and both are scary. But $65K is worth not being likely totally screwed when it comes to finding a job to pay off all that debt.

Renne Walker wrote:100K versus 15K. Easily GW. If you were going to CNC, or possibly PBV, maybe, just maybe it would be a close call. GW is consistently #20. Going to school in DC is certainly an added life style advantage too. Take the $$$. .

lol obvious troll.

Take Michigan.

JasonR wrote:

Minesweeper wrote:

El_Gallo wrote:As somebody that is usually very debt adverse, I say go to Michigan. Even with a 100k discount, GW is going to put you well into the 6 figures of debt. That is pretty much Biglaw or bust territory and Biglaw from GW is unlikely.

I live in DC now and know what the cost is like. I punched in some numbers and even with the discounts above, my cost at GW would be 130k in debt, and from Michigan 195k in debt.

You're in BigLaw or bust territory with either one, and both are scary. But $65K is worth not being likely totally screwed when it comes to finding a job to pay off all that debt.

+1

GWU is not a good place to be in this economy. It's not like biglaw is a sure thing from Michigan, but a very substantial amount of the class gets it—certainly enough to justify an extra $65k.