Law School CHoice Forum

[capsoccer]

-The schools you are considering/COA(calculated on LST)
Ohio State 87k COA (18 a year scholarship in state)
CU Boulder 90K COA (Full tuition first year +16,500 for years 2/3)
George Washington 215K COA (17,000 a year)
W&M 157K COA (13,000 a year out of state)
Villinova 63K COA (Full tuition)
Minnesota 140K COA (25,000 a year)
Wait listed at Penn, UVA, and Vanderbilt

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
COA may be on high side as I wanted to overestimate cost rather than underestimate. Financing with Scholarships+Loans+Small personal/family contributions

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
From Northeast Ohio but ties to central Ohio as well. Familial ties with Denver. Only geographical preference is not living in the south. Would prefer Midwest/East coast. For what it's worth I am a fan of Philly (and most other east coast/Mid west cities). Generally looking to live in/in close proximity to a city.

-Your general career goals
Not 100% sure. Would be interested in big law/fed clerkship (lol) but am not necessarily big law or bust. I am familiar with employment prospects of all schools I have applied to. Have familial ties to attorneys in Northeast Ohio and Denver which could possibly assist in finding employment. Open to most legal jobs as of now

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
LSAT 161 (1st take) GPA 3.9 (KJD). Studied consistently for around 5 months for LSAT (with Kaplan Course). Original diagnostic 150, PT tests between 160-165. Also, I received testing accommodations on 1st take that I wouldn't necessarily qualify for now. I know retake would be the common logical choice, but in my situation (Prepared to the best of my ability for the LSAT+not receiving same accommodations) I'm honestly don't think I could score any higher.

Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

[TLSModBot]

Retaking is probably your best bet. If you don't do better, no harm is done in taking the test, but even a couple points higher could help in terms of admissions/scholarships.

Assuming you keep the same stats, I recommend either not going to law school at all or focusing very heavily on getting scholarship money from a regional school in a later admissions cycle.

The numbers this time around look like you've got some $ coming your way (?), but overall the bill seems pretty high. BigLaw or Federal Clerkships are going to be VERY hard to get unless you're at the top of your class. Moreover, working at mid/big firms in a secondary market means below-market salaries.

You're overall looking at poor job prospects, sizable (but not ridiculous) debt, and a decent amount of time til your loans are paid off. I wouldn't go were I in your shoes, but plenty of people wouldn't have gone with my admissions cycle and I turned out all right, so who knows.

[capsoccer]

Retaking is probably your best bet. If you don't do better, no harm is done in taking the test, but even a couple points higher could help in terms of admissions/scholarships.

Assuming you keep the same stats, I recommend either not going to law school at all or focusing very heavily on getting scholarship money from a regional school in a later admissions cycle.

The numbers this time around look like you've got some $ coming your way (?), but overall the bill seems pretty high. BigLaw or Federal Clerkships are going to be VERY hard to get unless you're at the top of your class. Moreover, working at mid/big firms in a secondary market means below-market salaries.

You're overall looking at poor job prospects, sizable (but not ridiculous) debt, and a decent amount of time til your loans are paid off. I wouldn't go were I in your shoes, but plenty of people wouldn't have gone with my admissions cycle and I turned out all right, so who knows.

Thanks for your response. Edited to include scholarship amounts. These numbers do not include any need-aid which I'm not sure I'll qualify for. I thought those were semi-reasonable prices, but understand your perspective

[Rigo]

With that GPA, you definitely should retake, especially given your Biglaw goals.
If you refuse to retake, pick between Ohio State and CU-Boulder if you'd be fine with more modest outcomes.

Retake though. Seriously.

[TLSModBot]

Look at salaries in the region you want to work in the types of law you want to work. Look at how well the schools you got into do for hiring. Figure out how much debt you're going to get into. The math then boils down to assessing how much risk you're taking regarding:

A. whether you'll get the jobs you want with the school brand you're buying into
B. whether the jobs will pay enough to cover the debt you accrue sufficiently

Factored into B should be the 'burn-out' risk - that you hate your job so much that you have to leave it early. If you have 5+ years of debt repayment. you better be able to move elsewhere that pays or stick it out even if you hate it.

HTH

[ILoveYou]

Voted Ohio State. Retaking is TCR, but if you're set on not retaking (which is fine, I don't know your life) AND you're set on going to law school, I think it's gotta be Ohio State. A case could be made for Boulder.

[DaRascal]

I'd choose Minnesota.

[capsoccer]

Look at salaries in the region you want to work in the types of law you want to work. Look at how well the schools you got into do for hiring. Figure out how much debt you're going to get into. The math then boils down to assessing how much risk you're taking regarding:

A. whether you'll get the jobs you want with the school brand you're buying into
B. whether the jobs will pay enough to cover the debt you accrue sufficiently

Factored into B should be the 'burn-out' risk - that you hate your job so much that you have to leave it early. If you have 5+ years of debt repayment. you better be able to move elsewhere that pays or stick it out even if you hate it.

HTH

I've done some research. I think as of now OSU is my top choice. I think I'm comfortable with the career prospects out of OSU with manageable debt (hopefully no more than 5 years). I have some experience in the legal field and think that I would enjoy it as a career

Voted Ohio State. Retaking is TCR, but if you're set on not retaking (which is fine, I don't know your life) AND you're set on going to law school, I think it's gotta be Ohio State. A case could be made for Boulder.

I'm leaning towards OSU right now as it seems like a better fit for me (have visited both OSU and Boulder). Will remain on wait lists throughout summer I think

With that GPA, you definitely should retake, especially given your Biglaw goals.
If you refuse to retake, pick between Ohio State and CU-Boulder if you'd be fine with more modest outcomes.

Retake though. Seriously.

I'm not set on big law, would be okay with a modest outcome. Honestly just don't think I can do much better on the LSAT given my preparation/accommodations for the last test. Have been thinking about the subject of retaking for a while

I'd choose Minnesota.

Hahah

[jbagelboy]

I'd choose Minnesota.

No limit is forbidden in Minnesota. You wouldn't like it.

[madison17]

I'd choose Minnesota.

[downbeat14]

.

[mohdban]

Retake.

Even if you have modest goals, you can go to the same schools for free.

Don't. Waste. Dat. GPA. Please. Stahp.

[Mack.Hambleton]

I'd choose Minnesota.

Nice meme!

[capsoccer]

Scholly Increase at GW to 21K a year. Thoughts on GW? Thoughts on double depositing at GW and OSU to possibly ask for more?

[ILoveYou]

Scholly Increase at GW to 21K a year. Thoughts on GW? Thoughts on double depositing at GW and OSU to possibly ask for more?

At that difference, I still think GW is way too expensive to consider. That drops the total COA what, 12k? So, 203k? Way too much money.

But, now that you have 21k/year from GW, think you can use that to get OSU to come up a bit? If they'd match that, OSU at 78k isn't insane.

[jingosaur]

You need to retake. Taking a Kaplan course does not count as LSAT prep. Please go to the LSAT board and the people there will help find you some better materials. I never used Kaplan, but people have told me that they improved more with one week self-studying Powerscore Bibles than with an entire Kaplan course.

[alex.d61290]

Retake is TCR

[KMart]

they improved more with one week self-studying Powerscore Bibles than with an entire Kaplan course.

I used Testmasters at first. A generic class like that is good for basic introductions to the material, but real improvement comes from self studying and drilling the concepts imo. The Bibles, and more so the Cambridge packets, are a more effective way to do this.