uci v. usc Forum

[socalorbust]

25k a year at both. loved uci and so did the wife and kid. housing and daycare ready at uci whereas usc will be a hassle and more money as well. My head says usc because of alumni network and rank but my gut says that uci is the right fit. would i be stupid to take uci over usc?

[stillwater]

25k a year at both. loved uci and so did the wife and kid. housing and daycare ready at uci whereas usc will be a hassle and more money as well. My head says usc because of alumni network and rank but my gut says that uci is the right fit. would i be stupid to take uci over usc?

HOw much more money would USC be?

[shoeshine]

25k a year at both. loved uci and so did the wife and kid. housing and daycare ready at uci whereas usc will be a hassle and more money as well. My head says usc because of alumni network and rank but my gut says that uci is the right fit. would i be stupid to take uci over usc?

Yes it would be very stupid to take UCI over USC.

Go to USC.

[socalorbust]

25k a year at both. loved uci and so did the wife and kid. housing and daycare ready at uci whereas usc will be a hassle and more money as well. My head says usc because of alumni network and rank but my gut says that uci is the right fit. would i be stupid to take uci over usc?

HOw much more money would USC be?

Usc is 5k more tuition and c.o.l. is way more. daycare is free at uci also compared to. 1200/ month at usc. i calculated ~75k more debt usc. i am not a high fan of l.a. in general. btw, big law is not a priority for me.

[socalorbust]

25k a year at both. loved uci and so did the wife and kid. housing and daycare ready at uci whereas usc will be a hassle and more money as well. My head says usc because of alumni network and rank but my gut says that uci is the right fit. would i be stupid to take uci over usc?

Yes it would be very stupid to take UCI over USC.

Go to USC.

That's what my head is screaming. what my wife is shouting is another story

[northwood]

you live with the wife- not with TLS... do you really want a miserable wife and child in addition to the stresses of 1L??

[socalorbust]

you live with the wife- not with TLS... do you really want a miserable wife and child in addition to the stresses of 1L??

She will.support me either.way but has voiced a preference for uci. that and the debt makes uci appealing.

[Mal Reynolds]

If the wife and kids are coming with you, take the extra hassle at USC. It would be dumb to take UCI if daycare and housing convenience were the main reasons you went there. Obviously this should be stated with some extra tact to the wifey.

[lisjjen]

Well, the thing is, the one school is 45 minutes from the other. Also, USC would likely give you better career prospects because it has a better brand name and an infinitely larger alumni network.

But at the end of the day, you're a human being. Don't let TLS make you forget that. What fits better for you? What fits better for your family? Because fuck everybody on this website, that's why. That means even me. I would tell you to take a little bit extra in loans for the payoff, but if you know what you're good at and feel confident in your ability to maneuver this planet then do what you feel like. If you don't know any of that, law school may not be the right choice for you.

[socalorbust]

Uci felt like a really good fit at asw but i feel that could have been fake due to them putting their best foot forward and all that. i kind of fear that they will have called in their job favors by the time 2015 hits as well. i liked usc but didn't get that warm tingly feeling there as i did at uci. I think the advice here is the same i have been running through my head; usc is established but maybe i should be where the family is happy. this would be an infinitely easier decision if i was single.

[moneybagsphd]

That's what my head is screaming. what my wife is shouting is another story

Have you tried leveraging USC's offer to get more money from Irvine? Because your family's happiness is clearly a priority, but USC is the better choice at those prices. You will still graduate with a lot of debt from UCI, but with worse job prospects... Also, a lot of people believe-- and your wife might fall into this category-- that it doesn't matter where you go to law school. You should make sure she understands the impact that your law school will have on your career.

[lisjjen]

That's what my head is screaming. what my wife is shouting is another story

Have you tried leveraging USC's offer to get more money from Irvine? Because your family's happiness is clearly a priority, but USC is the better choice at those prices. You will still graduate with a lot of debt from UCI, but with worse job prospects... Also, a lot of people believe-- and your wife might fall into this category-- that it doesn't matter where you go to law school. You should make sure she understands the impact that your law school will have on your career.

I am starting to believe that where you go to law school doesn't matter. If somebody gets into Harvard but they go to UT instead because their family is in Texas, they will be as successful in their career as they would have been if they had have gone to Harvard. Having a successful career comes down to one thing. People who make themselves invaluable get promoted. If you have the capacity to be a great lawyer coming out of USC, you have the capacity to be a great lawyer coming out of UCI. Case in point, one of the absolute most important energy law profs in the world went to the University of North Dakota and teaches at the University of Oklahoma.

ETA 1, the federal prosecutor in northern district of Mississippi got into Harvard but went to UMississippi instead.

ETA 2, I guess for the people who would make mediocre lawyers, the alumni network at an elite school will bolster your career whereas you would just get booted from the walled garden of biglaw/judicial clerkships if you go to a mediocre school.

[socalorbust]

Another thing that has crossed my mind, which may be completely wrong, is since i am high end numbers at uci and low end (got in off the wl) at usc that i will do better at uci than at usc

[northwood]

Another thing that has crossed my mind, which may be completely wrong, is since i am high end numbers at uci and low end (got in off the wl) at usc that i will do better at uci than at usc

numbers get you in the door- and maybe some moeny, but thats it

[Danteshek]

USC. You'd be nuts to go to UCI.

[bingbang1025]

Another thing that has crossed my mind, which may be completely wrong, is since i am high end numbers at uci and low end (got in off the wl) at usc that i will do better at uci than at usc

This is probably true.

When did you get in off the WL at usc?

[socalorbust]

Another thing that has crossed my mind, which may be completely wrong, is since i am high end numbers at uci and low end (got in off the wl) at usc that i will do better at uci than at usc

This is probably true.

When did you get in off the WL at usc?

Month ago

[bingbang1025]

Another thing that has crossed my mind, which may be completely wrong, is since i am high end numbers at uci and low end (got in off the wl) at usc that i will do better at uci than at usc

This is probably true.

When did you get in off the WL at usc?

Month ago

There's a big variable here...what kind of law do you want to practice? If you're not set on biglaw and USC comes out being considerably more expensive, UCI may not be as bad a choice as some here have made it out to be. It's small and they're really bending over backwards to help their grads be successful. Luckily for you, rankings don't come out until 2015 (when you're graduating) so the "let's bust our ass to place our grads well so we rank well" thing will be in full effect your entire time there.

[shoeshine]

There's a big variable here...what kind of law do you want to practice? If you're not set on biglaw and USC comes out being considerably more expensive, UCI may not be as bad a choice as some here have made it out to be. It's small and they're really bending over backwards to help their grads be successful. Luckily for you, rankings don't come out until 2015 (when you're graduating) so the "let's bust our ass to place our grads well so we rank well" thing will be in full effect your entire time there.

Yeah but USC will have better job placement no matter how you look at it.

[Bwana]

I had to make this choice and chose UCI. Money and family also factored into my decision. I know people at UCI that passed up offers from Georgetown, Michigan, and Cornell. UCI just resonates with some people and they feel passionately about their choice. I don't think you have a bad choice here. The questions is, do you go with the proven quantity (USC) or do you go with the promising, but somewhat unknown quantity (UCI)?

[shoeshine]

The questions is, do you go with the proven quantity (USC) or do you go with the promising, but somewhat unknown quantity (UCI)?

This is exactly the choice. But when the tuition cost is nearly the same and the location is similar (Both in the greater LA/OC area) the choice should be simple.

[socalorbust]

the diversity of opinions in this thread is a parallel reflection of how my decision goes back and forth from day to day

[Danteshek]

the diversity of opinions in this thread is a parallel reflection of how my decision goes back and forth from day to day

Your decision process is not based in reality. It is more a reflection of UCI's superb marketing efforts.

[socalorbust]

the diversity of opinions in this thread is a parallel reflection of how my decision goes back and forth from day to day

Your decision process is not based in reality. It is more a reflection of UCI's superb marketing efforts.

Can you expound upon that. i have had similar thoughts about it.

[de5igual]

I had to make this choice and chose UCI. Money and family also factored into my decision. I know people at UCI that passed up offers from Georgetown, Michigan, and Cornell. UCI just resonates with some people and they feel passionately about their choice. I don't think you have a bad choice here. The questions is, do you go with the proven quantity (USC) or do you go with the promising, but somewhat unknown quantity (UCI)?

These people definitely had little to zero scholarships at the T14/UCLA/USC vs a substantial to fullride at UCI. If they say otherwise, they're lying.