Top Law Schools

Cornell just accepted me off reserve, which means my decision suddenly got a bit harder. I've got a trust fund I can access for about 200k worth of educational expenses, but that won't completely cover GWU or especially Cornell. However, it will allow me to delay taking loans until the final year, which means less interest. I don't really like the idea of going into debt, but I'm thinking that it might be my best move.

I'd like to work in New York or especially DC, though I have friends working or studying in all three locations, so that consideration is only moderately important. However, I am a bit worried I wouldn't mesh with ASU's or GW's culture because I'm a bit quieter and nerdier than I hear their student bodies generally are, whereas my friends at Cornell indicate I'd fit in quite nicely there.

Anyone have insights to add to this calculus?

Quiet and nerdy? Yes, please join us at Cornell.

ASU isn't going to get you to NYC or DC and Cornell is definitely worth the extra expense over GW. And you're still going to graduate with less debt than the vast majority of the class.

Lavitz wrote:Quiet and nerdy? Yes, please join us at Cornell.

ASU isn't going to get you to NYC or DC and Cornell is definitely worth the extra expense over GW. And you're still going to graduate with less debt than the vast majority of the class.

Thanks! It's nice to hear from someone else at Cornell. My friends aren't involved with the law program (bioinformatics actually), though they know a few in it, so hearing from an actual law student helps. As for the location logic, you're confirming what I suspected.

If the trust fund is for education, may as well use it and go to Cornell. It easily fits your goals best. GW should be out, with ASU the most risk adverse option. However, I don't think this is a close call.
ETA: if the trust fund can be used for non-education, than retaking is the better move.

ImNoScar wrote:If the trust fund is for education, may as well use it and go to Cornell. It easily fits your goals best. GW should be out, with ASU the most risk adverse option. However, I don't think this is a close call.
ETA: if the trust fund can be used for non-education, than retaking is the better move.

I can't access it until I'm 40 unless I use it for education, and since it's invested in a very risk averse manner, as long as spending it now will earn me 200-300k more by the time I'm 40 than I would earn otherwise, it makes sense. As for retaking, my GPA is the limiting factor, not my LSAT (3.32/167). I'm sure I could do better on the LSAT since I only studied for just over an hour, and basically took it on a whim junior year, but I'm not sure it would make much difference.

Mentally_AFK wrote:Thanks! It's nice to hear from someone else at Cornell. My friends aren't involved with the law program (bioinformatics actually), though they know a few in it, so hearing from an actual law student helps. As for the location logic, you're confirming what I suspected.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves I'm not a law student yet; I'll be in your class.

Based on my impressions, I think you'll be comfortable there, though I can't speak to GW or ASU.

Mentally_AFK wrote:

ImNoScar wrote:If the trust fund is for education, may as well use it and go to Cornell. It easily fits your goals best. GW should be out, with ASU the most risk adverse option. However, I don't think this is a close call.
ETA: if the trust fund can be used for non-education, than retaking is the better move.

I can't access it until I'm 40 unless I use it for education, and since it's invested in a very risk averse manner, as long as spending it now will earn me 200-300k more by the time I'm 40 than I would earn otherwise, it makes sense. As for retaking, my GPA is the limiting factor, not my LSAT (3.32/167). I'm sure I could do better on the LSAT since I only studied for just over an hour, and basically took it on a whim junior year, but I'm not sure it would make much difference.

You could easily improve, as you recognize. However, with the limitation, I would go Cornell or retake. The other schools are basically non-options.
Edit: I am at Cornell if you have questions.

ImNoScar wrote:

Mentally_AFK wrote:

ImNoScar wrote:If the trust fund is for education, may as well use it and go to Cornell. It easily fits your goals best. GW should be out, with ASU the most risk adverse option. However, I don't think this is a close call.
ETA: if the trust fund can be used for non-education, than retaking is the better move.

I can't access it until I'm 40 unless I use it for education, and since it's invested in a very risk averse manner, as long as spending it now will earn me 200-300k more by the time I'm 40 than I would earn otherwise, it makes sense. As for retaking, my GPA is the limiting factor, not my LSAT (3.32/167). I'm sure I could do better on the LSAT since I only studied for just over an hour, and basically took it on a whim junior year, but I'm not sure it would make much difference.

You could easily improve, as you recognize. However, with the limitation, I would go Cornell or retake. The other schools are basically non-options.
Edit: I am at Cornell if you have questions.

Thanks! I've already taken a gap year (working on the Obama campaign at first, now at a chemicals start up), and frankly I can't wait to get out of the lab and back into something that lets me write and debate, rather than pipette and wait, so I don't think I'll be retaking.

Anyway, I can't think of any questions for the moment but thanks for the offer!

GW and ASU should not even be considered if you want NYC or DC.

The only decision here is between Cornell and retake/reapply.

200 or 300k more than how much? How much will Cornell cost total?

Are you interested in IP with your biotech background?

I'm not sold on this calculation of law school being better than not using your trust fund . I had my education paid for by an educational trust but I was very conservative as I got significant scholarship at CCN and lived at home.

Don't be so quick to spend money you can't replace.

Edit/ can you please post the total cost in the poll? Many of us don't know how much Cornell at sticker will cost.

NYstate wrote: Are you interested in IP with your biotech background?

Yes, somewhat, though I'm not completely certain. Also, my education is indeed biotech, but my current work is actually in petrochemicals.

As for the rest, I'll include it presently.

Cornell at 72k is a steal, dude. With that said, if you wait and retake, you can save your trust fund for retirement or a house later.

If you didn't study that much for the first retake, I'm confident you can get 170+ and get $$$ at Cornell or other lower T14s.

What are your numbers? The right answer is probably retake and reapply

EDIT: just saw your numbers.

You are right that your GPA will limit you. But with money not a real issue, you could retake and ED Columbia or NYU for a better shot at biglaw.

Have not looked at LSN for your particular numbers, but I have a feeling that GPA is going to limit OP to around 30-45k in scholly $$$ in the T-14 regardless of what he scores (unless he goes uber splitter like 3.32/175 or something). That'd being said, I'd do some research on LSN, and if the scholly $$$ isn't enough for you to justify waiting a year, go to Cornell now.

Cornell for $72k out of your own pocket isn't a bad deal. Enjoy Ithaca.

If you really studied for 1 hour and got a 167, retake the LSAT you insane person.


Odds are a 172+ should be easy to get.
http://www.mylsn.info/z9nwvm


Apply widely and hope for t14 $$ or ED at UChi/NYU with Penn as a backup ED

sinfiery wrote:If you really studied for 1 hour and got a 167, retake the LSAT you insane person.


Odds are a 172+ should be easy to get.
http://www.mylsn.info/z9nwvm


Apply widely and hope for t14 $$ or ED at UChi/NYU with Penn as a backup ED

The problem with this is the need to wait a year, and to find a job and housing while doing so. Given that I'm absolutely disgusted with the sciences and that's all I'm qualified to work in right now, that would be a pretty depressing year. Plus, I'd really, really like to graduate in time to sign on with a campaign for the 2016 general if I decide to go into election law (the way I'm leaning).

Election law huh...It has never been more apparent that you are either

A) someone who has just recently graduated undergrad with no real life experience and isn't really sure what they want to do with their lives

Or
B) someone whose been vastly successful in the real world in a professional manner and is going to law school to get into a very specific niche law field and is likely a very powerful person with very powerful friends


If you are A, take the time off, retake, have some fun, and mature as a person


If you are B, I bask in your glory and dare not second guess your choice to attend as you wish

PRgradBYU wrote:Cornell for $72k out of your own pocket isn't a bad deal. Enjoy Ithaca.

This is completely wrong. He will be paying for the whole thing. The money from his trust does not have to be used for education. He will have access to it at age 40. He could easily benefit from having this money in the bank to provide for his future family.

Honestly, it isn't so easy to replace money once it has been spent.

OP if you didn't have this trust, would you borrow sticker? You should retake and see what scholarships you can get.

If you want to work on a campaign in 2016, you will be able to swing it.

At 77,000 your monthly loan payment is just under $900 a month.

Edit to add: OP how committed are you to law and law school? You took the LSAT as an after thought and now you just want out of the lab. Do you know anything about practicing law? What do you think election law entails?

Cornell over the others. Your gpa is low, but a retake could still net you more $$. Depends on when you want to own your first home and if you want your first kid in private elementary school or local public. Those are the expenses you will miss out on and not recover by applying the trust towards tuition. Everything else is a wash.

P.S. if you have 200K, CoA w/o interest is probably around that 220K.~270K is including interest on borrowing sticker. So your hardly in the hole at all (unless I read this wrong).

jbagelboy wrote:P.S. if you have 200K, CoA w/o interest is probably around that 220K.~270K is including interest on borrowing sticker. So your hardly in the hole at all (unless I read this wrong).

Right.

Cornell should only cost 272K if you factor in interest on the loans. The academic year budget is around 78K. Even if it increases, it should be around 80K / year on average. So that's 240K. You would only need to take out about 40K to finance the last year and the interest on that should mean you graduate with about 45K in debt. This assumes your summer jobs will cover your expenses for those periods.

Lavitz wrote:

jbagelboy wrote:P.S. if you have 200K, CoA w/o interest is probably around that 220K.~270K is including interest on borrowing sticker. So your hardly in the hole at all (unless I read this wrong).

Right.

Cornell should only cost 272K if you factor in interest on the loans. The academic year budget is around 78K. Even if it increases, it should be around 80K / year on average. So that's 240K. You would only need to take out about 40K to finance the last year and the interest on that should mean you graduate with about 45K in debt. This assumes your summer jobs will cover your expenses for those periods.

Yea, well Lav I may have mildly understated, but do you really think Cornell coa will be pushing 80K? I think the CoL estimates are way overblown. Living in Ithica is just not that expensive. Realistically if OP lives a conservative lifestyle and landed summer jobs, I would be surprised if he had over 30K debt at graduation

jbagelboy wrote:Yea, well Lav I may have mildly understated, but do you really think Cornell coa will be pushing 80K? I think the CoL estimates are way overblown. Living in Ithaca is just not that expensive. Realistically if OP lives a conservative lifestyle and landed summer jobs, I would be surprised if he had over 30K debt at graduation

You're right, I forgot to mention that it's entirely possible to come in under budget. It depends on your spending habits. Some complexes like collegetown terrace are pricey, but some students think it's worth it. So I prefer to give conservative estimates. Especially if OP can put some of the 2L SA earnings towards school expenses, total debt should be under 40K. And if you want to pinch pennies, you could probably get away with taking out only 20K the last year.