USC no debt vs. Berkeley at $90k debt - help me choose! Forum

[ls123]

Ok people. Longtime lurker, first time poster. What would you do if you were me?

USC - no debt
Berkeley - 90k debt total
also have Duke at 90k debt total

Any debt would be financed out of loans.

Career goals - I'm not necessarily interested in big law, especially if I don't have debt to pay off. My current area of interest is actually criminal justice. However, I would be lying if I said that academia didn't potentially interest me, and ditto the possibility of potentially at some point becoming a judge (totally unrealistic? perhaps.) I'd also be up for big law for a few years if I had the grades for it just to have it on my resume and to save up some money.

I would looooove not to have debt to pay off (seriously - what an enormous relief to be able to take any job I wanted without having to worry about big monthly payments!), but Berkeley or Duke at only 90k debt are pretty good deals too...

My whole family is in California; I wouldn't mind staying there for a period of time after law school but I'm kind of interested in having the option of going elsewhere eventually. Taxes in CA are too damn high. Otherwise, I have ties to DC (and some international cities - do they count?) but that's about it.

Duke is a bit of an afterthought here since Berkeley is in Cali and seems to have a slightly better reputation (?) but I loved the vibe of the Duke ASW - Berekely has more programs, etc. in my areas of interest but Duke's community seems pretty great and Durham is a LOT cheaper. Decisions decisions. I'll be at Berkeley this weekend but I decided to post now anyway and see what the general consensus was.

What would you do??

Stats: 168 (1x only), 3.8.

[xJD2017x]

How do you have no debt at USC?? Full tuition and cost of living all paid?? Duke and berkeley at only 90% which means you have full tution and the COA. I think you are underestimating your costs.

[EJL123]

IMHO, for your interests, go Berkeley.

I'm choosing between UCLA/USC and would love to be in your position to choose Berk at that cost (or heck, choose Berk at sticker). But Top 10 with less than $100K debt versus a Top 20 with no debt, I would give the odd toward Berkeley still. You'll have more options to do what you want.

The caveat is if you have a compelling reason to stay in Southern California, then go SC. But I would honestly say go Berkeley. You'll love it there.

[ls123]

How do you have no debt at USC?? Full tuition and cost of living all paid?? Duke and berkeley at only 90% which means you have full tution and the COA. I think you are underestimating your costs.

I have an SO who will pay for all non-tuition costs of living regardless of where I end up.

[twenty]

Yeah, Berkeley is worth the money here. Do that.

[PotLuck]

While I am a HUGE boalt and trojan fan I think the better option would be to retake the LSAT - that is what I would do if I were you. You said you wanted to go into academia potentially and even become a judge. The higher up the ladder of the law schools the easier these things become. With a 3.8 and a 171+ LSAT you are looking at HYS and some serious money at T4-14.

If you are completely against the retake, there is no bad option. If you are looking to stay in Cali USC has a fantastic alumni network and is generally a great school with a strong reputation. Boalt is legendary in its own right as well. If it were me, I'd shell out for Boalt.

Fuck Duke in this situation.

[zman]

How do you have a full ride to USC? They only give out one (rothman scholarship) and you didn't indicate that's what you got.

[Big Dog]

Go Bears!

[ls123]

How do you have a full ride to USC? They only give out one (rothman scholarship) and you didn't indicate that's what you got.

PM-ed you to explain.