UF $$ vs. Stetson $$ Forum

[ItsTribbey]

I've gotten an offer from Stetson at $23,000 / yr (2.25 GPA stip) and and offer from UF ($11,000 1L, $9,000 2L & 3L, 2.0 GPA stip).

Stetson said they are going to reconsider the amount of my award next week and throw something else my way if they can.

I'm leaning pretty heavily towards UF at the moment, of course because of their alumni network etc. but, I went to visit Stetson this weekend and I've got to say, the campus is pretty awesome. Very comfortable environment, and super personalized. I also think my odds of standing out would be greater at Stetson (law review, moot court, trial teams, etc.).

I'm going to visit UF this Friday.

I guess I'm just wondering if the odds of being on moot court and trial teams and all of that should be a factor in my decision or if I should go for the practically 50% ride at UF hands down.

I was pretty much there before my visit to Stetson, but I didn't anticipate it being such a comfortable environment.

EDIT: i'm in-state and will be staying in state to work

[sublime]

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[ItsTribbey]

I'm really not sure. Somewhere in the Tampa/Orlando area, which is why Stetson is still a consideration and why I didn't jump on FSU (they also are unable to offer me any $$). But I also want to be as versatile as possible.

[deadpanic]

What is the total cost of attendance at each?

[sublime]

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[ItsTribbey]

At UF I'm probably looking at around $90K, Stetson probably about $105K with their current offer.

I'll also receive some help from family, but I have not factored that in my total COA's because I'm not sure what that's going to look like.

[ItsTribbey]

Also, how heavily should I weigh the "#1 in trial advocacy, #6 in legal writing"? I feel like Stetson has a much better reputation in Florida or at least in the market I'm looking at than I've found it to be represented by searching through the forum, nonetheless, UF has a massive alumni network and it's not like I won't be getting an equally beneficial education.

[transferror]

Also, how heavily should I weigh the "#1 in trial advocacy, #6 in legal writing"? I feel like Stetson has a much better reputation in Florida or at least in the market I'm looking at than I've found it to be represented by searching through the forum, nonetheless, UF has a massive alumni network and it's not like I won't be getting an equally beneficial education.

Forget department rankings, they are pretty meaningless. That said, Stetson does have outstanding moot court and mock trial programs. Their trial team is nationally known and respected, so they have a good regional reputation for producing excellent trial-ready attorneys. If you want to do trial work at the criminal level or litigation at a tiny firm where you would get immediate responsibility, Stetson is defensible. If you don't want to be a trial attorney, I'd choose UF.

They have similar employment statistics and costs are similar enough, so neither is really a "must" over the other. Focus on your career goals (trial or not), where in FL you want to practice, and generally how much you like the campus and students.

[Lord Randolph McDuff]

Those rankings mean that Stetson has good faculty in those areas. That's it. I've seen a few at St. Pete attorneys try to market the number 1 in trial ad thing on their rinky dink websites. It's pretty lame.

It's not going to help you find a job. I guess maybe it could help you a tiny, tiny bit if you were actually on the trial team at Stetson and you were applying to DA/PD.

I would go to UF or retake for a better deal.

[rad lulz]

j

[ItsTribbey]

Well those are probably pretty high estimates that include cost of living. 3 yr Tuition would be $37k at UF and $44k at Stetson

[rad lulz]

Well those are probably pretty high estimates that include cost of living. 3 yr Tuition would be $37k at UF and $44k at Stetson

Why would you not include cost if living if you're gonna take out loans for it

[ItsTribbey]

Well I am I just don't know exactly what I'll need yet. But I also have yet to hear back from Stetson. What is your opinion of the two schools regardless of price?

[rad lulz]

Well I am I just don't know exactly what I'll need yet. But I also have yet to hear back from Stetson. What is your opinion of the two schools regardless of price?

My opinion is that both could be decent options for small firms or local govt. for the right price

[twenty 8]

I can attest that Stetson will provide a solid legal education. The outcome was an associate position at a successful and expanding FL firm. However, I attended on a full ride, thus I have no inclination to advise anyone to take on debt. If anything, leverage your stats the best you can to avoid giving away your paycheck.

[BigZuck]

You're going to learn pretty much the same stuff at any law school. Also why would you be more likely to be on the moot court team at Stetson as opposed to UF?

What do you want to do with a JD? What kind of lawyer job are you hoping to get?

[hous]

At UF I'm probably looking at around $90K, Stetson probably about $105K with their current offer.

I'll also receive some help from family, but I have not factored that in my total COA's because I'm not sure what that's going to look like.

This seems easy to me. UF.

Why would you pay more to go to the fourth best law school in the state of Florida over a consistent T1 and second best law school in the same state? UF has alumni all over the state and better reputation.

Stetson is a good school, don't get me wrong. But UF is better and cheaper.

Did you apply to FSU?

Also, how heavily should I weigh the "#1 in trial advocacy, #6 in legal writing"? I feel like Stetson has a much better reputation in Florida or at least in the market I'm looking at than I've found it to be represented by searching through the forum, nonetheless, UF has a massive alumni network and it's not like I won't be getting an equally beneficial education.

Stetson absolutely does not have a better reputation than UF in the state of Florida or anywhere else for that matter. Those rankings mean nothing, no one cares about them. Go to UF man. This is easy.

I don't even go to UF but I can't justify you picking Stetson over UF unless they give you a significantly larger scholly over UF's 50% price.

[hous]

Those rankings mean that Stetson has good faculty in those areas. That's it. I've seen a few at St. Pete attorneys try to market the number 1 in trial ad thing on their rinky dink websites. It's pretty lame.

It's not going to help you find a job. I guess maybe it could help you a tiny, tiny bit if you were actually on the trial team at Stetson and you were applying to DA/PD.

I would go to UF or retake for a better deal.

Even if he wants to be trial attorney in St. Pete, he should chose UF over Stetson.

Also, get a job while in law school to help keep your costs down. I'm graduating from a law school that is 20k a year at sticker, and paid sticker. My loans are at 40k. If you get a PT job and work throughout law school you will be pretty much guaranteed employment upon graduation and will be nearly debt free.

[sublime]

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[ItsTribbey]

First, Thank you everyone for your input.


- I think the alumni network does matter to some extent when you're talking about establishing credibility on paper. I'm going to strive to become the best candidate I can be wherever I go, but any foot in the door helps.

- I will certainly try to work outside of 1L and anticipate my loans being much less than what I posted but, I want to go into this without banking on that just in case.

- hopefully Stetson gets back to me today or tomorrow. But like I said it was an easy decision for me to say UF until I made the visit to the school, which really impressed me. It is a day designed to do that though, and it didn't totally derail me from considering UF so maybe that's significant... I'll have to see how UF strikes me on Friday.

- I did apply to FSU, I was accepted but they could not offer me any money. Also, I got a phone call from one of their professors and they really rubbed me wrong. I sort of ended the conversation and said like "thanks but I don't think this conversation is going as it's supposed to be going." Didn't seem like he/she felt they were going to have to have any real information and got frustrated when I asked for it. She said I shouldn't consider Stetson because it's too expensive, then when I told her Stetson offered me a scholarship to make it less expensive than FSU she said "well, you get what you pay for" (??????)

[hous]

First, Thank you everyone for your input.

- the reason I was anticipating it maybe being a little easier to get involved with and selected for various trial teams or moot court is because I have some work experience that has out me in front of judges and in court rooms, most djj and dependency, but it's still experience. Anyway, Stetson seems more personal and I figured maybe that would be easier to convey there. Also, because of UFs reputation I was maybe jumping the gun in thinking the competition may be a little less stiff at Stetson, but I know that's nothing to bank on.

- I think the alumni network does matter to some extent when you're talking about establishing credibility on paper. I'm going to strive to become the best candidate I can be wherever I go, but any foot in the door helps.

- I will certainly try to work outside of 1L and anticipate my loans being much less than what I posted but, I want to go into this without banking on that just in case.

- hopefully Stetson gets back to me today or tomorrow. But like I said it was an easy decision for me to say UF until I made the visit to the school, which really impressed me. It is a day designed to do that though, and it didn't totally derail me from considering UF so maybe that's significant... I'll have to see how UF strikes me on Friday.

- I did apply to FSU, I was accepted but they could not offer me any money. Also, I got a phone call from one of their professors and they really rubbed me wrong. I sort of ended the conversation and said like "thanks but I don't think this conversation is going as it's supposed to be going." Didn't seem like he/she felt they were going to have to have any real information and got frustrated when I asked for it. She said I shouldn't consider Stetson because it's too expensive, then when I told her Stetson offered me a scholarship to make it less expensive than FSU she said "well, you get what you pay for" (??????)

She has a point though, FSU at sticker is worth more than a discounted Stetson degree. Go to UF.