WHERE SHOULD I GO BE LEARNIN LAWZ? Forum

[SWEETBABYRAYS]

Ties to St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Nashville. Don't really have a preference.

Big goal is a judicial clerkship. Thanks for the help, internet strangers.

[sdmelzer]

If you are looking for Federal clerkship, none of these are good options. But you probably know that. In terms of a state clerkship, I would go with WUSTL. I don't think Vandy is worth sticker, and the other options aren't worth considering given you got a lot of money from Washington.

Edit: IU-B may be a solid option if you are willing to let the clerking probability slide, since it will be considerably cheaper than WUSTL. If you have connections, it could be viable. But I would still stick with WUSTL.

[gaud]

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL.

[rickgrimes69]

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL.

[smaug_]

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL. don't go.

[somewhatwayward]

I wouldn't go to any of these schools at their current costs - all of them are more than 100K right now unless you have savings or generous parents. Try to negotiate with these schools using the offers from the other schools. Then come back here with your new offers and ask again. With decreasing applicants, especially applicants with high LSATs, schools are going to be pretty desperate to maintain their medians. This means it is a students' market, and you are a sucker if you accept their first offer. The most ideal way to approach it is an ultimatum where (after trying softer negotiating techniques like showing schools your other offers) you send them an email (not call bc they need time to process this) that says you really appreciate their generous offer but it is still not financially feasible to go there so you are withdrawing. If you do this with multiple schools, it is very likely that schools will come back to you with a higher offer if you are above one median, especially the LSAT median. But it is risky in that they may let you go. In that case, though, you can retake and have better options next year.....a win-win situation. If I were a prospective student, this is the strategy I would use.

[rad lulz]

None of the above given costs and goals.

[Doorkeeper]

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL. don't go.

This is the credited response.

If you seriously want a clerkship, you need to get a T10 offer or Vandy with a medium sized scholarship.

[somewhatwayward]

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL. don't go.

This is the credited response.

If you seriously want a clerkship, you need to get a T10 offer or Vandy with a medium sized scholarship.

Honestly most of the T10 suck for clerkships, too. Pretty much HYS (and even H is at like 16% bc it is such a huge school) are the only schools that I would say give you a meaningful shot....and it is arguable whether the 20-30% shot YS gives you is a meaningful shot. Thus, I don't know if it makes sense to choose a T10 school because you want to clerk. It just doesn't seem to be likely enough. If you have your heart set on clerking, I'd say go to YS and if you miss clerking the first time around, apply as an alum bc it is somewhat easier.

Maybe a better way to put it is that other factors should weigh more heavily in your decision. If you don't get to clerk, what is your second choice? If it is big law, then pick the T10. If it is PD, go to the cheapest school.

Anyway, I stand by my original recommendation, OP:

I wouldn't go to any of these schools at their current costs - all of them are more than 100K right now unless you have savings or generous parents. Try to negotiate with these schools using the offers from the other schools. Then come back here with your new offers and ask again. With decreasing applicants, especially applicants with high LSATs, schools are going to be pretty desperate to maintain their medians. This means it is a students' market, and you are a sucker if you accept their first offer. The most ideal way to approach it is an ultimatum where (after trying softer negotiating techniques like showing schools your other offers) you send them an email (not call bc they need time to process this) that says you really appreciate their generous offer but it is still not financially feasible to go there so you are withdrawing. If you do this with multiple schools, it is very likely that schools will come back to you with a higher offer if you are above one median, especially the LSAT median. But it is risky in that they may let you go. In that case, though, you can retake and have better options next year.....a win-win situation. If I were a prospective student, this is the strategy I would use.

good luck!

[romothesavior]

Your odds of a clerkship are very slim, but you really have to get into T6 land to make clerking a realistic possibility for a sizeable chunk of students. It's a nice goal to have, but it's a lofty dream for almost every law student in the country.

Vandy and W&L are pretty much out. I'd retake or go to WUSTL and settle on the fact that you'll probably never clerk from here. Try to negotiate for my dough if you can. People with ties to STL do very well in here, and we have a few firms hire from here for Indy. PM me if you want more details.

I don't think WUSTL would be a terrible option with that scholly if you're from here, but that's still a lot of debt. What are your numbers?

[09042014]

Your odds of a clerkship are very slim, but you really have to get into T6 land to make clerking a realistic possibility for a sizeable chunk of students. It's a nice goal to have, but it's a lofty dream for almost every law student in the country.

Vandy and W&L are pretty much out. I'd retake or go to WUSTL and settle on the fact that you'll probably never clerk from here. Try to negotiate for my dough if you can. People with ties to STL do very well in here, and we have a few firms hire from here for Indy. PM me if you want more details.

I don't think WUSTL would be a terrible option with that scholly if you're from here, but that's still a lot of debt. What are your numbers?

I mostly agree.

1) Clerking is a temporary job and shouldn't factor into one's career plans because it's temporary. If clerking is your aspiration, you are probably doing it wrong.

2) T6 ain't shit for clerking. Columbia and NYU kinda suck at it.

[cinephile]

Why didn't you apply to IU-Indy? Their placement in Indianapolis is just as good (maybe better) than BLoomington and you'd probably have gotten more $$$.

[20130312]

NONE OF DEEZ, Y'ALL.

[somewhatwayward]

NONE OF DEEZ, Y'ALL.

.....

None of the above given costs and goals.

I wouldn't go to any of these schools at their current costs

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL.

Retake.

If not an option, WUSTL.

etc, etc

1) Clerking is a temporary job and shouldn't factor into one's career plans because it's temporary. If clerking is your aspiration, you are probably doing it wrong.

2) T6 ain't shit for clerking. Columbia and NYU kinda suck at it.

UChi isn't any better than Columbia and NYU.

[20130312]

I was hoping to communicate it in a language OP would understand.

[K Rock]

Why didn't you apply to IU-Indy? Their placement in Indianapolis is just as good (maybe better) than BLoomington and you'd probably have gotten more $$$.

IU-Indy may place about the same as IU-B in Indianapolis, but Bloomington's placement is better overall.

Bloomington: http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=indiana

Indy: http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=indiana-indy

[PRgradBYU]

Those schools aren't conducive to landing a big-time federal clerkship... retake.