LUC ($$) v WUSTL ($$) v Mizzou ($$$) still waiting on T14 Forum

[funkenstein]

*****UPDATED****** New text in blue

Hey everyone, so I need some advice:

I am considering Loyola University Chicago, Wash U St. Louis, University of Missouri, St. Louis University and still waiting to hear back from Michigan, Georgetown, and Illinois.

I am from St. Louis. Attended college at LUC graduating in 2012 and have lived there since. I would love to work in Chicago advocating for children (have a background in nonprofit work for children), as a criminal defense attorney, as an international lawyer as I have a background in Chinese and would love to find a way to work traveling to China. I am not sure what kind of law I want to practice, and I want to keep my options open. Doesn't have to be in Chicago.

I have a very serious girlfriend who is from California and wants/needs to live in a city with reliable public transportation because she has a visual impairment that doesn't allow her to drive. Hoping for that self-driving car soon haha She would like to move closer to her family in CA. I am up for moving to CA, but I am also completely fine staying in Chicago. I don't think I could see myself in St. Louis after graduation, but I am really close with my family who all live in St. Louis, so I may change my mind. Wouldn't mind attending school there at all, though. My girlfriend really wants me to stay close to her in Chicago while she finishes her MSW. She will finish her MSW the same time I finish 1L, and she is willing to move.

I want to tell you that I lived in Chicago comfortably with no savings on only about $17k in income after taxes last year so please take this into account when thinking about cost of living.(Real talk) I could live at home in St. Louis for free, and I know for a fact that the rent is insanely cheap if I wanted to get my own place. My family will probably help me finance school and/or I will take out loans. I don't want to be in debt really, but I may be willing to go into debt for T14 or if it makes sense.

LSAT: 168
GPA: 3.42

(All scholarships are per year)
LUC: 36k scholly out of 43k tuition. Finalist for Feinberg Full Tuition Scholly. Interview tomorrow 3/24
WUSTL: 38k out of 50k tuition.
Mizzou: 20k out of 20k tuition. Not a named scholly but free none the less. COL very cheap in Columbia, fact
SLU: 1843 Full Tuition Scholarship
Notre Dame: 25k out of 50k. I have submitted a scholarship appeal, should get a better scholly

IIT Kent: 30k out of 45k tuition
University of California - Hastings: 25k scholly plus potential 10k more need-based scholly out of 50k
Vanderbilt: Waitlist
Northwestern: On Hold

I am leaning toward Notre Dame if they match WUSTL, but Loyola full tuition is tempting, if I get it, because Chicago is sweet and I would be near my girlfriend.

Any advice/thoughts would help. Be polite and please refrain from making assumptions.

Thanks!

[DportIA]

If you can live at home for free, attend WUSTL at $12,000 tuition per year. That is still an objectively good deal in this legal economy. You likely will not get a CA job from WUSTL--but in this legal economy, I think you might end up being okay with StL once you see what a bloodbath it is. You have StL ties, you could sell StL employers, unlike most of your [future] classmates at WUSTL. For someone in your position, free at SLU is also not bad. And I am the person who historically says "never go to LS without full scholarship."

The following is based of Law School Transparency job numbers.
Mizzou: Not with your SLU/WUSTL scholarships.
IIT: Never.
LUC: Never.
UC Hastings: Never.

If you become 100% deadset on CA, you're only financially feasible option is to retake and reapply to better CA schools and get more scholarship money. Terrible legal market.

[buckiguy_sucks]

.

[funkenstein]

If you can live at home for free, attend WUSTL at $12,000 tuition per year. That is still an objectively good deal in this legal economy. You likely will not get a CA job from WUSTL--but in this legal economy, I think you might end up being okay with StL once you see what a bloodbath it is. You have StL ties, you could sell StL employers, unlike most of your [future] classmates at WUSTL. For someone in your position, free at SLU is also not bad. And I am the person who historically says "never go to LS without full scholarship."

The following is based of Law School Transparency job numbers.
Mizzou: Not with your SLU/WUSTL scholarships.
IIT: Never.
LUC: Never.
UC Hastings: Never.

If you become 100% deadset on CA, you're only financially feasible option is to retake and reapply to better CA schools and get more scholarship money. Terrible legal market.

Thanks Dport so much for the quick reply. I really truly appreciate it. I am not 100% dead set on CA by any means. Question: Why do you say WUSTL or SLU over Mizzou?

Would also appreciate anyone else who can weigh in. Thanks again.

[DportIA]

If you can live at home for free, attend WUSTL at $12,000 tuition per year. That is still an objectively good deal in this legal economy. You likely will not get a CA job from WUSTL--but in this legal economy, I think you might end up being okay with StL once you see what a bloodbath it is. You have StL ties, you could sell StL employers, unlike most of your [future] classmates at WUSTL. For someone in your position, free at SLU is also not bad. And I am the person who historically says "never go to LS without full scholarship."

The following is based of Law School Transparency job numbers.
Mizzou: Not with your SLU/WUSTL scholarships.
IIT: Never.
LUC: Never.
UC Hastings: Never.

If you become 100% deadset on CA, you're only financially feasible option is to retake and reapply to better CA schools and get more scholarship money. Terrible legal market.

Thanks Dport so much for the quick reply. I really truly appreciate it. I am not 100% dead set on CA by any means. Question: Why do you say WUSTL or SLU over Mizzou?

Would also appreciate anyone else who can weigh in. Thanks again.

WUSTL gives you good shot at a six-figure income, about 30%. http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/washu/2013/. Overall, 67% chance of being a full-time, long-term lawyer after graduating, which ain't great, but free living.

SLU is a small chance at six figures (10%), and only 50% of class gets long-term, full-time job. But you would have almost no debt at graduation, and I have heard it places better in StL than Mizzou. http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/slu/2013/

Mizzou has poor job prospects--57% in full-time, long-term legal jobs, but you would add another $10-15,000 in cost of living each year.http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/missouri/2013/

[illiniguy1551]

Wait for UIUC to offer full tuition + cheap cost of living, throwing mad money around. You already have legitimate STL roots that seem required for a job there (everyone at UIUC with ties to STL does fine going back to STL, people without ties not so much). UIUC will open up more Chicago options than WASHU, especially for smaller firms, and Chicago seems to be more of a priority than STL for you. UIUC also is only two hours from Chicago; can visit SO on weekends no problem.

[chuckbass]

WUSTL over SLU or Mizzou for sure at that price, and in general. CA is not a market that we place well in at all, but if you believe anything CSO says, they're pushing to increase CA placement. You also would be someone that has a shot at STL biglaw considering how tie-sensitive the market is, and making that kind of money in this city is a great outcome obviously. You may face some problems in interviews though based on doing your undergrad in Chicago and having lived there since, but I think you'd be able to overcome it, however be mindful of questions about it.

Also fwiw, I rely on the metro here and hate having to do so. Public transit is shit in STL as I'm sure you know.

[84651846190]

Whatever you do, do NOT go to UC Hastings. It's a trap school in the highest COL city in America.

[KMart]

Out of the schools you got into I'd lean towards WUSTL. On another note, where the hell, and how the hell, did you live on $17k/yr in Chicago? That's not River North rent (NU), and I don't even think it's Hyde Park rent (UChi).

[romothesavior]

WUSTL is by far your best option listed.

[hotasaflamingcheetoh]

Whatever you do, do NOT go to UC Hastings. It's a trap school in the highest COL city in America.

For sure. I live in So. Cal, my buddy graduated from there a few years back when it was still a t30 and got lucky and found a job in Orange County making decent $, but the job prospects are pretty bad right now. Even he says he wouldn't go there anymore. Davis has surpassed them in a big way, and yeah, the COL is ridiculous, not to mention the weather is perpetually gloomy and the city is dirty. WUSTL sounds like your best bet, even without hearing about all the scholarship info.

Just my opinion

[funkenstein]

First, I just want to thank everyone for responding. It is really helpful to get thers' perspectives.

Was able to live in Chi for that little income by living with roommates for one, in Uptown/Buena Park area. Additionally, it was hard at times because half of my monthly income went to paying rent. Thankfully, i am young enough that i was still covered by my dad's health insurance, and i pretty much only shopped at Aldi. I am making almost double now, which still isnt a lot, but i feel rich haha.

Yeah, I have already decided there is no way I am going to Hastings. Right now, I am thinking WUSTL. It just makes the most sense. It is just going to be really tough leaving my girlfriend in Chicago. If LUC were to give me a full ride, would that be a better option?

I will update if I hear from any of the other schools. It sucks waiting for them, especially since the time deposits are due is rapidly approaching. Thanks again everyone.

[funkenstein]

so a quick update:

Admitted via email ND last Firday 3/13. Pretty pumped about that. Yet to get scholly info.

Waitlisted at Vanderbilt. Not as pumped about that. haha but oh well

[funkenstein]

Hey in addition to the update above: Additionally got WL at Georgetown.

Right now I am torn between LUC assuming I get the full ride and ND if they match WUSTL and WUSTL.