UCLA (75k) vs. UCI (90k) Forum

[Amalthea]

So I am having difficulty making a choice that I would bet $$$ (actually I'm pretty poor - how about I bet the rest of my delicious leftover Easter chocolates?) most of you are going to tell me is a blindingly obvious one. I know that UCI has sort of a strange notoriety for bringing out trolls on these boards, so if you are just going to trash the school without any helpful comments, please do so on another thread.

About Me: I want to work in civil discrimination in the employment sector, and although my specific area of focus may change, I know I will want to work in public interest. I obviously want to go to a school with good career prospects, but I do like the idea of going to a school where the students are not hyper-competitive and take an active interest in each other's successes. I have zero interest in Biglaw.

UCI (90k): Love the school and its pro-bono programs, love the small class size, love the location, love everyone I've met, feel confident about my chances to get involved and succeed.
UCLA (75k): It's UCLA. Has a fully formed decent reputation in the Southern California market.

Cost of attendance: Close to equal although I venture that LA will be a bit more expensive since I will not be sharing bills etc. with a partner, but that amount is pretty negligible with all things considered.

I'm from Orange County and plan to live and practice in Orange County. I currently live with my boyfriend of three years who would not move to LA with me, although we would make the commute once a week. I don't know how naive it is to expect that I might have an entire day off every week, but I'm hopeful and willing to hit the grind the other six days. I also have an amazing support system in Orange County that I rely on and am not independent enough to plop down in an entirely new state for three years. I believe that I would self-destruct, and even the distance to LA makes me a little anxious.

Thank you!

[BigZuck]

Gotta retake, both schools are way too expensive at their current prices for what they offer you career-wise.

Plug the numbers in on the Georgetown law calculator and see for yourself

[californiauser]

Post total cost of attendance and the job you see yourself in post-grad that enables you to pay back your loans

[jbagelboy]

If you are determined to attend law school, I'd go to UCI, since it seems more comfortable for you in a variety of ways and the region/type of work you're looking for will be locally-based, require local contacts, won't be dependent on a "fully formed reputation", and probably won't pay anything so cheaper the better. Live at home if you can and in-state tuition at UCI w/ $30k/yr will only run you ~$60k into the ground including interest.

I have no idea what UCI's enduring branding and placement power will be. You requested that we not start a trollfest, so I won't incite one, but I'd venture that you could come out with a completely useless degree unless you network well and use every external resource available to you.

I'm from OC originally, and I miss it! Not a bad place to hang around, all things considered. Good luck!

[BigZuck]

If you are determined to attend law school, I'd go to UCI, since it seems more comfortable for you in a variety of ways and the region/type of work you're looking for will be locally-based, require local contacts, won't be dependent on a "fully formed reputation", and probably won't pay anything so cheaper the better. Live at home if you can and in-state tuition at UCI w/ $30k/yr will only run you ~$60k into the ground including interest.

I have no idea what UCI's enduring branding and placement power will be. You requested that we not start a trollfest, so I won't incite one, but I'd venture that you could come out with a completely useless degree unless you network well and use every external resource available to you.

I'm from OC originally, and I miss it! Not a bad place to hang around, all things considered. Good luck!

Read the OP twice and still don't see where cost of living would be 0 but if that's true then I agree.

As a world-weary TLSer/1L I'm a little concerned with the OP's naivety (thinking UCLA law carries meaningful nationwide prestige, thinking UCLA is a PI school, drinking the UCI Kool-aid, self-destructing if living an hour or two away from the folks, etc.) but I guess 60K debt at UCI isn't the end of the world.

[Amalthea]

Gotta retake, both schools are way too expensive at their current prices for what they offer you career-wise.

I am a splitter and only got into these schools based on my LSAT score (174), so re-taking would be pretty useless in this case.

I know that I am naive, and that is why I am asking these questions. I can be away from the folks just fine - I am just more concerned about navigating a totally unfamiliar environment and learning how to navigate law school at the same time.

[jbagelboy]

If you are determined to attend law school, I'd go to UCI, since it seems more comfortable for you in a variety of ways and the region/type of work you're looking for will be locally-based, require local contacts, won't be dependent on a "fully formed reputation", and probably won't pay anything so cheaper the better. Live at home if you can and in-state tuition at UCI w/ $30k/yr will only run you ~$60k into the ground including interest.

I have no idea what UCI's enduring branding and placement power will be. You requested that we not start a trollfest, so I won't incite one, but I'd venture that you could come out with a completely useless degree unless you network well and use every external resource available to you.

I'm from OC originally, and I miss it! Not a bad place to hang around, all things considered. Good luck!

Read the OP twice and still don't see where cost of living would be 0 but if that's true then I agree.

As a world-weary TLSer/1L I'm a little concerned with the OP's naivety (thinking UCLA law carries meaningful nationwide prestige, thinking UCLA is a PI school, drinking the UCI Kool-aid, self-destructing if living an hour or two away from the folks, etc.) but I guess 60K debt at UCI isn't the end of the world.

I mean yea, i'm just trying to put myself in OPs shoes and it seems like she would be making herself miserable (relatively) going to LA and losing that "support network" for little appreciable gain given her goals and more debt.

[hopefulapplicant2]

It seems to me it is about risk. UCLA is established and a known quantity. UCI, while it has great appeal is high risk. It is built around its dean. If the accreditation does not come through or if the dean suddenly leaves or dies, your career could be at stake. I would go with the proven winner. If you take the federal clerkships by the number rather than by the percentage I believe the schools are comparable.

[EJL123]

Go to UCLA.

IMHO, UCI is too much of a risk even with your goals/circumstances. With only a $15K difference in scholarship at UCI, the winner is UCLA.

[TooOld4This]

I wish people would stop giving scholarship numbers. It doesn't matter if the school gives you $1million in scholarships, if the cost of attendance is $2 million. It seems like 0Ls get blinded by big numbers in their 3 year award, but don't really do the math to see how much money is flying out the door (loans or otherwise).

OP, it doesn't sound like you are yet ready to tackle law school. If the idea of LA to OC is making you anxious, you really need to stretch your wings and gain more confidence before moving on to law school. Unfortunately, law school is not a nurturing environment and is not an environment to do these things. It doesn't matter how nice people at law school seem, 1L exams are zero sum -- if you do well, someone else does not. Unless you are planning on burning a pile of money, you always have that in the back of your mind. People can be nice only to the point where they believe their actions will help their competition more than it will help themselves.

[MikeJD]

UCLA.

[CrazyCaliKid]

UCI because its awesome. And so are you. And we will make it even more awesome. It was nice meeting you at ASW

[MikeJD]

UCI because its awesome. And so are you. And we will make it even more awesome. It was nice meeting you at ASW

damn that article dean Chem wrote on NYT really got to you but there is something called reality.

[Nomo]

I don't think I, or anyone else, can give you competent advice without knowing your COA numbers. Some of the posters may have guessed at it, and maybe they guessed accurately . . . but you can't bank on that.

[xJD2017x]

UCLA easily here.

[ph14]

UCLA.