Loyola $$ vs. Davis slightly less $$ Forum

[mcs268]

My two law school choices at this point are Loyola and Davis. Before the options were equal and I picked Davis, but now Loyola changed my offer. It will cost me ~14,000 less than Davis ($108,000 total debt for Loyola). Yes, I know this is not a good idea, but I am choosing one or the other, so please don't resort to the other conversation (you know what i mean).

My main factor is big law. Davis has about 11.9% big law, Loyola about 10%. However, I would also want stats to allow me to get a job regardless. Davis has 60.4 overall employment to Loyola's 41.1%. So this is where it gets complicated..but davis has less students, so the actual number comes out less. Thus, even the big law percentage difference may be misleading.

Thoughts? My main confusion is whether I should view the big law percent or actual number as a better indication of prospects.

I know this conversation has been done to the death, but i don't think people have actually gone into the actual percentages/numbers.

[bk1]

Percentages are what matter. Not sure why you'd think the percentages were misleading.

That said, neither Davis nor Loyola are worth over 100k debt.

[Dr. Dre]

neither Davis nor Loyola are worth over 100k debt.

[Meepo]

if you want socal, go to loyola, if you want norcal, go to davis

[hephaestus]

If you truly want big law the answer is neither. I know it's not ideal to wait a year but don't go to either school. You're talking a 1k+ a month student loan bill for a 60% chance of being an attorney.

[untar614]

if you want to most likely be unemployed in socal, go to loyola, if you want to have 7 figures of debt and still not great employment prospects for that debt level in norcal, go to davis

FTFY

Loyola LA isn't worth going to for free. Davis can be ok if you don't have biglaw aspirations, but that means you also can't have biglaw-type debt. 75k max is what you should take out for a place like Davis given their employment prospects

[Micdiddy]

If you don't want this to become a "retake or don't go" thread then just don't make the thread. Why would we advise you to do one incredibly stupid thing over another? Anyone who gives you advice on choosing which school cannot be giving honest advice, because the only honest advice is "retake or don't go."
(Diagram that LSAT students)

[romothesavior]

Percentages are what matter. Not sure why you'd think the percentages were misleading.

That said, neither Davis nor Loyola are worth over 100k debt.

+1 to all of this. I didn't understand the percentages comment either.

[PRgradBYU]

Neither school is conducive to landing Big Law... it's impossible to know with certainty that you'll end up in the top 10-12% of your class.

if you want socal, go to loyola, if you want norcal, go to davis

This is awful advice.

[Rahviveh]

This was posted on UCD's blog a few weeks ago and has some "raw data" if you are interested.:

http://kinghallbudget.blogspot.com/2013 ... urvey.html

Only 98 students responded to a survey for 3L's (half the class), and of those, 25 students reported jobs paying over $70,000, and 38 reported having employment period. IF you assume the proportions are equal for non-respondents - which is a huge stretch - then about a quarter of the class have $70k+ jobs, and less than half have employment at graduation.

[Danteshek]

You need to readjust your expectations.

Having said that, I'm happy to talk with you about Loyola.

c/o 2012

[boblawlob]

I'm not in the "retake or don't go to law school" camp because for some people it's their best chance at a good career. (emphasis on chance)

Having said that, it seems as though you are currently a senior at Cornell atm (from your post history). If you have only taken the LSAT once or twice, I IMPLORE YOU to retake it. You're still in college and so there's no pressure to jump to law school right away. If you don't retake it, then you are just taking the easy way out and that's the wrong attitude to have going into the legal profession (imo).

Something to consider: Loyola does have stipulations attached to the scholarship so one would have to ask themselves if the 14k difference outweighs the risk of losing it.

Personally, I was looking at Davis as a last resort school walking out of my 3rd LSAT take. This goes against TLS mantra or w.e, but I was just at a point where I just about had it with shooting for T14. But again, that was only after a 3rd take and I would go on to take it a 4th time to improve my numbers/scholarship opportunities.

Seriously, go retake the LSAT. You're still in college (or just graduated?). There's plenty of time.

[jbagelboy]

Neither school is conducive to landing Big Law... it's impossible to know with certainty that you'll end up in the top 10-12% of your class.

if you want socal, go to loyola, if you want norcal, go to davis

This is awful advice.

remember meepo isn't a real poster