USC (2/3 ride) vs. UC Davis (full ride) Forum

[YungSlumLord]

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[CanadianWolf]

Retaking is a wise move.

UC-Davis & USC are not attractive options at these prices--especially since they are after you've used up your personal savings.

Between the two options, UC-Davis is the better choice due to significantly lower COA.

If you want USC, request a full tuition scholarship. Unfortunately, your plan of retaking for more scholarship money from USC fails if you deposit at Davis.

[starry eyed]

UC Davis is the better choice. extra 100k for +20% increase in biglaw odds?... IM NOT BUYING IT

[The Dark Shepard]

you seem to be underperforming your numbers here. You need to re-apply early next year. And thus you might as well retake anyways

[Traynor Brah]

Your stats are too good for these to be your options. Retaking and reapplying early is the best route here.

But if you are opposed to doing what's best for you, Davis is better here than USC at that cost. I don't think that debt-financed COA at USC is justifiable for any situation.

[Gkmc]

you seem to be seriously underperforming your numbers here. You need to re-apply early next year. And thus you might as well retake anyways

[cron1834]

Reapply for sure. Retake while you're at it, b/c it won't hurt anyway. This is weak for a 168.

[downbeat14]

I know u say that sitting out is not an option. Why? Bc u don't want to? Bc that is a bad reason. TCR is reapply next year. Gun for a higher LSAT and profit. Your options are not good considering your numbers, or at all actually.

[NotASpecialSnowflake]

Reapplying and retaking is the best choice here. I know you said that you can't wait a year, but if someone paid you $110,000 to sit out a year, would you do it?

LSN results for your numbers:



Don't leave $$ on the table like that.

[rpupkin]

That's too much debt for USC.

If you want to work in Northern California and you don't want big law, then a full ride at UC Davis is a decent outcome. But if you want more options, then, yeah, you've got to retake.

[downbeat14]

OP, can u add "neither/retake/reapply" to the poll? I'll vote then.

[YungSlumLord]

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[Traynor Brah]

Well what outcomes do you want from davis? Have a feeling you don't really know.

[starry eyed]

That's too much debt for USC.

If you want to work in Northern California and you don't want big law, then a full ride at UC Davis is a decent outcome. But if you want more options, then, yeah, you've got to retake.

aside from BigLaw, what outcomes (besides less debt) would I be afforded by retaking than by accepting Davis' offer?

a law firm with 2-26 attorneys, gov't/public defender, pretty much the same as USC with less mobility (and - 20% chance at biglaw) and you will likely be contained to NoCal. check out LST to see where grads end up.

and possibly starbucks (but that't a possibility from either school tbh)

[californiauser]

Davis for 45k isn't bad if you want PI or small law/DA office

I wouldn't pay anywhere near 6 figures for any non-T14 school because you basically need to go on loan forgiveness or get big law. You don't seem interested in PI and big law is unlikely from USC.

[Traynor Brah]

I wouldn't pay anywhere near 6 figures for any non-T14 school because you basically need to go on loan forgiveness or get big law. You don't seem interested in PI and big law is unlikely from USC.

Meh. UT is pretty easily worth 100K for a Texan. Vandy is worth six figs in a lot of situations. I think it's a fair price for SoCal natives/gunners to pay for UCLA too, and, if USC is going to maintain 40% biglaw, pry them as well. 150? Naw.

[LawsRUs]

I plan to place a deposit at USC this Friday on their deadline. 1) Am I correct in assuming that they won't hear about my deposit at UC Davis until May 15 and that I have until then to withdraw from Davis if I choose USC? 2) Is my plan to retake the LSAT in June sound?

1) USC won't hear about your deposit at UC Davis until mid-May. However, from reading the scholarship letter, it was my understanding that if USC sees your name on that list, the admissions has the right to revoke your scholarship offer, while although you are not necessarily losing your seat in the incoming class. Some of us agreed in some other threads that the wording was clear when it said, "If you elect to pay our tuition [first] deposit, you must withdraw from all other law schools to which you have been admitted." Whether you are willing to risk losing your scholarship at USC for whatever reason (be it negotiating with Davis or what have you) is one that you will have to make.

2) Yes, you have nothing to lose by retaking in June. Good luck!

[californiauser]

I wouldn't pay anywhere near 6 figures for any non-T14 school because you basically need to go on loan forgiveness or get big law. You don't seem interested in PI and big law is unlikely from USC.

Meh. UT is pretty easily worth 100K for a Texan. Vandy is worth six figs in a lot of situations. I think it's a fair price for SoCal natives/gunners to pay for UCLA too, and, if USC is going to maintain 40% biglaw, pry them as well. 150? Naw.

1. I gave my subjective threshold for what I would pay for non-14. It wasn't a general assertion.

2. OP isn't considering Vandy or Texas--not sure how those schools are relevant to the discussion.

[Traynor Brah]

I wouldn't pay anywhere near 6 figures for any non-T14 school because you basically need to go on loan forgiveness or get big law. You don't seem interested in PI and big law is unlikely from USC.

Meh. UT is pretty easily worth 100K for a Texan. Vandy is worth six figs in a lot of situations. I think it's a fair price for SoCal natives/gunners to pay for UCLA too, and, if USC is going to maintain 40% biglaw, pry them as well. 150? Naw.

1. I gave my subjective threshold for what I would pay for non-14. It wasn't a general assertion.

2. OP isn't considering Vandy or Texas--not sure how those schools are relevant to the discussion.

I read it that you were categorically saying no non t14s were worth close to 100k, period. My b.

[YungSlumLord]

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[NotASpecialSnowflake]

Retaking and reapplying is still the best option here

[YungSlumLord]

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[Prestige Regionwide]

Retaking and reapplying is still the best option here

Please elaborate.

By answering five or so more questions on the LSAT you will likely be looking at USC with a full scholarship or T14 options with minimal debt.

Additionally, you gain a year of work experience and can save a few thousand bucks to reduce your future debt.

[NotASpecialSnowflake]

Retaking and reapplying is still the best option here

Please elaborate.

Your GPA change hurts it somewhat, but if you can improve your LSAT by just two points, you are looking at 80k from lower T-14 schools. I don't know your goals/have much experience in Cali, but it just seems silly to me to retake in June and hope USC gives you more $$. Just wait a year, focus your efforts into the LSAT and you will have a better outcome. Plus a bad 2nd take doesn't mean you can't do well on a third take. Make sure your PT scores are in the range you want before you take the test.

Also if you change the poll every two seconds, you won't get accurate results.

[YungSlumLord]

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