Top Law Schools

I got accepted to DePaul with 8K per year (I keep it as long as I am enrolled full-time). I got accepted to Chicago-Kent but with no scholarships. I've been researching both options quite heavily, but I'm still conflicted.

I plan on living at home and commuting (I live right by the Metra) to save cost and have a family who is willing to support me financially, and I plan on working part-time (which is already secured). So I'm in a situation where I can realistically graduate from law school with low debt. But 8K per year would be helpful.

DePaul has recently fallen into the third tier whereas Kent is still second tier. I'm hoping to go JAG afterwards. But perhaps after that, I'm hoping to go into either health law or criminal law.

I personally think Kent is the better school, but I'm trying to decide whether it's good enough (in comparison to DePaul) to turn down some scholarship money.

I suppose another way to look at it: Tier 2 w/ no scholarship vs. Tier 3 w/some scholarship.

Some thoughts on this would be helpful.

Kent 2011 grad here. For both schools, you need to be at the top of your class for a shot at big law, and even then it can be hit or miss. Personally, I would choose neither. The schools are only worth it if you can get a full ride.

EDIT: only worth it if free and you can graduate top 10%. Personally, my thoughts, and they are controversial, is that if you are above 75% for both GPA and LSAT, you are better positioned for success. Still no guarantees though, some people well underperform their numbers and some do way way better.

JAG is competitive but as far as the prestige of the school, they really don't care too much. Both schools have a few military course offerings and I know DePaul has an aviation program so that may be helpful with JAG, especially AF JAG.

Honestly both schools you do need stellar grades at a shot with big law. Honestly I think Kent is a better school, but really it's completely up to you.

And if you do get into JAG, the experience that you gain will be sufficient for a career outside regardless of what size firm/practice you want to go into.

Regardless of which school you choose, you must get some kick ass grades for either private practice/JAG.

Giddy-Up wrote:Kent 2011 grad here. For both schools, you need to be at the top of your class for a shot at big law, and even then it can be hit or miss. Personally, I would choose neither. The schools are only worth it if you can get a full ride.

How did you do post-graduation, if you don't mind? Kent is one of my options & I got a hefty scholarship. I won't go if I get into either UChicago (pending) or NU (hold.)

Either of these schools at the stated prices would be a shockingly bad investment. DePaul places less than 40% of grads into jobs as actual attorneys. Kent manages to place just a little more than half of its grads into the same.

Things worked out well for me, but I was lucky. Top 5% after 1st year and top 1% at graduation. I took the full ride over better schools and graduated debt free. I work for the Feds right now, pretty interesting job. My plan was to drop out at the end of 1L if I was not top 10% at the end of 1L, hopefully I would have had the guts to go through with it. I think you get a solid education from Kent. I have never felt outclassed by my peers from far better schools, but that doesn't really matter too much. I will always have to fight a bit harder to prove myself than if I had picked a T14 school.

How much debt?

zckim5 wrote: I suppose another way to look at it: Tier 2 w/ no scholarship vs. Tier 3 w/some scholarship.

USNWRankings are arbitrary and irrelevant. The T2/3 distinction should have no influence on your decision.

Neither school is worth anything close to what you would be paying in tuition. I would link you to their LST pages if i was at a computer

Your best option by far is to retake the lsat.

timbs4339 wrote:How much debt?

Less than 50K debt for sure, no matter which of these two schools I go to. I plan on working part-time while being a student, which should alleviate the potential debt even more.

zckim5 wrote:

timbs4339 wrote:How much debt?

Less than 50K debt for sure, no matter which of these two schools I go to. I plan on working part-time while being a student, which should alleviate the potential debt even more.

based on lsn, it doesn't look like Kent has released scholarship info yet.

Based on last year, if you scored or could score in the 160s, theyll probably offer you 30-60k.