Top Law Schools

I have three relatively attractive offers from schools in the Midwest. I also have a 10k grant per year for living expenses regardless of the school I attend. I am interested in practicing insomewhere in the midwest. I am not particular about which city. I am originally from Eastern Iowa and attended undergrad in Nebraska. I am not dead set on BigLaw but want at least a decent midlaw job. Which school would you recommend and why?

What are the stipulations on the scholarships? I know Iowa is known for having shitty stips.

If the stips are good at Minnesota, go there. If the stips are bad, use WUSTL to negotiate them off. I doubt the UMn scholly has stips though. Go there.

From the sound of mine,UMN's stips are along the lines of "don't finish last in the class"

I think WUSTL is worth a little more than UMN (greater mobility and a better big firm placement), but how much more is tough to say. Sounds like you could go to UMN for somewhere in the range of 5-10k per year with your scholarship and grant, and probably around 15-20k per year for WUSTL. I'd try to get a few more bucks out of WUSTL, and if you can, probably go to WUSTL. I also think this is a situation where location and even "fit" come into play. I think both schools are very justifiable at the cost you're looking at. And if you want to be in Iowa or Nebraska, I think Iowa probably would also be a decent choice assuming that scholarship doesn't have tough stips (Iowa is so TTT about their schollies).

Iowa with the top 1/3 stip is a no-go.

Toss up between UMN and WUSTL.

I was in a similar situation last year (T20/30s at full/near full rides). I chose based on location and "fit".

Homelandsagreatshow wrote:From the sound of mine,UMN's stips are along the lines of "don't finish last in the class"

Thats correct.

Iowa has a top 37.5% stipulatation, Minnesota requires a 2.5 GPA and WashU has no stipulation

I would say don't go to Iowa. Try to get WUSTL to match UMN (they have a 135k scholly). If they won't, then UMN is probably the better choice.

WUSTL/Iowa<<<<UMN
of course

+ UMN has a pretty hot dean of students

lawninja1 wrote: UMN has a pretty hot dean of students

True

lawninja1 wrote:WUSTL/Iowa<<<<UMN
of course

+ UMN has a pretty hot dean of students

180 first post

Crowing wrote:

lawninja1 wrote:WUSTL/Iowa<<<<UMN
of course

+ UMN has a pretty hot dean of students

180 first post

haha thank you

Crowing wrote:I would say don't go to Iowa. Try to get WUSTL to match UMN (they have a 135k scholly). If they won't, then UMN is probably the better choice.

This is my opinion as well. I think WUSTL is worth spending more on than UMN due to higher firm prospects and greater mobility, but it's probably not worth 40k+ more (which, if my math is right, is how much more WUSTL would cost).

If you can't get WUSTL to up your scholarship, I would take UMN. I don't think WUSTL is worth that much more than UMN, especially since you would be okay with living in Minnesota.