RU Newark vs Seton Hall vs Penn State Forum

[legal-eagle]

Hey future lawyers!!!

I'm new to this site and wanted to get some input from everyone!

Here's my basic info:

Seton Hall
finance and legal studies major
3.7
160

I got into RU Newark with a full scholarship, like textbooks included kinda scholarship! And I live about 30 min away so I'd probably commute from home.. (free law school whaattttt!!) .. 3.0 stip

Also got into Penn State with a $20,000 scholarship (2.75 stip) that is in the process of going up (negotiated with the dean after i got the RU scholarship and she's waiting for my fall 13 transcript before she approves an increase)

and then there's Seton Hall where I got in online and got an email that scholarship info is being mailed to my house and so i'm not sure how much that will be yet.

Which do you think would be the best school and why? I'm working on a bunch of pro-con lists and i'm still waiting for a few more schools but i don't know if I can turn down a full scholly lol. of course not going to make any decisions til i hear back from everyone else but of these 3 what do u guys think?


Also, born and raised in jersey.. i want to practice here and stay here FOREVER =)


thanks in advance for the help

u guys rock!!!

[03152016]

What are your goals? Is there a particular area of law you're interested in?

[legal-eagle]

What are your goals? Is there a particular area of law you're interested in?

i'm not too sure which type of law i want to do yet.. i was thinking something that would get me a federal government job.. also considering environmental for my need to save the planet... then i was thinking i could always do that on the side as i may need to make some money first with my undergrad debt.. lol in conclusion I'm still all over the place and don't quite know yet.. I've been told by lawyers that u usually figure out after ur first year, after u take some classes and see what interests u

[Snowboarder1588]

As long as you don't care about big law, R-Newark for free is a good option.
Although, your 3.7 makes retaking worthwhile. 5-10 more points on the LSAT would have you in great shape. Since you don't really know what you want to do yet, it's important that you go somewhere where you have many options and that will only happen at a better school. Anyways, Retake is number 1 and then R-Newark, that way even if you don't have employment upon graduation, you at least wont have debt which is great. Finally, if that's the route you decide on taking, try to see if they can remove that stip on the scholly for you.

[BigZuck]

I would definitely retake the LSAT. 7+ points higher and you're talking about schools like Cornell being in play (potentially with really solid money).

[legal-eagle]

I would definitely retake the LSAT. 7+ points higher and you're talking about schools like Cornell being in play (potentially with really solid money).

My pre-law advisor said taking it 3 times would look bad so I didn't register for February. Do you think it's too late if i take the June one?

already sent out all my apps last month! would i have to re send them? ahhhh dang! wish i didn't listen to that guy lol

[jk148706]

My pre-law advisor said taking it 3 times would look bad so I didn't register for February.

He/she is wrong. Just wrong.

Retake

[TheSpanishMain]

I would definitely retake the LSAT. 7+ points higher and you're talking about schools like Cornell being in play (potentially with really solid money).

My pre-law advisor said taking it 3 times would look bad so I didn't register for February. Do you think it's too late if i take the June one?

Pre-law advisors are straight retarded. What qualifications do you need to get that job?

Anyway, Rutgers for free is a decent deal if you're okay with staying in New Jersey indefinitely. I'd still retake though. Nothing to lose.

[BigZuck]

I would definitely retake the LSAT. 7+ points higher and you're talking about schools like Cornell being in play (potentially with really solid money).

My pre-law advisor said taking it 3 times would look bad so I didn't register for February. Do you think it's too late if i take the June one?

already sent out all my apps last month! would i have to re send them? ahhhh dang! wish i didn't listen to that guy lol

I retook June a couple years ago, made a similar jump to what I described and then was offered a large scholarship from the school I had comitted to. I withdrew and reapplied to better schools the next fall.

[timbs4339]

There should be a cause of action against your prelaw advisor for giving you such bad advice.

Outside of Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, law schools do not average LSAT. There is no drawback for them to consider only your highest score, because that is the only one they have to report to USNWR. To average scores would put them at a huge disadvantage in the rankings race, and I have no idea why your advisor said something so stupid.

[rickgrimes69]

I say take the easy money at RU-N. A free JD from the flagship school in the state you want to work in sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me. And as a born 'n raised Jersey kid, you might have a slightly easier chance at finding employment than most coming out of Rutgers. You just have to be cool with Biglaw not happening, and plan on dropping out if you lose your scholarship.

[deadpanic]

I agree that Rutgers for free (other than a retake) is your best option, but 1) you need to get the stipulations removed. Not sure of what the curve is, but there is no way I would attend with a 3.0 stipulation. 2) doesn't really sound like you know what you want or what practicing law truly entails. You should probably find out because it is likely not what you think. Also, you won't be getting a fed gov't job (in all likelihood) from Rutgers.

[resilience99]

you most likely got seton hall for free, which I think is the better option, because they usually have much better stips, and they employ slightly better than RU. In addition, the class sizes are smaller... retake is TCR though

[legal-eagle]

you most likely got seton hall for free, which I think is the better option, because they usually have much better stips, and they employ slightly better than RU. In addition, the class sizes are smaller... retake is TCR though

I agree that Rutgers for free (other than a retake) is your best option, but 1) you need to get the stipulations removed. Not sure of what the curve is, but there is no way I would attend with a 3.0 stipulation. 2) doesn't really sound like you know what you want or what practicing law truly entails. You should probably find out because it is likely not what you think. Also, you won't be getting a fed gov't job (in all likelihood) from Rutgers.

for those that recommended retaking, which i am very much considering now as i feel like i have nothing to lose, do you think i could put my pending apps on hold for them to wait until my june score then? i sent out apps to columbia, cornell, nyu, duke, upenn, boston, georgetown as well. i thought id have a chance with my gpa and internships and writing two books.

id hate to wait until next cycle tho, with my scholarship offers now being so tempting. is it too late for the june lsat to help me for this cycle?

.... damn that prelaw advisor and me for listening to him lol

[JCougar]

I would definitely retake the LSAT. 7+ points higher and you're talking about schools like Cornell being in play (potentially with really solid money).

My pre-law advisor said taking it 3 times would look bad so I didn't register for February. Do you think it's too late if i take the June one?

already sent out all my apps last month! would i have to re send them? ahhhh dang! wish i didn't listen to that guy lol

If this is what your advisor told you, he has committed professional malpractice.

There is absolutely no drawback to retaking, and you need to get into the best school you can for as cheap as you can. The field of law is EXTREMELY competitive. There's only 1 good job out there for every 5 people graduating law school, and only 1 job at all for every 2 graduates. Where you go to school in the first place can be literally half the battle in finding employment. And going for cheap is a huge factor in mitigating your downside risk.

If you go to a much worse school because you failed to retake the LSAT all three times, I question whether you really have what it takes to practice law. You need to look for every advantage possible in order to stand out from the crowd. You should honestly just take another year, see if you can get some sort of clerk job at a law firm in the meantime to see if you even like the work, and take the LSAT again in both June and December, studying more each time. You get three chances, and only your highest counts. The outcome has a HUGE impact on your future. Why not take all three?

[MistakenGenius]

Post removed.

[legal-eagle]

I would definitely retake the LSAT. 7+ points higher and you're talking about schools like Cornell being in play (potentially with really solid money).

My pre-law advisor said taking it 3 times would look bad so I didn't register for February. Do you think it's too late if i take the June one?

already sent out all my apps last month! would i have to re send them? ahhhh dang! wish i didn't listen to that guy lol

If this is what your advisor told you, he has committed professional malpractice.

There is absolutely no drawback to retaking, and you need to get into the best school you can for as cheap as you can. The field of law is EXTREMELY competitive. There's only 1 good job out there for every 5 people graduating law school, and only 1 job at all for every 2 graduates. Where you go to school in the first place can be literally half the battle in finding employment. And going for cheap is a huge factor in mitigating your downside risk.

If you go to a much worse school because you failed to retake the LSAT all three times, I question whether you really have what it takes to practice law. You need to look for every advantage possible in order to stand out from the crowd. You should honestly just take another year, see if you can get some sort of clerk job at a law firm in the meantime to see if you even like the work, and take the LSAT again in both June and December, studying more each time. You get three chances, and only your highest counts. The outcome has a HUGE impact on your future. Why not take all three?

last summer i was the assistant for an assemblyman and i was a legal intern for a year and now I'm a paralegal.. i love law, not considering anything else. but i think i will retake it in june, thanks for the advice

[paintbynumbers]

If your goal is to practice in NJ, then you really cannot beat Rutgers, especially for free. NJ is extremely insular market, and most judges only hire Rutgers/Seton Hall grads for clerkships. I don't see how retaking will help you much if you can go to the state school for free. Honestly do not think that retaking and trying to get into a Penn, NYU, or Columbia at full-cost is a good idea if you want to practice in NJ.

[BigZuck]

If your goal is to practice in NJ, then you really cannot beat Rutgers, especially for free. NJ is extremely insular market, and most judges only hire Rutgers/Seton Hall grads for clerkships. I don't see how retaking will help you much if you can go to the state school for free. Honestly do not think that retaking and trying to get into a Penn, NYU, or Columbia at full-cost is a good idea if you want to practice in NJ.

Sticker is for schmucks and splitters (sorry splitter bros). He is neither. He can retake and get a solid scholarship to a T14 with that gpa.

[legal-eagle]

If your goal is to practice in NJ, then you really cannot beat Rutgers, especially for free. NJ is extremely insular market, and most judges only hire Rutgers/Seton Hall grads for clerkships. I don't see how retaking will help you much if you can go to the state school for free. Honestly do not think that retaking and trying to get into a Penn, NYU, or Columbia at full-cost is a good idea if you want to practice in NJ.

Sticker is for schmucks and splitters (sorry splitter bros). He is neither. He can retake and get a solid scholarship to a T14 with that gpa.

*she haha

I've been doing research and i really don't want to do corporate law.. not sure if this changes any input i was going to get

thanks everyone

[timbs4339]

If your goal is to practice in NJ, then you really cannot beat Rutgers, especially for free. NJ is extremely insular market, and most judges only hire Rutgers/Seton Hall grads for clerkships. I don't see how retaking will help you much if you can go to the state school for free. Honestly do not think that retaking and trying to get into a Penn, NYU, or Columbia at full-cost is a good idea if you want to practice in NJ.

Sticker is for schmucks and splitters (sorry splitter bros). He is neither. He can retake and get a solid scholarship to a T14 with that gpa.

*she haha

I've been doing research and i really don't want to do corporate law.. not sure if this changes any input i was going to get

thanks everyone

Yeah, it does. You need to retake and get into a school with better biglaw prospects, since there are very few employers who do corporate law outside of those jobs.

EDIT: I did misread. My bad. Don't eat and TLS at the same time.

[TheSpanishMain]

If your goal is to practice in NJ, then you really cannot beat Rutgers, especially for free. NJ is extremely insular market, and most judges only hire Rutgers/Seton Hall grads for clerkships. I don't see how retaking will help you much if you can go to the state school for free. Honestly do not think that retaking and trying to get into a Penn, NYU, or Columbia at full-cost is a good idea if you want to practice in NJ.

Sticker is for schmucks and splitters (sorry splitter bros). He is neither. He can retake and get a solid scholarship to a T14 with that gpa.

*she haha

I've been doing research and i really don't want to do corporate law.. not sure if this changes any input i was going to get

thanks everyone

Yeah, it does. You need to retake and get into a school with better biglaw prospects, since there are very few employers who do corporate law outside of those jobs.

I think you misread. OP doesn't want to do corporate law. OP, what do you want to do?

[legal-eagle]

I think you misread. OP doesn't want to do corporate law. OP, what do you want to do?[/quote]




haha that's a good question. i know its cliche but i want to have an impact on the world. i do a lot of volunteering and i want to make a difference. i really want to work for the government and also environmental.. so i want to help humans and animals basically lol i know money won't be great but that's not my top priority. graduating debt free would be great then considering i won't have a fancy high paying job.

so any thoughts on RU vs seton hall? those would be my debt free options

[JCougar]

I honestly just hope we're being trolled.

[Lwoods1020]

PSU. no question