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I'm an out of state applicant and received a nice scholarship.

I've been in contact with students, clinic directors and admission faculty, and I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are in regards to their clinics and school environment.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=maine
http://employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/

41% chance of employment. Out of 90 graduates, only 7 got jobs in firms with more than 10 attorneys. Clinics and environment are irrelevant. COA is $176k. Absolutely do not go, unless you are going on 100% scholarship and will be taking over the family firm which is also in Maine.

As noted above, with approximately 1 out of 3 grads unemployed, as in no job of any kind, I wouldn't consider this a good idea. Unless you have some legal contacts in Maine already, it's prolly not worth it.

I'll add to what the other shave said by noting that you will not be able to leave the state of Maine after you graduate. If you are dead set on working in Maine and have a full ride, then it isn't the worst option in the world. In ANY other scenario, avoid this place like the plague.

I would also caution the out-of-state applicant because Maine is extremely insular and are suspicious of outsiders. Probably will be tough without ties to swing a jerb and that degree won't travel.

nebula666 wrote:I'll add to what the other shave said by noting that you will not be able to leave the state of Maine after you graduate. If you are dead set on working in Maine and have a full ride, then it isn't the worst option in the world. In ANY other scenario, avoid this place like the plague.

+1

Not to be TOO nosy, but what kind of scholarship did you get? I'm in-state and thinking about staying in-state. I got SOME money from Maine, but it's probably not enough to go on. Seeing what other people wound up with might give me some idea of what to expect in negotiations

bre.kidman wrote:Not to be TOO nosy, but what kind of scholarship did you get? I'm in-state and thinking about staying in-state. I got SOME money from Maine, but it's probably not enough to go on. Seeing what other people wound up with might give me some idea of what to expect in negotiations

Maine is really cheap. They give paltry scholarships. SOURCE: Experience.

stillwater wrote:

bre.kidman wrote:Not to be TOO nosy, but what kind of scholarship did you get? I'm in-state and thinking about staying in-state. I got SOME money from Maine, but it's probably not enough to go on. Seeing what other people wound up with might give me some idea of what to expect in negotiations

Maine is really cheap. They give paltry scholarships. SOURCE: Experience.

I figured it would be very little (if they gave any) but was/am curious to see where they cap out. Based on my communications with them, I seem to be in an okay place to negotiate but I want to make sure I'm managing my expectations appropriately.

bre.kidman wrote:

stillwater wrote:

bre.kidman wrote:Not to be TOO nosy, but what kind of scholarship did you get? I'm in-state and thinking about staying in-state. I got SOME money from Maine, but it's probably not enough to go on. Seeing what other people wound up with might give me some idea of what to expect in negotiations

Maine is really cheap. They give paltry scholarships. SOURCE: Experience.

I figured it would be very little (if they gave any) but was/am curious to see where they cap out. Based on my communications with them, I seem to be in an okay place to negotiate but I want to make sure I'm managing my expectations appropriately.

Seeing your scholarship award and keeping my own award in mine, I would certianly not bank on much negotiating leverage. That has nothing to do with where you're applying or your stats, but the fact that the entire University of Maine System budget has been gutted over the past two years, and they have basically no money to dole out. However, keeping in mind the fact that in-state is $21K I'd say if you're planning on staying in Maine that it doesn't make any sense not to go. Just my two cents, of course.

moxiewhoopiepie wrote:Seeing your scholarship award and keeping my own award in mine, I would certianly not bank on much negotiating leverage. That has nothing to do with where you're applying or your stats, but the fact that the entire University of Maine System budget has been gutted over the past two years, and they have basically no money to dole out. However, keeping in mind the fact that in-state is $21K I'd say if you're planning on staying in Maine that it doesn't make any sense not to go. Just my two cents, of course.

And that's the rub. Maine is all you really "need" to stay in Maine, but the dim earning potential in-state might not quite get me past the total debt figure, even with in-state tuition and a reasonable scholarship. It seems like a better option than paying around 10K more per year to go to a T1 or T2 and hoping that opens more doors, but if those are my choices TLS wisdom says I'm best off retaking and sitting out the cycle. Which I also don't want. Wah wah wahhhh.

I'm retaking in February, hopefully seeing if there's any chance of a small bump next week. I guess 39K total tuition is tough to beat and cost of living is better up here than most places. I'm just biting my nails and reading TLS too much, which distorts the brain

bre.kidman wrote:

moxiewhoopiepie wrote:Seeing your scholarship award and keeping my own award in mine, I would certianly not bank on much negotiating leverage. That has nothing to do with where you're applying or your stats, but the fact that the entire University of Maine System budget has been gutted over the past two years, and they have basically no money to dole out. However, keeping in mind the fact that in-state is $21K I'd say if you're planning on staying in Maine that it doesn't make any sense not to go. Just my two cents, of course.

And that's the rub. Maine is all you really "need" to stay in Maine, but the dim earning potential in-state might not quite get me past the total debt figure, even with in-state tuition and a reasonable scholarship. It seems like a better option than paying around 10K more per year to go to a T1 or T2 and hoping that opens more doors, but if those are my choices TLS wisdom says I'm best off retaking and sitting out the cycle. Which I also don't want. Wah wah wahhhh.

I'm retaking in February, hopefully seeing if there's any chance of a small bump next week. I guess 39K total tuition is tough to beat and cost of living is better up here than most places. I'm just biting my nails and reading TLS too much, which distorts the brain

All depends on what you want out of the degree. Most of the partners at Preti, PA, Drummond Woodsum, etc. went to Maine Law, and considering the fact that it's the show in town, you don't have as many other students to compete with come graduation. For me personally, staying in Maine is the goal, and I know I need a law degree to get where I want to go, and the cost plus the opportunity to build more relationships in Maine for 3 years is well worth it.

moxiewhoopiepie wrote:

bre.kidman wrote:

moxiewhoopiepie wrote:Seeing your scholarship award and keeping my own award in mine, I would certianly not bank on much negotiating leverage. That has nothing to do with where you're applying or your stats, but the fact that the entire University of Maine System budget has been gutted over the past two years, and they have basically no money to dole out. However, keeping in mind the fact that in-state is $21K I'd say if you're planning on staying in Maine that it doesn't make any sense not to go. Just my two cents, of course.

And that's the rub. Maine is all you really "need" to stay in Maine, but the dim earning potential in-state might not quite get me past the total debt figure, even with in-state tuition and a reasonable scholarship. It seems like a better option than paying around 10K more per year to go to a T1 or T2 and hoping that opens more doors, but if those are my choices TLS wisdom says I'm best off retaking and sitting out the cycle. Which I also don't want. Wah wah wahhhh.

I'm retaking in February, hopefully seeing if there's any chance of a small bump next week. I guess 39K total tuition is tough to beat and cost of living is better up here than most places. I'm just biting my nails and reading TLS too much, which distorts the brain

All depends on what you want out of the degree. Most of the partners at Preti, PA, Drummond Woodsum, etc. went to Maine Law, and considering the fact that it's the show in town, you don't have as many other students to compete with come graduation. For me personally, staying in Maine is the goal, and I know I need a law degree to get where I want to go, and the cost plus the opportunity to build more relationships in Maine for 3 years is well worth it.

Which is good common sense, I think. If you want Maine, you stay in Maine and you make connections in Maine. Which I do, I think. I just moved up about a year ago and it really lives up to that slogan on the highway sign at the border

I'm just concerned about the employment stats coming out of LST and what they could be saying about the saturation of the market here. From the looks of it, more than half of grads are NOT getting those Prety, PA, Drummond Woodsum jobs. Everyone wants to believe they'll be in that 41% getting long-term legal employment, but 59% of people aren't. If the odds are against me, my threshold for risk starts to shrink. Of course, that doesn't mean that I'm not a hair's breadth away from putting down my seat deposit... but I definitely want to explore my options and see what kind of wiggle room (if any) is available first.