UGA vs. Georgia State (HELP!) Forum

[sophie15]

Okay, so I've been accepted to both.

Georgia State (#54)- I've visited the school and I like it. I am very interested in health law and the school is ranked #3 in the nation for it. If I attend, I would go for the JD/Masters in Health Administration and also pursue the health law certification. They told me that they have excellent placement in the surrounding hospitals in Atlanta and the CDC. Also, I was just notified that I am receiving a scholarship, so my education here would be super cheap.

UGA (#33)- It is definitely the best school to attend for those who want to practice in Georgia, and that is something I want to do. I'm an undergrad here right now and I absolutely love Athens. I'm not sure of what I would study here yet though. Also, pretty sure that I'm not getting a scholarship, but at least I can claim in-state residency.

So, what do I do? Go to a lower ranked school, become an epic healthcare lawyer and get some new experience in a big city?
-or-
Go to a higher ranked school and hope that I become interested in one of its specialities? I'm not particularly interested in business or international law, but who knows. Also, I will say again that I love Athens.

Help!

[laxbrah420]

I can't speak with any authority on the subject, but just understand before you make a decision to move from awesome Athens to shitty downtown Atlanta based on specialty rankings, that specialty rankings are compiled in entirely non-scientific and often misleading manner. Since you live in Athens, I'd literally drive to Ga. State law one day, head in (assuming their school is relatively "open") and just chat up a normal looking bro in shorts coming out of any class to ask him his opinion on the increased opportunities that Ga. State provides for people interested in healthcare law. I'm imagining that he says, "what?...I have no idea baby girl. people pursue what they like to do on their own time. career services doesn't really do shit."

[rickgrimes69]

The difference between a school ranked #33 and #54 is negligible. Nobody will consider one substantially better than the other. They also both place around ~60% into LT, FT legal jobs. Consider them equivalent options and choose the one that is cheaper and the one you like better (in that order).

Specialty rankings are purely based on the subjective qualifications of a school's law professors, as judged by other law school professors. It means essentially nothing in terms of getting a job in that field. Do not make your decision based on a specialty ranking.

[WanderingPondering]

I'd do UGA...its as respected as Emory in the state, and the students at the top 25% have more options than those at gsu.

Uga sent 53 students to fed clerkships + firms w/ 51 or more + PI

Gastate sent 21 students to the same.

And Athens is way better than Atlanta, as you know.

[laxbrah420]

And Athens is way better than Atlanta, as you know.

I was talking specifically about downtown Atlanta and the Ga. State buildings. Place is drab as a motherfucker. You might be nice if you just spent your school hours over there and lived in a sweeter spot

[WanderingPondering]

And Athens is way better than Atlanta, as you know.

I was talking specifically about downtown Atlanta and the Ga. State buildings. Place is drab as a motherfucker. You might be nice if you just spent your school hours over there and lived in a sweeter spot

Huh? I was saying that Athens is a really nice place to live and downtown Atlanta isn't...

Although East Atlanta/Virginia highlands/Grant Park area is actually quite nice.

[laxbrah420]

Well actually you didn't write that so I clarified for you. I'm glad we agree.

[jym_dawg]

Stay in Athens. UGA has better employment prospects. If you like Atl, don't worry because you'll have a good chance to end up practicing there either way. The cost shouldn't be too much more at UGA since you can get in state after 1L.

Also, the Dawgs are going to win the SEC championship and make a serious run at the natl championship next year, so Sanford should be rockin. That's worth something too.

[K Rock]

Well actually you didn't write that so I clarified for you. I'm glad we agree.

Well actually he did. Reading comprehension bro.

[laxbrah420]

Well actually you didn't write that so I clarified for you. I'm glad we agree.

Well actually he did. Reading comprehension bro.

Where?

[sophie15]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

I'm definitely leaning more towards UGA. It's just a better school all around and Athens is my favorite city in the state.

The only thing keeping me back is the significantly lower cost to attend Georgia State and the proximity to the city for internships and other opportunities. Is the distance from Athens to Atlanta a problem for any of you who go/went to UGA?

[WanderingPondering]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

I'm definitely leaning more towards UGA. It's just a better school all around and Athens is my favorite city in the state.

The only thing keeping me back is the significantly lower cost to attend Georgia State and the proximity to the city for internships and other opportunities. Is the distance from Athens to Atlanta a problem for any of you who go/went to UGA?

What is the difference in total COA?

[jym_dawg]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

I'm definitely leaning more towards UGA. It's just a better school all around and Athens is my favorite city in the state.

The only thing keeping me back is the significantly lower cost to attend Georgia State and the proximity to the city for internships and other opportunities. Is the distance from Athens to Atlanta a problem for any of you who go/went to UGA?

It's a little more than an hour drive from Athens to Atl, maybe an hour and a half in traffic (depending on where in Atl you're going. Note that 85 and 285 are shitshows every morning and afternoon. Related tip: if you drive btwn Athens and ATL, get a PeachPass for the pay lane on 85 as it's well worth the time savings). Instead of commuting, some people also get apartments in Atl for summer jobs and semesters off (I can't speak to this personally so maybe someone else can shed light on the deets of this)

[gregfootball2001]

I'm definitely leaning more towards UGA. It's just a better school all around and Athens is my favorite city in the state.

The only thing keeping me back is the significantly lower cost to attend Georgia State and the proximity to the city for internships and other opportunities. Is the distance from Athens to Atlanta a problem for any of you who go/went to UGA?

1L at UGA.

First, is the cost that much lower at GSU? Employment #s are a good bit higher at UGA, which is easily worth something like 5k a year.

I obviously don't know what the opportunities are for GSU summer internships, but they seem pretty plentiful here. I'm splitting with a fed judge in Atl and a small firm. I personally know 4 people interning at fed judges in Atlanta, and I don't know that many people, so it's not an uncommon thing. I did have to drive to Atl for the judge interview, but the firm I got through OCI. So from my perspective, being in Athens hasn't noticeably lessened my opportunities. You'll have to do some legwork, but there's lots of stuff out there.

For externships during the year, there's a long list of companies, superior court judges, federal judges, and ga supreme court justices that interview students for externship positions, both in and around Atl. And that's just the civil externship program - I haven't really looked at the prosecution clinic, the defense clinic, or the others.

This kind of info, however, isn't really why you should pick a school. The point isn't an internship or externship - it's getting a job after school. UGA is better than GSU in that department, but it's still tough. I don't regret coming here (it's sooooo cheap, and thankfully I'm doing okay), but if you can retake and get into Vandy or something, that should be a consideration.

Edited b/c I forgot that 'health law' is your thing. There are Georgia grads everywhere in the state. It's a good name in Atlanta. There are healthcare classes here. I'd be wary of using a specialty ranking to make your decision.

But, you could always contact some lawyers in that area and ask what they think. I did that before school when I was deciding between UGA and Emory. Many people are happy to chat.

[sophie15]

Okay, so this makes things a little more complicated.

I just got the Dean's Scholarship from Georgia State. This includes $2,500 for my first year and a Graduate Research Assistantship which entitles me to a $2,000 stipend and full tuition waiver in my second and third year.

I may try to take this to UGA and negotiate a scholarship from them. Do you think it would work? And if it doesn't, what should I do? That is a HUGE gap in COA now.

[BarbellDreams]

Again, what is the TOTAL COA for each school? No one can help you until we know this.

[sophie15]

Again, what is the TOTAL COA for each school? No one can help you until we know this.

Since I am in-state, Georgia State costs about $15,000 a year in tuition and UGA costs about $18,000. But of course, Atlanta is a more expensive city to live in than Athens.

[BarbellDreams]

No one is gonna do the math for you here, you need to add up tuition + CoL + interest rate - scholly = COA. Knowing none of those numbers, I'd say UGA is worth around 20K extra in my eyes.

[sophie15]

No one is gonna do the math for you here, you need to add up tuition + CoL + interest rate - scholly = COA. Knowing none of those numbers, I'd say UGA is worth around 20K extra in my eyes.

I'm not about to type out all those numbers, but factoring in everything, UGA would cost about $38,000 more. Worth it?

[rickgrimes69]

No one is gonna do the math for you here, you need to add up tuition + CoL + interest rate - scholly = COA. Knowing none of those numbers, I'd say UGA is worth around 20K extra in my eyes.

I'm not about to type out all those numbers, but factoring in everything, UGA would cost about $38,000 more. Worth it?

The question is not how much more UGA is worth than GSU, but if you are objectively paying a reasonable amount.

Just do us a favor and calculate total COA for each school.

[laxbrah420]

WTF is going on in here. Nobody gives a fuck about interest. The difference is geometric.

[WanderingPondering]

No one is gonna do the math for you here, you need to add up tuition + CoL + interest rate - scholly = COA. Knowing none of those numbers, I'd say UGA is worth around 20K extra in my eyes.

I'm not about to type out all those numbers, but factoring in everything, UGA would cost about $38,000 more. Worth it?

The question is not how much more UGA is worth than GSU, but if you are objectively paying a reasonable amount.

Just do us a favor and calculate total COA for each school.

You seriously won't just figure out the total COA? How hard is that for you to do? Its like, sorta important of you want advice.

[BarbellDreams]

This reminds me why 0L's are entertaining. You come on a forum asking people to give you advice on YOUR situation. When they ask you for more information and ask for a total CoA to try and help you and you tell them to do it themselves cause you're too lazy. If YOU are too lazy to do YOUR OWN COA, why in the world would OTHER people not be lazy and do it for you? Thats just moronic.

Not seeing any COA numbers I say go to GSU if it is truthfully 40K difference after calculating EVERYTHING. I'd say UGA is worth 20K or 25K more, but not much more.

[somewhatwayward]

I'm definitely leaning more towards UGA. It's just a better school all around and Athens is my favorite city in the state.

The only thing keeping me back is the significantly lower cost to attend Georgia State and the proximity to the city for internships and other opportunities. Is the distance from Athens to Atlanta a problem for any of you who go/went to UGA?

1L at UGA.

First, is the cost that much lower at GSU? Employment #s are a good bit higher at UGA, which is easily worth something like 5k a year.

I obviously don't know what the opportunities are for GSU summer internships, but they seem pretty plentiful here. I'm splitting with a fed judge in Atl and a small firm. I personally know 4 people interning at fed judges in Atlanta, and I don't know that many people, so it's not an uncommon thing. I did have to drive to Atl for the judge interview, but the firm I got through OCI. So from my perspective, being in Athens hasn't noticeably lessened my opportunities. You'll have to do some legwork, but there's lots of stuff out there.

For externships during the year, there's a long list of companies, superior court judges, federal judges, and ga supreme court justices that interview students for externship positions, both in and around Atl. And that's just the civil externship program - I haven't really looked at the prosecution clinic, the defense clinic, or the others.

This kind of info, however, isn't really why you should pick a school. The point isn't an internship or externship - it's getting a job after school. UGA is better than GSU in that department, but it's still tough. I don't regret coming here (it's sooooo cheap, and thankfully I'm doing okay), but if you can retake and get into Vandy or something, that should be a consideration.

Edited b/c I forgot that 'health law' is your thing. There are Georgia grads everywhere in the state. It's a good name in Atlanta. There are healthcare classes here. I'd be wary of using a specialty ranking to make your decision.

But, you could always contact some lawyers in that area and ask what they think. I did that before school when I was deciding between UGA and Emory. Many people are happy to chat.

Just to clarify, UGA does not place a larger percentage into full-time long-term than GSU....actually GSU is a little better on that front (see: http://www.lstscorereports.com/?r=ga). UGA likely places more into prestigious positions but we're talking 15% of the class in big firms and clerkship at UGA v 10% at GSU. That is pretty marginal.

Take the money and run. The one thing I am confused by is whether you are receiving any more than 2500 in the first year? Also pay no attention to specialty rankings. They mean nothing. For 99% of specialties you're better off going to Harvard than whatever the first-ranked school is according to the specialty ranking.

[gregfootball2001]

Just to clarify, UGA does not place a larger percentage into full-time long-term than GSU....actually GSU is a little better on that front (see: http://www.lstscorereports.com/?r=ga). UGA likely places more into prestigious positions but we're talking 15% of the class in big firms and clerkship at UGA v 10% at GSU. That is pretty marginal.

Law firm size...GSU....UGA
500+..............5.4%....6.2%
251-500:........0.5%....0.9%
101-250:........2.2%....1.8%
Fed clerk:........2.7%....7.5%
State clerk:......2.2%....5.3%
Total:..............13%.....21.7%

if you go down farther:
51-100:..........0.5%....2.6%
26-50:............0.5%....3.5%
11-25:............4.3%....8.8%
Total:.............18.3%...36.6%

IMO, not a small difference, especially if you consider that most people who clerk, especially fed clerks, go to larger firms.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school= ... =employers
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school= ... =employers