CCN v. Michigan Half-Ride v. Texas Full-Ride Forum

[ajclark1992]

I am a Texan resident who wants Texas BigLaw. I have a lot of undergraduate debt. 3.80/174, for what it's worth.

[gaud]

If I were you I'd take Texas and never look back.

Congrats on the great cycle and good luck!

[005618502]

As someone going to Houston this surt (1L) I would say Michigan. I'm at a T14 and got tons of offers from biglaw firms in Htown. My friends at UT on the other hand haven't interviewed yet. I'm just sayin....

[dr123]

Texas full-ride, all day.

[Crowing]

for your situation i think UT is the clear choice

[chem!]

Texas full-ride, all day.

[cinnamonchurros]

I would definitely say Texas. Given your ambitions, I would think the risk would be relatively low.

[holmesboy]

Texas full-ride, all day.

[nebula666]

Unless you get into HLS from the waitlist, go to Texas.

[StylinNProfilin]

Since you want Texas BigLaw and already have 100k debt, UT seems like the clear choice.

[Elston Gunn]

I voted for Texas before I saw you already had $100K in debt. Graduating with $160K debt means you probably need BigLaw or IBR anyway. I don't know...I'd probably still say Texas, but IMO the difference between $60K and $250K debt is a lot bigger than $160K and $350K. Although, God, I can't even imagine having $350K in debt. So, yeah, probably Texas.

[Ti Malice]

Given your existing UG debt, I think UT is the clear choice here.

If HLS comes through for you, then things might get more complicated -- but only if your family's financial situation is such that HLS will give you substantial need-based aid. HLS at sticker would normally be an easy choice over a full-ride at UT, but adding HLS at sticker (~$250K before interest) to the $100+K in interest-accumulating UG debt is a pretty terrifying prospect.

[Elston Gunn]

Given your existing UG debt, UT is the clear choice here.

If HLS comes through for you, then things might get more complicated -- but only if your family's financial situation is such that HLS will give you substantial need-based aid. HLS at sticker would normally be an easy choice over a full-ride at UT, but adding HLS at sticker (~$250K before interest) to the $100+K in interest-accumulating UG debt is a pretty terrifying prospect.

His parents would have to be filthy rich to make him pay sticker at H with already $100K weighing him down, I would think.

[BruceWayne]

Hook Em Horns baby!!!!

As someone going to Houston this surt (1L) I would say Michigan. I'm at a T14 and got tons of offers from biglaw firms in Htown. My friends at UT on the other hand haven't interviewed yet. I'm just sayin....

1L offers are not the same thing as a post grad offer. The other problem is that if OP lands below median at Michigan they are in DEEP trouble. They'll have the huge debt combo of undergrad 100K + half tuition+ living expenses at Michigan. All while having essentially no shot at the big Texas firms (Vinson, Fulgright, Baker Botts) and an uncertain one at the others.

Harvard is the only thing that might change things for the OP. Apparently Harvard JD + being from Texas= Texas biglaw period (especially in Houston).

[Ti Malice]

Given your existing UG debt, UT is the clear choice here.

If HLS comes through for you, then things might get more complicated -- but only if your family's financial situation is such that HLS will give you substantial need-based aid. HLS at sticker would normally be an easy choice over a full-ride at UT, but adding HLS at sticker (~$250K before interest) to the $100+K in interest-accumulating UG debt is a pretty terrifying prospect.

His parents would have to be filthy rich to make him pay sticker at H with already $100K weighing him down, I would think.

Yeah, one would certainly think so. I didn't have any UG debt, though (nor was I anywhere close to 20 ), so I neither saw nor bothered to understand how exactly that fits in the overall calculus.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Wait and see. Your stats are competitive for Harvard and substantial money at CCNP. But for what you want, it's going to be hard to beat a full ride at UT.

[Mad Hatter]

Ask this again in a few month or so when you get 60k+ from CCN. Whatever you do, don't commit to anything now.

[ajclark1992]

Ask this again in a few month or so when you get 60k+ from CCN. Whatever you do, don't commit to anything now.

Thanks for all the help y'all. Definitely didn't expect this degree of unanimity. Will probably take the Mad Hatter's advice -- and try to write a killer LOCI for Harvard.

[dproduct]

If I were you I'd take Texas and never look back.

Congrats on the great cycle and good luck!

[bk1]

1L offers are not the same thing as a post grad offer.

Is there something about TX that differs from other places? Lower offer rates to return for 1Ls since TX SAs are assumed to be splitting?

Note: I'm not implying that an SA is guaranteed post grad employment, but the odds are very high that it will be.

[Doorkeeper]

Ask this again in a few month or so when you get 60k+ from CCN. Whatever you do, don't commit to anything now.

This is the credited response.

You'll get at least $60-70k from NYU, and you have no idea how Harvard is going to shake out.

[BigZuck]

Ask this again in a few month or so when you get 60k+ from CCN. Whatever you do, don't commit to anything now.

This is the credited response.

You'll get at least $60-70k from NYU, and you have no idea how Harvard is going to shake out.

Considering he wants Texas biglaw and has a ton of debt, is paying 190K plus at NYU worth it over paying roughly 60K at UT?

[somewhatwayward]

If you are barely 20, I think what you should do is take some time off, earn some $$, pay down that 100K a little, and apply in a few years with some WE under your belt....WE is good for both your application and for your legal employment prospects. Law school will still be here in two or three years when you are 22-23, and you would still be on the young end entering law school at that point. I have also heard from some people that appearing young can hurt you in your employment search, but I have a friend who looks young (but is not) and did fine, so I am not sure about that. Also, if you have amazing grades, the fact that you look young won't matter. It might come into play if you don't...just something to think about.

None of your current options sound too great to me considering you already owe so much...I mean, I guess UT is the best option, but you have a not insignificant risk of ending up in a crappy job from there. CCN gives you substantially improved odds of a good outcome compared to UT but then you'll be truly drowning in debt. Consider applying for any of those specialty scholarships NYU has that apply to you.

I would cross Michigan off the list unless they offer a big increase in money because their prospects aren't worth another 100K over UT's prospects, IMO. Also, what about other lower T!4 schools - if you haven't already, apply to them all because some of them should be throwing you some money. Penn and Northwestern place better than their ranking suggest although you would have to be okay with NYC as a backup, and your numbers should get you some money there.

If you are still in undergrad, will you be raising your grades this semester? If you could get that GPA up just a little more I think it could increase the scholarship $$$ you get in the T14. That is another reason to consider waiting. There is really no rush to get to law school for a 20-year-old.

[ajclark1992]

If you are barely 20, I think what you should do is take some time off, earn some $$, pay down that 100K a little, and apply in a few years with some WE under your belt....WE is good for both your application and for your legal employment prospects. Law school will still be here in two or three years when you are 22-23, and you would still be on the young end entering law school at that point. I have also heard from some people that appearing young can hurt you in your employment search, but I have a friend who looks young (but is not) and did fine, so I am not sure about that. Also, if you have amazing grades, the fact that you look young won't matter. It might come into play if you don't...just something to think about.

None of your current options sound too great to me considering you already owe so much...I mean, I guess UT is the best option, but you have a not insignificant risk of ending up in a crappy job from there. CCN gives you substantially improved odds of a good outcome compared to UT but then you'll be truly drowning in debt. Consider applying for any of those specialty scholarships NYU has that apply to you.

I would cross Michigan off the list unless they offer a big increase in money because their prospects aren't worth another 100K over UT's prospects, IMO. Also, what about other lower T!4 schools - if you haven't already, apply to them all because some of them should be throwing you some money. Penn and Northwestern place better than their ranking suggest although you would have to be okay with NYC as a backup, and your numbers should get you some money there.

If you are still in undergrad, will you be raising your grades this semester? If you could get that GPA up just a little more I think it could increase the scholarship $$$ you get in the T14. That is another reason to consider waiting. There is really no rush to get to law school for a 20-year-old.

Yeah - I know 20's young - but I want to get in the game. I'm confident that I want to practice law. Taking 1-2 years to reconfirm that and pay off a marginal amount of the debt, for me, seems like a waste of time (except for the employment prospects after, which you mentioned). I haven't applied to the lower T-14 because I couldn't imagine myself wanting GTown, Northwestern, Cornell, etc. more than I wanted Texas.

As BigZuck mentioned: If CCN offered 60k, effectively bringing the cost down to around 150k-200k for school, do y'all think that would change the endgame at all?

[Stringer Bell]

Just a few things to chew on

I'm not as sure about Michigan, but a lot of the big Texas firms will definitely go deeper in the class at Columbia, UVA, Duke, etc than they will at Texas. Some T14ers get 1L SA's w/o even having grades. Of course, there are also some Texas firms that pay market or a little less that would still rather hire from UT than most of the t14. UT is also going to be vastly superior for non-biglaw positions in Texas. However, if you went somewhere like Columbia you would have a great chance at NY biglaw. This might be preferable to living in Texas doing insurance defense or not having a job. Also worth keeping in mind is that I believe Michigan has a great LRAP while Texas has a pretty lousy one.

An extra 75k+ in debt is A LOT of money. However, getting biglaw vs. not getting it will have an even bigger financial impact. I would still probably go with Texas here. However, money at Columbia, a Harvard acceptance, or more money from Michigan would change things.