Top Law Schools

Trying to get all the input I can before a choice is make. Not for me but a friend....Thanks for the input!

Goals:To practice in NC with flexibility to go up/down east coast (DC?). Large Private/Litigation firm.

Wake for ~50k total vs. UNC as an out of state student, no money yet from the school coming off of the wait list. (~80k if granted instate after the first year, ~120k if out of state for 3 years).

There seems to be a very big difference in mean pay out of school for private sector (117K UNC vs 85k Wake) real difference or based off of firm size/markets?
Wake seems to be expanding some, any concern with this hurting their rep. over time?
Is the cost difference worth the advantage UNC would give?

Thanks for the input!

Edit: actually please be more specific: is "Wake 50k total" a total COA over three years? Total scholarship? Or total tuition over three years? Also, LSAT/gpa?

Wake at 50K is not the worst decision in the world. If you really want to live in NC and are OK with not getting Biglaw (which you probably won't), then I would say Wake. I just can't see paying 30K-70K more for UNC (although going to school in Chapel Hill is much more enticing then going to school in W-S).

50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

What's the total COA at Wake?

Neither of these schools is going to give your friend any real flexibility to go up and down the East Coast. He/she will virtually be forced to practice in NC.

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

LSAT/gpa?

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

Is this a typo, or is this your decision, not your friend's?

valrath wrote:

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

Is this a typo, or is this your decision, not your friend's?

You mean to tell me someone pretended to ask a question for a friend when they were really asking for themselves the whole time? The nerve! The humanity!

Micdiddy wrote:

valrath wrote:

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

Is this a typo, or is this your decision, not your friend's?

You mean to tell me someone pretended to ask a question for a friend when they were really asking for themselves the whole time? The nerve! The humanity!

Creative way of avoiding retake advice.

ImNoScar wrote:

Micdiddy wrote:

valrath wrote:

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

Is this a typo, or is this your decision, not your friend's?

You mean to tell me someone pretended to ask a question for a friend when they were really asking for themselves the whole time? The nerve! The humanity!

Creative way of avoiding retake advice.

Not really all that creative. it's basically the oldest advice trick in the book.

Doorkeeper wrote:Neither of these schools is going to give your friend any real flexibility to go up and down the East Coast. He/she will virtually be forced to practice in NC.

If I'm reading it right, "friend" is not a NC resident so lack of ties might be an issue.

OP, I see potential trouble on the horizon for your "friend." I'm guessing retake and enjoy Duke is the right move here.

Micdiddy wrote:

valrath wrote:

Jctrevor wrote:50k total tuition.

COA also comes into some play with wake being 10k-20k cheaper over the 3 years for me due to some housing differencing being looked at.

Is this a typo, or is this your decision, not your friend's?

You mean to tell me someone pretended to ask a question for a friend when they were really asking for themselves the whole time? The nerve! The humanity!

You guys are so cynical. Maybe the OP is just being a good "friend" and paying for his "friend's" "living costs" while in "school."

WOW this went down hill fast....was hoping for a little info little less flame..but maybe the "top-law-school" wasn't the right spot since these are both not top law schools I GET IT.

To feed/answer the people above with the sad hope of getting a real answer:
- Actually yes I am paying cost of living...buying a house in wake vs renting in Chapel Hill due to cost difference...

- Replace friend with fiancee if that helps anyone....so her first choice was UNC, got Wait listed then got in ...which she likes more and I like the area more but the cost difference is scary considering we will have 0 debt right now.

- She already did a retake which moved her score from 161 to 164 or 165? IDK she did better...GPA is ~3.4-3.5?? again her ballpark numbers.

- The east coast thing is because my job has me all over the place but mostly on the east coast and NOT in NC. Not looking big city/ BigLAW just if she need to retake the bar/find a job in a different state.

I didn't see much difference between the schools except for what I had asked about above besides cost. I know both area's well having lived in them at some point the last 5 years.

Just need law school info please...thanks!

She should absolutely retake again.

Some serious studying/a tutor and another couple points on another retake could change your fiancee's life and give her a good shot if she EDs at UVA (guaranteed an answer in fifteen days, so you can ED again if it doesn't work out) or Duke. That's a better option than anything else, IMO.

Definitely retake. I know at least one TLSer (let's call him my "friend") who got a 161 the first time and was considering schools of this ilk, then he retook twice and ended up with some phatty cash at Duke. My "friend" has a higher GPA but UVA at the very least is attainable and I think Duke is as well.

These schools aren't going to get her where she wants to go.

Doorkeeper wrote:Neither of these schools is going to give your friend any real flexibility to go up and down the East Coast. He/she will virtually be forced to practice in NC.

Bravo.

The combination of goals (large firm + geographic flexibility) makes both bad choices. It's great that your job is relatively flexible. You should take advantage of that and she should retake and reapply.

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Some serious studying/a tutor and another couple points on another retake could change your fiancee's life and give her a good shot if she EDs at UVA (guaranteed an answer in fifteen days, so you can ED again if it doesn't work out) or Duke. That's a better option than anything else, IMO.

Did Mono just tell someone to retake and ED UVA!?!
I knew you had some of that TLS hivemind inside of you. Wasn't so bad was it?

Micdiddy wrote:

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Some serious studying/a tutor and another couple points on another retake could change your fiancee's life and give her a good shot if she EDs at UVA (guaranteed an answer in fifteen days, so you can ED again if it doesn't work out) or Duke. That's a better option than anything else, IMO.

Did Mono just tell someone to retake and ED UVA!?!
I knew you had some of that TLS hivemind inside of you. Wasn't so bad was it?

Welcome to the chamber Mono! The Echo's fine!

BigZuck wrote:

Micdiddy wrote:

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Some serious studying/a tutor and another couple points on another retake could change your fiancee's life and give her a good shot if she EDs at UVA (guaranteed an answer in fifteen days, so you can ED again if it doesn't work out) or Duke. That's a better option than anything else, IMO.

Did Mono just tell someone to retake and ED UVA!?!
I knew you had some of that TLS hivemind inside of you. Wasn't so bad was it?

Welcome to the chamber Mono! The Echo's fine!

lol

as i predicted

Jctrevor wrote:To feed/answer the people above with the sad hope of getting a real answer:
- Actually yes I am paying cost of living...buying a house in wake vs renting in Chapel Hill due to cost difference...

Bad idea bro. I have a few friends who did this and regret the decision. Unless you know you want to be in W-S after graduation or are okay renting it out for likely less than your mortgage payment, it's not a smart move. Ya houses are cheap here, but there is a reason for that.

I will start by saying I agree that the retaking and really pushing for a better option sounds the best to me. (I already mentioned this to her once and I understand she wants to get started sooner rather then later...) We don't need the income and short term delay could make a big difference in schools/jobs for her.

So basic questions:

With studying/retake she wouldn't apply until next year correct?C/O 2017?
How many times can she take it (1 more?) 3 takes on a test doesn't look odd?
I would think the June test would be too soon to take...so shoot for October? With applications out after the results?
Will this time off really hurt her much if she re-applies next year?

Welcome to TLS