W&M v Wake Forum

[Superresplitter]

A little background: I have been accepted to both schools. The cost of attendance will be about $3,000 more at Wake. I plan on working in the south, but would prefer a school that has national recognition. My wife would prefer living in Winston Salem over Williamsburg.

So what will it be, W&M or the Daemon Deacons?

Any thoughts?

[Nova]

What do you want to do for a living?

Do you want to live in Virgina or North Carolina long term?

What is the total cost of attendance of each? 3(tuition + fees + cost of living - -scholarship)

How will you be financing your education? if loans, what will be the estimated principle after 3 years?

[Superresplitter]

What do you want to do for a living?

Do you want to live in Virgina or North Carolina long term?

What is the total cost of attendance of each? 3(tuition + fees + cost of living - -scholarship)

How will you be financing your education? if loans, what will be the estimated principle after 3 years?

Nova,

Yes, I plan on working in Virginia long term.

Total cost for W&M is: tuition $29,000 + living $20,000 - scholarship $6,000 = $43,000
Cost at Wake is: 41,900 + 20,000 -16000= 45,900

I will be paying partially with loans. Principal after three years at W&M $109,000. Wake will be 117,700

[Winston1984]

What do you want to do for a living?

Do you want to live in Virgina or North Carolina long term?

What is the total cost of attendance of each? 3(tuition + fees + cost of living - -scholarship)

How will you be financing your education? if loans, what will be the estimated principle after 3 years?

Nova,

Yes, I plan on working in Virginia long term.

Total cost for W&M is: tuition $29,000 + living $20,000 - scholarship $6,000 = $43,000
Cost at Wake is: 41,900 + 20,000 -16000= 45,900

I will be paying partially with loans. Principal after three years at W&M $109,000. Wake will be 117,700

Way too expensive for either. Stats?

[Mack.Hambleton]

how about you RETAKE

[HBBJohnStamos]

It's simple

T25 vs. T31.

You're choice.

[Nomo]

Both present serious financial risk with a low likelihood of a serious financial reward at the end. The risk is much higher now that we're beginning to realize PSLF may not be politically stable.

Retake. If you don't want to retake or can't get a better score then don't go to law school.

People aren't advising you to retake because they are elitists or snobs. We realize the students at Wake Forest and William and Mary are fine people with plenty of intelligence. The faculty at both schools are probably great. But, tuition costs are simply outrageous (and you should expect tuition to rise all 3 years). The employment outcomes of these schools really make it hard to justify sticker tuition of more than about 10k/yr.

[TheSpanishMain]

Both are, in my opinion, fine regional schools, with decent chances of actually securing a legal job at the end. The thing is, that legal job will probably be either a small firm or state/local government, both of which would make paying sticker debt really, really hard.

[Nomo]

1 out of every 5 WF students does not find full-time legal work within 9 months of graduation. Its only 1 out of 10 at William and Mary . . . but 17.2 percent of the employed students were hired by William and Mary (probably on fellowships lasting no more than a year).

The majority at both do find legal jobs (generally paying b/w 40 and 60k). But, a decent percentage don't. And remember those loans accrue interest at over 7% for during the 3, 5, or 9 months it took those people to find a job.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

What are your numbers? Both options are expensive and the type of job you're likely to get will make it hard to repay your debt. Obviously if you graduate without a job you will be very screwed. Big law won't happen either place unless you're top 10%. Given that you're on UVA wait list I'm assuming you're something like 3.9/161 in which case it would be absolutely insane not to retake.

[Superresplitter]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

My numbers: lsat (cringe) 156, ugpa 4.05. Very strong softs, three great LOR, non traditional with 9+ years managerial work experience. And then there is that damn LSAT score

As you can see I am phenomenally bad at taking standardized tests. And yes, retaking is not completely off the table. But for the purposes of this thread, finances aside, which is objectively the better school? Any thoughts?

Btw I already have a decent paying job lined up when I graduate.

[rebexness]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

My numbers: lsat (cringe) 156, ugpa 4.05. Very strong softs, three great LOR, non traditional with 9+ years managerial work experience. And then there is that damn LSAT score

As you can see I am phenomenally bad at taking standardized tests. And yes, retaking is not completely off the table. But for the purposes of this thread, finances aside, which is objectively the better school? Any thoughts?

Btw I already have a decent paying job lined up when I graduate.

Please, please, consider retaking June or Sept and either getting more money or sitting out a cycle. That GPA is not one that should be incurring significant debt.

[Nova]

W&M is better because it feeds into your desired market.

You will seriously regret not retaking with those stats tho.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

You should register for June. Even if you get a 160/161/162 it is very possible you will get in off waitlist to UVA or you can get some real $. As a non-trad student myself (in my 30s) believe me that you will deeply regret attending law school with that score when with a few points you will be in at a T14 or getting huge $ at top regional schools.

[HBBJohnStamos]

You should register for June. Even if you get a 160/161/162 it is very possible you will get in off waitlist to UVA or you can get some real $. As a non-trad student myself (in my 30s) believe me that you will deeply regret attending law school with that score when with a few points you will be in at a T14 or getting huge $ at top regional schools.

Yep, nothing screams PRIMED FOR SUCCESS than an LSAT score in the bottom 10% at UVA.

[Marquis]

OP, please don't waste that amazing GPA. If you can do that well in school there's no reason you cannot absolutely rock the LSAT. Retake, get into a T14 w/ $$$ and never look back!

[Nomo]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

My numbers: lsat (cringe) 156, ugpa 4.05. Very strong softs, three great LOR, non traditional with 9+ years managerial work experience. And then there is that damn LSAT score

As you can see I am phenomenally bad at taking standardized tests. And yes, retaking is not completely off the table. But for the purposes of this thread, finances aside, which is objectively the better school? Any thoughts?

Btw I already have a decent paying job lined up when I graduate.

If the bolded is true then just go to the cheapest school you can. But, how sure are you that you have something lined up. You wouldn't be the first person who thought their parent who was a partner at mid or large sized firm could get you a job, only to find out 3 years later they really can't because they overrated their own power, lost power, or the firm simply went downhill and can't hire to the same degree it used to.

[Superresplitter]

You should register for June. Even if you get a 160/161/162 it is very possible you will get in off waitlist to UVA or you can get some real $. As a non-trad student myself (in my 30s) believe me that you will deeply regret attending law school with that score when with a few points you will be in at a T14 or getting huge $ at top regional schools.

Thanks for the advice. I will certainly consider all of your recommendations.