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I was offered an unconditional (good standing) three year scholarship to Ole Miss. I was offered a conditional 50% diversity scholarship (reduced or removed if below median) from Memphis, though second and third years of the scholarship are dependent on what the Tennessee Board of Regents may do to it between now and then. I was told the scholarship has been there for 18 years and the TBR is very unlikely to reduce the funding.

I live in Memphis, with a wife (of 25 years) who works full time and pays our mortgage and covers our insurance needs, so going to Ole Miss results in me needing to get a cheapo apartment (or buy a small 2nd home) for the next three years.

I put it to you...

Oh...
I'm 47 years old.
LSAT 157
GPA 3.84
Very strong LORs
Moderately strong softs.

Thanks,

Bob

You have to retake that LSAT! Don't waste a 3.84. With that gpa pretty much ANY law school could be yours with a great LSAT. If nothing else, retake the lsat to get a full ride to memphis.

Seriously though, don't waste that GPA!

I don't think you understand what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a law school that provides the best balance between cost, employment potential, and geography (relatively close to my support network in Memphis, northern Mississippi, and eastern Arkansas). I will not take the LSAT again, and while it's an obvious choice for someone who is 22 years old without an upside down mortgage and a spouse who can't go with you because of said mortgage and their position as breadwinner, it is not an option worth considering because my priorities are such that it doesn't warrant consideration.

Is the total cost of attendance OM 36k vs. Mem 46k? If so, I would just go to Memphis since you already live in the Bluff City and want to remain there in the future.

Bobnoxious wrote:I don't think you understand what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a law school that provides the best balance between cost, employment potential, and geography (relatively close to my support network in Memphis, northern Mississippi, and eastern Arkansas). I will not take the LSAT again, and while it's an obvious choice for someone who is 22 years old without an upside down mortgage and a spouse who can't go with you because of said mortgage and their position as breadwinner, it is not an option worth considering because my priorities are such that it doesn't warrant consideration.

PotLuck wrote:If nothing else, retake the lsat to get a full ride to memphis.

You're "not looking for" money, Bob?

OfThriceandTen wrote:You're "not looking for" money, Bob?

Sure I am, but it's only one of about a half dozen considerations, each of which are weighted differently.

If anything it should be more of a concern for your position. Your wife will be taking on your debt. It's not fair to make your spouse both breadwinner, and liable for your academic pursuits. Most people just have their own lives they're harming by not retaking. You are raising the likelihood harming the person you gave an oath to care about more than you care about yourself. You also have to realize that finishing school at 50 might make it less likely that you'll get a solid job, and you need to start thinking about how you'll plan for retirement and the high likelihood of illness, medical bills, etc. that come with age. If anything at your age debt should be a much bigger concern than for a 22 year old, not less.

Bob- retake the LSAT and at least get a full ride. Also, why do you want to go to law school?

Pepperjack,

The level of judgmental chutzpah necessary to take what I said and interpret it as me "making" my wife the breadwinner and liable for my academic pursuits, as if she wasn't just as involved in the decision making, boggles the mind. Here's a suggestion; avoid speculating on the level of communication and commitment between my wife and I since you are sorely lacking, in all ways, the information necessary to speculate with any degree of accuracy.

Bobnoxious wrote:Pepperjack,

The level of judgmental chutzpah necessary to take what I said and interpret it as me "making" my wife the breadwinner and liable for my academic pursuits, as if she wasn't just as involved in the decision making, boggles the mind. Here's a suggestion; avoid speculating on the level of communication and commitment between my wife and I since you are sorely lacking, in all ways, the information necessary to speculate with any degree of accuracy.

I appreciate what I said was harsh, and also appreciate that despite taking offense to it you responded professionally. I was not speculating on your communication or commitment. I was only stating you're taking significant risk. I'm sure your wife is willing to sign off on it. I'm sure she believes in you and loves you. That was never brought into issue. Because of this I'd say it's even more important to make sure you're making a financially prudent decision. This is a woman who loves you and is willing to take a huge financial risk because she believes you. I think anyone would want their partner to be willing to risk everything based on a 10% chance they succeed because they believe in them so strongly. However, assuming you love her the same way it's mean to let her take that risk when a full scholarship is so attainable and the odds of this working out considering the employment #'s, cost and your age aren't as great as betting on black would be. If the goal is creating the best financial situation for your family, retaking isn't an option and you must take a risk - is there any way to convince her to believe in your ability to roll the magic dice? That is statistically more likely to create a net positive outcome.

deadpanic wrote:Is the total cost of attendance OM 36k vs. Mem 46k? If so, I would just go to Memphis since you already live in the Bluff City and want to remain there in the future.

+1

Idk wtf the people in the poll are thinking. The 10k difference ain't shit. Stay home with the wifey & get the local degree.

Okay, the scholarship from Memphis comes with a top 50% stipulation while Ole Miss is renewable with just "good standing." Are those who are saying to choose Memphis also saying that the stipulation isn't worth worrying about, and it's okay to expect you'll be in the top 50% for some reason?

Ole Miss is a no-stip full scholarship and I'm assuming it's going to cost me approximately $36k in cost of living expenses over three years to maintain residency in Mississippi.

Memphis is a median stip 50% scholarship, but I won't be spending any more than normal for cost of living while in Memphis.

How much more will Memphis cost if you aren't top half?

Nova wrote:How much more will Memphis cost if you aren't top half?

Approximately $17k.

Hmm. I'd still take my chances if I were you. 60k debt ain't even that bad and it just seems so inconvenient to live away from wifey & in a market you arent going to live in long term. If youre gonna go to a ttt, it should be your local one.

You should also take a stab at the June lsat, of course.

One thing that makes the living 90 minutes away for three years not a big deal at all...

I was an over the road truck driver for nearly 10 years and being away for 2-3 weeks at a time and then spending 36-48 hours at home in between was the norm. We did fine then so we know we can do this now, and it won't be nearly as bad.

I think I understand why those who voted for Memphis did so. I haven't heard any reasons from those who have voted for Ole Miss. What about it, Ole Miss fans? Why?

[quote="Bobnoxious"]I was offered an unconditional (good standing) three year scholarship to Ole Miss. I was offered a conditional 50% diversity scholarship (reduced or removed if below median) from Memphis, though second and third years of the scholarship are dependent on what the Tennessee Board of Regents may do to it between now and then. I was told the scholarship has been there for 18 years and the TBR is very unlikely to reduce the funding.

I live in Memphis, with a wife (of 25 years) who works full time and pays our mortgage and covers our insurance needs, so going to Ole Miss results in me needing to get a cheapo apartment (or buy a small 2nd home) for the next three years.

I put it to you...

Oh...
I'm 47 years old.
LSAT 157
GPA 3.84
Very strong LORs
Moderately strong softs.

Thanks,

Bob[/

Stay in Memphis. Seems there would be more of a job market to do internships. Plus you'll save $$ not maintaining two residences.

Most importantly the opportunity to hit the rendezvous for lunch isn't something that should be taken lightly

I'm in a very similar boat and at the risk of making you angry I also wanted to say, RETAKE!!! I have a 3.8 and will be 45 when I enter LS. I have a wife and mortgage, with 2 kids. I couldn't imagine taking on ANY debt when I graduate at 48. It's not fair to my family, or me. At our age, this is the last shot at doing the very best we can for our family. I owe to my wife and kids to study my ass off for the LSAT and get that 167+, no matter what.

I was scoring in the 150's when I first started my diagnostics and was about to just take it and maybe get a partial at Pepperdine (I'm in Los Angeles). Then, after posting in here and going through this same conversation over and over, fighting members here on why I just didn't want to wait and study further to get the score I wanted, I eventually realized it was the right thing to do.

I'm now hitting 165+ consistently because I put the work in. I study just a couple hours a week. Later this year I'm taking off for a couple months to study even harder for the February test. I'll hit 170+ (fingers crossed), but even if I hit 167+, I'm looking at UCLA with big $.

This is your last shot, man, don't waste it! Go to a great school, get the $ you want and exit the school with a much higher % of job opportunities. Neither of these schools will give you the job opportunities and scholarship you could get with another couple months of study. It's such a major life decision, why bail out and take a 157 when it's a controllable score?! Go get the 165+. You can do this.

It's really funny, I had the same reactions you did when people starting suggesting retake. I was appalled that they could judge me without knowing me. I wasn't as kind in some of my responses. I now know it was all ego getting in the way. They were right then, and they are right now. Do the right thing. Study and retake.

why not move to southhaven area for MS residency and do the 90 minute commute? thats probably cheaper than buying a house in oxford

Memphis called me and offered more scholarship money.

I'll be staying home for law school. The wife is happy (for now), and I'm MUCH LESS STRESSED.

Bobnoxious wrote:Memphis called me and offered more scholarship money.

I'll be staying home for law school. The wife is happy (for now), and I'm MUCH LESS STRESSED.

Just know that you've got a 40% chance of not getting a full time job as a lawyer coming out of Memphis. That might lead to some stress later on.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/ ... jobs/2013/

UALR in little rock is an hour and a half away from memphis... is it not better quality? Serious question

choward014 wrote:UALR in little rock is an hour and a half away from memphis... is it not better quality? Serious question

The quality is roughly the same but in Bob's case (if I remember correctly he fully intends to hang a shingle), quality of school probably means very little. Since it sounds like he aims to practice in Memphis, U Memphis has a much better rep. in the city than UALR does and he would be better served going there imo.

Also, congrats on the scholarship increase Bob!

Deleted. Retake or don't go.