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I'm a senior at WSU. My stats are 3.8 GPA and 161 LSAT. I am trying to decide right now between going to University of Oregon who has offered me $31,000/year and Boston College who has offered me $11,000/year.

I would rather go to Boston College, but I am worried about debt. With Oregon, I will have very little debt since the scholarship covers almost full tuition and living expenses are very low in Eugene.

Would it be worth it to be $150,000 in debt and a degree from Boston College?

I'm not sure where I want to end up, but I fear that going to Oregon will make it so that I am stuck in the Oregon/Washington area. I am aiming to do criminal law.

yes, Oregon will limit you to the PNW, assuming that you can find a job. BC is slightly more portable, but only in the more populated NE.

Retake is the only answer.

Retake

I think you should retake and reapply. I also think you should figure out where you want to be. Sure, you can get flexibility if you go to the right school. But that flexibility starts to deteriorate as soon as you begin you're first job. Its harder to move as a lawyer than it is in other professions. Moving requires you to get comfortable with new court rules, new state statutes, new caselaw, etc. And you're leaving an area where your connections mean something. As someone interested in criminal law you're much better off if you can figure out where you want to live before you start law school.

Also, we need exact debt at repayment numbers (including tuition increases, loan origination fees, and interest that accrues during school)

BC is a regional school as well so it won't give you the geographic flexibility you desire.
You have modest goals, so (barring retake) I'd take the money Oregon is offering.

BC is not worth that kind of debt.

Rigo wrote:BC is a regional school as well so it won't give you the geographic flexibility you desire.
You have modest goals, so (barring retake) I'd take the money Oregon is offering.

BC is not worth that kind of debt.

Agreed. If it weren't for family, BC would have left me financially ruined. Classic TTTrap school and worst life decision I've ever made.

I wouldn't go to Oregon for free. It's a coinflip for getting any job out of law school. Also, neither of these schools are portable outside of their region, so if you are worried about flexibility, figure out where you want to end up and go to a school that places there.

Also, retake. You could get Oregon-type scholarships at GOOD schools with a handful more questions.

Gonna add my voice to the retake chorus. I was around your numbers after my first two takes: 3.85, 163,164. Buckled down and studied for a third take. 177 has me in at my dream schools. Not trying to brag, just pointing out retakes are very worth it. Worst case scenario you don't do better and nothing changes.

I know it sucks to study again. But it's a multiple choice test for the sake of a career (and potentially avoiding 100s of thousands in debt)

Between the two, Oregon is the safer choice.

bc is definitely not worth it, especially if you don't have strong new england ties/desire to work there.

oregon is the better option of the two, but if you're seriously on the fence about practicing in the PNW (particularly oregon), retake. if you're deadset against retaking, negotiate with uo.

Oregon will be very limiting if you don't want to live and work in Oregon. General sentiment is that you should go to a school in the market/region where you want to practice.