BU ($$$) vs UT (In-state sticker) Forum

[Jarndyce&Jarndyce]

As the posting title says--

UT in state sticker is 32k. BU, with my scholarship applied, will be 19k.

Thoughts?


[edit]

Thanks, I was trying to be vague, but i guess vagueness garners one only vague replies. Makes sense, really.


For all intensive purposes, let's just say i'm considering BU and UT

Total COA
50k for UT. 35k for BU. If you apply my scholarship, over three years the total COA difference will be $44,504 SAVED if I go to BU over UT.

I will be financing my COA through fed loans.

I'm from Texas. Ideally, i'd like to stay in Texas. But i mean...Boston and Austin are both great places to live. I'm spoilt for choice there. I could probably be happy practicing in either Texas or MA. I have connections in both cities.

I want to work in Big Law. If i stayed in Texas, i'd probably do Energy law. Coroporate/Commercial Litigation is what I believe I'd like to do.

165/3.7. Took it 1 time, taking again in June to see if i can do better. For the purposes of this poll, let's assume I get another 165.

[Nelson]

I don't see how BU makes any sense here. Your explanation of the COA is really confusing, but as long as you're closer to 100k in debt at UT than 200k, it's not a terrible option.

[shifty_eyed]

Did you also get the 3k/yr need based grant? UT has a set tuition for all 3 years, so you won't have to worry about increases like you will at BU.

Anyway, for your goals, UT seems the better choice.

[WokeUpInACar]

Ties to Texas, want to stay in Texas... You need to go to UT. It's good that you're retaking though, I'd reapply if you hit 168+ and they don't give you $$$.

[RAWR]

As long as you're not going to get your masters in mathematics...

I kid, I kid.

But I don't see why you would uproot yourself and almost chain yourself to New England when your ultimate goal is to be working in Texas.

[Jarndyce&Jarndyce]

The fuzzy math you are all so jocularly ribbing me over is due to my hesitation to put exact figures up...

I fear being discovered by the powers that be at the aforementioned institutions! The $44,504 difference in COA (when you add all three years together) is the only number based on the exact figures. I never liked to show my work in grammar school either. I've altered the math to make it make more sense.

Anyway, I'm leaning towards Texas, but it's always good to get more opinions. Thanks everyone who voted.

[Aawaldrop]

Anyone can figure out you have 25k/year at BU
Also COA seems to be about:
BU - 142k
UT - 187k

Retake and reapply, texas at sticker (even instate) is pricey.

[Jarndyce&Jarndyce]

Anyone can figure out you have 25k/year at BU
Also COA seems to be about:
BU - 142k
UT - 187k

Retake and reapply, texas at sticker (even instate) is pricey.

Where did you find those numbers? I was going by what was posted on the school website.

[Aawaldrop]

Anyone can figure out you have 25k/year at BU
Also COA seems to be about:
BU - 142k
UT - 187k

Retake and reapply, texas at sticker (even instate) is pricey.

Where did you find those numbers? I was going by what was posted on the school website.

Per year COA UT:53k BU:38k (63k-25k) (Values from websites tuition/fees+cost of living
Plug into georgetown calculator : http://www.law.georgetown.edu/admission ... geid=61621

[TheNextAmendment]

Anyone can figure out you have 25k/year at BU
Also COA seems to be about:
BU - 142k
UT - 187k

Retake and reapply, texas at sticker (even instate) is pricey.

[empyreanrrv]

OP needs to post real numbers or confirm that the numbers ITT are accurate. If they are, these prices are all too steep. Retake for more money.

[Informative]

If you like Texas and want to work in Texas, I wouldn't consider any of the Boston schools other than Harvard. BC and BU place very well into biglaw (comparable with UT), but they place well in Boston and NYC, not Texas.

[El Principe]

UT

[BigZuck]

COL in Austin is 2K a year more than Boston? I don't believe that...

Anyway, gun to your head: UT. You don't have the ties or desire to work in the Northeast to make any non-Harvard Boston school make sense.

However, I think instate sticker is just too much to pay for UT. That price neccesitates big law and the chance of getting big law out of UT is just not good enough to take that gamble. I hate to say it but if you can't get over the 165 hump you might be better off with a huge scholarship to UH/SMU (does UH even give those?). Right now you're kind of in a no-mans land I think.

[sinfiery]

UT instate here, definitely. I would go at instate sticker to UT too but considering you've only taken once, I would definitely retake again in June and probably even again in October if your in the same boat

[BigZuck]

UT instate here, definitely. I would go at instate sticker to UT too but considering you've only taken once, I would definitely retake again in June and probably even again in October if your in the same boat

What is someone who is 170K in debt going to do if they miss the Texas big law gravy train though? I guess just PAYE their way through life? I think instate sticker is awfully risky.

[sinfiery]

What is someone who is 170K in debt going to do if they miss the Texas big law gravy train though? I guess just PAYE their way through life? I think instate sticker is awfully risky.

Well, it would take roughly top 50% to get biglaw or a clerkship from UT which isn't terrible. Especially at 170k.

From there you can go onto PLSF or PAYE, or maybe some of those small firms.that UT alums are working at might actually be somewhat profitable. Or possibly not all of those business jobs that UT alums go to are minimum wage jobs.

With the only real data available for salary available for biglaw, I think 170k for a 50% chance of that outcome plus all the uncertainty surrounding if the other options UT alums get are really that bad, I would personally take it.

Plus most of these jobs are in Texas where the low taxes and COL will substantially help you repay your loans.

It's not perfect but a risk I would take given all the unknowns.

[Doorkeeper]

Retake and Reapply.