Top Law Schools

Hey all,

I have a 2.4, 177. I got into Northwestern last week and am deciding between Northwestern with a 30K total scholarship(hard offer) and Washington University with a $150,000.00 scholarship. I have $35,000.00 in pre-existing debt, am not URM, and am in my early 30's. I am from Illinois and would like big law, but would survive without it. I have about $10,000.00 in savings, but will be funding the rest of my education with loans. I have about 4 years w/e, and my current paralegal job pays around $30,000.00 per year. I have never made more than this, partially due to an abysmal undergrad GPA and useless major.

My two options:

Northwestern with roughly $250,000.00 in debt at graduation vs. WUSTL with roughly $95-100,000.00 debt at graduation.

I have already deposited at WUSTL, and Northwestern's deposit deadline is this Friday.

Please ask me any other questions you have that may assist with an answer. I am pretty sure I know which way I'm going, but I wanted to pique the TLS hive-mind before I take the plunge.

Would you be happy if the outcome of going to law school was a biglaw job in Chicago?

GPA/LSAT?

I don't like either option. But if you're set on going this year, WUSTL is more prudent. NU is one of the better of the peasant T14s but at sticker it's a scary prospect.

Retake is, ofc, the right answer though.

L’Étranger wrote:Would you be happy if the outcome of going to law school was a biglaw job in Chicago?

Absolutely. I am not picky on location.

tskela wrote:GPA/LSAT?

2.4, 177. Retake is out.

Dat splitter dilemma.

When did you apply?

ETA: and what schools did you apply to? any other WL? How debt averse are you?

Dr.Zer0 wrote:Dat splitter dilemma.

When did you apply?

ETA: and what schools did you apply to? any other WL? How debt averse are you?

Applied to NU October 1, ed. Applied to wustl shortly thereafter, only other t14 were Virginia and penn, both rejected. I don't think I'm eligible for PAYE, as i have loans before 2007. Pretty debt averse, but can talk myself into it because of ibr, forgiveness, etc.

workaholic82 wrote:

tskela wrote:GPA/LSAT?

2.4, 177. Retake is out.

Congrats on the amazing score! WUSTL sounds better to me given that you already have $35k in debt.

workaholic82 wrote:

L’Étranger wrote:Would you be happy if the outcome of going to law school was a biglaw job in Chicago?

Absolutely. I am not picky on location.

Then, I vote NU. You'll have a good shot at landing biglaw in Chicago from there. In my opinion, your WUSTL employment outcomes are less predictable as a 0L.

The downside of NU is that you'll be paying back loans for a few years, but if you'll enjoy working in biglaw in Chicago, then it won't be too bad (not being sarcastic ).

tskela wrote:

workaholic82 wrote:

tskela wrote:GPA/LSAT?

2.4, 177. Retake is out.

Congrats on the amazing score! WUSTL sounds better to me given that you already have $35k in debt.

Thank you for the compliment and opinion.

workaholic82 wrote:

tskela wrote:

workaholic82 wrote:

tskela wrote:GPA/LSAT?

2.4, 177. Retake is out.

Congrats on the amazing score! WUSTL sounds better to me given that you already have $35k in debt.

Thank you for the compliment and opinion.

Enjoy, who can say? Prepared to commit my all to it? Absolutely. Isn't there at least a 40% chance i strike out at nu though? And if that happens, what about the debt?

you will be eligible for PAYE. They're getting rid of the constraints.

cusenation wrote:you will be eligible for PAYE. They're getting rid of the constraints.

Thanks, that's good news.

I would pick WUSTL. $250k in debt is too high for NU (that's an huge amount of debt from any school). $95k-100k debt from WUSTL is better, but that's still a lot of debt. Have you considered retaking and reapplying?

Northwestern. This is your best show at law school, and you still have most of your doors open from there. Just be willing to drop out of things go south.

ph14 wrote:I would pick WUSTL. $250k in debt is too high for NU (that's an huge amount of debt from any school). $95k-100k debt from WUSTL is better, but that's still a lot of debt. Have you considered retaking and reapplying?

Lol, would going from 177 to 180 change anything? Bear in mind, wustl's coa is only about 50-60k, which is i think as low as it's ever gonna be. It's just higher because of my undergrad debt, which will exist whether i go to school or not. I don't think waiting a year will net me more money from nu.

workaholic82 wrote:

ph14 wrote:I would pick WUSTL. $250k in debt is too high for NU (that's an huge amount of debt from any school). $95k-100k debt from WUSTL is better, but that's still a lot of debt. Have you considered retaking and reapplying?

Lol, would going from 177 to 180 change anything? Bear in mind, wustl's coa is only about 50-60k, which is i think as low as it's ever gonna be. It's just higher because of my undergrad debt, which will exist whether i go to school or not. I don't think waiting a year will net me more money from nu.

Yes, looked like I missed that part of the OP. In that case, I would definitely pick WUSTL.

flawschoolkid wrote:Northwestern. This is your best show at law school, and you still have most of your doors open from there. Just be willing to drop out of things go south.

+1 I'd go to NU in your position.

Disclaimer: I'm an 0L

ph14 wrote:

workaholic82 wrote:

ph14 wrote:I would pick WUSTL. $250k in debt is too high for NU (that's an huge amount of debt from any school). $95k-100k debt from WUSTL is better, but that's still a lot of debt. Have you considered retaking and reapplying?

Lol, would going from 177 to 180 change anything? Bear in mind, wustl's coa is only about 50-60k, which is i think as low as it's ever gonna be. It's just higher because of my undergrad debt, which will exist whether i go to school or not. I don't think waiting a year will net me more money from nu.

Yes, looked like I missed that part of the OP. In that case, I would definitely pick WUSTL.

Thanks.

Dr.Zer0 wrote:

flawschoolkid wrote:Northwestern. This is your best show at law school, and you still have most of your doors open from there. Just be willing to drop out of things go south.

+1

Thanks. This really seems to be a split decision.

workaholic82 wrote:

Dr.Zer0 wrote:

flawschoolkid wrote:Northwestern. This is your best show at law school, and you still have most of your doors open from there. Just be willing to drop out of things go south.

+1

Thanks. This really seems to be a split decision.

Can you figure out how much $250k and $100k will be with interest?

Did you apply to UIUC? You could probably snag a full ride and it would be your best case scenario for risk vs. biglaw chances.

Tough one. I lean NU here, but be sure you understand the consequences of that much debt.

$250k with interest is going to be a lot more than $250k. The question is how much more.