Minnesota vs. WUSTL Forum

[chingwoo]

I have the same money scholarship at both and will graduate debt free from both. The COA for both is within a few grand and these are both my cheapest and highest ranked options. Additionally I'm pretty maxed out scholarship wise at both. I have a 167 Lsat and a sub-3, it appears bumping it won't really do much for my scholarships. I have no interest in trying to go to Northwestern and graduating with 50k+ debt so I will not be retaking.

Currently I go to the University of Minnesota for undergraduate, like it but wouldn't mind a change of scenery. I'm currently leaning PI but for all I know I might end up wanting big law or big gov next year.

I am leaning WUSTL right now, but I'd like to see current arguments for or against. They have a higher biglaw % and I figure it has enough of a rep, if I decided to go into a non-legal field later on in life it pulls more weight than a Minnesota-Minnesota degree. Additionally if I fail to go to PI or big law and decide business straight out of law school I feel a WUSTL degree will pull more in say consulting or f500 than Minnesota.

[The Dark Shepard]

What are the stips on the WashU scholar? I know UMN's is 2.5, which is essentially good standing. If WashU's is median, keep in mind you can't know that you will place in the top 50% or above a 3.0 GPA or whatever. That's something significant to consider. I should probably check, but I crossed off WashU the second they sent me a 3k/year offer when most other schools were giving me 25k or so/year

[chingwoo]

What are the stips on the WashU scholar? I know UMN's is 2.5, which is essentially good standing. If WashU's is median, keep in mind you can't know that you will place in the top 50% or above a 3.0 GPA or whatever. That's something significant to consider. I should probably check, but I crossed off WashU the second they sent me a 3k/year offer when most other schools were giving me 25k or so/year

Stipulations are irrelevant at both. They both haven't had anyone lose a scholarship in the past couple years. WUSTL is good standing however.

Also you should have played the waiting game, I had a similar initial scholarship.

[Jchance]

Take WUSL, it opens up more markets for u, especially since u already went to UMN for undergrad (which means u already have MN ties and can come back to the Twin Cities to work).

[chingwoo]

Is going to college a solid enough tie to an area? I am originally from another major midwestern city and have only lived in Minneapolis for three years.

[thebobs1987]

Is going to college a solid enough tie to an area? I am originally from another major midwestern city and have only lived in Minneapolis for three years.

Where do you want to work after law school? If you want to stay in Minneapolis or even Wisconsin go to UMN. If you want St. Louis or another city I'd recommend WUSTL

[chingwoo]

Is going to college a solid enough tie to an area? I am originally from another major midwestern city and have only lived in Minneapolis for three years.

Where do you want to work after law school? If you want to stay in Minneapolis or even Wisconsin go to UMN. If you want St. Louis or another city I'd recommend WUSTL

I'm not really too sure about that. I'd be fine working anywhere that isn't the deep south if I find a good substantive job.

[thebobs1987]

Is going to college a solid enough tie to an area? I am originally from another major midwestern city and have only lived in Minneapolis for three years.

Where do you want to work after law school? If you want to stay in Minneapolis or even Wisconsin go to UMN. If you want St. Louis or another city I'd recommend WUSTL

I'm not really too sure about that. I'd be fine working anywhere that isn't the deep south if I find a good substantive job.

In that case I'd recommend WUSTL cause it is a little more portable. I'd also recommend figuring out where you want to be fairly soon. WUSTL and UMN are both regional schools so if you don't want to be in either's home market after school you really need to be focusing on that starting with your 1L summer.

[chingwoo]

I should say when I don't know where I'd like to work that I'd be targeting every market I have ties to + Chicago/New York. I have alot of midwestern ties.

Also theres a bunch of Minnesota votes, but no one is commenting. Why them over WUSTL?

[DportIA]

WUSTL. It opens more markets and has a better large-firm score. Minneapolis firms would be interested in you after going to undergrad there--obviously provided you attain competitive grades.

[Nova]

WUSTL. It opens more markets and has a better large-firm score. Minneapolis firms would be interested in you after going to undergrad there--obviously provided you attain competitive grades.

Yeah, I agree. wustl would give you a more flexibility.

If you preferred to work in MN, or if UMN cost maybe 15 or 30k less, I'd say UMN.

[Lord Randolph McDuff]

I should say when I don't know where I'd like to work that I'd be targeting every market I have ties to + Chicago/New York. I have alot of midwestern ties.

Also theres a bunch of Minnesota votes, but no one is commenting. Why them over WUSTL?

Because people just vote for their own school on here.

Unless you want to work in Minnesota, Take WUSTL. Change of scenery, more options, better school. Minn games rankings harder than any school save for Maryland, no telling whether they can keep that up. If you go there you may graduate from a top 40 school instead of a top 20 school, and I can tell from your OP that you care about that, at least to a degree.

WUSTL is a bit better school and it's weird to do undergrad/law at the same state school unless you really want to live in that state. My .02.

[chingwoo]

Well with the addition of Nova it looks that my decision to attended WUSTL over Minnesota is validated.

[Nova]

Well with the addition of Nova it looks that my decision to attended WUSTL over Minnesota is validated.

Heh. My adcomms probably hate me

I was actually in a really similar situation as you and chose UMN to stay near family & because I love Minneapolis.