Wisconsin Forum

[Chriz]

I am in the process of studying for the October LSAT. I am obviously going to go for the best score I can get but I am wondering what options I can realistically expect if I want to return to Wisconsin regardless of where I attend. My ideal scenario would obviously be to get money at a top 14 school and then return to Wisconsin with less debt. The next best scenario would obviously be UW with money but from what I have found on TLS it doesn't seem that they really give out money to people already eligible for in-state tuition. The next best scenario I would figure to be getting full ride to Marquette since despite it's bad rankings I believe it has a good alumni network in the Milwaukee area.

I guess what I am wondering is what sort of score should I be shooting for to get the best options. I have a 3.49 GPA, and my previous LSAT score was a 160. It is far from October but I already feel like I am improving. What sort of score would get me the best options to return to Wisconsin and where would those be? Chicago would obviously be a good place to try to return to Wisconsin from but I wonder if my GPA wouldn't make that impossible. So maybe Northwestern or Michigan if I could get some money? I am just curious so as October approaches I can sort of feel out where I am score-wise and try to figure out where I might consider applying. I guess my worst-worst-worst case scenario would be shooting for at least a 163 and paying full in-state tuition at UW. If I could score well enough I would consider Chicago since it would still allow me to be close enough to see all my friends and family that live in Wisconsin. Any advice?

[jbagelboy]

of the T14 schools, you're on the money with NU and Michigan for employment in WI. NU is a better bet with sub-median GPA, just score 170+. Of the regional schools, U Minnesota and UW should be your top considerations, maybe Iowa if you don't score so hot. For either, only attend with a significant discount. If you hit 167, UMN will throw a bunch of money at you (if last cycle is anything like this cycle), potentially more than UW.

I guess my worst-worst-worst case scenario would be shooting for at least a 163 and paying full in-state tuition at UW. If I could score well enough I would consider Chicago since it would still allow me to be close enough to see all my friends and family that live in Wisconsin. Any advice?

don't do the first bolded, and don't hinge your prospects on the second. Do you mean UChicago here? I don't think that is worth it for you just to get a job in Milwaukee. With a 3.49 you couldn't hope for much $ from them, and given your regional goals I'd take Mich with $$ or UW full ride over UChicago.

also don't go to marquette. strong boomer alumni network =/= getting a job ITE

advice: study hard on LSAT, apply to UW/UMN/NU/Mich/Iowa

[Chriz]

Thanks. I wanted to get it down to 4 or 5 schools to consider applying to since I am very poor and LSAC sucks for its standards to get a fee waiver. By the Chicago thing, I meant that if by some miracle I scored very well and was able to get into some school I never thought possible like Chicago I'd consider working in Chicago if I had to though I'd prefer Wisconsin. Since I want to be in Wisconsin would much lower cost be better than going to a top school? If I could pay much less at UW or MN vs close to sticker at Michigan or NW?

[jbagelboy]

Thanks. I wanted to get it down to 4 or 5 schools to consider applying to since I am very poor and LSAC sucks for its standards to get a fee waiver. By the Chicago thing, I meant that if by some miracle I scored very well and was able to get into some school I never thought possible like Chicago I'd consider working in Chicago if I had to though I'd prefer Wisconsin. Since I want to be in Wisconsin would much lower cost be better than going to a top school? If I could pay much less at UW or MN vs close to sticker at Michigan or NW?

Exactly. If you can go to UW or UMN for under $100K including CoL, that is better than paying upwards of $200K for Mich or NU just to go back to Wisconsin. Also, why would you go to Chicago and work Chi biglaw for 5 years to pay off debts JUST to go back to Wisconsin after?

As for free waivers, if you score 170+ on the LSAT, you will get fee waivers** to all of these schools and more. Then its just the $21 fee per school for your transcripts ect. This is totally worth it. In fact, definitely apply a little more broadly to some peer schools, since you want as much leverage in the scholarship process as possible. Apply to a few peers such as WUSTL, GWU, Vandy, ect. so you can negotiate offers in the spring. Even if you wouldn't attend these schools, you'll regret it if you have nothing to work with. You might pay an extra $80 in application fees, but save tens of thousands of dollars long term.

ETA: **these are MERIT waivers, not need based. Sign up for Credential Assembly Service when you take your LSAT and these will start flying in via email right after you get your score. You won't need to apply for anything extra, when you submit your application, you'll see the fee is waived.

[Chriz]

Thank you so much for the advice. Now that the hard part of deciding where to apply is over I just need to focus on the easy part of doing very well on the LSAT, lol.

[JollyGreenGiant]

OP, I was exactly in your position prior to law school and I'm going to graduate in a couple weeks. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions and I can get back to you after finals.

To answer your question, aim for the highest LSAT score you can possibly get. Don't limit your standards to a specific number.

Exactly. If you can go to UW or UMN for under $100K including CoL, that is better than paying upwards of $200K for Mich or NU just to go back to Wisconsin. Also, why would you go to Chicago and work Chi biglaw for 5 years to pay off debts JUST to go back to Wisconsin after?

I disagree with this. Michigan is worth at least $100k more than Wisconsin/Minnesota, IMO, if you want biglaw. Wisconsin biglaw is not easy to break into, and people from the T14 with ties to Wisco definitely have advantages. From what I know, Madison and Marquette did pretty abysmal for NLJ 250 firms.

[Chriz]

I guess I will just have to wait it out and see what I get on the LSAT. There is obviously no guarantee I will do a lot better. I think that with 6 months+ of preparing though I will at least no for sure that I have maxed out my score and there will be no wondering about if I could have done a lot better but was holding myself back. If money was not a factor at all I would go to Madison over anywhere else. I know the city and the area very well and have always lived less than an hour away. Obviously financial considerations will come into play and I guess I will have to figure something out.

[jbagelboy]

OP, I was exactly in your position prior to law school and I'm going to graduate in a couple weeks. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions and I can get back to you after finals.

To answer your question, aim for the highest LSAT score you can possibly get. Don't limit your standards to a specific number.

Exactly. If you can go to UW or UMN for under $100K including CoL, that is better than paying upwards of $200K for Mich or NU just to go back to Wisconsin. Also, why would you go to Chicago and work Chi biglaw for 5 years to pay off debts JUST to go back to Wisconsin after?

I disagree with this. Michigan is worth at least $100k more than Wisconsin/Minnesota, IMO, if you want biglaw. Wisconsin biglaw is not easy to break into, and people from the T14 with ties to Wisco definitely have advantages. From what I know, Madison and Marquette did pretty abysmal for NLJ 250 firms.

I agree -- at 100k UW vs 200k Mich I would take Michigan. But look at OPs stats.. He/ she will probably be lucky with sticker at Michigan v near full ride at UW or UMN. Given his preferences thats a clear winner IMO, esp since Mich numbers havent been stellar either. Were not talking about Stanford here.

Also agreed Marquette is a non starter.

OP, curious why you would say UW if money werent a factor. UW will likely be your cheap option compared to any T14. Its a respectable Midwestern UG, but for law school you're looking at ~60% shot at legal employment and 11% lucrative employment - while a full ride ther might be your best option, aim higher for the time being.

[Chriz]

What I meant was that if I could go to law school without any debt I would much rather go to UW than any other schools. I guess technically I'd rather go to Yale, Harvard, Standford or even Chicago but I eliminated them based on my stats. I guess between Michigan and UW I'd go to Michigan if it were free too so I guess I really meant all else being the same between any non T14 school I would rather go to UW since Im familiar with it, it's in my home-state, and what not.

[Chriz]

I have gotten the impression that it would be hard to get a near full-ride at UW. Does anyone know anything more specific about UW scholarship information. All of the information I have heard is that they are very stingy with it and most of it is used for OOS applicants to bring the cost down to an in-state level and that it would be hard to get much if in-state. If I could get a decent scholarship that would bring down the cost of UW that would be amazing.