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Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 3:56 pm
by MKC
All right TLS, help me decide. I have a few options, none of which is objectively retarded, besides perhaps BU for geographic reasons.
Relevant information:
1) I intend to practice in Kansas City.
2) I want what counts for Biglaw in the Midwest.
3) Wife works at decent job. Wife can keep job in any market because company will allow telecommuting. Basically, I can ignore room and board for debt purposes.
4) I would like the option to move to a different part of the country at some point, though not immediately. Options are better than no options.
Bring the wisdom, internet strangers.
BTW, can someone please explain what $ vs. $$ vs. $$$ vs. $$$$ means? Is $ 25%? I've never been clear on this.
KU = 9.7% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $55,000)
WUST = 26.6% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $105,000)
ND = 31.6% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $87,500)
Emory = $29% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $90,000)
Relevant cost of attendance:
Emory: $89K
KU: $3K (books)
WUSTL: $82K
ND: $91K
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:08 pm
by bananapeanutbutter
MarkinKansasCity wrote:All right TLS, help me decide. I have a few options, none of which is objectively retarded, besides perhaps BU for geographic reasons.
Relevant information:
1) I intend to practice in Kansas City.
2) I want what counts for Biglaw in the Midwest.
3) Wife works at decent job. Wife can keep job in any market because company will allow telecommuting. Basically, I can ignore room and board for debt purposes.
4) I would like the option to move to a different part of the country at some point, though not immediately. Options are better than no options.
Bring the wisdom, internet strangers.
Big Law from all of these isn't great, and KU for free isn't a bad move for you. It likely won't lead to big law, but if your goal is the best financial situation, it's the clear choice. WUSTL is still expensive. I guess if you realistically expect to be top 25% and will bring it 7 days a week, it isn't blatantly dumb. The others are.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:10 pm
by northwood
id go wih KU.. its really down to KU WUSTL, and ND( barely) What are the stips for KU? if its just remain in good standing then take it and run. Personally, for me, the more you can do to lower your debt, the better.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:11 pm
by gaud
Biglaw not so good from any of those schools.
If I were you, I'd choose between KU and WUSTL. What would total cost at WUSTL be if we're ignoring room & board?
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:12 pm
by MKC
gaud wrote:Biglaw not so good from any of those schools.
If I were you, I'd choose between KU and WUSTL. What would total cost at WUSTL be if we're ignoring room & board?
half scholly.
72k tuition + books + interest + tuition increases.
So, ~90-100k
All scholarships require only good standing.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:14 pm
by gaud
And KU would basically be $0?
ETA: full scholly + wife paying for living?
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:15 pm
by MKC
gaud wrote:And KU would basically be $0?
ETA: full scholly + wife paying for living?
Yes.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:20 pm
by gaud
I'd be hard-pressed to take out $100k in debt when I could have roughly the same thing for free.
You're already there so I'm assuming you know people and can hustle/network like crazy. Also, there will be a lot less pressure when it comes time to find a job w/o that price tag hanging over your head.
If it were me, I'd go KU but I could see making WUSTL work too (it would certainly give you a better shot at getting Midwest BigLawl and the option to work somewhere in a different part of the country)
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:22 pm
by rwhyAn
KU, and use the money that you won't have to pay back to buy your wife something nice for supporting your broke ass through school and for a down payment on a house. Otherwise, you'd probably be looking at monthly student loan payments between $700 and $1000. Imagine how nice it would be to be able to pocket that money instead of paying it back.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:34 pm
by timbs4339
I voted KU, since WUSTL's biglaw prospects are too low to justify what will end up being $1000+ monthly loan payments for 10 years.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:34 pm
by MKC
rwhyAn wrote:KU, and use the money that you won't have to pay back to buy your wife something nice for supporting your broke ass through school and for a down payment on a house. Otherwise, you'd probably be looking at monthly student loan payments between $700 and $1000. Imagine how nice it would be to be able to pocket that money instead of paying it back.
KU = 9.7% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $55,000)
WUST = 26.6% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $105,000)
ND = 31.6% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $87,500)
Emory = $29% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $90,000)
These numbers suggest $100k might be reasonable. I'm still considering my options though.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:38 pm
by timbs4339
MarkinKansasCity wrote:rwhyAn wrote:KU, and use the money that you won't have to pay back to buy your wife something nice for supporting your broke ass through school and for a down payment on a house. Otherwise, you'd probably be looking at monthly student loan payments between $700 and $1000. Imagine how nice it would be to be able to pocket that money instead of paying it back.
KU = 9.7% getting biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $55,000)
WUST = 26.6% getting biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $105,000)
ND = 31.6% get biglaw or clerkship (MPPSS = $87,500)
These numbers suggest $100k might be reasonable. I'm still considering my options though.
And you were doing so well too.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:43 pm
by Gunnar Stahl
timbs4339 wrote:I voted KU, since WUSTL's biglaw prospects are too low to justify what will end up being $1000+ monthly loan payments for 10 years.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:51 pm
by northwood
TAKEHE MONEY.. it will lower the stress levels by a gazillion come exam time
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:57 pm
by boblawlob
What does Notre Dame at 60k mean? 60k in total scholarship or 60k in total tuition?
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:58 pm
by MKC
boblawlob wrote:What does Notre Dame at 60k mean? 60k in total scholarship or 60k in total tuition?
60k in total scholarship
Sorry for leaving that horribly ambiguous.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:59 pm
by bearjew
Rock Chalk Jayhawk brother.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:11 pm
by PRgradBYU
MarkinKansasCity wrote:gaud wrote:And KU would basically be $0?
ETA: full scholly + wife paying for living?
Yes.
There's your answer. I'd go with KU, although conventional TLS wisdom would tell you to retake.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:18 pm
by boblawlob
I voted WUSTL.
KU will limit you to just 2 states (Kansas and Missouri). WUSTL will open up the entire Midwest I'm assuming (what do I know).
If you aren't magna cum laude at KU, might as well say good bye to biglaw because only 13 ppl from KU get Biglaw. With WUSTL, ~4x that number (44) go to a firm that has more than 500 attorneys (that's not counting those in firms that are 100-500 in size).
TLS will say take KU because it's free. But I think WUSTL will be worth it in the long run.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:22 pm
by hephaestus
Ghost93 wrote:timbs4339 wrote:I voted KU, since WUSTL's biglaw prospects are too low to justify what will end up being $1000+ monthly loan payments for 10 years.
This. While there is a much better chance big law will work out from WUSTL, there's still a 70 percent chance it doesn't. Go to KU.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:31 pm
by Robespierre
Get some work experience if you don't have it already. Retake in the meantime and get your LSAT up from 166 to 172. Hope for Northwestern or Michigan.
If that's not possible, KU. WUSTL's 26% biglaw/fedclerk rate is not worth 100K in debt.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:32 pm
by northwood
ImNoScar wrote:
This. While there is a much better chance big law will work out from WUSTL, there's still a 70 percent chance it doesn't. Go to KU.
THIS. Plus, there is no guarantee that you will work at biglaw long enough to pay off your debt... Its easier to start saving when you don't have student loan bills to pay first .
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:38 pm
by laxbrah420
It's pretty goofy to say that if a school places 30% in a job, then you have a 70% chance of not getting that job
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:16 pm
by Cellar-door
ImNoScar wrote:Ghost93 wrote:timbs4339 wrote:I voted KU, since WUSTL's biglaw prospects are too low to justify what will end up being $1000+ monthly loan payments for 10 years.
This. While there is a much better chance big law will work out from WUSTL, there's still a 70 percent chance it doesn't. Go to KU.
Not really true, that makes the erroneous assumption that everyone at a school is applying for big law jobs which they aren't.
However yeah I'm not sure $100,000 for the amount they place is worth it, especially if he is locked into KC.
Re: Help MarkinKansasCity choose a law school - Round 2
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 11:26 pm
by sublime
..