Howard v. Case ($$) Forum

[blk_mamba]

First please don't say "retake" or "top 14". These are things I've thought about already.

Me

AA Male
150’s LSAT
3.6 GPA
Decent soft and 2 years work experience

The criteria

It seems like at first glance there is no debate because Case is ranked substantially higher in most objective rankings than Howard. Neither one of these school is my TOP choice however I looking at two things

1. Transfer options- I know it is silly to speculate about transfer options without sitting in my first law school class but I am thinking if I want to move up with great grades is possible and if so how far could one move up? T-14 or just top 50.

2. Stick it out- If I bomb my grades or they are just middle of road and I have to stay the schools look equal in terms big law opportunities or clerkships.

What I am battling with

Howard ($31,148) - In DC great location, much cheaper, AA get recruited from big law, big name in the AA community and more of a national name. Its feels like most of what I am reading about says that if you do well at Howard you can fight above your weight and get a good job. Side note I have never been to a HBCU before

Case ($47,600)- Cleveland seems to suck form most accounts, I’ve never been. Pricey but they have given me a 15k making the price on par with Howard, cheaper cost of living. Good name in Ohio, not sure how far their reach goes. The job numbers don’t look great for Case

Maybe I am being crazy and I need to just jump on Case but for some reason it feels like Howard is calling my name. I would prefer to stay in the Baltimore-DC metro area.

[californiauser]

Please post: Your employment goals, total cost of attendance for each school, where your ties are, and how you'll be financing your law school education.

[BigZuck]

Not sure what you mean by Case being higher but you would have to be high yourself to attend either school at the price you're almost certainly looking at. You'd have to be high as a kite to think you're getting big law out of either school as a median bro.

Retake and aim much higher if you want big law. Retake and get a bigger scholarship if you want a good shot at paying off your student loan debt. Don't go to either as it stands right now, that would be a colossal mistake.

[blk_mamba]

Please post: Your employment goals, total cost of attendance for each school, where your ties are, and how you'll be financing your law school education.

I plan on paying for school through grants and loans. I am a Baltimore MD resident. I am not 100 percent sure about what type of law I want to study. Case gave me 15 k so it would bring the cost down to the law 30's

[blk_mamba]

Not sure what you mean by Case being higher but you would have to be high yourself to attend either school at the price you're almost certainly looking at. You'd have to be high as a kite to think you're getting big law out of either school as a median bro.

Retake and aim much higher if you want big law. Retake and get a bigger scholarship if you want a good shot at paying off your student loan debt. Don't go to either as it stands right now, that would be a colossal mistake.

I meant ranked higher by US News and World Report but serious did you read the entire post or where you just looking for some in road to make a not so funny predictable joke. The reason I started the post with what I said is because I wanted a comparison of the two school listed. Your post did NOTHING to help me resolve the issue I posted. If you don't want to be helpful go away.

[Mal Reynolds]

I wouldn't go to either school at the price you are considering. It's an insane decision.

[californiauser]

Please post: Your employment goals, total cost of attendance for each school, where your ties are, and how you'll be financing your law school education.

I plan on paying for school through grants and loans. I am a Baltimore MD resident. I am not 100 percent sure about what type of law I want to study. Case gave me 15 k so it would bring the cost down to the law 30's

I think it's important that you calculate your TOTAL cost of attendance for 3 years, including tuition, housing, accumulated interest, costs over summer, etc. You're looking at over 100k total from either of these schools. Big law is statistically unlikely from either, which is pretty much the only way to pay back these loans since I'm sure neither has a decent loan repayment program (only the top schools do). You should go into law school expecting, at best, to graduate at median. The median outcome from these schools is unemployment/not working in a job requiring a JD. Neither has over 50% of any given class in full-time jobs that require a JD. Check out the website below for more information.

http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/

[mu13ski]

First please do say "retake" or "top 14".

"Retake"

[MoMettaMonk]

.

[BigZuck]

Not sure what you mean by Case being higher but you would have to be high yourself to attend either school at the price you're almost certainly looking at. You'd have to be high as a kite to think you're getting big law out of either school as a median bro.

Retake and aim much higher if you want big law. Retake and get a bigger scholarship if you want a good shot at paying off your student loan debt. Don't go to either as it stands right now, that would be a colossal mistake.

I meant ranked higher by US News and World Report but serious did you read the entire post or where you just looking for some in road to make a not so funny predictable joke. The reason I started the post with what I said is because I wanted a comparison of the two school listed. Your post did NOTHING to help me resolve the issue I posted. If you don't want to be helpful go away.

I gave some pretty phenomenal advice actually. I agree with Mal, paying as much as you're about to pay would be insanity. If you're going to go to one of these, make sure it's a full ride because the most likely scenario is that you won't even end up working as a lawyer.

Keep browsing around this site and doing your homework, you're very misguided right now (which makes sense, most people have been fed boomer advice and think that US News matters before they find the resources on this site).

Also, keep in mind that you don't have to approach everything in life half-cocked.

Good luck.

[timbs4339]

1) USNWR rankings do not matter. Job prospects and debt matter.

2) You seem to be concerned with biglaw job prospects and clerkships. You are not going to a school that gives you a decent opportunity to get either of those, and you'll have even less of a chance of transferring to a T14. A good outcome from both schools is getting a job at a small law firm or a local government agency making about 40-55K. If you don't know what those jobs entail you should not go to law school.

[20141023]

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[goldenflash19]

^that pic is like the greatest thing I've ever seen

[BankruptMe]

Not sure what kind of law i want to practice = don't go

[McAvoy]

Either would be horrible decisions that are very likely to completely ruin you financially and give you abysmal employment opportunities. As a URM with a 3.6, you could get in to harvard with decent retake (which, by your gpa, you should be completely capable of).

I'm not saying T14 or bust, but it would be insane to either not retake or attend one of these schools. Insane.

[cron1834]

Retake or T14.

[BigZuck]

Congrats Regulus, you just won the internet

[20141023]

.

[jimbeam21]

You have an entire year to study for the LSAT and retake. I'm pretty sure if you put in the effort, it's not unreasonable to shoot for the mid-high 160s. With a 3.6, that puts you in Harvard range if you apply early. Retaking could radically change your life. Just look at all the former success stories on these boards.

I can't imagine any possible life circumstance where retaking is not an option.

[Otunga]

Not sure what kind of law i want to practice = don't go

I think that characterizes the majority of law students.

[californiauser]

You have an entire year to study for the LSAT and retake. I'm pretty sure if you put in the effort, it's not unreasonable to shoot for the mid-high 160s. With a 3.6, that puts you in Harvard range if you apply early. Retaking could radically change your life. Just look at all the former success stories on these boards.

I can't imagine any possible life circumstance where retaking is not an option.

ya an AA with a 3.6+ and a 160 is all but a lock for a very large scholarship at Cornell assuming no other application issues -- not to mention pretty much all of the rest of the t14 is in play