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I got all the info I need for making a choice. I'm in the midst of visiting schools. That will play heavily into my decision-making process.

Schools: University of Michigan, UC Davis, University of Arizona
COA (includes Tuition and COL): Michigan 170K, UC Davis 54K, Arizona 0K
How I'm financing this debt: LOANS
Goals: Public Interest. I would love to work with refugee and asylum law (previous experience in that), Immigration, or any other group (I'm flexible). Legal Aid sounds pretty good.
Regions: I prefer California, but I am willing to live in other regions. CA PI>PI anywhere> other law job in CA

Stats: 3.5/165- I DON'T PLAN ON RETAKING. YOU CAN SAY RETAKE ALL YOU WANT, BUT I WILL IGNORE YOU.

Other info: I'm currently on the waitlist at Berkeley.

Davis.

So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

Btw, I'm in a similar boat with WUSTL (sticker), Davis/Hastings (discount), and Arizona/Arizona State (freeish)

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

No, I have another fund with a certain amount of money. This fund HAS to be used for education expenses. So, it's not like I could save it for something else anyways.

yeslekkkk wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

No, I have another fund with a certain amount of money. This fund HAS to be used for education expenses. So, it's not like I could save it for something else anyways.

I see. Are you going to AZ ASW this weekend?

.

lecsa wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

Btw, I'm in a similar boat with WUSTL (sticker), Davis/Hastings (discount), and Arizona/Arizona State (freeish)

Not a similar boat. No offense, but WUSTL is also a TTT, as are the other schools in your list, so for you it seems like an easy choice.

As for OP, I hesitate paying for any school if I wanted PI, but attending ASU or UA to me is like having a black stain on my resume. At that point I'd probably not go to law school.

I understand the distinction between Michigan and WUSTL, but to call WUSTL TTT is absurd. It's a very strong regional, as are Hastings and Davis (albeit less so), and ASU and Arizona are strong regionally as well. Arizona is particularly strong for asylum/immigration, just due to location. I would still say similar boat, granting of course the UM is better than WUSTL.

bobloblaw0227 wrote:

lecsa wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

Btw, I'm in a similar boat with WUSTL (sticker), Davis/Hastings (discount), and Arizona/Arizona State (freeish)

Not a similar boat. No offense, but WUSTL is also a TTT, as are the other schools in your list, so for you it seems like an easy choice.

As for OP, I hesitate paying for any school if I wanted PI, but attending ASU or UA to me is like having a black stain on my resume. At that point I'd probably not go to law school.

I understand the distinction between Michigan and WUSTL, but to call WUSTL TTT is absurd. It's a very strong regional, as are Hastings and Davis (albeit less so), and ASU and Arizona are strong regionally as well. Arizona is particularly strong for asylum/immigration, just due to location. I would still say similar boat, granting of course the UM is better than WUSTL.

I would not call any of the schools mentioned TTTs. But hey, whatever. It doesn't matter what you think, Iesca. I'll take your comments and do what I wish with them.

Odd that Berkeley didn't reject you. Are you URM? Or maybe your softs are just that strong? Either way, I would retake in June to try and get in there and if the retake doesn't work out, go to Davis I guess.

yeslekkkk wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

No, I have another fund with a certain amount of money. This fund HAS to be used for education expenses. So, it's not like I could save it for something else anyways.

Hmm...I personally wouldn't go to Davis unless it was full tuition, but that's just me.

Did you apply for Davis' PI scholarship? It's $60k.

Edit. Also, have you tried negotiating to a full ride using Arizona's offer?

ALSO NOT RETAKING WOULD BE MONUMENTALLY STUPID NO MATTER WHETHER YOU SAY YOU WON'T DO IT IN ALL CAPS OR NOT

ManoftheHour wrote:

yeslekkkk wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

No, I have another fund with a certain amount of money. This fund HAS to be used for education expenses. So, it's not like I could save it for something else anyways.

Hmm...I personally wouldn't go to Davis unless it was full tuition, but that's just me.

Did you apply for Davis' PI scholarship? It's $60k.

I did apply for it. I'm waiting to hear back from it.

I'm going to try to negotiate with Arizona's offer.

BigZuck wrote:ALSO NOT RETAKING WOULD BE MONUMENTALLY STUPID NO MATTER WHETHER YOU SAY YOU WON'T DO IT IN ALL CAPS OR NOT

haha.

ManoftheHour wrote:

yeslekkkk wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

No, I have another fund with a certain amount of money. This fund HAS to be used for education expenses. So, it's not like I could save it for something else anyways.

Hmm...I personally wouldn't go to Davis unless it was full tuition, but that's just me.

Did you apply for Davis' PI scholarship? It's $60k.

I suspect the other fund thing is a lie (I mean, it doesn't make any logical sense). The OP seems to have A CHIP ON HIS OR HER SHOULDER and looks to be trying to stave off as much good advice as possible so that bad choice can be affirmed by strangers.

BigZuck wrote:Odd that Berkeley didn't reject you. Are you URM? Or maybe your softs are just that strong? Either way, I would retake in June to try and get in there and if the retake doesn't work out, go to Davis I guess.

Not URM. My softs are very strong apparently.

BigZuck wrote:

ManoftheHour wrote:

yeslekkkk wrote:

bobloblaw0227 wrote:So Arizona gave you full ride plus a stipend and Davis gave you full tuition?

No, I have another fund with a certain amount of money. This fund HAS to be used for education expenses. So, it's not like I could save it for something else anyways.

Hmm...I personally wouldn't go to Davis unless it was full tuition, but that's just me.

Did you apply for Davis' PI scholarship? It's $60k.

I suspect the other fund thing is a lie (I mean, it doesn't make any logical sense). The OP seems to have A CHIP ON HIS OR HER SHOULDER and looks to be trying to stave off as much good advice as possible so that bad choice can be affirmed by strangers.

haha. I don't have a chip on my shoulder. I have an education fund that was set up by grandparents when I young. How does that not make any logical sense? I figured my choice wouldn't be affirmed by strangers. I'm no newbie to TLS. I've read enough threads to know that people usually say the same thing. I like hearing the criticism, because it gets me to truly question my choices.

I'm going to let someone who knows more about CA PI chime in. If the jobs you want are unicorns, I would do my damnedest to get into Berkeley. If they are attainable from Davis, I would just go there. It seems that your commitment to the cause shouldn't be called into question, at this point it's just about balancing debt with the PI placement powers (and whether you need to rely on that power) of the schools you're considering

Update: I just visited arizona. I felt pretty locked into working in AZ. I also just didn't like the school. It was okay. I am ruling it out.

Why is it OK and apparently the TLS favorite to advise OP and others similarly situated to pass their student debt on to taxpayers, essentially allowing law schools to simultaneously set the absurd price for education and tout re-payment plans, WHEN HE HAS PERFECTLY GOOD ALTERNATIVES?

Seems like all a 0L has to do around here is say "kinda interested in biglaw," or in this case, not even, and half the heard jump on the T-14 side of the scale.

Potential for 0 debt from law school and wants to do immigration law. HOW IS THIS EVEN A QUESTION. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

U of A would be the 2nd to best choice for immigration law anyway. They basically have a huge fair every year devoted to that and other PI shit. And also, way easier to get an immigration gig in AZ than CA. Hell easier to get a job in AZ period from U of A than it is to get a job in CA out of Davis. The volume of immigration cases in AZ is fucking insane and there are a lot less lawyers in state.

Brush up on your espanol tho.

justonemoregame wrote:Why is it OK and apparently the TLS favorite to advise OP and others similarly situated to pass their student debt on to taxpayers, essentially allowing law schools to simultaneously set the absurd price for education and tout re-payment plans, WHEN HE HAS PERFECTLY GOOD ALTERNATIVES?

Seems like all a 0L has to do around here is say "kinda interested in biglaw," or in this case, not even, and half the heard jump on the T-14 side of the scale.

you're nuts if you think OP has a moral obligation to choose schools in order to reduce the burden on taxpayers.

Veyron wrote:Potential for 0 debt from law school and wants to do immigration law. HOW IS THIS EVEN A QUESTION. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

U of A would be the 2nd to best choice for immigration law anyway. They basically have a huge fair every year devoted to that and other PI shit. And also, way easier to get an immigration gig in AZ than CA. Hell easier to get a job in AZ period from U of A than it is to get a job in CA out of Davis. The volume of immigration cases in AZ is fucking insane and there are a lot less lawyers in state.

Brush up on your espanol tho.

OP clearly has a preference for CA. If he/she had said "Location does not matter," then that's a different story.

ManoftheHour wrote:

Veyron wrote:Potential for 0 debt from law school and wants to do immigration law. HOW IS THIS EVEN A QUESTION. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

U of A would be the 2nd to best choice for immigration law anyway. They basically have a huge fair every year devoted to that and other PI shit. And also, way easier to get an immigration gig in AZ than CA. Hell easier to get a job in AZ period from U of A than it is to get a job in CA out of Davis. The volume of immigration cases in AZ is fucking insane and there are a lot less lawyers in state.

Brush up on your espanol tho.

OP clearly has a preference for CA. If he/she had said "Location does not matter," then that's a different story.

Believe she said that she prefers a PI job anywhere. Good luck getting any job out of Davis, especially one worth 50+gs of debt.

Veyron wrote:

ManoftheHour wrote:

Veyron wrote:Potential for 0 debt from law school and wants to do immigration law. HOW IS THIS EVEN A QUESTION. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

U of A would be the 2nd to best choice for immigration law anyway. They basically have a huge fair every year devoted to that and other PI shit. And also, way easier to get an immigration gig in AZ than CA. Hell easier to get a job in AZ period from U of A than it is to get a job in CA out of Davis. The volume of immigration cases in AZ is fucking insane and there are a lot less lawyers in state.

Brush up on your espanol tho.

OP clearly has a preference for CA. If he/she had said "Location does not matter," then that's a different story.

Believe she said that she prefers a PI job anywhere. Good luck getting any job out of Davis, especially one worth 50+gs of debt.

Well homies, I appreciate your thoughts. I will take them all into consideration. Location does matter. I went to Tucson and decided I didn't want to live there for three years studying. I think that matters. Arizona would also lock me in location-wise more than I'd like. Their employment outcomes also don't suggest that their grads get public interest gigs. There is no certainty about Arizona. After visiting Arizona, I'm not considering it anymore. On paper, Arizona seemed to be a really good option.