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Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:44 pm
by sa75487
Not sure if this has been asked yet but what would be the better choice (PT program) ?



SW is only a 20 min drive from home but Whittier's faculty and admissions dean is so kind and seems so caring. (i appreciate that). I didnt really get that from SW.


any advice would be helpful.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:48 pm
by Manteca
Retake

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:51 pm
by sa75487
Thanks for the reply..How come? That bad?

I have friends who just graduated, passed the bar, and working for a firm now :(

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:51 pm
by twenty
You probably can't transfer out of a PT program. After your first year, you won't have enough credits to transfer, and after your second you'll have too many.

I say this because the advice you should be listening to is "you won't be in the top 10%" but you won't. So instead, you have an 100% chance of not being able to transfer to the vast majority of schools.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:54 pm
by sa75487
twenty wrote:You probably can't transfer out of a PT program. After your first year, you won't have enough credits to transfer, and after your second you'll have too many.

I say this because the advice you should be listening to is "you won't be in the top 10%" but you won't. So instead, you have an 100% chance of not being able to transfer to the vast majority of schools.


Thanks for the advice

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:55 pm
by adonai
Both schools are bad. Whittier being a little worse. If you had to choose, Southwestern would be the more logical choice. Kindness from faculty and the dean does not equal a job or passing the bar.

Retake to try to get a full scholarship AT LEAST, if not to get into a better school.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:58 pm
by star fox
Your odds of getting a higher LSAT score are better than being in the Top 10 %. Both Southwestern (http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/ ... tern/2013/) and Whittier (http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/whittier/2013/) have objectively bad employment statistics that don't make sense for anyone to attend. You should only attend a school you feel comfortable graduating from. Your friends who got good jobs probably got lucky. Since it appears you have a job lined up or are already working then just stick with that for at least another year while you study for the LSAT. I would recommend the LSAT Prep Forum which has lots of good advice for people trying to improve their score. Many people on TLS have had significant increases in their scores with sufficient prep. Good luck!

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:59 pm
by sa75487
adonai wrote:Both schools are bad. Whittier being a little worse. If you had to choose, Southwestern would be the more logical choice. Kindness from faculty and the dean does not equal a job or passing the bar.

Retake to try to get a full scholarship AT LEAST, if not to get into a better school.


Thank you so much for your honesty! You're right. I've been considering withdrawing to retake and reapply next cycle.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:00 pm
by sa75487
star fox wrote:Your odds of getting a higher LSAT score are better than being in the Top 10 %. Both Southwestern (http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/ ... tern/2013/) and Whittier (http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/whittier/2013/) have objectively bad employment statistics that don't make sense for anyone to attend. You should only attend a school you feel comfortable graduating from. Your friends who got good jobs probably got lucky. Since it appears you have a job lined up or are already working then just stick with that for at least another year while you study for the LSAT. I would recommend the LSAT Prep Forum which has lots of good advice for people trying to improve their score. Many people on TLS have had significant increases in their scores with sufficient prep. Good luck!

You're awesome. Thank you!

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:06 pm
by adonai
sa75487 wrote:
adonai wrote:Both schools are bad. Whittier being a little worse. If you had to choose, Southwestern would be the more logical choice. Kindness from faculty and the dean does not equal a job or passing the bar.

Retake to try to get a full scholarship AT LEAST, if not to get into a better school.


Thank you so much for your honesty! You're right. I've been considering withdrawing to retake and reapply next cycle.
Law school apps and enrollment have been dipping year by year for a few years now. Even a slight improvement will allow you to get a greater scholarship amount due to less competition. I really wish I waited one year to attend law school because the very next year, enrollment dipped significantly and people with worse stats than me were getting half-full tuition scholarships at my school.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:10 pm
by sa75487
adonai wrote:
sa75487 wrote:
adonai wrote:Both schools are bad. Whittier being a little worse. If you had to choose, Southwestern would be the more logical choice. Kindness from faculty and the dean does not equal a job or passing the bar.

Retake to try to get a full scholarship AT LEAST, if not to get into a better school.


Thank you so much for your honesty! You're right. I've been considering withdrawing to retake and reapply next cycle.
Law school apps and enrollment have been dipping year by year for a few years now. Even a slight improvement will allow you to get a greater scholarship amount due to less competition. I really wish I waited one year to attend law school because the very next year, enrollment dipped significantly and people with worse stats than me were getting half-full tuition scholarships at my school.
Wow. Thats awful :( were you able to get any scholarship $ after your first year?
I graduate this semester from undergrad in Business Law. I just really wanted to start right away with the law courses still fresh in my mind. BUT youre right. This is something I should really consider.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:33 pm
by nlee10
sa75487 wrote: Wow. Thats awful :( were you able to get any scholarship $ after your first year?
I graduate this semester from undergrad in Business Law. I just really wanted to start right away with the law courses still fresh in my mind. BUT youre right. This is something I should really consider.
Yeah. Take a year off and really study for the LSAT. I know it's hard to justify taking a year off but it'll be worth it.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:49 pm
by deadpanic
sa75487 wrote:
adonai wrote:
sa75487 wrote:
adonai wrote:Both schools are bad. Whittier being a little worse. If you had to choose, Southwestern would be the more logical choice. Kindness from faculty and the dean does not equal a job or passing the bar.

Retake to try to get a full scholarship AT LEAST, if not to get into a better school.


Thank you so much for your honesty! You're right. I've been considering withdrawing to retake and reapply next cycle.
Law school apps and enrollment have been dipping year by year for a few years now. Even a slight improvement will allow you to get a greater scholarship amount due to less competition. I really wish I waited one year to attend law school because the very next year, enrollment dipped significantly and people with worse stats than me were getting half-full tuition scholarships at my school.
Wow. Thats awful :( were you able to get any scholarship $ after your first year?
I graduate this semester from undergrad in Business Law. I just really wanted to start right away with the law courses still fresh in my mind. BUT youre right. This is something I should really consider.
FYI: Not that really any undergrad law courses would be helpful for acing a law school exam, but business law will definitely not help you at all 1L year. Most every school has a standard first semester of property, torts, contracts, civ pro, and legal writing, not any "business law" courses.

But honestly, I wouldn't go to either of these schools for free if you want a decent shot at becoming a lawyer.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:29 pm
by Jay2716
Subject matter aside-law classes in undergrad are fundamentally different than law classes in law school. The classes you took will give you no advantage. On the plus side, it means forgetting some of that won't hurt you either.

FWIW, I don't know a single person who took a year or two off between undergrad and law school who regrets it.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:34 am
by sa75487
Jay2716 wrote:Subject matter aside-law classes in undergrad are fundamentally different than law classes in law school. The classes you took will give you no advantage. On the plus side, it means forgetting some of that won't hurt you either.

FWIW, I don't know a single person who took a year or two off between undergrad and law school who regrets it.


Lol I already took torts and contracts. The classes are taught by attorneys and they are designed to prepare students for law school. Thanks for the advice though :D

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:36 am
by ilikebaseball
Never go to law school with intent to transfer. You put 200 students in one room, all with somewhat similar attributes (no dumbasses). Teach them a class and give them all the same test at the end of the year and grade on a curve.

Nothing is a given.

Re: Southwestern VS. Whittier

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:39 am
by sa75487
ilikebaseball wrote:Never go to law school with intent to transfer. You put 200 students in one room, all with somewhat similar attributes (no dumbasses). Teach them a class and give them all the same test at the end of the year and grade on a curve.

Nothing is a given.
Makes sense. thanks :)