Cardozo 25k per year v. St. Johns (full) v. Hofstra (full) Forum

[pwnyc127]

So I looked through the forums and couldn't find anyone else with a comparable situation. Just got a call today from Cardozo offering me 25k per year, full ride to St. Johns, and full ride to Hofstra. I want to work in corporate/ business law. Opinions?

[nealric]

As a lawyer at a large NYC firm, I can confidently say that your chances of getting a job of the type you describe are vanishingly small from any of those schools. If you must, go to St Johns for free and drop out if you don't hit the scholarship stipulation (those scholarships are designed to boot a large number).

Otherwise, retake the LSAT after studying at least 500 hours. Get into the 170s and go to a school that has better career prospects. May seem crazy, but much less so than settling for an option that is unlikely to get you where you want to go.

[timbs4339]

Corporate/business law? Retake.

What is the absolute least appealing type of legal job you would take out of those schools? Because corporate/business law = biglaw, and that ain't happening.

[pwnyc127]

I realize that only the top 5% of the class coming out of St. Johns actually gets biglaw jobs. So you guys believe that the higher ranking of Cardozo is not worth the money?
Also waitlisted at Fordham, just sent in LOCI. Backup option is criminal.

[izy223]

I realize that only the top 5% of the class coming out of St. Johns actually gets biglaw jobs. So you guys believe that the higher ranking of Cardozo is not worth the money?
Also waitlisted at Fordham, just sent in LOCI. Backup option is criminal.

only top 10 gets out of dozo, is 25k worth 5%, your choice

[dirtrida2]

Can you post your numbers?

Or PM me them, thanks.

[JCougar]

I realize that only the top 5% of the class coming out of St. Johns actually gets biglaw jobs. So you guys believe that the higher ranking of Cardozo is not worth the money?
Also waitlisted at Fordham, just sent in LOCI. Backup option is criminal.

None of those schools are worth going to if you want to do corporate law. Even the bottom end of the T14 makes it unlikely you will do corporate law these days.

Unless you retake the LSAT and score in the 170s, I suggest you change your career outlook.

With that said, it's still a good opportunity to go to law school if it's free. There's really no difference between St. John's, Hofstra, and Cardozo. They are all TTT schools. So I would take the cheaper one. Just don't think you can get a corporate law job.

[timbs4339]

If criminal law is your option, a free ride to St. Johns or Hofstra is probably just as good as Dozo at half. Try to get the stips removed. If you don't meet the stips drop out.

For salaries (of you get a job, always a big IF), you'll be looking at local DA/PD or small private firms probably making around 40-50K to start. Realize that corporate law and criminal law are extremely different beasts in terms of money at the beginning stage of your career, the day-to-day work you do, the clients you represent, the type of lawyers you deal with, etc. etc.

[bluegreen]

I realize that only the top 5% of the class coming out of St. Johns actually gets biglaw jobs. So you guys believe that the higher ranking of Cardozo is not worth the money?
Also waitlisted at Fordham, just sent in LOCI. Backup option is criminal.

None of those schools are worth going to if you want to do corporate law. Even the bottom end of the T14 makes it unlikely you will do corporate law these days.

Unless you retake the LSAT and score in the 170s, I suggest you change your career outlook.

With that said, it's still a good opportunity to go to law school if it's free. There's really no difference between St. John's, Hofstra, and Cardozo. They are all TTT schools. So I would take the cheaper one. Just don't think you can get a corporate law job.

Hold on - Cardozo is ranked much better I thought? 56?

[20130312]

Rank doesn't matter. Dozo is for bozos. Look at lawschooltransparency.com. Fucking abysmal.

[dingbat]

Hold on - Cardozo is ranked much better I thought? 56?

don't focus on rankings, focus on employment.
Cardozo is considered better than Hofstra and st johns, but whether it's worth $25k more per year is a different matter.
None of the schools are worth sticker, and Hofstra/St Johns probably aren't worth paying for at all, though that diesnt apply to you.

[ajax]

So I looked through the forums and couldn't find anyone else with a comparable situation. Just got a call today from Cardozo offering me 25k per year, full ride to St. Johns, and full ride to Hofstra. I want to work in corporate/ business law. Opinions?

All of these I'm sure have stipulations, otherwise how would schools make money? Let's hear them.

[BmoreOrLess]

All of these I'm sure have stipulations, otherwise how would schools make money? Let's hear them.

Looks like there has been a lot of full rides to Hofstra/St. Johns. I wonder if they are gambling big and throwing them at everyone with a pulse and hoping that they retain enough of the students that lose the scholly.

[pwnyc127]

So I looked through the forums and couldn't find anyone else with a comparable situation. Just got a call today from Cardozo offering me 25k per year, full ride to St. Johns, and full ride to Hofstra. I want to work in corporate/ business law. Opinions?

All of these I'm sure have stipulations, otherwise how would schools make money? Let's hear them.

Stips are similar for St. John's and Hofstra. St. John's: top 40% of class retain 100% of scholarship, top 55% retain 75% ect...
Hofstra: top 40% of class retain 100% of scholarship, top 51% retain 50% ect...

I'm going to negotiate with the admissions offices and ask to have the stips removed. Something along the lines of "I would truly like to attend your school, however my financial situation would not allow me to continue if my scholarship is reduced." Then go on to mention that I received money from a number of other schools (including others that I didn't mention here). Anybody have any suggestions for the best way to negotiate with the admissions office to have the stips removed?

[dingbat]

So I looked through the forums and couldn't find anyone else with a comparable situation. Just got a call today from Cardozo offering me 25k per year, full ride to St. Johns, and full ride to Hofstra. I want to work in corporate/ business law. Opinions?

All of these I'm sure have stipulations, otherwise how would schools make money? Let's hear them.

Stips are similar for St. John's and Hofstra. St. John's: top 40% of class retain 100% of scholarship, top 55% retain 75% ect...
Hofstra: top 40% of class retain 100% of scholarship, top 51% retain 50% ect...

I'm going to negotiate with the admissions offices and ask to have the stips removed. Something along the lines of "I would truly like to attend your school, however my financial situation would not allow me to continue if my scholarship is reduced." Then go on to mention that I received money from a number of other schools (including others that I didn't mention here). Anybody have any suggestions for the best way to negotiate with the admissions office to have the stips removed?

whatever you do, don't use definite language, use words like "may", "probably", "likely". That way you keep your options open

[dirtrida2]

So I looked through the forums and couldn't find anyone else with a comparable situation. Just got a call today from Cardozo offering me 25k per year, full ride to St. Johns, and full ride to Hofstra. I want to work in corporate/ business law. Opinions?

All of these I'm sure have stipulations, otherwise how would schools make money? Let's hear them.

Stips are similar for St. John's and Hofstra. St. John's: top 40% of class retain 100% of scholarship, top 55% retain 75% ect...
Hofstra: top 40% of class retain 100% of scholarship, top 51% retain 50% ect...

I'm going to negotiate with the admissions offices and ask to have the stips removed. Something along the lines of "I would truly like to attend your school, however my financial situation would not allow me to continue if my scholarship is reduced." Then go on to mention that I received money from a number of other schools (including others that I didn't mention here). Anybody have any suggestions for the best way to negotiate with the admissions office to have the stips removed?

Let me know how your negotiating works.

[romothesavior]

If those are your goals then retake is your only option. Abort mission, wait a year, retake, increase your score. If you can't, I'd say go for free somewhere and be cool with a life of mid-5 figures doing insurance defense, or better yet, don't go.