Loyola, Pepperdine or chapman, la verne, western, whittier Forum

[fisheye]

I turned in the applications really late, about late Jan this year, and got in Pepperdine for sticker, wait-listed & accepted in Loyola (la). Applied even later for T4 schools, past May... got full ride to La Verne, 75% for western state, possibly the same for whittier, still waiting for Chapman.

I really don't think it's worth paying the sticker to go to T2 schools. I live fairly close to La Verne, western state, and Chapman. I'm not planning to retake the LSAT, and I'm not aiming for big law either, so full ride plus proximity seem really good to me. Now the question is, La Verne is provisionally accredited this March, and even though Western State and Whittier are not any better but are they the safer choices? Would it worth going to Chapman on a partial scholarship? I really like their campus.

Thanks in advance for your reply!

[Ludo!]

It's cool that you're not aiming for biglaw, but if you're aiming a job retake or don't go

[2012JayDee]

A quadruple quarter pounder- Pepperdine
A Big Mac- Loyola
A hamburger on moldy bread- chapman, la verne, western whittier

Which one is best for a low fat, low carb diet?

Your choices are not great. Loyola and Pepperdine are not worth sticker--but they are the best of your choices.
Under no circumstances should you consider a professional school where the presiding and governing authority of that profession has deemed the school unworthy of a seal of approval. Accreditation is not just a gold star on your diploma. It's kind of a big deal.

These just aren't good choices and leave you with possibly horrible outcomes. Pepperdine is a stunning campus and the scenery alone can make you forget about the $50k/year tuition. But after 3 years and $200k in debt you will probably have to go and drown yourself in the Pacific, because that may be the only way for you to get from under that debt.

[SnapSnapSnap]

Retake > Retake > Retake > Loyola > Pepperdine > Chapman > Whitter/Western > Water Boarding > Castration > La Verne

Loyola and Pepperdine have decent reputations. Not great, but decent. If you understand the risks, play ball. Chapman is slightly better than Whittier or Western, but that's like saying crack is slightly better than meth.

Don't even consider La Verne, they lost their provisional accreditation last time mainly because not enough students were passing the bar, somehow got it back, but I wouldn't trust that things will go better this time, esp considering the trend of declining applicants. Even if you were on 100% scholarship with no stipulations, it isn't worth risking 3 years of your life only for them to lose their provisional accreditation a 2nd time and leave you holding your sac like a chump. If La Verne allegedly feeds into LA, that's tomfoolery, it's too far and LA has too many good schools on its own. If La Verne allegedly feeds into the IE, that's tomfoolery, there is virtually no legal market there and economic recovery is lagging way behind. I'm sure you've done your research and know all of this, just sayin'.

[locthebloke]

It never ceases to amaze me how much of go-to options Loyola and Pepperdine are around here... OP, there are two California law schools in the top 10 and four in the First Tier. How, as a Loyola or Pepperdine grad, do you expect to compete for CA jobs against Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA and USC grads?

The fact that you are even considering a T4, even at any discount, simply blows me away...

[akili]

OP, what are your stats?

Applying late can really hurt you and you should retake and apply early for this next year. CA is too expensive and those schools are not good enough to justify paying sticker.

[abc12345675]

Do not attend any of these institutions. Either retake or go to law school in a place where there is not so much competition for jobs

[fisheye]

Thank you guys for the advice, I've been struggling to make the right decision. Just wish I had found this forum sooner...
My stats are not good: design major with 3.55 GPA, 155 LSAT. I doubt if I can improve much by retake, 5 pt the most. I'm not sure if it's worth postponing one year if I end up in similar situation. Not to mention the family pressure I'll be facing...I know I shouldn't anticipate my performance at law school because it's always 9 against 1, so I should prepare for transferring but not rely on it.

So one side of me is yelling: don't go you fool!!!!!!
And the other side is like: Just go and study the hell outta it!!!

[akili]

Thank you guys for the advice, I've been struggling to make the right decision. Just wish I had found this forum sooner...
My stats are not good: design major with 3.55 GPA, 155 LSAT. I doubt if I can improve much by retake, 5 pt the most. I'm not sure if it's worth postponing one year if I end up in similar situation. Not to mention the family pressure I'll be facing...I know I shouldn't anticipate my performance at law school because it's always 9 against 1, so I should prepare for transferring but not rely on it.

So one side of me is yelling: don't go you fool!!!!!!
And the other side is like: Just go and study the hell outta it!!!

5 points would make a big difference. Listen to the side saying to study the hell outta it. You can take it in October and get those apps in early. I know it seems hard, but 1 year off will make a huge difference in your debt load and employment prospects.

[Mr. Somebody]

Thank you guys for the advice, I've been struggling to make the right decision. Just wish I had found this forum sooner...
My stats are not good: design major with 3.55 GPA, 155 LSAT. I doubt if I can improve much by retake, 5 pt the most. I'm not sure if it's worth postponing one year if I end up in similar situation. Not to mention the family pressure I'll be facing...I know I shouldn't anticipate my performance at law school because it's always 9 against 1, so I should prepare for transferring but not rely on it.

So one side of me is yelling: don't go you fool!!!!!!
And the other side is like: Just go and study the hell outta it!!!

How much did you study for the LSAT? Even 5 points would help, especially with declining apps. Did you take a class? These are all terrible options.

[abc12345675]

Thank you guys for the advice, I've been struggling to make the right decision. Just wish I had found this forum sooner...
My stats are not good: design major with 3.55 GPA, 155 LSAT. I doubt if I can improve much by retake, 5 pt the most. I'm not sure if it's worth postponing one year if I end up in similar situation. Not to mention the family pressure I'll be facing...I know I shouldn't anticipate my performance at law school because it's always 9 against 1, so I should prepare for transferring but not rely on it.

So one side of me is yelling: don't go you fool!!!!!!
And the other side is like: Just go and study the hell outta it!!!

Dude it's not about delaying a year. Its about not going at all if these are your options. Show your parents these threads. They will understand. They won't feel too good about pressuring you when you graduate with no job. I don't mean a good job. I mean no job. And if you pay sticker at P or L, you'll get a job that you can't pay your loans off with.

You need to retake and reassess your choices then. These are non-options. Just keep saying that to yourself. These are non-options. They should be as appealing to you as if I said you can spend the next 3 years working at a Burger King in Ukraine.

[romothesavior]

I would let Rad hit me in the face with a 2x4 before taking on the kind of debt we're talking here for these schools. And the cheaper ones have simply atrocious job placement.

Retake is TCR

[flem]

what is a "la verne"

[Shammis]

Go to Pepperdine.

[flem]

Don't go to Pepperdine.

[abc12345675]

Go to Pepperdine.

OP this is HORRIBLE advice. Pepperdine's COA is $69,000 per year. You do not need $210,000 plus interest to pay off upon graduating from a mediocre law school.

[romothesavior]

what is a "la verne"

An old TV show.

[Shammis]

If those are the Op's only choices and he/she is dead set on attending this year then go to Pepperdine. IF OP can stand to retake reapply then all the power to 'em. Both are gambles for sure, but Pepperdine and LLS are the same school - the difference being the administration. Pepperdine has a better administration and QOL than LLS. At sticker - yeah prob. not the best gamble to make, but Pepperdine is the better choice over all the others. I dont even know why you would consider La Verne, Western, or Whittier.

[flem]

If those are the Op's only choices and he/she is dead set on attending this year then go to Pepperdine. IF OP can stand to retake reapply then all the power to 'em. Both are gambles for sure, but Pepperdine and LLS are the same school - the difference being the administration. Pepperdine has a better administration and QOL than LLS. At sticker - yeah prob. not the best gamble to make, but Pepperdine is the better choice over all the others. I dont even know why you would consider La Verne, Western, or Whittier.

That's like saying if I have to get AIDS or cancer I would prefer AIDS. HTH

[abc12345675]

If those are the Op's only choices and he/she is dead set on attending this year then go to Pepperdine. IF OP can stand to retake reapply then all the power to 'em. Both are gambles for sure, but Pepperdine and LLS are the same school - the difference being the administration. Pepperdine has a better administration and QOL than LLS. At sticker - yeah prob. not the best gamble to make, but Pepperdine is the better choice over all the others. I dont even know why you would consider La Verne, Western, or Whittier.

If these are OP's only options, then law school should not be an option

[Shammis]

Psh, Cancer any day lol. I do concede - Sticker isnt worth it.

[2012JayDee]

Thank you guys for the advice, I've been struggling to make the right decision. Just wish I had found this forum sooner...
My stats are not good: design major with 3.55 GPA, 155 LSAT. I doubt if I can improve much by retake, 5 pt the most. I'm not sure if it's worth postponing one year if I end up in similar situation. Not to mention the family pressure I'll be facing...I know I shouldn't anticipate my performance at law school because it's always 9 against 1, so I should prepare for transferring but not rely on it.

So one side of me is yelling: don't go you fool!!!!!!
And the other side is like: Just go and study the hell outta it!!!

3.5/160 >>>3.5/155
3.5/158 >>>3.5/155 (with a year of w/e)

If you only took the LSAT once then there's no reason you can't improve. If this is your 3rd time and you took a class or had a private tutor then you're probably right about not improving.

Did you apply to any schools outside of CA? If you're dead set on staying in CA then you have to retake and try and get some better options. You cannot pay sticker for Pepperdine or Loyola. You will be suicidal at graduation and will have effectively ruined your life by submerging yourself in more than $200k worth of debt with no reasonable means to pay it. And in case you're wondering about bankruptcy, that will not be an option, just search the numerous threads on this very subject.

Everyone here is giving you solid advice about all of these schools. Chapman, LaVerne, Western, Whittier are all LYING. They're lying about employment, they're lying about your post-grad options, they're lying about their world-class career services. LIES ALL LIES. I don't have to go to these schools to know they're lies. It's evident by the actual legal market and by the students that graduate from far better institutions that can vouch for the lack of employment options.

Also don't ever attend a school with the hope that you will transfer. If you attend a school you should be willing to graduate from that school. In order to transfer out of these schools into another school say, UCLA, USC, or any of the other UC schools, you're going to need straight A's. You've already insisted that you can't do better on the LSAT. Believe me when I tell you that your first year of law school is going to require a lot more preparation than the LSAT (and please don't misread this sentence as the LSAT being a measure of how well you will do in law school). And after all of that preparation you're still probably going to be a B student...which means no transferring for you. Which means crappy law degree, overwhelming debt, no legal job, and even your ability to pass the CA bar is minimal.

Take your design degree enroll in a graduate design program in California and do that kind of work. If these are your options you should not attend law school right now.

[Nova]

what is a "la verne"

An old TV show.

& Shirley. good one.

OP, retake in Oct and apply earlier is TCR. Pep/Loyola at sticker are not good. Cali TTT/TTTT are the worst.

[fisheye]

Thank you all for the input, I had great doubt about going in any of the schools too. I'll probably retake so there won't be any regret. I guess it's now the time to explore the Prep forums...

Again, appreciate you guys/gals for taking so much time responding!

[splitbrain]

Thank you all for the input, I had great doubt about going in any of the schools too. I'll probably retake so there won't be any regret. I guess it's now the time to explore the Prep forums...

Again, appreciate you guys/gals for taking so much time responding!