Drake or Iowa?! Forum

[P4ttn]

I am trying to decide between Iowa with in-state tuition and free housing (family) or Drake with scholarships covering full tuition.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Nova]

So what would that make the cost of attendance at each? (tuition + fees + cost of living - scholarship)

What are the stipulations on the full tuition Drake scholarship?

[P4ttn]

According to what they estimate

Iowa = about $32,000
Drake = about $18,000

Stipulations are top 1/3 at Drake, and I'm waiting to hear on scholarships from Iowa.

I should probably mention my numbers... LSAT= 160 and have a 3.7 in engineering.

[WokeUpInACar]

You should absolutely retake the LSAT because just 4 or 5 more points would get you a full ride at Iowa.

[rad lulz]

Use the Georgetown law debt calculator to come to a total cost of attendance figure that includes cost of living and interest.

Then post those numbers here

[P4ttn]

Thanks,

Drake Total Cost = $74,094

Iowa Total Cost = $111,259

So a difference of $37,165.

[rad lulz]

Iowa's a decent regional, but considering the job prospects (as per LST), it's not worth over $100k. By the same reasoning Drake ain't work $75k. Retaking for a few points and a full ride is a good idea

[Yukos]

Sad there's no Drake quotes.

Retake for more money. Iowa has very solid placement for a non-T14 (and from what I've read, Iowa's general economy is doing well, not sure about the legal sector) but it's still not a T14, so you should try to get that COA under $100k.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Top 1/3 stip is absurd.

[P4ttn]

I tried to negotiate the stip, but they said they could only add a guaranteed 5k.

I guess I should have posted my third option. I also have full time offer for an engineering job, but my goal has always been to practice patent law.

[rad lulz]

Job by a mile. Save $, the experience will help when looking for a legal job, and you can retake the LSAT. Done.

[WokeUpInACar]

I tried to negotiate the stip, but they said they could only add a guaranteed 5k.

I guess I should have posted my third option. I also have full time offer for an engineering job, but my goal has always been to practice patent law.

Take the engineering job and work for a couple years. In that time you can decide whether you truly want to practice law, you can save up money, you can make yourself more attractive to future legal employers, and you can study to retake the LSAT, which could very easily save you tens of thousands of dollars. An engineering job (especially with that impressive GPA) is a far better option for you than law school right now.

[Nova]

Sad there's no Drake quotes.

Top 1/3 stip is absurd.

[Nova]

Retaking for a few points and a full ride is a good idea

+1

You are close to a full ride at Iowa, OP. 163+ should get you a substantial scholarship.

And Iowa just got rid of their top 1/3 stttip.

[hephaestus]

Job by a mile. Save $, the experience will help when looking for a legal job, and you can retake the LSAT. Done.

Unquestionably this.

[timbs4339]

Job by a mile. Save $, the experience will help when looking for a legal job, and you can retake the LSAT. Done.

Unquestionably this.

[Dr. Dre]

just don't go to law school

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/20 ... law-school

[locthebloke]

100k for Iowa is absurd, 75k for Drake is pants on head retarded. Drake is where the infamous toilet scam blogger "Nando" went. As he makes pretty clear, it's not a good school. He had a full scholarship too. It seems pretty laughable that a third tier heap like Drake is only offering a scholarship with a stip to a 160 scorer with a 3.7 in a STEM major. When you have to consider that Drake probably attracts mainly people who scored in the low 150s, like any Third Tier, that seems pretty insulting. They might just be checking to see if you're actually that stupid to take it. You shouldn't go to Drake for any reason, but you should pinch their nipples a bit and experiment. See if you can get no stips on that scholarship. I suspect they're just giving it a try to see if you're supremely stupid, and will buckle pretty easily if you demand a full scholarship with no stips. I repeat, just as an experiment. Don't go to Drake, man.

Question, OP. Why aren't you content to be an engineer? Jobs are numerous and salaries a good in engineering. Why would you give that up for law school?

[Yukos]

Sad there's no Drake quotes.

Top 1/3 stip is absurd.

Thanks for this

[romothesavior]

Job by a mile. Save $, the experience will help when looking for a legal job, and you can retake the LSAT. Done.

TITCR. Better yet, just be good at your job and don't go to law school.

[rad lulz]

Job by a mile. Save $, the experience will help when looking for a legal job, and you can retake the LSAT. Done.

TITCR. Better yet, just be good at your job and don't go to law school.

Even better.

[DaRascal]

I hate the drake.

[shifty_eyed]

I hate the drake.

[llachans]

I'm a 1L at drake. I turned down Iowa for Drake with a 75% scholarship, with the same stipulations you've been given. My stats were also similar (160/3.50). Feel free to PM me and I'd be happy to answer questions about employment, networking, and overall reputations. If you want to go out of state or keep the possibility open to go out of state, definitely do Iowa. If you want to stay in Iowa/Des Moines area, most employers prefer Drake students because of the practical skills we pick up throughout law school. Many employers have told me that we are able to hit the ground running, whereas Iowa students tend to need to learn more about various researching and writing skills.

[llachans]

100k for Iowa is absurd, 75k for Drake is pants on head retarded. Drake is where the infamous toilet scam blogger "Nando" went. As he makes pretty clear, it's not a good school. He had a full scholarship too. It seems pretty laughable that a third tier heap like Drake is only offering a scholarship with a stip to a 160 scorer with a 3.7 in a STEM major. When you have to consider that Drake probably attracts mainly people who scored in the low 150s, like any Third Tier, that seems pretty insulting. They might just be checking to see if you're actually that stupid to take it. You shouldn't go to Drake for any reason, but you should pinch their nipples a bit and experiment. See if you can get no stips on that scholarship. I suspect they're just giving it a try to see if you're supremely stupid, and will buckle pretty easily if you demand a full scholarship with no stips. I repeat, just as an experiment. Don't go to Drake, man.

Question, OP. Why aren't you content to be an engineer? Jobs are numerous and salaries a good in engineering. Why would you give that up for law school?

I really don't think this is true and the bolded is definitely not true. From what I've heard and seen, if you can stay in the top half, you're likely to get a job after graduation. Further, if you want to stay in Des Moines, Drake is a much better investment than Iowa. Even Iowa students will readily admit this.