Made a decision, never would have expected. Thanks TLS Forum

[Ngoblue2014]

Second deposited to BU after getting a scholarship bump to around 2/3 tuition. Was one of my last applications and sort of a "throw in" in mid February. Was pretty much set on Emory/Minnesota/UNC/GW before making threads on this board. After some research I feel it was the best possible decision. Below I have listed my final 4 with COA (keep in mind my family has paid for all of law school and expenses so no debt) If anyone has a strong opinion against or for my decision, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, thanks for all the advice!

BC: COA 98k
BU: COA 89k
UNC: COA 70k
GW: COA 159k


Goals: Big law if I can, but if not that's ok, go back home work for family business and start own practice.

From: Michigan, ties to Boston, Chicago, all of Mich. somewhat Miami/NYC

Financing: College fund started in early 90s will easily cover tuition, parents paying living expenses.

Numbers: 165 3.3 from top 5 public in the world. Retaking June 9th because there is no risk to doing so. (If i hit 168 I will reapply or better)

I feel offers outperformed numbers, though softs are uniquely strong.

If you voted "NO" in the poll please add where I should go instead

[anyriotgirl]

bro you know the deal. you gotta tell us where you want to lawyer, etc. before anyone can evaluate these choices.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

More info is needed:
1. your numbers
2. where do you have ties?
3. goals for after law school
anything else that is relevant

[Ngoblue2014]

Edited*

[Winston1984]

Is Boston where you want to practice?

[Ngoblue2014]

Yea i wouldn't mind, but of my options BU seems to have the most "mobility." NYC/DC/Boston are all relatively reasonable out of BU it seems from the LST report. Actually about 12% of last years class ended up in California too

[Winston1984]

Yea i wouldn't mind, but of my options BU seems to have the most "mobility." NYC/DC/Boston are all relatively reasonable out of BU it seems from the LST report. Actually about 12% of last years class ended up in California too

I wouldn't count on anything besides MA/NY. If your goal is geographic mobility, then BU isn't a great choice. But it seems like you are cool with working in Boston. Personally, if I were you and hit 167 on the retake, I'd sit out one more time. If you don't need tuition money, will your parents just give you that money?

[Ngoblue2014]

To sit out a year? depends. They hate the idea of a retake and really like BU, my dad is getting old (65) and wants me to come home while he is still running his company, so the idea of a year delay and more trips around the country (plus the anxiety of an app cycle which i think actually worried my parents even more than me haha) is not something they're happy about at all. Which is why i was able to negotiate 168 or better i can reapply with their support. So the goal is 168

[Otunga]

To sit out a year? depends. They hate the idea of a retake and really like BU, my dad is getting old (65) and wants me to come home while he is still running his company, so the idea of a year delay and more trips around the country (plus the anxiety of an app cycle which i think actually worried my parents even more than me haha) is not something they're happy about at all. Which is why i was able to negotiate 168 or better i can reapply with their support. So the goal is 168

I would say that 168 is a good threshold anyway. 3.3 166-167 probably doesn't get that much better offers relative to your numbers now, at least not better enough to sit out.

[Winston1984]

I meant if you got a full ride would they give you 90k? Or is that only for tuition purposes?

[Winston1984]

To sit out a year? depends. They hate the idea of a retake and really like BU, my dad is getting old (65) and wants me to come home while he is still running his company, so the idea of a year delay and more trips around the country (plus the anxiety of an app cycle which i think actually worried my parents even more than me haha) is not something they're happy about at all. Which is why i was able to negotiate 168 or better i can reapply with their support. So the goal is 168

I would say that 168 is a good threshold anyway. 3.3 166-167 probably doesn't get that much better offers relative to your numbers now, at least not better enough to sit out.

Would a 167 not be competitive for ED BU?

[Otunga]

To sit out a year? depends. They hate the idea of a retake and really like BU, my dad is getting old (65) and wants me to come home while he is still running his company, so the idea of a year delay and more trips around the country (plus the anxiety of an app cycle which i think actually worried my parents even more than me haha) is not something they're happy about at all. Which is why i was able to negotiate 168 or better i can reapply with their support. So the goal is 168

I would say that 168 is a good threshold anyway. 3.3 166-167 probably doesn't get that much better offers relative to your numbers now, at least not better enough to sit out.

Would a 167 not be competitive for ED BU?

I'm not sure anybody got ED BU this year, or if anybody did, they had a super high LSAT GPA combo relative to the BU applicant pool. But OP should look into that at the BU app thread. Some applicants with comparable numbers got higher offers than mine, but I was offered 90k with 3.9/168.

[Ngoblue2014]

No they wouldn't just give me the money. they paid for my undergrad + living expenses in full and are doing the same for law school. I don't think after double depositing and withdrawing I would have a good shot at BU at all (167 is this years median LSAT and my gpa is low) so that would not make sense.

[Ngoblue2014]

I am set on BU i love the school and am shocked by the large scholarship amount

[Winston1984]

No they wouldn't just give me the money. they paid for my undergrad + living expenses in full and are doing the same for law school. I don't think after double depositing and withdrawing I would have a good shot at BU at all (167 is this years median LSAT and my gpa is low) so that would not make sense.

Not sure how you can know the median yet, but I'd be shocked if they raised it two points. At any rate, I think your plan is solid and makes sense. Good luck on your retake!

[Winston1984]

To sit out a year? depends. They hate the idea of a retake and really like BU, my dad is getting old (65) and wants me to come home while he is still running his company, so the idea of a year delay and more trips around the country (plus the anxiety of an app cycle which i think actually worried my parents even more than me haha) is not something they're happy about at all. Which is why i was able to negotiate 168 or better i can reapply with their support. So the goal is 168

I would say that 168 is a good threshold anyway. 3.3 166-167 probably doesn't get that much better offers relative to your numbers now, at least not better enough to sit out.

Would a 167 not be competitive for ED BU?

I'm not sure anybody got ED BU this year, or if anybody did, they had a super high LSAT GPA combo relative to the BU applicant pool. But OP should look into that at the BU app thread. Some applicants with comparable numbers got higher offers than mine, but I was offered 90k with 3.9/168.

Damn. Kinda stingy..

[Ngoblue2014]

Admissions said they are dropping class size to around 180 and expect median to be 167

[redsoxfan1989]

Admissions said they are dropping class size to around 180 and expect median to be 167

That sounds like a wildly optimistic target for them. I got nearly a full ride from Cornell and BU wouldn't beat it and I had a 168. If you have a 168+ you should be getting into the lower t-14 with cash too. At that point, you would need to be dead-set on Boston and not care about BigLaw/prestigious PI for BU to be the right choice.

[sd5289]

Yea i wouldn't mind, but of my options BU seems to have the most "mobility." NYC/DC/Boston are all relatively reasonable out of BU it seems from the LST report. Actually about 12% of last years class ended up in California too

That's because they came from CA, so they already had ties. Quite a few of my friends were in the BU class that's up on LST right now. The CA kids went back to CA, the NY kids went back to NY, and most of the others stayed in Boston.

[quijotesca1011]

Numbers: 165 3.3 from top 5 public in the world. Retaking June 9th because there is no risk to doing so. (If i hit 168 I will reapply or better)

This is very off-topic, but I am just curious what this means?

"In the nation" is one thing that we can reasonably estimate, but the world is a whole different matter… A lot of other countries (i.e. most of W. Europe for sure) have incredibly strong public higher education… I have never seen a ranking that attempts to measure public universities globally.

[Ngoblue2014]

Haha yea that's what we say about ourselves here I would imagine nation is a far more legitimate claim.

[yost]

This is easy. Hit 170 on your retake and return to your alma mater.

[Ngoblue2014]

that would be great lets see how june goes

[rickgrimes69]

Assuming you're cool w/ working in Boston $90k isn't a terrible price for BU. Prob the best option of those presented. GL on the June retake.

[Nova]

GL on the June retake.