Fordham P/T (sticker) vs CUNY Law P/T (tuition waiver) Forum

[part_timehopeful]

I am currently working full-time, and I cannot leave my job because of a mortgage/family.

I've been accepted to Fordham w/o any financial assistance and CUNY Law with an employee tuition waiver. I would like to work as a local/state Assistant District Attorney within the NYC market, if this helps.

The fact that CUNY Law's part-time program is currently unranked bothers me, but if I enroll, I would not incur debt; however, Fordham is ranked as a top part-time law program.

Any advice would be helpful!

[BasilHallward]

In order to receive the best feedback in this forum, please provide as much of the following information in your original post as possible:

-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. Here is a helpful calculator.
-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

[part_timehopeful]

-Fordham and CUNY Law
-Fordham: $270K for 4 years. CUNY: ~$15K.
-Fordham: loans. CUNY: tuition waiver and full-time employment.
-I'm from NYC and would like to work in the NYC market.
-Prosecutor on the state/local level.
-168/3.54
-1

[ballcaps]

Fordham: $270K for 4 years

nearly everyone here will tell you that this is an insane amount of debt for fordham. 2/3rds shot at a serious legal job after graduation.

why does it bother you that cuny's part-time program is unranked? what do you think that means?

i know nothing about government hiring, so i can't speak to that.

[downbeat14]

How is Fordham not giving you a ton of money with an above 75th LSAT and @ median GPA? (And that's not even for the evening program which is most likely lower)?? Did u apply late? I would sit out and reapply for better options. Your numbers are better than this.

[part_timehopeful]

How is Fordham not giving you a ton of money with an above 75th LSAT and @ median GPA? (And that's not even for the evening program which is most likely lower)?? Did u apply late? I would sit out and reapply for better options. Your numbers are better than this.

I did apply late. I'd consider reapplying next cycle but my options are limited regardless.

[encore1101]

(speaking as a NYC prosecutor)

nobody will care that you went to a school with a high-ranked PT program.

Unlike biglaw, 4 out of 5 DA offices care very little about what school you went to. To illustrate, my hiring class had more than twenty people, of which only two went to T14. The rest of us/them went to much lower ranked schools. When I look around the office, I see diplomas from a lot of schools currently ranked 50 or higher. Manhattan is apparently the only borough that cares about preftige, but I don't know if they consider Fordham as "worthy."

DA Offices care most about demonstrated commitment -- something on your resume that indicates you enrolled in law school to become a prosecutor, and you're not just applying because you didn't get biglaw. Between Fordham and CUNY, Fordham would be the better choice, not because they're higher ranked, but because they have that semester long prosecution clinic, whereas CUNY apparently lacks a similar program.

That being said, however, there's no reason to tack on so much debt at Fordham. Even if your goal is to enroll in IBR/PAYE and PSLF, that's still a sizable chunk of debt that may limit your future credit options (i.e. mortgage). I would consider reapplying next year and seeing if you can get some scholarship money, or even applying to other schools that will.

[transferror]

Fordham for 270k is unimaginable for any goal

CUNY for 15k is absolutely fine for DA/PD/local gov goals

The ranking of the PT program doesn't matter. The networking/summer jobs/internships during the year/demonstrated interest matter way more than which school you attend. This isn't a real decision; go to CUNY or don't go to law school.

[BasilHallward]

-Fordham and CUNY Law
-Fordham: $270K for 4 years. CUNY: ~$15K.
-Fordham: loans. CUNY: tuition waiver and full-time employment.
-I'm from NYC and would like to work in the NYC market.
-Prosecutor on the state/local level.
-168/3.54
-1

My mind is blown that you do not have much better options/offers. Retake and reapply. Fordham should be giving you a hefty scholarship. With a higher score, Cornell with money and NYU become options.

[BasilHallward]

Sorry. did not see the family/mortgage constraints. Go to CUNY, if you are set on law school in the fall. That price at Fordham is suicide.

[encore1101]

I'd seriously consider applying to other schools. I didn't check too intensively, but does CUNY have a mock trial/moot court team? Neither are necessary to be hired as an ADA, but they will help.

Otherwise, you're only option would be to do internships, but, given your full-time work schedule, I can't see that being an option that you can sustain.

Okay, they have a moot court team.

[part_timehopeful]

(speaking as a NYC prosecutor)

nobody will care that you went to a school with a high-ranked PT program.

Unlike biglaw, 4 out of 5 DA offices care very little about what school you went to. To illustrate, my hiring class had more than twenty people, of which only two went to T14. The rest of us/them went to much lower ranked schools. When I look around the office, I see diplomas from a lot of schools currently ranked 50 or higher. Manhattan is apparently the only borough that cares about preftige, but I don't know if they consider Fordham as "worthy."

DA Offices care most about demonstrated commitment -- something on your resume that indicates you enrolled in law school to become a prosecutor, and you're not just applying because you didn't get biglaw. Between Fordham and CUNY, Fordham would be the better choice, not because they're higher ranked, but because they have that semester long prosecution clinic, whereas CUNY apparently lacks a similar program.

That being said, however, there's no reason to tack on so much debt at Fordham. Even if your goal is to enroll in IBR/PAYE and PSLF, that's still a sizable chunk of debt that may limit your future credit options (i.e. mortgage). I would consider reapplying next year and seeing if you can get some scholarship money, or even applying to other schools that will.

Thanks. I appreciate your advice. Fordham's Queens DA clinic is the reason why I applied, though it appears to be during the day and would interfere with my work schedule. I haven't committed to any decision yet and I may want to reapply next cycle....after all, my employee waiver won't go away.

[downbeat14]

OP, def reapply next cycle. Also retake the LSAT. Might as well since there is no downside. Only highest counts. I can't see shy you should have to much at all even with the current score.

Also even though you are set on PT program, still apply to others for scholarship negotiation leverage.

[usn26]

Are you working at CUNY, or for the city? (I'm assuming that's why your employer would waive full tuition at CUNY and give you no assistance for Fordham.)

[MurdockLLP]

Why are these your only two options? There are many more significant part time programs in the New York area that you should have applied to: Brooklyn, St. Johns, & Cardozo. Degrees at these schools would put you in a much better place than CUNY even for a DA office. Reapply next cycle and get the money you deserve with your numbers.

[TasmanianToucan]

So many threads with people considering Fordham at sticker! Who gets money from them, anyway?!

[MurdockLLP]

So many threads with people considering Fordham at sticker! Who gets money from them, anyway?!

It can be done, but it's like pulling teeth.