UVA/Mich($)/GULC($)/WashU($$$) Forum

[BananaSplit626]

Any advice or ideas are appreciated. Trying to weigh debt vs. job prospects, and the chance I will NEED to get Biglaw to pay off debt.

- Schools you are considering/total COA
UVA: $249,991
GULC: $184,215 ($75k)
Mich: $175,422 ($60k)
WashU: $72,056 (Full)

- How you will be financing your COA
Loans

- Where you are from and where you want to work
From Boston, want to work in DC/NYC

- Your general career goals
Litigation Biglaw or competitive PI

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
171/3.3, took the LSAT once (outperformed best PT by 2)

[CanadianWolf]

Is Cornell an option ?

[BananaSplit626]

Is Cornell an option ?

Still on hold at Cornell, and WL/held at 4 other T14

[CanadianWolf]

Virginia is too expensive. WashUStL won't get you where you want to go. Michigan is probably your best option.

[rpupkin]

Virginia is too expensive. WashUStL won't get you where you want to go. Michigan is probably your best option.

I don't know about that. For someone who wants big law/PI in DC, I think GULC is probably the better choice. But as others are suggesting, the debt levels are too high for basically all the schools except WashU. And WashU doesn't line up with the OP's goals.

[CanadianWolf]

Close call. OP is also targeting NYC. Between Georgetown & Michigan. Certainly internship/externship opportunities favor Georgetown.

[TLSModBot]

Retake is the CR. 171 ain't bad but if you can knock it up just a bit higher you'll have even better money options the next go around. AND you can get some W/E experience (if you don't already have some) which will put more money in your pocket and let you really seriously consider whether or not you want to be a lawyer.

If you MUST go to law school now, it's a close call between Michigan and GULC. I've said before (and will say again) that Michigan outperforms GULC and will serve you well even if DC is your target, but honestly it's up to you what you value more: a slightly easier time at OCI/less stress to perform grades-wise (Michigan), or more opportunities for DC internship opportunities (GULC - though I REALLY question the value of anything you could find within your 1L year when it actually matters for OCI purposes).

[BananaSplit626]

Virginia is too expensive. WashUStL won't get you where you want to go.

This is what I've been thinking but not wanting to believe.

[ballcaps]

Virginia is too expensive. WashUStL won't get you where you want to go.

This is what I've been thinking but not wanting to believe.

yeah, cross those schools off the list.

you should absolutely negotiate with michigan using gulc's offer. michigan seems to throw $$ around pretty much willy-nilly.

then go to michigan w/$25k/year, assuming you're not willing to sit out and retake.

fwiw, i normally wouldn't join the "RETAKE!" chorus, but your gpa is really low, so a higher score would be particularly helpful.

[BananaSplit626]

Retake is the CR. 171 ain't bad but if you can knock it up just a bit higher you'll have even better money options the next go around. AND you can get some W/E experience (if you don't already have some) which will put more money in your pocket and let you really seriously consider whether or not you want to be a lawyer.

If you MUST go to law school now, it's a close call between Michigan and GULC. I've said before (and will say again) that Michigan outperforms GULC and will serve you well even if DC is your target, but honestly it's up to you what you value more: a slightly easier time at OCI/less stress to perform grades-wise (Michigan), or more opportunities for DC internship opportunities (GULC - though I REALLY question the value of anything you could find within your 1L year when it actually matters for OCI purposes).

I do have a couple years of WE already, and currently deciding whether to go law school this cycle or take another job opportunity with the federal government. Ultimately, I do want to litigate and see law school in my future whether now or in a few years. My pessimistic side feels that low law school applications favor a splitter like me, and if I reapply I'll have a worse cycle when the applications go back up...

All else being equal (which I know it's not) I would rather be in DC than Ann Arbor, I just don't know how much $ that is worth.

[BananaSplit626]

Virginia is too expensive. WashUStL won't get you where you want to go.

This is what I've been thinking but not wanting to believe.

yeah, cross those schools off the list.

you should absolutely negotiate with michigan using gulc's offer. michigan seems to throw $$ around pretty much willy-nilly.

then go to michigan w/$25k/year, assuming you're not willing to sit out and retake.

fwiw, i normally wouldn't join the "RETAKE!" chorus, but your gpa is really low, so a higher score would be particularly helpful.

Problem is that I already took the GULC offer to Mich, and Mich said they only look at competing offers one time....

[ballcaps]

Virginia is too expensive. WashUStL won't get you where you want to go.

This is what I've been thinking but not wanting to believe.

yeah, cross those schools off the list.

you should absolutely negotiate with michigan using gulc's offer. michigan seems to throw $$ around pretty much willy-nilly.

then go to michigan w/$25k/year, assuming you're not willing to sit out and retake.

fwiw, i normally wouldn't join the "RETAKE!" chorus, but your gpa is really low, so a higher score would be particularly helpful.

Problem is that I already took the GULC offer to Mich, and Mich said they only look at competing offers one time....

admissions people say all sorts of things that are patently false (this may or may not be one of them.)

in any event, there is no downside whatsoever to asking. i'd show them gulc's new offer, and frame it in a thoughtful and moving explanation of why michigan is your end-all-be-all.

if they're convinced you'll accept the offer and enroll, they're much more likely to make it.

[starry eyed]

I would go to Georgetown over Michigan tbh..

#teamGULCselfselect