Top Law Schools

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First, I would rethink your plans and take the LSAT again. Those aren't great outcomes, sorry to say it, and you could save insane money or land at safer schools by getting a tutor and improving your score.

Second, I'd go UCLA here if someone forced me to choose between those options, gun to the head. I looked into Cornell's CA employment stats back when my brother was picking a school and I remember we were both really sketched out. If you're certain you don't want to start out in NY, go UCLA. UCLA also gives you an in to the LA market, which is much more forgiving than SF/SV (I wouldn't count too much on the Bay given that you don't have any ties and given that UCLA's placement power is pretty weak outside LA).

Also, in case my avatar weirds you out, I went to UCLA for undergrad not for law school. Would not have wanted to go to UCLA law school, and they gave me a full ride. Retake. Oh and Dean Schwartz is a real used-car salesman kind of a scholarship negotiator; if you can get Cornell to up their offer, I'd play hardball with him. He offered me a bunch more after I officially withdrew, which I think is a shady tactic, but you can definitely pressure him into coughing up more $$$, especially late in the cycle.

Bruinfan10, thanks for your input!

Make "retake" an option
Also add "don't attend law school"

Retake > don't attend > join the occupy movement > become an uber driver > move to SF and become a dog walker > UCLA > Cornell

Hutz_and_Goodman, thanks for your reply.

Just to clarify: I will definitely be attending law school this coming fall. Yes, I've done my research, and yes, I know what I am getting myself into financially. I of course appreciate the advice to retake or do something else with my life, but would love to focus on what to do given the currents cards on the table.

With no ties to the west coast, it might be harder to get CA from Cornell, idk. I do know that is way too much debt for Cornell, and too much for UCLA. Gun to my head, UCLA, but it's still too much.

Your goals/schools/numbers don't match. If you are biglaw or bust, then Cornell is obviously the right choice, but it's too expensive. You should retake the LSAT, or change your goals and go to a school that's going to give you more $$$.

I don't think either of these options are any good for you. But I'll give advice on the assumption that you're going to pick one of these options no matter how bad of a decision that is.

If you go to Cornell you are not ending up on the west coast. You might bid on the west coast, but if you do, then you're probably striking out. If you go to UCLA then you're at a disadvantage due to lack of ties; and the biglaw stats at UCLA aren't that great anyways. Given that you're only goal is biglaw, that's a problem. At the same time, your debt at Cornell is pretty high even if you do get biglaw, and there's a real chance you won't.

I'm going to recommend UCLA, because at least its the area where you want to live - and it will be easier to get out from under those loans (not only is it 60k less, but if you're struggling to pay off your loans then at least the interest won't spin out of control as quickly with 160k in debt).

I'm with the others that these options aren't great for your goals, but if forced to choose I'd take Cornell with the understanding that there's a good shot you'll have to start your career in NYC.

retake/dont go/change your goals and go to a lower ranked school in CA with $$

However, I currently have no ties to West Coast.

UCLA is the only option. Even then, you'll need high grades to get a California offer.

Thanks for the input, guys.

If ties and money weren't a factor, would it still make sense to go to Cornell with the CA market in mind? Or does in this case, UCLA win over? The employment numbers are hard to ignore for Cornell, but not sure how that exactly translates for the LA market.

jediore wrote:Thanks for the input, guys.

If ties and money weren't a factor, would it still make sense to go to Cornell with the CA market in mind? Or does in this case, UCLA win over? The employment numbers are hard to ignore for Cornell, but not sure how that exactly translates for the LA market.

You've got two goals, biglaw and California, pushing in opposite directions. You have to decide whether you'd take biglaw in NYC or small law in CA if your dream of CA biglaw doesn't work out, because that dream not working out is very possible. Once you decide on your second choice you'll know which school makes more sense.

jediore wrote:Thanks for the input, guys.

If ties and money weren't a factor, would it still make sense to go to Cornell with the CA market in mind? Or does in this case, UCLA win over? The employment numbers are hard to ignore for Cornell, but not sure how that exactly translates for the LA market.

As I said before, Cornell's biglaw placement in California is sketchy, compared to UCLA's best market being LA.