Several Options at Same Price Forum

[LawGirl7]

Hello! I have a few law school options all at roughly the same price after scholarships are applied. I can stare at numbers all day long, but several of you have some great opinions to take into consideration. The first thing everyone is going to say is retake, but I'm at my max LSATs, and I don't want to wait two more years.

All of these schools cost me about $25,000 a year. I have $50,000 saved up for law school, and my fiance has a great job, so he can at least cover my living expenses.

The options are:
Emory
UF
FSU
William and Mary
Alabama

I would prefer to stay in the Southeast as I live in Florida. I'd like to end up in Central Florida eventually (where I'm from), but if I have to pay my dues elsewhere for a few years, I'm prepared to do that. Definitely want to take prestige (state or national) into consideration. Thank you!

[KatyMarie]

If somehow the COA is literally the same at all these schools, then I'd say Emory.

[LawGirl7]

Yeah, somehow it worked out that way with those five schools, however I have a few other acceptances with no scholarships that are not ranked as well as those five so I left them off the list. They vary by a few thousand (FSU is actually about $22,000 and Emory is $27,000), but not a drastic difference.

Thanks for your advice. :]

[Tuxedo]

According to LST it looks like Emory places well into FL (it's hovering around 6-8% for the past few years) and with most grads who want to leave GA looking up North that those numbers are fairly respectable. Be sure to crunch these numbers given your goals. By contrast, Bama grads seem to be looking to GA and TN as other markets.

Be sure to maintain any existing legal ties to Central Florida as actively as possible, although that should be a no-brainer.

[LawGirl7]

Thank you! That site is extremely helpful to plan out my financial future and consider job prospects. I think (assume) Emory is close enough to Florida that its reputation carries over fairly well.

[03152016]

Have you tried negotiating with FSU? I'd try to use the Emory admit to get some more aid.

[03152016]

But yeah, if cost really ends up being equal across the board, I'd probably do Emory.

[LawGirl7]

I sent FSU an email about a week ago with all my scholarship offers attached ($20,000 at Minnesota, $12,000 at William and Mary, etc.), but they haven't gotten back to me yet. I just received my Emory packet today, so I'm considering sending them another email before they make their decision.

[LET'S GET IT]

I would deposit at Emory and at least one of the two Florida schools, both if you have the money. Then hope some of them increase their offers in the next couple months. If none did, I think Emory is the obvious way to go. Bama and W&M shouldn't even be under consideration at this point given your goals. Good luck.