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So I just got pulled from the wait list of Boston College this morning with a 14k/yr scholarship. My current plans are to attend Cardozo with a 39k/yr scholarship. I am supposed to move in Thursday.
Boston college is 43,000 a year so, 29k a year, so 87k total debt.
Cardozo is 49,400 a year, so 10k a year, 30k total debt.
I have no undergrad debt and my parents are paying for living expenses, these are total amounts.
I'm from the Philly area and would ideally like to end up in DC. I know with my options this is not very likely right after graduation. I do not mind working locally after graduation.
I'm interested in working for the federal government at some point, or something somewhat policy related.
BC has better job stats but idk if it's worth triple the price and changing all my plans overnight.

Input appreciated.

If biglaw is of no concern to you, I would go Cardozo.

FWIW, I disagree. I think attending either of these schools at those prices is justfiable.

30k from cardozo isnt a terrible option nor is BC with 87k, but from what you've stated you want to do I would sit out and re-take/re-apply and try for a school that places better in DC (GWU with $$, GULC at minimum)

Have you asked cardozo for more money yet? Get on that if you havent.
But neither school is likely to take you where you want to be.

If you want DC biglaw or FedGov, you need to retake and reapply.

Of your options, BC is the best because of the 26% chance at biglaw and regional reputation in the Northeast.

$90k for BC isn't outrageous but it's more than I'd want to pay. $30k for Dozo is a decent price but you have less chance of finding legal work in general. Basically, assume BC will probably land you in Boston and Dozo will land you in NYC, so go where you want to work (though it'll be easier to bring BC to NYC than Dozo to Boston). Don't count on Fed work from either.

Doorkeeper wrote:If you want DC biglaw or FedGov, you need to retake and reapply.

Of your options, BC is the best because of the 26% chance at biglaw and regional reputation in the Northeast.

The 26 percent part is the underlying message of this post OP. Take that percentage for what its worth. Do you want a 3/4 shot at not getting it? Are you ok risking that? The answer will tell you what to do.

scholarship from BC with a 3.66/161 - damnnnnn this cycle is really outrageous.

you need to retake w/ that GPA.

I forgot to mention the stipulation on the scholarships are top 80 for cardozo and nothing for BC. Also retake is not an option because my parents will pay for housing only if I go next year because it fits into their retirement plan. I don't mind not doing big law, I just want a full time job after graduation.

hob12 wrote:I forgot to mention the stipulation on the scholarships are top 80 for cardozo and nothing for BC. Also retake is not an option because my parents will pay for housing only if I go next year because it fits into their retirement plan. I don't mind not doing big law, I just want a full time job after graduation.

if it must be this year, i guess BC is TCR. but i think you should try to leverage a full ride out of cardozo, then you can possibly ask BC for more $$...

If parents are paying for housing Cardozo is almost no risk. BC is still 90k plus interest. Try to negotiate Cardozo up to a full ride using the BC offer but take it either way.

top30man wrote:If parents are paying for housing Cardozo is almost no risk. BC is still 90k plus interest. Try to negotiate Cardozo up to a full ride using the BC offer but take it either way.

maybe i had a RC fail but i interpreted OP's situation as BC being 60K more then Dozo, not 90. pretty big difference, but either way we are def in agreement that OP should request more $$ from dozo

TLSwag wrote:

top30man wrote:If parents are paying for housing Cardozo is almost no risk. BC is still 90k plus interest. Try to negotiate Cardozo up to a full ride using the BC offer but take it either way.

maybe i had a RC fail but i interpreted OP's situation as BC being 60K more then Dozo, not 90. pretty big difference, but either way we are def in agreement that OP should request more $$ from dozo

If its 60 then it might be better to do BC. But 90 is too much of a difference for the still not spectacular job prospects.

IMO, BC is worth 60k more than Cardozo. BCs placement blows Dozos out of the water.

BC wrote:•68.4% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs.
•75.1% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•83.5% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

--LinkRemoved--

Cardozo wrote:•51.8% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs.
•61.3% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•60.5% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

--LinkRemoved--

Nova wrote:IMO, BC is worth 60k more than Cardozo. BCs placement blows Dozos out of the water.

BC wrote:•68.4% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs.
•75.1% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•83.5% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

--LinkRemoved--

Cardozo wrote:•51.8% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs.
•61.3% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•60.5% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

--LinkRemoved--

+1

If you have to go this year, BC. Not close.

tfleming09 wrote:If you have to go this year, BC. Not close.

Even with the increased tuition? I have ties to the tri state area with family in NY and north jersey and none to Boston. It's just a bit werid that I'm considering not moving into my apartment tomorrow.

hob12 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:If you have to go this year, BC. Not close.

Even with the increased tuition? I have ties to the tri state area with family in NY and north jersey and none to Boston. It's just a bit werid that I'm considering not moving into my apartment tomorrow.

those ties in NY will only help your cause at BC (i.e. open up another market for you). the employment statistics at dozo are pretty atrocious, as Nova pointed out, and BC's are much better. it is definitely your call in the end, and if you know you want NYC, perhaps dozo could be the better choice, but on a strict cost-benefit analysis, it REALLY REALLY is not worth foregoing BC for $60K. that is why we are advising you to ask dozo for more $$. If you can eradicate that extra 30K of debt from Dozo, stretching the COA difference from 60--> 90, that is more feasible.

it really is a personal decision. idk how risk-adverse you are but i would not forego 3 years of my life to go to dozo, even to come out debt-free. then again, i want big law and better then a coin-flip chance at actual legal employment. i think 90K for BC is sort of feasible (again not really IDEAL but depending on how risk-adverse you are, its really not a terrible option) but if you are interested in PI, for example, this could be a diff story.

EDIT: did you apply to brooklyn? they seem to be offering better scholarship awards then dozo this cycle, and as i am sure you know, they are nothing more then peer schools. you could even qualify for that living stipend. they are extremely receptive to negotiation as well.

hob12 wrote:Even with the increased tuition? I have ties to the tri state area with family in NY and north jersey and none to Boston. It's just a bit werid that I'm considering not moving into my apartment tomorrow.

Yeah, Cardozo is a festering TTT RE: employment stats. At least BC is top of the pecking order in Boston (not counting T14s, obvs)

TLSwag wrote:

hob12 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:If you have to go this year, BC. Not close.

Even with the increased tuition? I have ties to the tri state area with family in NY and north jersey and none to Boston. It's just a bit werid that I'm considering not moving into my apartment tomorrow.

those ties in NY will only help your cause at BC (i.e. open up another market for you). the employment statistics at dozo are pretty atrocious, as Nova pointed out, and BC's are much better. it is definitely your call in the end, and if you know you want NYC, perhaps dozo could be the better choice, but on a strict cost-benefit analysis, it REALLY REALLY is not worth foregoing BC for $60K. that is why we are advising you to ask dozo for more $$. If you can eradicate that extra 30K of debt from Dozo, stretching the COA difference from 60--> 90, that is more feasible.

it really is a personal decision. idk how risk-adverse you are but i would not forego 3 years of my life to go to dozo, even to come out debt-free. then again, i want big law and better then a coin-flip chance at actual legal employment. i think 90K for BC is sort of feasible (again not really IDEAL but depending on how risk-adverse you are, its really not a terrible option) but if you are interested in PI, for example, this could be a diff story.

EDIT: did you apply to brooklyn? they seem to be offering better scholarship awards then dozo this cycle, and as i am sure you know, they are nothing more then peer schools. you could even qualify for that living stipend. they are extremely receptive to negotiation as well.

No I didn't apply to Brooklyn, It really wasn't on my radar at the time. I called Cadozo and they are out of funding. Also I kinda feel like they think they gave me enough, considering I'm below their averages. I'm not set on big law, I'm just more interested in doing something I won't hate.

hob12 wrote:

TLSwag wrote:

hob12 wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:If you have to go this year, BC. Not close.

Even with the increased tuition? I have ties to the tri state area with family in NY and north jersey and none to Boston. It's just a bit werid that I'm considering not moving into my apartment tomorrow.

those ties in NY will only help your cause at BC (i.e. open up another market for you). the employment statistics at dozo are pretty atrocious, as Nova pointed out, and BC's are much better. it is definitely your call in the end, and if you know you want NYC, perhaps dozo could be the better choice, but on a strict cost-benefit analysis, it REALLY REALLY is not worth foregoing BC for $60K. that is why we are advising you to ask dozo for more $$. If you can eradicate that extra 30K of debt from Dozo, stretching the COA difference from 60--> 90, that is more feasible.

it really is a personal decision. idk how risk-adverse you are but i would not forego 3 years of my life to go to dozo, even to come out debt-free. then again, i want big law and better then a coin-flip chance at actual legal employment. i think 90K for BC is sort of feasible (again not really IDEAL but depending on how risk-adverse you are, its really not a terrible option) but if you are interested in PI, for example, this could be a diff story.

EDIT: did you apply to brooklyn? they seem to be offering better scholarship awards then dozo this cycle, and as i am sure you know, they are nothing more then peer schools. you could even qualify for that living stipend. they are extremely receptive to negotiation as well.

No I didn't apply to Brooklyn, It really wasn't on my radar at the time. I called Cadozo and they are out of funding. Also I kinda feel like they think they gave me enough, considering I'm below their averages. I'm not set on big law, I'm just more interested in doing something I won't hate.

I don't know, man. It sounds like you're looking for a reason to go Cardozo since you've already made the plans to go there (entirely understandable.) Still, I think the general consensus ITT is right. BC.

This is the last time you will ever go to school.

I would go with prestige + employment opportunities = BC

Also, if you go to dozo, you will be fighting for the Mega-Glutted NYC market with a lower-tiered degree...

Again..this is the last time (more than likely) you will be in school.

**BTW, according to the WSJ, Georgetown is still taking apps for September start

Bankrupt257 wrote:This is the last time you will ever go to school.

I would go with prestige + employment opportunities = BC

Also, if you go to dozo, you will be fighting for the Mega-Glutted NYC market with a lower-tiered degree...

Again..this is the last time (more than likely) you will be in school.

**BTW, according to the WSJ, Georgetown is still taking apps for September start

That ain't happening with a 161

TLSwag wrote:

Bankrupt257 wrote:This is the last time you will ever go to school.

I would go with prestige + employment opportunities = BC

Also, if you go to dozo, you will be fighting for the Mega-Glutted NYC market with a lower-tiered degree...

Again..this is the last time (more than likely) you will be in school.

**BTW, according to the WSJ, Georgetown is still taking apps for September start

That ain't happening with a 161

TLSwag is quick to defend his new alma mater . He just got taken off the waitlist himself.