UM or USC $$$ & connections both...want to return to Miami! Forum

[brockjake23]

Hi guys,

I massively edited this initial post, as I gave all options including the ones I was not considering. These options I was not considering are receiving a lot of notification and I would like to focus the assistance between my final few options.

I want to eventually live in Miami and have a ton of roots laid there already. I also have some connections in Cali, but would want to return to Miami after graduation. I would have no problem getting internships at either location in my 2L and 3L years, through connections, and would likely do summer internships in Miami for 1L and 2L.

The options I have are as follows:

USC (35/YR)

Miami (30k/YR)

Wait List: UVA, PENN, Georgetown

For those who posted on the previous schools, my parents are paying for my law school but really want me to go to one of the above five locations. It is for this reason that I am not going to UF, FSU, etc. My parents will pay for my law school if I start in the fall (no retakes).

I will go to the wait list schools if accepted, but I am really wondering whether UM or USC is better to attend. I know they are both regional, but USC is ranked significantly higher than Miami with half the class size.

EDIT: I also never heard from NYU even though they reviewed my file in October and December. Any ideas!?

EDIT: I am not retaking (I now that is a great option for many, but nothing will change the fact that I am not retaking and beginning law school in the fall)

[Cellar-door]

Take a year off.
Re-take until you get into the 170s
Go to a T-14

[brockjake23]

Cellar-Door: I forgot to mention that I will not be taking a year off and will be going straight into law school. I only have the options that are laid out in the above message. I am a very consistent test taker and studied for 3-4 months to have a total testing span of 160-163 after my second test (basically when I learned to play the games). My reading section kills me because I can never get to the fourth passage.

[Fiero85]

Cellar-Door: I forgot to mention that I will not be taking a year off and will be going straight into law school. I only have the options that are laid out in the above message. I am a very consistent test taker and studied for 3-4 months to have a total testing span of 160-163 after my second test (basically when I learned to play the games). My reading section kills me because I can never get to the fourth passage. I won't accept the only good advice there is to give, thus wasting everyone's time

Take a year (or more) off.
Re-take until you get into the 170s (or at least have until you have studied more, finished the whole exam, and maxed out your attempts)
Go to a T-14 (or at least for free to a non-T14)

Don't waste that 3.9+ GPA!

166+ and you'll have T14 admissions and some full rides to decent schools

[brockjake23]

Fiero85-I took 14 practice tests where I stayed within a 4 point range. I completed a full course and repeated it. I think retaking the LSAT is a fine option for many people, but I do not think I am one of them. Thank you very much for the fine advice, but sadly this 3.9+ gpa will be enrolled somewhere above. I am hoping to get off the wait list at one of the t-14, but I have to pick something in the meantime!

[Fiero85]

Fiero85-I took 14 practice tests where I stayed within a 4 point range. I completed a full course and repeated it. I think retaking the LSAT is a fine option for many people, but I do not think I am one of them.

14 really isn't that much man. Good start, but if you're not finishing sections there's something to be improved on. Start off with getting your reading speed up (doable), then work on drilling the games and LR sections, then get back to practice testing. Keep going until you can complete every section (it may still be rushed towards the very end but you shouldn't be straight up guessing). You may think you're stuck in a certain score range but that's just an excuse 99% of the time.

Follow one of the many guides on TLS like this one:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=225041

Improve your score and make UF/FSU/Miami for free your fall back if Emory/GTOWN/UVA/Vandy don't offer big $$$

[CO2016YEAH]

Hi guys,

I am a long time lurker and first time poster. I will lay everything out on the table and I hope to receive some friendly and unbiased advice. I have a very stacked resume with a 3.94 gpa in the honors college at a large state school. Sadly I am not the best standardized test taker and I only took the LSAT once as I am not confident that I will beat my initial 162 (I only surpassed it once on practice exams). With the above stats and applying in early October I was able to get into most of the schools I applied.

American (15k/yr)
Emory (20k/yr)
FIU (FREE)
FSU (14k/yr)
George Washington (No scholarship)
Georgetown (Wait list)
NYU (Still no decision....)
UF (13k/yr)
Miami (30k/yr)
PENN (Wait list)
USC (35k/yr)
UVA (Waitlist)
Wake Forest (32k/yr)
Washington & Lee (15k/yr)
William & Mary (8k/yr)

I grew up in Miami and have always envisioned myself going to law school at UM and living there after graduation. With that being said, I now I want to be in a city, or at a school I could not refuse like UVA for example, therefore, I have eliminated everything other than my wait lists (Georgetown, Penn, UVA) and am pretty stuck between USC and Miami. I am aware that USC on paper is the stronger school, but both are regional and Miami is where I want to work after graduation. My girlfriend and all of my family live in Miami, but I am doing my best not to make my decision for law school based on these facts as it will only be a few years. I have tried to negotiate with Miami, but they haven't budged and USC has no reason to budge as Wake Forest is the closest ranked school who gave a high dollar scholarship and Wake Forest and USC aren't in the same scholarship pool.

With my giant rant above, I am looking for some assistance! I am sorry for running on and on, but my thesis is due in a week and my sleep is pretty much non-existent at this point.

If anyone goes to either school and would like to weigh in, or was in a similar situation with choosing the better school out of the region or vice versa please comment!

Thank you in advance,

Confused Student

I will do a process of elimination, for your benefit and because it will be fun.

American (15k/yr)--Don't bother.
Emory (20k/yr)--Not a bad choice to be in FL or elsewhere in the South.
FIU (FREE)--Don't bother. For real.
FSU (14k/yr)--Are you a resident? If so then this is close to free. Not bad if you want FL.
George Washington (No scholarship)--Don't bother unless you want to be in D.C. right away.
Georgetown (Wait list)--You already said this is out, and if you get it don't do it unless you want to be in D.C. or want to shoot for BigLaw or gov.
NYU (Still no decision....)--Eh. NY is saturated and over rated. It might help you get Big Law though.
UF (13k/yr)--Same deal as FSU. I think Gainesville is probably cooler. I just like UF and nearly went.
Miami (30k/yr)--Not bad if you want to stay put in Miami and you can get more money from them.
PENN (Wait list)--See Georgetown/NYU.
USC (35k/yr)--This is the only school not on the East coast and is out of place, unless you mean South Carolina. I don't know why you'd come to Cali unless you wanted to stay. I'm in Ca and basically considered UF would be a permanent relocation to Fl (I have ties).
UVA (Waitlist)--See Gtown/NYU/Penn. I think Charlottesville would be nice.
Wake Forest (32k/yr)--A little cheaper than Emory but probably a worse choice. Probably not as good for you as UF/FSU either if you want to be in Fl.
Washington & Lee (15k/yr)--Nah. Wake Forest applies but it's more money.
William & Mary (8k/yr)--See above.

I guess I'm liking FSU/UF for close to free or Miami for free. Miami might actually even place better in south Fl. You'll have to check. Alternatively, Emory for the South. Or get of a t14 waitlist if you are set on NYC or DC BigLaw (it's an expensive gamble, though, even if it's a likely win).

Good luck!

Edit: Amended Gtown.

[copingtrope]

Retake.

[nebula666]

$30k / year to Miami is still more expensive than FSU and UF with $13k / year. Don't go to Miami under any circumstance.

[timbs4339]

Retake. Law schools will still be there in one year unless we are at war with Russia. Don't waste the GPA.

[monsterman]

Retake. Law schools will still be there in one year unless we are at war with Russia. Don't waste the GPA.

[jbagelboy]

Retake

[brockjake23]

Updated the initial post with more succinct questions and information!

[CO2016YEAH]

If you're expecting to graduate SC and jump right back to Miami you might as well be in Miami to begin with. Not sure why UF/FSU is out now if you want FL. "Parents don't want me to" doesn't seem like a good reason.

[Otunga]

If you want biglaw, I'd go to USC with no debt. It gives a respectable chance for biglaw, and if you think you'd be content with California, that's a good deal. Don't do Miami because they put less than 10% of grads in biglaw.

But if your goals are Miami anything > anything else, then go to Miami.

[zman]

There is almost no big law in Miami.

[brockjake23]

CO2016-My parents are footing the bill if I go to Miami or Cali...They are not paying for UF/FSU, when I said they want me at one of my three wait lists, USC, or Miami they mean it.

Otunga-I want to return to Miami, but I am trying to figure out whether it will help me to go to Miami if I already have my foot in the door at big law firms and some high paying medium sized ones.

[brockjake23]

Zman- There are a few big law firms rooted in Miami and a few national chains that also have an office in Miami.

[ZGr88n]

For those who posted on the previous schools, my parents are paying for my law school but really want me to go to one of the above five locations. It is for this reason that I am not going to UF, FSU, etc. My parents will pay for my law school if I start in the fall (no retakes).

Curious as to how this conversation went.

"Brockjake23 we are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on your education, but only if you go this year. We need you to waste that GPA at a shit school. The fact that you can retake and get into a much better school with MUCH MUCH better employment prospects don't matter to us, we just want you gone."

Sounds reasonable.

[brockjake23]

ZGR- My brother and sister each took time off, did not improve on their lsat and then went to the same level law schools they were getting into beforehand. My sister lost her scholarship, which my parents attribute to her taking time off and my brother was teetering on losing his.

[anyriotgirl]

For those who posted on the previous schools, my parents are paying for my law school but really want me to go to one of the above five locations. It is for this reason that I am not going to UF, FSU, etc. My parents will pay for my law school if I start in the fall (no retakes).

Curious as to how this conversation went.

"Brockjake23 we are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on your education, but only if you go this year. We need you to waste that GPA at a shit school. The fact that you can retake and get into a much better school with MUCH MUCH better employment prospects don't matter to us, we just want you gone."

Sounds reasonable.

To be fair, most parents probably don't grasp anything about the way law school/legal employment works. I know mine kind of freaked when I decided that I wanted to take time off to work, because they thought I would just end up not going back or something (unclear why this would be such a terrible outcome tbh lolparents). Anyway OP, it's your life. You're an adult. The onus is on you to explain to your parents why what they want isn't for the best.

[ZGr88n]

For those who posted on the previous schools, my parents are paying for my law school but really want me to go to one of the above five locations. It is for this reason that I am not going to UF, FSU, etc. My parents will pay for my law school if I start in the fall (no retakes).

Curious as to how this conversation went.

"Brockjake23 we are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on your education, but only if you go this year. We need you to waste that GPA at a shit school. The fact that you can retake and get into a much better school with MUCH MUCH better employment prospects don't matter to us, we just want you gone."

Sounds reasonable.

To be fair, most parents probably don't grasp anything about the way law school/legal employment works. I know mine kind of freaked when I decided that I wanted to take time off to work, because they thought I would just end up not going back or something (unclear why this would be such a terrible outcome tbh lolparents). Anyway OP, it's your life. You're an adult. The onus is on you to explain to your parents why what they want isn't for the best.

If you only took 14 pt's then you have got to explain to them that there is a lot of room left for improvement.

[Gooner91]

ZGR- My brother and sister each took time off, did not improve on their lsat and then went to the same level law schools they were getting into beforehand. My sister lost her scholarship, which my parents attribute to her taking time off and my brother was teetering on losing his.

Did you study the same way as them?

[brockjake23]

ZGR and any-The class I took used even tests up to 50 the first time time around and odd tests up to 50 the second time around. I then took 14 practice tests leading up to the current exam. The class I took was 3 months long and we met 9 hours a week. I think not counting the few tests that were never released, I have seen a vast majority of almost all of the exams. Many people can beat the LSAT, but I do not think I am one of them. Then add the fact that my parents are basically bribing me to go straight into school. My whole family are attorneys and are all quite stubborn (Dad, Grandpa, three uncles, brother, sister).

[CO2016YEAH]

Then I say SC unless being in Miami is the goal. Less debt than you'll have at t14 still a decent shot at big law and you're in someplace that isn't still getting snow.

(I still think uf needs to be revisited. Maybe they have have their reasonsn but I have no idea what those might be.)