Enroll at UM or FIU? Forum

duranj · Post by **duranj** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:42 pm

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and give your opinion on what decision I should make. I'm a USF criminology major who is graduating this year with a 3.96 GPA and a 160 LSAT score. After spending three years in Tampa, I am completely positive that I want to come back home to Miami for law school. I understand that I am limiting myself by doing this, but I have three younger brothers and countless family members down in Miami that I want to be around. I have been accepted to both FIU and UM. FIU has offered me a full ride, while UM has offered me a $35,000 scholarship (80%), leaving me with about $9000 a year to pay. This is before any need-based aid, which I believe I will receive a little of. There is no doubt in my mind that, everything being equal, I would choose UM. It is obviously the more prestigious school with the greater range of career opportunities. But I am concerned about the debt I will accumulate there, and I've heard that FIU Law is quickly rising and is no longer a joke in the legal community. I will not be living at home, so wherever I go I will also have to factor in living expenses.

Julius · Post by **Julius** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:57 pm

duranj wrote:Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and give your opinion on what decision I should make. I'm a USF criminology major who is graduating this year with a 3.96 GPA and a 160 LSAT score. After spending three years in Tampa, I am completely positive that I want to come back home to Miami for law school. I understand that I am limiting myself by doing this, but I have three younger brothers and countless family members down in Miami that I want to be around. I have been accepted to both FIU and UM. FIU has offered me a full ride, while UM has offered me a $35,000 scholarship (80%), leaving me with about $9000 a year to pay. This is before any need-based aid, which I believe I will receive a little of. There is no doubt in my mind that, everything being equal, I would choose UM. It is obviously the more prestigious school with the greater range of career opportunities. But I am concerned about the debt I will accumulate there, and I've heard that FIU Law is quickly rising and is no longer a joke in the legal community. I will not be living at home, so wherever I go I will also have to factor in living expenses.

$35, 000/year will leave you with decently more than $9,000 to pay. UM has been jacking tuition every year and in 14-15 tuition was at $45, 200. Ignoring interest (which you shouldn't), tuition difference over three years will be closer to $35, 000-$40, 000.

Have you tried going back to UM with the FIU offer?

TheSpanishMain · Post by **TheSpanishMain** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:05 pm

With that GPA, the sky is the limit for you. Please retake. You should be trying to decide between HYS or T14 full ride, not UM vs. FIU.

I know you really want to go back to Miami, but if you go to a good school you have a much better chance of getting a great job there. What's more important, living in Miami for three years, or living there with a good job for the rest of your professional life?

duranj · Post by **duranj** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:10 pm

Julius wrote:
duranj wrote:Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and give your opinion on what decision I should make. I'm a USF criminology major who is graduating this year with a 3.96 GPA and a 160 LSAT score. After spending three years in Tampa, I am completely positive that I want to come back home to Miami for law school. I understand that I am limiting myself by doing this, but I have three younger brothers and countless family members down in Miami that I want to be around. I have been accepted to both FIU and UM. FIU has offered me a full ride, while UM has offered me a $35,000 scholarship (80%), leaving me with about $9000 a year to pay. This is before any need-based aid, which I believe I will receive a little of. There is no doubt in my mind that, everything being equal, I would choose UM. It is obviously the more prestigious school with the greater range of career opportunities. But I am concerned about the debt I will accumulate there, and I've heard that FIU Law is quickly rising and is no longer a joke in the legal community. I will not be living at home, so wherever I go I will also have to factor in living expenses.
$35, 000/year will leave you with decently more than $9,000 to pay. UM has been jacking tuition every year and in 14-15 tuition was at $45, 200. Ignoring interest (which you shouldn't), tuition difference over three years will be closer to $35, 000-$40, 000.

Have you tried going back to UM with the FIU offer?

No, I haven't. Do you think I should? I'm not even sure how to do so without coming off as arrogant.

Julius · Post by **Julius** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:14 pm

duranj wrote:
Julius wrote:
duranj wrote:Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and give your opinion on what decision I should make. I'm a USF criminology major who is graduating this year with a 3.96 GPA and a 160 LSAT score. After spending three years in Tampa, I am completely positive that I want to come back home to Miami for law school. I understand that I am limiting myself by doing this, but I have three younger brothers and countless family members down in Miami that I want to be around. I have been accepted to both FIU and UM. FIU has offered me a full ride, while UM has offered me a $35,000 scholarship (80%), leaving me with about $9000 a year to pay. This is before any need-based aid, which I believe I will receive a little of. There is no doubt in my mind that, everything being equal, I would choose UM. It is obviously the more prestigious school with the greater range of career opportunities. But I am concerned about the debt I will accumulate there, and I've heard that FIU Law is quickly rising and is no longer a joke in the legal community. I will not be living at home, so wherever I go I will also have to factor in living expenses.
$35, 000/year will leave you with decently more than $9,000 to pay. UM has been jacking tuition every year and in 14-15 tuition was at $45, 200. Ignoring interest (which you shouldn't), tuition difference over three years will be closer to $35, 000-$40, 000.

Have you tried going back to UM with the FIU offer?
No, I haven't. Do you think I should? I'm not even sure how to do so without coming off as arrogant.

Yes, you should. Applicants do it all the time and it isn't arrogant to try.

"Would love to attend UM but finances are a concern for me. I have a full tuition scholarship at FIU. Are you willing to match the offer?" If you have any full tuition scholarships from higher ranked schools you should also mention those.

duranj · Post by **duranj** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:16 pm

TheSpanishMain wrote:With that GPA, the sky is the limit for you. Please retake. You should be trying to decide between HYS or T14 full ride, not UM vs. FIU.

I know you really want to go back to Miami, but if you go to a good school you have a much better chance of getting a great job there. What's more important, living in Miami for three years, or living there with a good job for the rest of your professional life?

That is a valid point. To be honest, though, I think my LSAT score potential is capped around the mid-160s.

duranj · Post by **duranj** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:18 pm

Julius wrote:
duranj wrote:
Julius wrote:
duranj wrote:Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and give your opinion on what decision I should make. I'm a USF criminology major who is graduating this year with a 3.96 GPA and a 160 LSAT score. After spending three years in Tampa, I am completely positive that I want to come back home to Miami for law school. I understand that I am limiting myself by doing this, but I have three younger brothers and countless family members down in Miami that I want to be around. I have been accepted to both FIU and UM. FIU has offered me a full ride, while UM has offered me a $35,000 scholarship (80%), leaving me with about $9000 a year to pay. This is before any need-based aid, which I believe I will receive a little of. There is no doubt in my mind that, everything being equal, I would choose UM. It is obviously the more prestigious school with the greater range of career opportunities. But I am concerned about the debt I will accumulate there, and I've heard that FIU Law is quickly rising and is no longer a joke in the legal community. I will not be living at home, so wherever I go I will also have to factor in living expenses.
$35, 000/year will leave you with decently more than $9,000 to pay. UM has been jacking tuition every year and in 14-15 tuition was at $45, 200. Ignoring interest (which you shouldn't), tuition difference over three years will be closer to $35, 000-$40, 000.

Have you tried going back to UM with the FIU offer?
No, I haven't. Do you think I should? I'm not even sure how to do so without coming off as arrogant.
Yes, you should. Applicants do it all the time and it isn't arrogant to try.

"Would love to attend UM but finances are a concern for me. I have a full tuition scholarship at FIU. Are you willing to match the offer?" If you have any full tuition scholarships from higher ranked schools you should also mention those.

Okay. I also got a full ride from Stetson. Do you think an email would work, or should I call the admissions office?

A. Nony Mouse · Post by **A. Nony Mouse** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:26 pm

Do either of those schools do need-based aid? I thought only HYS and maybe one or two other T14s did need-based aid. I not sure it makes sense to count on any.

duranj · Post by **duranj** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:33 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Do either of those schools do need-based aid? I thought only HYS and maybe one or two other T14s did need-based aid. I not sure it makes sense to count on any.

Perhaps they don't. I'm not really relying on it, so it's not a big deal.

gamerish · Post by **gamerish** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 5:40 pm

Post removed...

Young Marino · Post by **Young Marino** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 4:36 pm

If you can see yourself living in Miami long term and want to work in a small firm, FIU at full-ride isn't a bad choice.You should definitely try negotiating scholarship money with UM i did last year and got a few $$$ thrown my way. I am also a South FL resident and applied to/got into all the schools down there and a few around the South East so don't hesitate to message me with any questions.

What can you envision yourself doing after law school? That's the bigger question.

Ron Don Volante · Post by **Ron Don Volante** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 8:41 pm

For the love of god do not PM young marino for advice.

With that scholarship Miami is bordering on being a defensible option. Factoring in Miami living expenses, though, I assume we're looking at about 100K in debt if you go that route? With 40% unemployment, I can't advise that. FIU's employment situation is more bleak, but if we're looking at only about 60K or less in debt, I guess you could be in a worse position, but -- again -- with 45% unemployment, it's not something I'd advise.

With that GPA, you'd be doing yourself an incredible disservice to not retake. If I were you, I'd try to get a job, pay off any undergrad debt, save up some money, retake, then put yourself to be in a position to graduate law school with barely any debt, or give yourself the opportunity to go T14 and try out a new region.

Nomo · Post by **Nomo** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 8:46 pm

I don't think you should go to FIU under any circumstances. I don't think you should go to Miami if they don't up that scholarship.

You're really limiting yourself geographically. Sometimes law school is a bad choice for someone with serious limits on where they can live.

TheSpanishMain · Post by **TheSpanishMain** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 10:57 am

Ron Don Volante wrote:For the love of god do not PM young marino for advice.

Unless you want to listen to him trying to rationalize his mistakes by convincing you to do the same.

DavidConeSplitter · Post by **DavidConeSplitter** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 1:32 pm

I can't remember who, but someone in a previous thread mentioning FIU put it quite well:

FIU grads are too busy printing FAT STACKS to be bothered with some dumb post graduation employment survey.

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