UGA vs. GA State Forum

[Sneakers122]

Which law school should I go to? I've gotten offers from both with 165 LSAT and 3.28 GPA (in-state, lesbian, Jew).

UGA offered me $5k/year, so that's $13k tuition + $5k = $18k/year ($54k total)
GA State offered me $7k for 1L + RA for 2l/3l (full tuition), so that's ~$25k +$7k/year = $39k

I want to practice immigration law in Atlanta/GA generally, or at least in the South. UGA is ranked 33, GA State 54 - is it worth $15k to go to a higher ranked school? Does it matter where I go for immigration law? Neither school seems to have anything specifically on immigration so... My family lives in Atlanta. I saw there's another thread similar to this, but does anyone know more about working in Atlanta?

[squonk]

That's funny, I was about to ask the same thing.

From what I've heard, UGA has a strong alumni network in Atlanta, but then for all I know so does GSU. Maybe the difference is that Georgia's reach stretches throughout the state (and the South as a whole? Don't know about this.) I'm definitely taking COL into account, as it's probably going to be quite a bit lower in Athens than in Atlanta.

[RodneyBoonfield]

What type of immigration work do you want to do?

[gregfootball2001]

Which law school should I go to? I've gotten offers from both with 165 LSAT and 3.28 GPA (in-state, lesbian, Jew).

UGA offered me $5k/year, so that's $13k tuition + $5k = $18k/year ($54k total)
GA State offered me $7k for 1L + RA for 2l/3l (full tuition), so that's ~$25k +$7k/year = $39k

I want to practice immigration law in Atlanta/GA generally, or at least in the South. UGA is ranked 33, GA State 54 - is it worth $15k to go to a higher ranked school? Does it matter where I go for immigration law? Neither school seems to have anything specifically on immigration so... My family lives in Atlanta. I saw there's another thread similar to this, but does anyone know more about working in Atlanta?

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

Info from Law School Transparency.
'Large firm score' (that's % working at firms with 101+ lawyers)
GSU 9%
UGA: 16.6%

Federal Clerkship Rate
GSU: 2.5%
UGA: 7.4%

Total
GSU: 11.5%
UGA: 24%

State and local clerkships (this is really less useful, because there are possible not-as-useful outcomes here, but still interesting)
GSU: 0.5%
UGA: 6.1%

You have to decide if 15k (assuming your #s are right) are worth an almost 13% chance at a better job. I think it is, easily, but I go to UGA.

Not sure what you mean about 'working in Atlanta,' do you mean during the year? There are plenty of externship positions in Atlanta, such as with the Federal Public Defender, Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia Legislative Internship, U.S. Dep’t. HUD, U.S. Dep’t. Of Justice Community Relations Service, U.S. Dep’t. Of Labor, ACLU (Atlanta), ACLU National Security and Immigrants’ Rights Project, Georgia Advocacy Office (Atlanta), Georgia Justice Project (Atlanta) and others I don't feel like cutting and pasting.

Good luck with your decision!

[Nova]

Nice stat breakdown, Greg.

I agree, UGA is worth 15k more than GSU.

UGA doubles your chance of what most consider a really good outcome.

[BlueJeanBaby]

I'll be attending UGA so maybe I'm biased, but I would definitely go to UGA for 15k more. I think the employment statistics would be enough for me to shell out the money alone. Also, what are you looking for in a law school? The environment at the two schools, I imagine, will be completely different. GA state is a bit more of a commuter school in the heart of the city. UGA is a college town with a great football team.

[Sneakers122]

Thanks everyone! I went to visit the schools and UGA definitely felt better for me. The numbers for getting jobs were decisive. Time to be a dawg.

[ookoshi]

In your position I'd choose UGA, absolutely. As everyone has said, it's pretty clear cut.

However, for me, I'm choosing between part time at GSU vs full time at UGA. Keeping my salary for the next 3 years makes the COA 200k in difference vs 15k in difference. As much as I'd love to quit my job and go to UGA, UGA isn't 200k better.

[BlueJeanBaby]

Thanks everyone! I went to visit the schools and UGA definitely felt better for me. The numbers for getting jobs were decisive. Time to be a dawg.

Great choice, and welcome

[gregfootball2001]

However, for me, I'm choosing between part time at GSU vs full time at UGA. Keeping my salary for the next 3 years makes the COA 200k in difference vs 15k in difference. As much as I'd love to quit my job and go to UGA, UGA isn't 200k better.

So you're making 70k a year or so? Working part time? Why on earth are you going to law school?

[ookoshi]

So you're making 70k a year or so? Working part time? Why on earth are you going to law school?

I'm working full time. I'd be going to GSU part time in the evening.

I'm going to law school because I want to practice law. They really don't let you do that these days without a JD. I am going into this knowing full well that once I graduate that it's completely possible either: 1) I will continue working in IT because I can't find something that will pay the bills, and/or 2) I will be making the same money or possibly less with a law degree than I would if I continued to make use of my CS undergrad degree. Obviously it's my hope that I will avoid both those outcomes, but the market is what it is.

Money is not my primary driving factor (obviously), as making more money in IT is my fallback plan to practicing law.

[gregfootball2001]

So you're making 70k a year or so? Working part time? Why on earth are you going to law school?

I'm working full time. I'd be going to GSU part time in the evening.

I'm going to law school because I want to practice law. They really don't let you do that these days without a JD. I am going into this knowing full well that once I graduate that it's completely possible either: 1) I will continue working in IT because I can't find something that will pay the bills, and/or 2) I will be making the same money or possibly less with a law degree than I would if I continued to make use of my CS undergrad degree. Obviously it's my hope that I will avoid both those outcomes, but the market is what it is.

Money is not my primary driving factor (obviously), as making more money in IT is my fallback plan to practicing law.

If you don't get a job practicing law, and you go back to working IT with the debt, and you could still be happy - then yeah, I agree, go to GSU.

I wonder if there would be e-discovery companies that might be interested in your skill set, writing code and such. But I have no real idea.

Good luck!