Top Law Schools

Hey all:

I'm debating between a free ride at Hofstra or paying sticker at Rutgers-Newark (about 88K for all 4 years), both part-time. Intention is to keep my paralegal job at a prominent law firm in NYC for the duration of school, however, with Hofstra being a day program, it will certainly be frustrating to schedule work and class.

I'd be taking out loans for Rutgers tuition, but I'm not taking out living expenses for either school, as I intend to work throughout.

Does the difference in rankings or the more conveinent schedule at Rutgers justify 90K of debt?

Thanks.

Do you have a job waiting for you at the prominent law firm?

Not definite, would have to see when the time comes. Because it's big law they may not accept either school, but they may hire me because of my experience here. I have a great relationship with the partner in my group. Even if I do not eventually get hired here, I have good pay now and I know when I get a JD the associates I work with will definitely help me network to find a job.

BankruptMe wrote:Do you have a job waiting for you at the prominent law firm?

Are there stipulations on your Hofstra full ride?

Full Ride. Rutgers isnt't worth sticker

Yes:

A tiered retention policy has been instituted whereby (1) students ranked in the top 40 percent of their class after each academic year will retain 100 percent of their award, (2) students ranked greater than 40 percent up to 50 percent of their class after each academic year will retain 50 percent of their scholarship and (3) students ranked greater than 50 percent up to 60 percent of their class after each academic year will retain 25 percent of their scholarship.

jingosaur wrote:Are there stipulations on your Hofstra full ride?

Id go with Hofstra then. Let's be honest. If you are not in the top 50% there, your probably sunk anyway

Just hope they dont section stack

Full ride and drop out if you lose the scholly.

100% agreed about not losing the scholly. Can someone explain section stacking?

BankruptMe wrote:Id go with Hofstra then. Let's be honest. If you are not in the top 50% there, your probably sunk anyway

Just hope they dont section stack

Section stacking is when they make sure a large portion (or all) of a section is composed of scholarship students. The curve is applied to each section, guaranteeing that students in the bottom of the scholly section lose their $$$.

nightmare. thank you.

transferror wrote:Section stacking is when they make sure a large portion (or all) of a section is composed of scholarship students. The curve is applied to each section, guaranteeing that students in the bottom of the scholly section lose their $$$.

You're not going to defray ANY tuition with your salary? I'd reduce any loan as much as possible.

How are you going to keep working if you need to attend day classes 4-5 days as week as a 1L? Consider also that Hofstra is a schlep, way out on LI and not close to the train. Just the logistics of what you propose give me a headache. What are your scores, if you don't mind? I want to know if you are in position to possibly elicit merit aid from Rutgers.

Hofstra, if actually feasible, seems more prudent given it's free. If you can cut your Rutgers debt load in half through budgeting and hopefully a scholarship, I'd consider that a prudent choice especially because you're getting a well-regarded evening program (and many key upper class electives are offered for all students in the evening), and since you'll be making income throughout.

"Just the logistics of what you propose give me a headache." - I know, me too.
154/3.2...I could ask Rutgers but...doubt it. I think my softs really carried me in my applications.
I could budget a little for sure...but not a ton. I'll be losing a lot of overtime pay once classes start up.

donewithannarbor wrote:You're not going to defray ANY tuition with your salary? I'd reduce any loan as much as possible.

How are you going to keep working if you need to attend day classes 4-5 days as week as a 1L? Consider also that Hofstra is a schlep, way out on LI and not close to the train. Just the logistics of what you propose give me a headache. What are your scores, if you don't mind? I want to know if you are in position to possibly elicit merit aid from Rutgers.

Hofstra, if actually feasible, seems more prudent given it's free. If you can cut your Rutgers debt load in half through budgeting and hopefully a scholarship, I'd consider that a prudent choice especially because you're getting a well-regarded evening program (and many key upper class electives are offered for all students in the evening), and since you'll be making income throughout.

vlshort3955 wrote:nightmare. thank you.

transferror wrote:Section stacking is when they make sure a large portion (or all) of a section is composed of scholarship students. The curve is applied to each section, guaranteeing that students in the bottom of the scholly section lose their $$$.

Hofstra 100% stacks their sections. The higher the scholarship, the more likely you will be in the fully stacked section (ie., if you have 5K per year you might get lucky and be with mostly non-scholarship students, but if you have a full ride you will absolutely be in a stacked section). Since the stacked sections are full of scholarship students, you will also therefore be in a section with people who had similar admissions profiles - you won't be a big fish in a small pond, you'll be an average fish in a crowded puddle (aka a 50% fish, which is not enough to keep your full ride). This info is based on conversations (many) with current Hofstra Law students. I live a few blocks away and went out of my way to talk to law students when I got a full ride there. I can understand the attraction (I cannot even BEGIN to tell you how convenient it would be for me to stay put and go to Hofstra Law) but it is a fact that 60% of your section will lose half to all of their scholarship money after 1L.

Aside from that, Hofstra is primarily a good choice for people who want to practice on LI, not in NYC. If you want to go anywhere other than LI (where, to be fair, the school still has a very good reputation among small firms - don't listen to haters who tell you it's another Touro, it's not that bad) you will have a hard time. But even if you do want to practice on LI, consider the sticker price before you commit because there is a good chance you'll be paying it by 2L or 3L (scholarships are further reduced after 2L if you rank below 40% again, so you could lose 1/4 after 1L and then another 1/2 after 2L, or some such combination of reductions).

Again, this info came from CURRENT law students. One of them is a regular customer where I work and asks about my cycle whenever I see him - and every time I see him he tells me not to go to Hofstra. He's got a good job lined up and has had a great experience at Hofstra Law, but he's seen so many people lose their $ that he flat out recommended I not go there. He knows he's the exception to the rule.

Hope this helps, sorry if it's disappointing - I know the feeling.

Edit: On the other hand, you could accept at Hofstra and apply in the fall to transfer to CUNY. If you lose your $ you'd only pay $15K at CUNY, assuming you qualified for NYS tuition by then. You have to really have an interest in PI though, as there is not much else to focus on at CUNY. Just a thought. It seems like a good backup because $15K for two years is better than $100K or whatever 2 years of Hofstra tuition is now.

Thanks PattyCake, definitely appreciate the info...that's rough.

What do you want to do with a JD? Why pursue one if your current pay is good?

vlshort3955 wrote:Thanks PattyCake, definitely appreciate the info...that's rough.

I know, I'm sorry! Better to know now than to get there in August and find out the hard way...

Yeah, hate to say it, but you likely won't get a scholarship offer from Rutgers. I agree that Hofstra offers some opportunities and good level of quality. I visited there back in the day. Not for me. But, if you can somehow figure out your logistics-- which is important because there's no sense in doing this if you can't do it well-- then Hofstra seems fine. If you have serious qualms about your ability to excel, you might consider retaking . The high 150s would elicit some money from Rutgers and the 160s will likely do for Fordham, and those are very good evening programs.