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bluesky11 wrote:I'm having a really difficult time choosing between these schools, and it's getting down to the wire. I was very happy to get into GULC, but I don't have much interest in DC, and I'd like to have a smaller law school experience. Unfortunately, I don't know where I want to settle after school, and the midwest wouldn't be high on my list. So I'd probably try to come back to California, which I know could be a challenge. My options in CA weren't great so I turned them down (wait listed at UCLA).

I'm primarily interested in health law, disability law, and medical malpractice. No aspirations of working in government or PI. I'm not interested in BigLaw either. My primary concerns are that I'll spend twice as much money at GULC and end up with a job no different than the one I'd get out of WUSTL or conversely that I'll go to WUSTL and regret passing down GULC when it comes time to work.

What do you think? I wish I had gotten more out of WUSTL. But 15k/yr is definitely significant to me. Thanks.

tfleming09 wrote:What are your numbers?

If you don't want biglaw work, then taking out 250K for Georgetown is dumb, but then again so is taking out 150K plus for WUSTL. If you want CA, then why are no CA schools options?

bluesky11 wrote:I don't have any good CA options. I'm on the WL at UCLA.

tfleming09 wrote:What are your numbers?

bluesky11 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:What are your numbers?

If you don't want biglaw work, then taking out 250K for Georgetown is dumb, but then again so is taking out 150K plus for WUSTL. If you want CA, then why are no CA schools options?

I don't have any good CA options. I'm on the WL at UCLA.

TTTehehe wrote:Ouch.

1. Any possible way to get a little more out of WUSL?

2. Stips on scholly?

bluesky11 wrote:

TTTehehe wrote:Ouch.

1. Any possible way to get a little more out of WUSL?

2. Stips on scholly?

I'm not sure there's much room left for negotiation. But I might try.

There are no stipulations. Guaranteed for all 3 years.

tfleming09 wrote:What are your numbers?

tfleming09 wrote:WUSTL is too expensive at that price, Georgetown doesn't make sense for your small goals. What other options are on the table? And I'm guessing your ducking the numbers question because you have a high GPA and a (relatively) low LSAT score and you don't want retake responses.

bluesky11 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:WUSTL is too expensive at that price, Georgetown doesn't make sense for your small goals. What other options are on the table? And I'm guessing your ducking the numbers question because you have a high GPA and a (relatively) low LSAT score and you don't want retake responses.

That's pretty much the case, yeah.

I don't have many other options aside from a few appealing wait lists. But who knows if that will lead anywhere. It's too bad they can't offer me an additional 20 - 30k, as that would pretty much seal the deal.

bluesky11 wrote:That's pretty much the case, yeah.

I don't have many other options aside from a few appealing wait lists. But who knows if that will lead anywhere. It's too bad they can't offer me an additional 20 - 30k, as that would pretty much seal the deal.

Ruxin1 wrote:

bluesky11 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:WUSTL is too expensive at that price, Georgetown doesn't make sense for your small goals. What other options are on the table? And I'm guessing your ducking the numbers question because you have a high GPA and a (relatively) low LSAT score and you don't want retake responses.

That's pretty much the case, yeah.

I don't have many other options aside from a few appealing wait lists. But who knows if that will lead anywhere. It's too bad they can't offer me an additional 20 - 30k, as that would pretty much seal the deal.

They WILL with just a few additional LSAT points...

tfleming09 wrote:

bluesky11 wrote:That's pretty much the case, yeah.

I don't have many other options aside from a few appealing wait lists. But who knows if that will lead anywhere. It's too bad they can't offer me an additional 20 - 30k, as that would pretty much seal the deal.

If you want to do small firm work, limiting your debt load and networking will be more important than the prestige of your degree. Taking out 250K or even 150K with the INTENTION of doing small town tort/personal injury/malpractice work that will pay you 50-60K a year (if you're lucky) is stupid.

Reevaluate your goals in light of your options, because the two don't match up.

Alternatively retake the LSAT to get more scholarship money.

bluesky11 wrote:My goal isn't to do small town personal injury. I'm interested in health law in general. I just don't have any interest in working in a 250 - 500 attorney firm.

bluesky11 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:

bluesky11 wrote:That's pretty much the case, yeah.

I don't have many other options aside from a few appealing wait lists. But who knows if that will lead anywhere. It's too bad they can't offer me an additional 20 - 30k, as that would pretty much seal the deal.

If you want to do small firm work, limiting your debt load and networking will be more important than the prestige of your degree. Taking out 250K or even 150K with the INTENTION of doing small town tort/personal injury/malpractice work that will pay you 50-60K a year (if you're lucky) is stupid.

Reevaluate your goals in light of your options, because the two don't match up.

Alternatively retake the LSAT to get more scholarship money.

My goal isn't to do small town personal injury. I'm interested in health law in general. I just don't have any interest in working in a 250 - 500 attorney firm.

tfleming09 wrote: It's feast or famine dude. You either snag biglaw work to service that debt or you go on IBR and await a tax bomb at a small firm. There aren't very many midsize firms that pay really well, it's usually one extreme or the other.

TTTehehe wrote:At least with WUSL OP will have a more shallow hole to dig out of. If OP chooses WUSL, it would be wise to defer a year and front load the debt service by working FT and OT during that year. If he/she can get that debt to as close to sub 100k as possible, then BigLaw won't be a must, and OP can pursue the original career goal.

That being said, attending WUSL with the paltry scholly this year is a bad choice, too.

tfleming09 wrote:
LST has you at an estimated 205K in the hole even with scholarship. At that point, just go to Georgetown since you're fucked either way if you miss out on meaningful legal work, but at Georgetown your odds are better.

Both are incompatible with what you want, dude.

CanadianWolf wrote:OP: Did you turn down UC-Hastings with a 25% scholarship & Colorado with a 50% scholarship ?

Georgetown doesn't make sense for you at sticker price. WashUStL isn't in your target market of California & is unlikely to get you there. UCLA is worth pursuing, however.