Montana ($0) vs Arizona State ($31,000) Forum

jmontana · Post by **jmontana** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:45 am

Is it worth it to consider Arizona State for $31,000 a year vs Montana at $0 for the first year? Retake is not an option, so far these are the only schools I'm considering at this point in the process.

GreenEggs · Post by **GreenEggs** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:47 am

Are the $ amounts scholarship amounts or price you will pay? If you're from Montana, want to work in Montana, and it'll cost you $0, then why would you ever choose ASU?

BigZuck · Post by **BigZuck** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:51 am

In order to receive the best feedback in this forum, please provide all the following:

-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.
-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

jmontana · Post by **jmontana** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:59 am

I would get a full tuition waiver for Montana, and $10,000 from Arizona State leaving the remaining tuition at $31,000.

twenty · Post by **twenty** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:00 pm

As long as you realize that "I can't possibly retake the LSAT" is costing you a T14 school for free/Harvard. I don't think I've ever seen someone with as big a discrepancy in their LSAT and GPA as yours.

So long story short, you better really want to practice with a small firm in Montana.

edit> Zuck didn't ask about tuition, he asked about cost of attendance. That includes more than just tuition numbers. Are you able to live at home if you go to Montana?

jmontana · Post by **jmontana** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:29 pm

GPA: 3.97 LSAT 156 (Have taking it twice, underachieved don't know why but RC always gets me).

I'm from Montana, I would prefer to practice in Montana, Texas, or Arizona.
Honestly, Big Law isn't in my aspirations. I would like to live a comfortable life where I can somewhat maintain my current lifestyle with horses and rodeo.
I would be financing with loans.

I have the abilities to get to the top of my class at Montana, where I have considered trying to transfer out after the first year.

Winston1984 · Post by **Winston1984** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:35 pm

jmontana wrote:GPA: 3.97 LSAT 156 (Have taking it twice, underachieved don't know why but RC always gets me).

I'm from Montana, I would prefer to practice in Montana, Texas, or Arizona.
Honestly, Big Law isn't in my aspirations. I would like to live a comfortable life where I can somewhat maintain my current lifestyle with horses and rodeo.
I would be financing with loans.

I have the abilities to get to the top of my class at Montana, where I have considered trying to transfer out after the first year.

How do you know this?

twenty · Post by **twenty** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:53 pm

jmontana wrote:GPA: 3.97 LSAT 156 (Have taking it twice, underachieved don't know why but RC always gets me).

I'm from Montana, I would prefer to practice in Montana, Texas, or Arizona.
Honestly, Big Law isn't in my aspirations. I would like to live a comfortable life where I can somewhat maintain my current lifestyle with horses and rodeo.
I would be financing with loans.

If you go to University of Montana, you will be working in Montana when you graduate. If you go to ASU, you will be practicing in AZ when you graduate. Given that you have extensive ties to Montana, and (from what it sounds like) not many to AZ, Montana seems like the winner on that account alone. You're being pretty ambiguous as to how much Montana will actually cost you, but even if you're paying COL - tuition, that's still a pretty good option all things considering.

I'm of the school of thought where a full ride to the top regional school where you have ties to + no biglaw aspirations = go. So based on that information, I'd say pull the trigger at Montana.

That said, you mentioned:

I have the abilities to get to the top of my class at Montana, where I have considered trying to transfer out after the first year.

And my question is, why the fuck would you set yourself up to transfer out before you even start school? Anywhere you transfer will be full price on tuition, and you're way more likely to get a job in Montana from UofM than from the vast majority of other schools you could transfer to. What would you possibly have to gain by transferring, and why would you even think about transferring as a 0L?

jmontana · Post by **jmontana** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:57 pm

Haha I just like giving you faithful TLS posters something to get worked up about.

BigZuck · Post by **BigZuck** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 2:47 pm

I don't understand what this thread is

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 2:52 pm

is there even a law school in montana?

Winston1984 · Post by **Winston1984** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:15 pm

jmontana wrote:Haha I just like giving you faithful TLS posters something to get worked up about.

Really got us good!

FSK · Post by **FSK** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:21 pm

Oh no, some poasters have a tiny amount of compassion and empathy and want to help people not make life destroying decisions like attending these dumpster fire schools. MAN YOU GOT US.

jmontana · Post by **jmontana** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:37 pm

Besides school, what do your resumes include? Have you ever held a 40 + hour week? A job paying more than minimum wage. If so, what was it? Where do your facts about these dumpster schools come from? For instance if you want to practice law in Montana, your better off going there than many top schools. Perhaps not everyone is interested in big law. The employment rates for the school are comparable to many top schools. The mediate starting wage may be lower, but so is the cost of living. Either way its still enough to live rather comfortably.

Winston1984 · Post by **Winston1984** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:48 pm

jmontana wrote:Besides school, what do your resumes include? Have you ever held a 40 + hour week? A job paying more than minimum wage. If so, what was it? Where do your facts about these dumpster schools come from? For instance if you want to practice law in Montana, your better off going there than many top schools. Perhaps not everyone is interested in big law. The employment rates for the school are comparable to many top schools. The mediate starting wage may be lower, but so is the cost of living. Either way its still enough to live rather comfortably.

Haha, he just likes getting you OPs something to get worked up about.

BigZuck · Post by **BigZuck** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:48 pm

jmontana wrote:Besides school, what do your resumes include? Have you ever held a 40 + hour week? A job paying more than minimum wage. If so, what was it? Where do your facts about these dumpster schools come from? For instance if you want to practice law in Montana, your better off going there than many top schools. Perhaps not everyone is interested in big law. The employment rates for the school are comparable to many top schools. The mediate starting wage may be lower, but so is the cost of living. Either way its still enough to live rather comfortably.

Sounds like a sweet deal, why would you want to transfer out?

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