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Hi all,

I have about 24 hours to decide between UF with no money and FSU with an over 50% tuition scholarship. I am involved in Florida government and policy and want to continue in that direction with my law degree.

UF seems to have a better peer reputation in Florida, higher salaries coming out, and a very supportive alumni base.

FSU has better externship opportunities in my field and many of them come with tuition wavers and living stipends.

Thoughts?

FLLaw wrote:Hi all,

I have about 24 hours to decide between UF with no money and FSU with an over 50% tuition scholarship. I am involved in Florida government and policy and want to continue in that direction with my law degree.

UF seems to have a better peer reputation in Florida, higher salaries coming out, and a very supportive alumni base.

FSU has better externship opportunities in my field and many of them come with tuition wavers and living stipends.

Thoughts?

FSU, especially if you want government work since you're in the capital. Also money.

FLLaw wrote:Hi all,

I have about 24 hours to decide between UF with no money and FSU with an over 50% tuition scholarship. I am involved in Florida government and policy and want to continue in that direction with my law degree.

UF seems to have a better peer reputation in Florida, higher salaries coming out, and a very supportive alumni base.

FSU has better externship opportunities in my field and many of them come with tuition wavers and living stipends.

Thoughts?

As has been well-documented. I am ardent supporter of UF over FSU in most cases. But definitely not in yours.

FSU will put you in the capitol and offers more opportunity for govt work. Also, FSU would be much cheaper given your scholarship offer. You really shouldn't think twice. UF grads make more money because of private sector work, which you don't seem to be interested in anyway.

Go FSU and don't look back. Congrats.

True, but I def. want to go private sector gov't relations. FSU seems to place a lot in public sector for about 42k a year. That make me pretty nervous.

FLLaw wrote:True, but I def. want to go private sector gov't relations. FSU seems to place a lot in public sector for about 42k a year. That make me pretty nervous.

So does UF.

FLLaw wrote:True, but I def. want to go private sector gov't relations. FSU seems to place a lot in public sector for about 42k a year. That make me pretty nervous.

At equal or near equal money, the golden rule is to go UF for private and FSU for govt.

Unless you're independently wealthy you're kind of stuck on FSU regardless. It sounds like you want UF but at sticker it's not advisable unless you want to retake and sit out a year. Which may not be the worst idea.

Are you in-state?(I am guessing you are given your FL govt work) If so, UF for instate isn't horrible. But that'd also mean you're in-state at FSU for 50% off on top of that.

cricketlove00 wrote:

FLLaw wrote:True, but I def. want to go private sector gov't relations. FSU seems to place a lot in public sector for about 42k a year. That make me pretty nervous.

So does UF.

UF average pay is slightly higher for public work, but cricket is right. At the end of the day it is public work. It just doesn't pay very much, on average.

Hell, Harvard's average public sector salary is $58k. If you want to make a lot of money, alter your career goals and/or don't go to law school.

Exactly, public sector work is just not the way I want to use my degree. $40-43k is not far out of my reach pre-JD and I have done a lot of internships in state gov. and unless you are in the legislature, there is too much red tape to really accomplish much.

I love policy but I want to be in the private sector. I'd really like to end up on a big law gov't relations team. Something strongly Florida e.g. G/R, H/K. Or, maybe gov't relations for a big corporation or association.

That's why I am so torn. I want private sector gov't relations and both options have big pro's and con's.

FLLaw wrote:Exactly, public sector work is just not the way I want to use my degree. $40-43k is not far out of my reach pre-JD and I have done a lot of internships in state gov. and unless you are in the legislature, there is too much red tape to really accomplish much.

I love policy but I want to be in the private sector. I'd really like to end up on a big law gov't relations team. Something strongly Florida e.g. G/R, H/K. Or, maybe gov't relations for a big corporation or association.

That's why I am so torn. I want private sector gov't relations and both options have big pro's and con's.

What do you mean by private government relations?

cricketlove00 wrote:

FLLaw wrote:Exactly, public sector work is just not the way I want to use my degree. $40-43k is not far out of my reach pre-JD and I have done a lot of internships in state gov. and unless you are in the legislature, there is too much red tape to really accomplish much.

I love policy but I want to be in the private sector. I'd really like to end up on a big law gov't relations team. Something strongly Florida e.g. G/R, H/K. Or, maybe gov't relations for a big corporation or association.

That's why I am so torn. I want private sector gov't relations and both options have big pro's and con's.

What do you mean by private government relations?

Essentially lobbying. Several of the biggest law firms in the state have a team of lawyers that advocate for client interests in the legislature. These lawyers also often practice other types of law as well.

Corporations hire gov't relation professionals to the same end but they often cover multiple states or even federal.

FSU

Definitely take the money at FSU.

For law, FSU and UF are regarded as peers now. USNews (for what it's worth) actually has FSU Law ranked over UF. UF has the better undergrad reputation, but law isn't undergrad.

There is a recent, lengthy thread on the FSU vs UF topic that you may want to review as well.

I still think FSU. UF places more people in Biglaw but I think that may be because people go to FSU to work in Tallahassee. If I'm totally wrong on that, still go to FSU.

cricketlove00 wrote:I still think FSU. UF places more people in Biglaw but I think that may be because people go to FSU to work in Tallahassee. If I'm totally wrong on that, still go to FSU.

I think some of those biglaw hires are due to UF having a much larger, and older, alumni base. Probability suggests that there are more UF students with relatives and friends and connections in high places. This advantage means less in the public sector, which probably explains why UF tilts private and FSU tilts public.

Update: UF just offered me 26k and FSU gave me an extension to decide. What do you guys think?

FLLaw wrote:Update: UF just offered me 26k and FSU gave me an extension to decide. What do you guys think?

If you're in state and FSU offered you a 50% scholly then I assume they offered you around $30k. Looks like UF just matched it.

Unless you have a burning desire to do public sector work in Tally, go to UF.

FLLaw wrote:Update: UF just offered me 26k and FSU gave me an extension to decide. What do you guys think?

Now you should do UF for sure. That's a no-brainer.

Well, it is $39 FSU V. $26 UF. COL is about 1k lower at UF, but tuition is about 2k higher.

Over all, UF is more expensive but it might be worth it?

FLLaw wrote:Well, it is $39 FSU V. $26 UF. COL is about 1k lower at UF, but tuition is about 2k higher.

Over all, UF is more expensive but it might be worth it?

I think so for what you want to do since the money is so similar.

cricketlove00 wrote:

FLLaw wrote:Update: UF just offered me 26k and FSU gave me an extension to decide. What do you guys think?

Now you should do UF for sure. That's a no-brainer.

Stips on either? If I recall, UF had a top 50% stip on the scholarship it offered me. If FSU has no stips, go there. Otherwise, if the cost difference is negligible, I'd go with UF.

FLLaw wrote:Well, it is $39 FSU V. $26 UF. COL is about 1k lower at UF, but tuition is about 2k higher.

Over all, UF is more expensive but it might be worth it?

In regard to peers, when people say go to the school which is cheaper they don't mean the school which is a few thousand cheaper. They mean $20k+cheaper, unless you are completely indifferent. You shouldn't forego going to the school you really want to attend over $10k.

Stips should definitely be a consideration. My UF scholly is good academic standing, and most I have spoken with have good academic standing stips also. If I were you I would double check and if all holds up, make your choice.

That is a fair point about stipulations. The UF scholarship is for 2nd and 3rd year provided I remain in "good academic standing". I am unsure as to what that actually means as far as class ranking goes, but I just shoot the department an email to find out. The FSU scholarship has no stipulations.

The money might be similar but at FSU I have a lot of 2nd year and third year externship and fellowship opportunities with the legislature that would cover tuition and provide a stipend.

But I have a great clerkship opportunity with my dream firm if I go to Florida, so I think that might be worth the additional cost.

Thoughts?

FLLaw wrote:That is a fair point about stipulations. The UF scholarship is for 2nd and 3rd year provided I remain in "good academic standing". I am unsure as to what that actually means as far as class ranking goes, but I just shoot the department an email to find out. The FSU scholarship has no stipulations.

The money might be similar but at FSU I have a lot of 2nd year and third year externship and fellowship opportunities with the legislature that would cover tuition and provide a stipend.

But I have a great clerkship opportunity with my dream firm if I go to Florida, so I think that might be worth the additional cost.

Thoughts?

I think "good academic standing" means you don't fail out, tbh.

Go with Florida. It sounds like that's what you truly want.

FSU and it's not close. I say this as a diehard Gator

Cricket is right about good academic standing. Don't flunk out and you'll be fine.

As for your other considerations, that's where you have to decide for yourself.

Cicero76 wrote:FSU and it's not close. I say this as a diehard Gator

wut