Top Law Schools

WL: Penn, U Chicago, UVA, Duke, Cornell, and GWU

Considering: U Iowa (full-tuition w/ stipend) and Wash U ($45k scholarship)

MyTLSAccount wrote: LSAT retake is off of the table. I am a URM ... 3.7 GPA.

Why does being a URM preclude you from retaking?

These are all bad options. Iowa w/ a big scholarship is fine if you're from Iowa and want to work in Iowa. Houston is fine if you have Texas ties and can pay a reasonable amount i.e. not over six figures.

californiauser wrote:

MyTLSAccount wrote: LSAT retake is off of the table. I am a URM ... 3.7 GPA.

Why does being a URM preclude you from retaking?

These are all bad options. Iowa w/ a big scholarship is fine if you're from Iowa and want to work in Iowa. Houston is fine if you have Texas ties and can pay a reasonable amount i.e. not over six figures.

It doesn't preclude me from retaking. But I am not going to retake.

If you hate Iowa and the Midwest in general, attending Iowa makes zero sense.

californiauser wrote: These are all bad options. Iowa w/ a big scholarship is fine if you're from Iowa and want to work in Iowa. Houston is fine if you have Texas ties and can pay a reasonable amount i.e. not over six figures.

where is your tar

Nova wrote:If you hate Iowa and the Midwest in general, attending Iowa makes zero sense.

californiauser wrote: These are all bad options. Iowa w/ a big scholarship is fine if you're from Iowa and want to work in Iowa. Houston is fine if you have Texas ties and can pay a reasonable amount i.e. not over six figures.

where is your tar

Tar?

tar = Avatar = picture under username. I was asking where Caliusers tar is, since they ususally have one.

People do get good jobs in large cities with warm climates from Iowa, but it takes a combination of good grades and luck. A lot of students without the combination of good grades and luck have to graduate jobless and move post-graduation to where they want to end up. I know some that have had good outcomes from that, and some not. But I imagine you already know that. Given the COAs that you have posted, I think Iowa probably is your best option--with a stipend, I have a hard time believing Iowa's COA would be $50,000. There are other schools where you want to live that would be far better, but for some reason it seems like you applied to a lot of colder climate schools. Did you apply to Texas?

jthomas.7489 wrote:People do get good jobs in large cities with warm climates from Iowa, but it takes a combination of good grades and luck. A lot of students without the combination of good grades and luck have to graduate jobless and move post-graduation to where they want to end up. I know some that have had good outcomes from that, and some not. But I imagine you already know that. Given the COAs that you you have posted, I think Iowa probably is your best option, especially because I have a hard time believing your COA would be $50,000, especially with a stipend. Did you apply to Texas?

Yes. WL at Texas too :/

Do your best to get off of one of the waitlists. If that doesn't happen then retake or reapply. Those are your best options (actually retake is your best option by far). Also, if you hate Iowa and the midwest, why did you apply to a bunch of schools in the midwest?

Retake the LSAT or enjoy Iowa forever. Not wanting to retake is pretty dumb.

Iowa is giving out stipends now?

Your LSAT must be in the upper 150s. I attend Iowa. like it a lot. But for someone who despises the Midwest, you are better off taking your talents elsewhere. You would most likely be unhappy with your result because Iowa obviously feeds primarily into midwestern secondary markets. The school does not want unhappy students/alumni.

And if Iowa is giving out a stipend, your COA would be like $30,000. My rent last year was $345/month (Old Gold).

Winston1984 wrote:Retake the LSAT or enjoy Iowa forever. Not wanting to retake is pretty dumb.

I am not really in a position to retake ... not financially or otherwise. If I end up at U Iowa, then that's where I'll end up. I'll just have to work hard and then try to transfer out (or pray that I'll somehow find a way out).

I've heard only one or two stories where people really couldn't retake. I don't understand how you can't retake this one test to set yourself up for a much better chance at the life you want. You know everyone else comes in wanting to be at the top of the class too right?

edited for grammar

DportIA wrote:Iowa is giving out stipends now?

Your LSAT must be in the upper 150s. I attend Iowa. like it a lot. But for someone who despises the Midwest, you are better off taking your talents elsewhere. You would most likely be unhappy with your result because Iowa obviously feeds primarily into midwestern secondary markets. The school does not want unhappy students/alumni.

My LSAT was 160 ...

I don't want to be unhappy. But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent. And I really do not like the cold.

Winston1984 wrote:I've heard only one or two stories where people really couldn't retake. I don't understand how you can't retake this one test to set yourself up for a much better chance at the life you want. You know everyone else comes in wanting to be at the top of the class too right?

edited for grammar

It's not financially feasible for me. Not to mention, that I do not have full-time employment lined up. I do not have any family support. I am going to law school directly from undergrad. Yada, yada ...

MyTLSAccount wrote:

DportIA wrote:Iowa is giving out stipends now?

Your LSAT must be in the upper 150s. I attend Iowa. like it a lot. But for someone who despises the Midwest, you are better off taking your talents elsewhere. You would most likely be unhappy with your result because Iowa obviously feeds primarily into midwestern secondary markets. The school does not want unhappy students/alumni.

My LSAT was 160 ...

I don't want to be unhappy. But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent. And I really do not like the cold.

Then find a way to retake. A few more points and you'll not only get into t14 you'll get money from them and UT. If you hate Iowa definitely don't go. But your other options currently aren't good either.

Find a job for the next year. The worst thing you could do is go to law school somewhere you hate and don't want to live or even worse go into massive debt from a school that might not give you good options. No reason you have to go next year to law school

MyTLSAccount wrote:

Winston1984 wrote:Retake the LSAT or enjoy Iowa forever. Not wanting to retake is pretty dumb.

I am not really in a position to retake ... not financially or otherwise. If I end up at U Iowa, then that's where I'll end up. I'll just have to work hard and then try to transfer out (or pray that I'll somehow find a way out).

You are financially capable of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars that will haunt you for the next 15 years, but not financially capable of retaking one test. Makes sense. Yes, IA sucks, but so does debt and poor employment prospects.

,

MyTLSAccount wrote:

DportIA wrote: I don't want to be unhappy. But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent. And I really do not like the cold.

Well, I'm Mexican, but I carry my burden I suppose.

Cold--accurate.

thebobs1987 wrote:

MyTLSAccount wrote:

DportIA wrote:Iowa is giving out stipends now?

Your LSAT must be in the upper 150s. I attend Iowa. like it a lot. But for someone who despises the Midwest, you are better off taking your talents elsewhere. You would most likely be unhappy with your result because Iowa obviously feeds primarily into midwestern secondary markets. The school does not want unhappy students/alumni.

My LSAT was 160 ...

I don't want to be unhappy. But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent. And I really do not like the cold.

Then find a way to retake. A few more points and you'll not only get into t14 you'll get money from them and UT. If you hate Iowa definitely don't go. But your other options currently aren't good either.

Find a job for the next year. The worst thing you could do is go to law school somewhere you hate and don't want to live or even worse go into massive debt from a school that might not give you good options. No reason you have to go next year to law school

These are all good points.

DportIA wrote:

MyTLSAccount wrote:

DportIA wrote: I don't want to be unhappy. But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent. And I really do not like the cold.

Well, I'm Mexican, but I carry my burden I suppose.

Cold--accurate.

Ok ...

MyTLSAccount wrote:

thebobs1987 wrote:

MyTLSAccount wrote:

DportIA wrote:Iowa is giving out stipends now?

Your LSAT must be in the upper 150s. I attend Iowa. like it a lot. But for someone who despises the Midwest, you are better off taking your talents elsewhere. You would most likely be unhappy with your result because Iowa obviously feeds primarily into midwestern secondary markets. The school does not want unhappy students/alumni.

My LSAT was 160 ...

I don't want to be unhappy. But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent. And I really do not like the cold.

Then find a way to retake. A few more points and you'll not only get into t14 you'll get money from them and UT. If you hate Iowa definitely don't go. But your other options currently aren't good either.

Find a job for the next year. The worst thing you could do is go to law school somewhere you hate and don't want to live or even worse go into massive debt from a school that might not give you good options. No reason you have to go next year to law school

These are all good points. Perhaps I just needed to vent tonight. I feel like I shouldn't be so whinny ... I need to be grateful. I guess that sometimes in life you have to make hard decisions. In my life, this may be one of those times. My situation is definitely less than ideal. But on the upside, at least I'll have a law degree from a decent law school and I'll have very little student loan debt. (I have no undergraduate debt.) I hope that I will not end up practicing law in the midwest. (It will not be easy, but it's not impossible.) And if I cannot find a job in law outside of the midwest then I might consider looking for a job outside of law.

Just get a shit job for the next year. I know it's not ideal to wait tables/work in the service industry, but it'll be worth it once you are at a T-14/UT next year. You are making this decision difficult when it's really a no-brainer.

MyTLSAccount wrote:

DportIA wrote:But Iowa is a very difficult place to live if you're gay and not White. Not to mention, culture/diversity in Iowa City is almost non-existent.

The Iowa City area is one of the most eclectic (and progressive) in the entire Midwest. There are a ton of white people though.

I had similar stats but not URM and University of Iowa accepted me 3 years ago, no scholarship. Dayum.