Top Law Schools

In order to receive the best feedback in this forum, please provide as much of the following information in your original post as possible:

-The schools you are considering
-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships. Here is a helpful calculator.
-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
-Your general career goals
-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
-How many times you have taken the LSAT

confused_humpback wrote:GPA 3.2 and LSAT 170.

ncc1701 wrote:

confused_humpback wrote:GPA 3.2 and LSAT 170.

Why haven't you applied to any of the T14 schools? You're already in NYC, so why not Columbia or NYU? I don't know how much money they're going to give, but there's no harm in trying. Please don't waste that LSAT score.

transferror wrote:Are there stipulations on the scholarships, and if so what are they? (i.e. must be above 3.xx GPA or be in top 40% of class)

zombie mcavoy wrote:none of the above. wouldn't take that much debt for the job prospects at either. Was this 170 from February or December of this cycle? I would give it another cycle, and I'd apply to Northwestern, and I'd retake again in June.

Also, you're committing 3 1/2 years of your life and a ton of debt/opportunity cost to join a profession, but you don't even have a vague idea of what you want to do in that profession? OK. Take this year to retake and reapply, but you also need to seriously reassess what you're doing here, and be ready to walk away with an alternative plan.

zombie mcavoy wrote:Yeah why did you apply so late? That's not a killer time, but it's not helpful.

You're right on the cusp of having better options; two more points and you're looking at money at NYU and a columbia acceptance. Seems silly that you would improve so dramatically then say it'd be stupid to try and get one more question correct, when you know it can make all the difference in the world. Especially if you're going to sit a year out, what the hell else are you going to do?

It's your life, but Fordham with that debt is just straight irresponsible, and you're going to wish you stayed at a crap retail job when and if you strike out. There's a very good chance that would be the outcome. I probably wouldn't go to Brooklyn under any circumstances.

Good luck.

nygrrrl wrote:I agree with those suggesting you wait it out and apply next cycle - have your apps ready to go in September and get them in the first week they're accepted.

I went to Fordham because I needed an evening program; if I could have done a day program, Northwestern would have been my absolute first choice (similar numbers to yours, plus WE). All of the kids in my (evening) class did really well in terms of landing the gigs we wanted, but I think in large part that's because we all had work experience going in and we knew how to bust our asses and leverage our WE in OCI. Also, most of us graduated with little or no debt by combining scholly money with full time jobs. If not for that... I don't think I could have taken the chance.

Fordham is an incredibly risky bet, Brooklyn and Dozo are just... Yeah. Don't do this. I get that you don't want to retake the LSAT but I cannot recommend strongly enough waiting this out and trying again next cycle. I know you want NYC but I'd hit UVA and Northwestern as well. Best of luck and feel free to PM me with Fordham questions.

ETA: Yes, also GULC, BU/BC.

Jakobe wrote:Even if he got a 172 do you guys really think he is looking at money at NYU with a 3.2? Id think hed be at most a borderline acceptance to be honest.

Trumpet101 wrote:why is the general consensus to avoid cardozo? I realize it just dropped in the rankings (it's now resting just one notch above brooklyn), but it should still be a consideration. I know prestige is a big factor, but employers are mainly looking for the hard-workers - i.e. the ones at the top of their class, regardless of school (so says more than a handful of friends who are recent grads from nyu, fordham, dozo).

I'm in a similar position as OP - about half scholarship to Fordham; just below a full one to Cardozo. Fordham is undoubtedly the better school, but what does that entail? More loans and the luxury of graduating top %20 rather than %10-15 at Dozo and still landing biglaw? It's for that reason that I'm leaning towards Cardozo.

confused_humpback wrote:

Jakobe wrote:Even if he got a 172 do you guys really think he is looking at money at NYU with a 3.2? Id think hed be at most a borderline acceptance to be honest.

Yeah, that's also a question I had in this thread. I'm a non-URM, male, little great WE and probably weak softs. I can't help but feel that I performed about as best I could with my numbers. I guess my only other option would be to re-wait until next year and bump down to weaker T-2 regional schools (possibly T-3) and just shoot for full rides (and possibly stipends).

Even with a 172, I would probably get accepted to more T-14s—but probably at sticker price.

BigZuck wrote:

Trumpet101 wrote:why is the general consensus to avoid cardozo? I realize it just dropped in the rankings (it's now resting just one notch above brooklyn), but it should still be a consideration. I know prestige is a big factor, but employers are mainly looking for the hard-workers - i.e. the ones at the top of their class, regardless of school (so says more than a handful of friends who are recent grads from nyu, fordham, dozo).

I'm in a similar position as OP - about half scholarship to Fordham; just below a full one to Cardozo. Fordham is undoubtedly the better school, but what does that entail? More loans and the luxury of graduating top %20 rather than %10-15 at Dozo and still landing biglaw? It's for that reason that I'm leaning towards Cardozo.

TWIST: Don't go to either

I mean, Cardozo on a full ride is probably ok if you have really modest goals (and, ideally, connections which can help you get that job)

Fordham on a half ride is unjustifiable IMO

Trumpet101 wrote:why is the general consensus to avoid cardozo? I realize it just dropped in the rankings (it's now resting just one notch above brooklyn), but it should still be a consideration. I know prestige is a big factor, but employers are mainly looking for the hard-workers - i.e. the ones at the top of their class, regardless of school (so says more than a handful of friends who are recent grads from nyu, fordham, dozo).

I'm in a similar position as OP - about half scholarship to Fordham; just below a full one to Cardozo. Fordham is undoubtedly the better school, but what does that entail? More loans and the luxury of graduating top %20 rather than %10-15 at Dozo and still landing biglaw? It's for that reason that I'm leaning towards Cardozo.

Trumpet101 wrote:I'm still waiting to hear from nyu/columbia but, realistically, they're both <%5 likelihood of acceptance. I'm nearly certain I want to live/work in nyc eventually which is why I'm not paying too much mind to emory and their surprisingly large offer. Fordham at half does scare me, though. Really it comes down to what the bigger gamble is (for me and OP, or anyone else who's decision is fordham v cardozo/brooklyn): go with more money but lower chance of landing big job, or less money but improved chances of big job.