Loyola Chicago vs. IIT-Kent Forum

[kmstyf]

So I know this has been beat to death. Neither are great schools, but they are decent and regionally ok. I am in a unique situation where I have a job waiting for me at the trial firm I work at when I finish and will make only slightly less than biglaw. So, all things being equal, what are the thoughts on these two schools? I have a GPA non-dependent 10k scholarship at Kent and nothing at Loyola, but my boss is picking up the difference if I go there with a slight reduction in my starting salary the first year.

Long-term, I may not want to practice in trial advocacy and am interested in start-ups, technology-related law, as well as food policy/public interest.

[NoodleyOne]

Don't go. God, this is top-law-schools.com. If you want to choose between bad options, go to shitty-law-schools.com.

Edit: saw you have a job lined up afterwards, so... pardon the harshness. Not deleting it though for posterity's sake. Anyway, go with the cheaper option.

[kmstyf]

I appreciate the advice. I know the general consensus is that Tier-2 schools are not worth the money, and that's fine from a realistic standpoint unless you've got GUARANTEED work. My main question is, with Kent rising in rankings and having a good tech/writing focus, and Loyola having a decent healthcare/public interest programs, which will afford me a better education? I know neither degree is very portable, and I may not want to practice for my entire life, so does the slight difference in ranking even affect my thought process?

Not proud of my undergrad stats but as a basis: Undergrad at Mizzou, 3.0 GPA 169 LSAT.

[NoodleyOne]

Your stats aren't that bad, especially with that LSAT. Boost it up a bit and with your WE Northwestern could very well be in play.

Still, specialty rankings and rankings themselves are largely a flame. Employment after graduation is what matters, and you already have that locked up. The education is going to be largely the same through all law schools (although some schools offer more clinical opportunities).

[kmstyf]

I appreciate the input. The other caveat is that I'll be doing the evening program at Kent/Loyola and working as part of ensuring I still have that job waiting when I finish, so unfortunately NU is out of the picture for the time being.

[bass08]

wtf? You have a 169 lsat and would pay sticker at loyola and only got 10k at kent part time? That's not right. You would get almost a full scholly at either school with your numbers. Unless of course you meant to type 159.

[romothesavior]

If you are guaranteed a job, why take debt at all? Taking on debt seems totally unnecessary if you really do have something lined up no matter what.

[timbs4339]

If you are guaranteed a job, why take debt at all? Taking on debt seems totally unnecessary if you really do have something lined up no matter what.

CQ.

[ArchieHicox]

Are you sure you don't have a 159 LSAT?

Because it is inconceivable to me that you are getting such low (or no) scholarships with a 169 LSAT. I have a similar GPA and a lower LSAT and have done well this cycle at much better schools than Loyola and Kent. It makes no sense that with a top 2-3% LSAT like that, that you aren't sitting on full rides.

[PRgradBYU]

Are you sure you don't have a 159 LSAT?

This. I feel like you would have much better options (even with your 3.0 GPA) if you actually had a 169, unless your PS and LORs were unintelligibly written. But if you have a guaranteed job lined up, stick with the cheapest option possible

[kmstyf]

LSAT score is not a typo. Had to explain away some undergraduate legal BS in an addendum, which I think is the culprit behind the low/no scholarship offer.

[North]

LSAT score is not a typo. Had to explain away some undergraduate legal BS in an addendum, which I think is the culprit behind the low/no scholarship offer.

I doubt that's it. Did you apply late?

[cheywood]

I know someone with a 161 who got 20k from Kent while applying late, no way you have a 169 with that scholarship offer.

[timbs4339]

OP: If the legal stuff was enough to let you into the school (ie they determined you can pass C+F) then it shouldn't matter after that how much money they give you. Average number of felonies isn't a USNWR category. With those numbers you are being seriously undervalued.

[floydthebarber518]

So I know this has been beat to death. Neither are great schools, but they are decent and regionally ok. I am in a unique situation where I have a job waiting for me at the trial firm I work at when I finish and will make only slightly less than biglaw. So, all things being equal, what are the thoughts on these two schools? I have a GPA non-dependent 10k scholarship at Kent and nothing at Loyola, but my boss is picking up the difference if I go there with a slight reduction in my starting salary the first year.

Long-term, I may not want to practice in trial advocacy and am interested in start-ups, technology-related law, as well as food policy/public interest.

Have you applied/accepted anywhere else? Even though you might stay w/ Kent/Loyla, if you've gotten in elsewhere w/ money (especially higher ranked), you should be able to negotiate with those numbers.

Also, I'll be withdrawing my $30K/year from Kent tonight, so AT LEAST that should free some $ up. Do not settle fo 10K w/ a 169.

[YankeesFan]

Could this be a case of YP? I would call up both schools, tell them they are both your first choice and ask for more money. If they say no, then tell them you'd love to go but you will be taking you 169 LSAT score somewhere else. I think both of those schools would pony up a little more. Rinse and repeat as needed.

[North]

Could this be a case of YP? I would call up both schools, tell them they are both your first choice and ask for more money. If they say no, then tell them you'd love to go but you will be taking you 169 LSAT score somewhere else. I think both of those schools would pony up a little more. Rinse and repeat as needed.

That's not what YP is.

[Winston1984]

OP, I would just go to whichever school you liked more. Employment numbers don't matter since you already have a job lined up, and speciality rankings aren't real. Have you visited both?

[floydthebarber518]

Could this be a case of YP? I would call up both schools, tell them they are both your first choice and ask for more money. If they say no, then tell them you'd love to go but you will be taking you 169 LSAT score somewhere else. I think both of those schools would pony up a little more. Rinse and repeat as needed.

YP would mean they wouldn't have offered admission in the first place.
YP would also mean they'd actually up their $ offer so that they could entice all accepted people to attend.

[YankeesFan]

I meant like a modified YP. Not giving a lot of scholarship money to someone with such a high score seems odd, especially with the decline in test takers. It almost seems like they were like "Screw it. Lets just give him a token scholly offer because we don't want to lock up funds that we could give to people who are more likely to take our offer".

Then again my brain is fried from outlining so I could just be completely out in left field.

[North]

I meant like a modified YP. Not giving a lot of scholarship money to someone with such a high score seems odd, especially with the decline in test takers. It almost seems like they were like "Screw it. Lets just give him a token scholly offer because we don't want to lock up funds that we could give to people who are more likely to take our offer".

Then again my brain is fried from outlining so I could just be completely out in left field.

It's from left field. That makes no sense.

[timbs4339]

I meant like a modified YP. Not giving a lot of scholarship money to someone with such a high score seems odd, especially with the decline in test takers. It almost seems like they were like "Screw it. Lets just give him a token scholly offer because we don't want to lock up funds that we could give to people who are more likely to take our offer".

Then again my brain is fried from outlining so I could just be completely out in left field.

It's from left field. That makes no sense.

It actually makes a little sense. They might be betting that OP's record (we have no idea what he did) would take him out of contention at higher ranked places and they might end up being the highest offer. That's worth the miniscule hit to selectivity if he turns them down. If he can't pass C+F, well, he already signed the loan docs, so no harm no foul.

It may also be a lowball with them expecting him to come back with a higher offer. If he doesn't and takes the offer- it's a win for the school and a lose for OP.

[ArchieHicox]

If you really have a 169, you are getting screwed. You should be looking at good $$$ at Wisconsin, Indiana, UIUC and not marginal cash at Kent and Loyola. Dude, I have a lower LSAT than you, a lower GPA than you, and I've been getting more money from similar, but better schools than Loyola and Kent. No legal issues, but I can't imagine that is holding you back that much if they are accepting you. There was a story on ATL with a MURDERER being accepted on scholarship at Tulane. Something is up.....

[illiniguy1551]

LSAT score is not a typo. Had to explain away some undergraduate legal BS in an addendum, which I think is the culprit behind the low/no scholarship offer.

C & F crap only matters about getting in, not scholarship amount. Trust me, I know lol.

[TheThriller]

negotiate that scholarship at least.