Full rides at Rutgers-Camden, Drexel, Hofstra, etc. Forum

[jackiii]

I have full tuition merit scholarships and am still considering the following schools:
Rutgers-Camden
Hofstra
Drexel
Stetson (in FL but a great Elder Law program)
The only school I'm waiting on that could still be an option is Seton Hall and I am anticipating a generous scholarship from there as well (fingers crossed!).
I'm looking to practice in the NJ area, possibly NY or Philidelphia and looking to go into either Elder Law or intellectual property.
Not too concerned about the sketchy areas in Camden/Philidelphia or retaining scholarship. I'm mostly worried about where would give me the best job prospects for the area I'm looking to practice in. Any advice?

[Wholigan]

Rutgers is the clear best choice out of the schools you listed. It's a decent option with a full ride if you want to work in NJ. Hofstra is in an oversaturated market. Drexel has no alumni network yet and does not place as well as Rutgers. It would be foolish to go to Stetson if you don't want to work in FL. Don't pay attention to the specialty programs.

The two Rutgers are also merging, which I don't think is a bad thing if you want to work in Jersey. You will be at one of two schools in the state, neither of which is clearly better than the other. I'm not sure exactly how the merger will work, but it might help for NY/Philly also, in that right now RU/C doesn't really place in NY and RU/N doesn't place in Philly but if it's all one school I don't know if they will be able to screen out students from one of the campuses.

Also: Drexel is not in a sketchy area.

[romothesavior]

Rutgers is the only one on this list worth attending. Does the scholarship have stipulations?

[jackiii]

Thanks for the advice! If I get a full ride to Seton Hall would you guys still say that Rutgers Camden is best?

For Rutgers Camden and Hofstra, I need to be in top 40% of the class. Drexel has no stips.

[timbs4339]

Thanks for the advice! If I get a full ride to Seton Hall would you guys still say that Rutgers Camden is best?

For Rutgers Camden and Hofstra, I need to be in top 40% of the class. Drexel has no stips.

No. I wouldn't take Seton Hall because the job prospects are terrible, the stips would likely be the same, and if you lose the scholly you're paying more and might as well drop out. Definitely try to negotiate those stips down to like top 80% max. Use Drexel against both Hofstra and Camden. If you can get Hofstra, then take Hofstra and Drexel to Camden.

[jackiii]

Thank you, that's really good advice. I didn't realize that you could negotiate the stips.

[timbs4339]

Thank you, that's really good advice. I didn't realize that you could negotiate the stips.

Also remember they will tell you that you can't negotiate or it's a hard and fast rule. Don't be afraid to wait and try again in a few months or even after a seat deposit. The best negotiating tactic is being able or willing to walk away.

If this seems too direct or used-car salesman-ish to you, remember that these stips are there in order for them to get you to enroll, hoping that a certain % of the class will fall under the stip, lose their scholly, and pay full tuition. It's a crummy practice especially when students are stressed about getting jobs anyway. It's not like anyone thinks they can go to Hofstra or RU-C and party their way to a job in three years.

[wfudeacons2005]

I disagree with the Seton Hall assessment. Sure, their job prospects aren't great but it is 100% false that it is seen as any worse than Rutgers in the New Jersey legal community. By no means am I saying that Rutgers' employment prospects are phenomenal but it is an above average flagship state law school with a good reputation and Seton Hall is definitely a peer in that regard. The reason that Seton Hall gets a terrible reputation around here is its astronomical tuition prices and the fact that they section stack. So, I agree that you should not go there to the extent that if you have a scholarship with harsh stipulations because there is a decent chance you will lose it and be totally and utterly screwed. But, if you had Rutgers for free and Seton Hall for guaranteed for free the entire time - you could easily make a case for either if you wanted to be in north Jersey.

Since that is likely not the case, however, I would try to get the RU-C stipulations down and go there. Even if they don't reduce them much or at all, it still may not be the worst decision in the world. You would almost definitely have a semester or two for free so, even if you lost it, you would be talking 50K-60K in debt. By no means am I presenting RU-C with 50K-60K in debt as a tremendous idea but I don't think it is the life ruining decision either.

[timbs4339]

I disagree with the Seton Hall assessment. Sure, their job prospects aren't great but it is 100% false that it is seen as any worse than Rutgers in the New Jersey legal community. By no means am I saying that Rutgers' employment prospects are phenomenal but it is an above average flagship state law school with a good reputation and Seton Hall is definitely a peer in that regard. The reason that Seton Hall gets a terrible reputation around here is its astronomical tuition prices and the fact that they section stack. So, I agree that you should not go there to the extent that if you have a scholarship with harsh stipulations because there is a decent chance you will lose it and be totally and utterly screwed. But, if you had Rutgers for free and Seton Hall for guaranteed for free the entire time - you could easily make a case for either if you wanted to be in north Jersey.

Since that is likely not the case, however, I would try to get the RU-C stipulations down and go there. Even if they don't reduce them much or at all, it still may not be the worst decision in the world. You would almost definitely have a semester or two for free so, even if you lost it, you would be talking 50K-60K in debt. By no means am I presenting RU-C with 50K-60K in debt as a tremendous idea but I don't think it is the life ruining decision either.

Oh I never said RU-C's job prospects were great. Both are objectively terrible- but so are most law schools. Limit your exposure.

[Kurohoshi]

Limit your exposure.

Stealing lines from Don Draper eh?