Top Law Schools

-The schools you are considering: USC, ASU, Emory, GW. Got into a few schools ranked higher (for whatever US News is worth.... which is not much) but I am not a huge fan of the idea of paying sticker for any schools outside of, or in the lower t14.

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA): Using the COA #'s from Law school transparency and the debt calculator from BU's webpage- USC 145k (75k scholly), ASU 0k (full tuition/no stips), Emory 140k (81k scholly), GW 190k (45k scholly). Then I have some savings to help pay for school that accounts for the difference between COA and scholly amounts.

-How you will be financing your COA: All loans

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any): From Arizona with significant ties to the Arizona legal market. Also peripheral ties to California (central coast) legal market. I am not partial to living in any particular state, although since I am from Arizona it would be easiest to stay here.

-Your general career goals: Dream is AUSA. More realistic: either PD/AG office or mid-law litigation.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers: 167 (only took once) 3.5 GPA

I have gone back and forth about retaking and sitting out another year. So what I am trying to figure out is what is my best option for school and then comparing that to the option of retaking. I think trying to weigh retaking vs 4 schools is incredibly difficult; so any thoughts on the best 'school option' would be great. I realize most will suggest a retake- and honestly there is a good chance I do so.

If anyone needs more information to post a reply let me know. I am new to TLS and unfamiliar with the protocols of posting.

Enjoy ASU and not having to make those loan payments for the next 25 years!

Do everyone a favor and go to ASU and thus forcing other schools to offer more $$$$ to keep up enrollment.

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lecsa wrote:Past a certain point it's probably not even worth it to go to law school. Would you feel comfortable going to ASU and having a degree from there (even for free)?

For someone who is willing to work in Arizona and has ties there, ASU for free is certainly a good deal.

OP, if you want to retake and try to get into the 170s and get $$ from a lower t14 that is understandable as well, but ASU among your choices is definitely the winner.

Lecsa- I can't tell if you are trolling or not haha. It looks like in another post you said you are deciding between 'WUSTL(sticker), davis/hastings (discount), and ASU/Arizona(freeish)'.... Not trying to be confrontational but outside of WUSTL every school on that list is lower than ASU.

Anyways, if you are saying not ASU. Which of the remaining 3 would you suggest?

Again, I really appreciate all the comments. It just helps to have a little more context to why your recommending what you are. Thanks!

Midlaw litigation isn't a realistic goal

Just go to ASU and enjoy no debt/a good chance at a modest PI job

thebobs- Thanks for the input. I've been waitlisted at a few t14 schools. Assuming my retake was in the 170 range- Do you think going to a t14 gives a sizable advantage to accomplishing my career goals?

BigZuck- my connections are in midlaw litigation. In fact I am working as a lit research assistant in a firm that does just that. They don't usually hire straight from law school but occasionally they do.

lilbeb27 wrote:BigZuck- my connections are in midlaw litigation. In fact I am working as a lit research assistant in a firm that does just that. They don't usually hire straight from law school but occasionally they do.

Yeah, the "usually but occasionally" part is what I was referencing. If you have ties that can get you a job at a midlaw firm then you truly are a special snowflake compared to the usual knuckleheads that say stuff like "I don't want big law, I would be totes cool with a midlaw job that pays 100k and has reasonable hours."

I still say ASU, it makes sense geographically and going to a T14 would be overkill given your goals. You're in a better position than like 99% of all law school applicants. Congrats, that's pretty sweet.

Agreed that ASU is TCR.

zuck- I get what your saying haha. Didn't mean to come across aggressive, I worry that my tone comes across confrontational and I am really just grateful for all the input.

Is working for the USAO just a completely unrealistic goal in life?

lilbeb27 wrote:thebobs- Thanks for the input. I've been waitlisted at a few t14 schools. Assuming my retake was in the 170 range- Do you think going to a t14 gives a sizable advantage to accomplishing my career goals?

It certainly would give you an advantage for the AUSA position. Not sure about the rest. But it all comes down to money. Since you already have connections to AZ legal market definitely not enough of an advantage to spend an extra $250k. Graduating with no debt is a nice feeling.

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lilbeb27 wrote:zuck- I get what your saying haha. Didn't mean to come across aggressive, I worry that my tone comes across confrontational and I am really just grateful for all the input.

Is working for the USAO just a completely unrealistic goal in life?

No problem, I didn't think you were being confrontational

I don't think it's "completely unrealistic" but I think it would probably be tough for a freshly minted grad from almost any school, let alone this list. I just don't know that I would shovel a bunch of money at that goal when you have a very reasonable school option that should be able to get you what you want otherwise.

But of course, YOLO. Gotta do what makes you happy.

Huh? someone else is deciding between those.

I went to a T-14 and graduated a few years ago.

If I were you I'd retake. The only school I even considered on this list was USC but at 145k that's way too expensive.

The USAO is a lot more competitive to get now than it used to be. I know federal clerks (from T-14s, honors) who couldn't get a USAO job and are now working in biglaw. So I wouldn't count on it.

My bad! Okay that is good to know. I have tried to research AUSA's to get a sense of what a general resumes look like, but most of the offices only have a bio of the US Attorney which is obviously a whole other thing.

lilbeb27 wrote:

Huh? someone else is deciding between those.

I went to a T-14 and graduated a few years ago.

If I were you I'd retake. The only school I even considered on this list was USC but at 145k that's way too expensive.

The USAO is a lot more competitive to get now than it used to be. I know federal clerks (from T-14s, honors) who couldn't get a USAO job and are now working in biglaw. So I wouldn't count on it.

My bad! Okay that is good to know. I have tried to research AUSA's to get a sense of what a general resumes look like, but most of the offices only have a bio of the US Attorney which is obviously a whole other thing.

A friend of mine is an AUSA. He didn't go to a t14, but he clerked for a federal appellate judge and worked big law for several years before going. That is also at the ND of IL, which along with SDNY and CD of CA are the most competitive. AZ might not be as hard, but to get into the USAO, you'll need to at least clerk for a federal judge and probably gain some litigation experience first.

Yeah I am pretty debt averse. So the idea of spending (shoveling) tons of money on school (even a school that may increase my chances at the USAO) is not appealing.

Getting a federal clerkship as an Asu grad seems incredibly unlikely right? Not that my chances are noticeably better at any of the schools listed above.

If I was able to negotiate for more money from those other schools would that significantly change peoples opinions? (Seems generally the support is for going to ASU for free)