Top Law Schools

Long time reading of this forum and first time poster so thank you in advance for reading and providing any advice as I am having a tough time choosing what law school to attend in the fall.

Here are some facts first to put my profile in perspective.

LSAT (taken 3 times) - 161
UGPA - 3.6
CA resident

I am choosing between Arizona State (COA: 30k/year), George Washington (sticker), WUSTL (sticker), W&M (sticker), and Emory (sticker). I will be financing my education with loans and minimal help from family. I would like to work in NY, DC, or CA and have no ties to any of these schools. My goal is big or intellectual property law. Also, I am not opposed to transferring if I am fortunate enough to perform well my first year.

Thanks again for reading and please please help!

I wouldn't go to law school if I were you. Paying sticker at any of those schools would be sheer madness, and Arizona State is pretty much pointless without ties to Arizona. I'd start exploring other career options.

philosoraptor wrote:I wouldn't go to law school if I were you. Paying sticker at any of those schools would be sheer madness, and Arizona State is pretty much pointless without ties to Arizona. I'd start exploring other career options.

Op this is pretty much what every (sane) poster on this site will say so decide in advance whether you're going to listen to this advice or try to argue and deny it. Check out lawschooltransparency.com for why we will all say don't go to law school.

1) Take the advice and stay home

2) If you go, you would be better off going to a shitty school on a full-ride and letting that "minimal family help" cover most of your cost of living. Then at least you'd have low/zero debt when you finish wasting 3 years of your life with a 1/3 chance at becoming a lawyer, much less in a good situation. It's way better than paying 200k+ for just better than a coin flips chance at being a lawyer, much less having a good outcome, which is what you would have at most of the schools you listed. The worst case scenario with the full ride will just waste some of your life, but the worst case scenario at sticker price will literally ruin your life.

What if OP only wanted to do PI stuff? Would lrap/ pslf make the schools at sticker worthwhile?

Enjoy Arizona state at a reduced price. Whatever you do, don't listen to this,

I wouldn't go to law school if I were you. Paying sticker at any of those schools would be sheer madness, and Arizona State is pretty much pointless without ties to Arizona. I'd start exploring other career options.

Arizona native, nobody gives a fuck if your'e from Arizona or not.

RobertGolddust wrote:Enjoy Arizona state at a reduced price. Whatever you do, don't listen to this,

I wouldn't go to law school if I were you. Paying sticker at any of those schools would be sheer madness, and Arizona State is pretty much pointless without ties to Arizona. I'd start exploring other career options.

Arizona native, nobody gives a fuck if your'e from Arizona or not.

Sure, enjoy Arizona State at a reduced price. Then enjoy your $109K of nondischargeable debt (before interest begins compounding) with less than a 60% chance of getting a job as a lawyer. Go ahead and subtract much of that chance because you don't have ties to Arizona.

By the way, esteemed Arizona native and 0L RobertGolddust, hiring partners absolutely give a fuck about ties. Please don't give terrible advice.

Please don't ruin your life. These options are not good. Its not your fault - law school is just way too expensive. There are better things you can do with your life. Enjoy finding out what those better things are.