UT at sticker? Forum

[Nightingale]

Hello, everyone. I recently got into UT off the wait list, and there is very little chance of receiving any $. I'm a Texas resident, and I would be looking at a COA of around $140k. My goals are working big law in Texas.

LSAT=170, GPA = 3.0x.

I also have a misdemeanor C&F issue (not DUI).

I applied very late in the cycle, and there's always the possibility of reapplying with a better LSAT + WE to either get into T14 or receive $$.

So my basic question is this: is it worth considering holding out/reapplying for $, or should I jump at the chance to attend UT considering my GPA and C&F?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

[Kool-Aid]

Not worth it! Reapply early next cycle.

Good luck

(I'm going to UT this fall)

[ScottRiqui]

Also attending this fall, and agree w/Kool-Aid. Reapply next year and you'll very likely get in again, but this time the scholarship/grant money won't be gone by the time you're accepted.

If UT is where you want to go, you might also consider applying ED next cycle. As a Texas resident, you'll get a $10k/year housing stipend for applying ED, although I don't know what that would do to your chances of getting a scholarship, since it's a binding ED and they know they've got you once they accept you.

[03152016]

Are you taking out loans to cover the costs? Will you be living at home while attending school?

[Mal Reynolds]

Nope.

[Attax]

Also attending in the fall. I applied early with worse stats and am not paying sticker ($7,000/year scholarship + grants).

Reapply.

[BigZuck]

How is your COA at sticker only 140K?

100K tuition+ 15-20K per year COL plus loan fees and interest and everything should push you closer to 200K.

I don't think it's worth it. At that debt level I'd rather spend the extra money to go to a T14. Big law chances would be much greater than at UT.

I would play hardball with them. Instate applicants with 170+ are rare I'm sure and while the GPA doesn't help them the LSAT certainly does. You should be getting at least 10K a year I would think.

(I go to UT, for whatever that is worth)

[emkay625]

If you can afford to wait around, do so. (Do you have a job lined up, can you live at home, etc.)

If not, I would attend. To be quite honest, I'm not sure there's much of a difference between UT at sticker and UT w/ $7K a year. At that point, you're talking about the difference of being like 180K and debt and being 155K in debt. Is that a difference - you bet it is. But it's not like we're talking about 180K and 100K. And with the low GPA and a C&F issue, I'm not sure you'll pull more than 7K a year or so from UT. (Disclosure: I have higher numbers than you and have 9K/yr and am currently at UT. But my cycle is the one before applications really decreased, so I could be totally and completely off).

There is also the argument from a long-term financial perspective, delaying your salary a year will cost you more than that 25K or so in loan savings. But that assumes employment later on, which in this legal market, you can't really do.

Also, NEGOTIATE. If you have money from elsewhere, send them your offers.

[Mal Reynolds]

Just lol at spending 180k at UT.

[emkay625]

Also, you don't need to tell us what it is, but knowing how serious your C&F issue is would help. Essentially, do you think it was applying late that hurt you more, or your C&F issue? (In other words, how likely is it your cycle will actually change?)

[emkay625]

Just lol at spending 180k at UT.

I didn't say it was wise, just said there wasn't honestly that much difference between it and 155K. Either way without big law you are in deep shit.

[McAvoy]

They should give you a lot more money with that 170. Next cycle you wouldn't be waitlisted and you would get some solid dough if you applied earlier. You'd probably be an ED lock as Scott mentioned, but I think you can (possibly) get more out of them than 10K/year.

I'd wait and get some more work experience and save some cash to cover some of your law school COL, as that's a very risky debt load. ETA: You have to shamelessly work other OOS schools to give you as much money as possible before negotiating with UT. WUSTL should bite with that LSAT and force UT to give you some legit money. Also factor in that in-state students typically get a 3K-plus grant every year.

(Also going to UT this fall, FWIW).

[Mal Reynolds]

Just lol at spending 180k at UT.

I didn't say it was wise, just said there wasn't honestly that much difference between it and 155K. Either way without big law you are in deep shit.

Either way you're making a dumb decision, so you might as well go for it!

[emkay625]

Hello, everyone. I recently got into UT off the wait list, and there is very little chance of receiving any $. I'm a Texas resident, and I would be looking at a COA of around $140k. My goals are working big law in Texas.

LSAT=170, GPA = 3.0x.

I also have a misdemeanor C&F issue (not DUI).

I applied very late in the cycle, and there's always the possibility of reapplying with a better LSAT + WE to either get into T14 or receive $$.

So my basic question is this: is it worth considering holding out/reapplying for $, or should I jump at the chance to attend UT considering my GPA and C&F?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Something you never mentioned: do you have offers from elsewhere that would be worth attending?

[emkay625]

Just lol at spending 180k at UT.

I didn't say it was wise, just said there wasn't honestly that much difference between it and 155K. Either way without big law you are in deep shit.

Either way you're making a dumb decision, so you might as well go for it!

If OP wants to go to Texas, yeah. Because with that GPA and a C&F issue, she/he's not getting much money anyway. If she/he wants to go elsewhere, then I dunno why he/she would consider this offer in the first place.

[rad lulz]

Nope.

[BigZuck]

Just lol at spending 180k at UT.

I didn't say it was wise, just said there wasn't honestly that much difference between it and 155K. Either way without big law you are in deep shit.

Either way you're making a dumb decision, so you might as well go for it!

If OP wants to go to Texas, yeah. Because with that GPA and a C&F issue, she/he's not getting much money anyway. If she/he wants to go elsewhere, then I dunno why he/she would consider this offer in the first place.

The OP could just pass on the whole law school idea altogether if it doesn't make sense to attend.

[Mal Reynolds]

Just lol at spending 180k at UT.

I didn't say it was wise, just said there wasn't honestly that much difference between it and 155K. Either way without big law you are in deep shit.

Either way you're making a dumb decision, so you might as well go for it!

If OP wants to go to Texas, yeah. Because with that GPA and a C&F issue, she/he's not getting much money anyway. If she/he wants to go elsewhere, then I dunno why he/she would consider this offer in the first place.

Oh did the OP say he really wants to go? Well then that changes everything. It is now an objectively smart idea.

[emkay625]

Never said it was objectively smart. Just said sticker is not really that much better than 7K a year. If you want to debate the merits of UT at all, feel free. But that's not the question I was trying to answer.

[TheSpanishMain]

Apply next cycle and apply very broadly for negotiation purposes.

[emkay625]

Apply next cycle and apply very broadly for negotiation purposes.

This is spot-on if you want UT, OP.

[Mal Reynolds]

Never said it was objectively smart. Just said sticker is not really that much better than 7K a year. If you want to debate the merits of UT at all, feel free. But that's not the question I was trying to answer.

You said you would attend UT at 180. That is a shit awful decision.

[emkay625]

Never said it was objectively smart. Just said sticker is not really that much better than 7K a year. If you want to debate the merits of UT at all, feel free. But that's not the question I was trying to answer.

You said you would attend UT at 180. That is a shit awful decision.

Whoaaaaa. Never said that. Just said it wasn't that much better than UT at 155K and if those were OP's only options I didn't see much of a difference. Also encouraged OP to negotiate (UT will give anyone money if they press hard enough).

[Attax]

Yeah 7k isn't much, but also OP if you have military ties in Texas from your family look into the Hazelwood Act. It makes Texas a great deal, but many people don't know about it. My point about 7k was that OP should get some $ no matter how small.

[BigZuck]

Never said it was objectively smart. Just said sticker is not really that much better than 7K a year. If you want to debate the merits of UT at all, feel free. But that's not the question I was trying to answer.

You said you would attend UT at 180. That is a shit awful decision.

Whoaaaaa. Never said that. Just said it wasn't that much better than UT at 155K and if those were OP's only options I didn't see much of a difference. Also encouraged OP to negotiate (UT will give anyone money if they press hard enough).

At the risk of getting all Mal-y...yes you did, in your first post ITT

"If you can afford to wait around, do so. (Do you have a job lined up, can you live at home, etc.)

If not, I would attend."