Cardozo vs. CUNY --- Help! Forum

[Skcee]

I know some of you are going to say that shouldn't even be a hard decision but here's my dilemma.

Cardozo is 53k/year they gave me 18k dropping the price to 35k
CUNY is only 24k/year (only the first year that I'd be out of state) then 12k w/ residency

I will mostly be financing with loans. I'm just scared that yes, attending CUNY would lower my possible debt, but will it hinder my chances of getting a good job? i.e. Something other than working 40k a year for the government for the rest of my life. I've heard so many horror stories about CUNY. I just want to know if it's worth almost double the cost to go to a "higher ranked" school such as Cardozo. Another reason I want to go to Cardozo is because it starts in May.

Ideally I want to work as a divorce attorney and whatever other area that presents itself to me during law school.

Other schools I am waiting to hear back from: Brooklyn, Fordham & St. John's. Feel free to comment on these schools as well.

My numbers aren't the best which explains the schools I have applied to:
GPA: 3.2
LSAT: 155
First LSAT: 151

Please none of the rude or sly comments TLS is so greatly known for. I just want genuine advice. Thank you.

[BigZuck]

What kind of job do you envision having? Or, in an ideal world, what would your job look like 10 years from now? Where would it be, what would you be doing, how much money would you make?

[BigZuck]

Also, how much debt would you be in from both schools once you consider cost of living, loan origination fees, interest, etc?

[BuffaloBillsFan]

I think a lot depends on what your plans are after you finish. If you know where you are going to work already, or plan to hang your own shingle, I think it matters less. However, if you are going to be looking for a job with a firm that you have no previous ties to, spend the money. Cardozo has a relatively strong local reputation. If you get into Fordham, I would spend the money there as well. This is all assuming you plan on staying in NY to work, of course.

[thebobs1987]

Can't answer without knowing Cost of Attendance and what your goals are. But almost certainly going to need to retake and get a higher LSAT for more scholarship money

[Winston1984]

You probably shouldn't go to law school.

[BuffaloBillsFan]

You probably shouldn't go to law school.

^--Wudda dick

[Winston1984]

You probably shouldn't go to law school.

^--Wudda dick

Because OP doesn't want a $40k year government job, and is choosing between Dozo for a ton of money, and CUNY for still a considerable amount? Yeah, I'm a dick for giving solid advice. If he is going to go to law school he has to retake the LSAT to make it more financially feasible, and he needs to accept the likelihood that he won't be making big money coming from these schools. Thank you for your contribution.

[Winston1984]

I think a lot depends on what your plans are after you finish. If you know where you are going to work already, or plan to hang your own shingle, I think it matters less. However, if you are going to be looking for a job with a firm that you have no previous ties to, spend the money. Cardozo has a relatively strong local reputation. If you get into Fordham, I would spend the money there as well. This is all assuming you plan on staying in NY to work, of course.

Just noticed this nugget of wisdom. OP, this is horrible advice. Don't spend a ton of money to go to Cardozo, and don't do it to go to Fordham either. This guy doesn't know what he's talking about.

[BuffaloBillsFan]

You probably shouldn't go to law school.

^--Wudda dick

Because OP doesn't want a $40k year government job, and is choosing between Dozo for a ton of money, and CUNY for still a considerable amount? Yeah, I'm a dick for giving solid advice. If he is going to go to law school he has to retake the LSAT to make it more financially feasible, and he needs to accept the likelihood that he won't be making big money coming from these schools. Thank you for your contribution.

Easy guy. If that's what you meant, then you should have said that to him rather than just dismiss him. Telling someone "You probably shouldn't go to law school," and offering nothing else is a dick thing to say.

[Ron Don Volante]

Cardozo is plainly unjustifiable at that cost.

CUNY you're talking about going > 100K in debt for a coin flip chance at becoming an attorney, and you're almost certainly not going to find a job that pays in the range you're hoping for.

I would not recommend either option. Retake or find another profession.

[AReasonableMan]

A 40k government job would be a great outcome from either school, particularly with loan forgiveness. If you wouldn't be happy with this you should rethink your strategy.

[jbagelboy]

if you want to be a divorce attorney, go to the cheapest school you can find where you can build a network. you won't make any money going solo for a while so it's important to not have payments to default on. I wouldn't go to either school here unless you can get the costs to close to zero.

[timbs4339]

We're talking over 100K for CUNY and well over 100K for Dozo. If you want to be a divorce attorney in one of the outer-boroughs or LI/Westchester making about 40-60K per year, you need better options with less debt or you need to negotiate one of those schools down to like 75K tops.

As for future employment, I doubt someone is not going to hire you to be their divorce lawyer or work at their 1-5 person divorce firm because you went to CUNY.

[AReasonableMan]

You probably shouldn't go to law school.

^--Wudda dick

Because OP doesn't want a $40k year government job, and is choosing between Dozo for a ton of money, and CUNY for still a considerable amount? Yeah, I'm a dick for giving solid advice. If he is going to go to law school he has to retake the LSAT to make it more financially feasible, and he needs to accept the likelihood that he won't be making big money coming from these schools. Thank you for your contribution.

Easy guy. If that's what you meant, then you should have said that to him rather than just dismiss him. Telling someone "You probably shouldn't go to law school," and offering nothing else is a dick thing to say.

I don't think he dismissed him or that it was a dick thing to say. He didn't tell them that they weren't smart enough to or anything like that. Assuming OP hangs a shingle, moderate success looks like 50k a year out. If you're paying back 1.5k out of every monthly income check of 4k, you aren't going to live well in the best case scenario.