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Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 4:43 pm
by dmoconnell
Here are my facts
UGPA 3.23
LSAT 162
I am from Missouri and I was practice testing my LSAT at 170s, also I wrote a very persuasive personal statement
Boston College offered me 16k per year with a possibility for more need based aid. So the total cost of attendance would be around 150k plus interest if I don't get any need based aid.
I was offered a full tuition scholarship at Mizzou Law so the total cost of attendance for me would be around 30k plus interest.
As far as I'm concerned these are my best two options. I have a decent network of people in Missouri that might be able to help me find a job, but the earning potential seems to be higher in Boston and Id like to live in a big city. I'm having difficulty deciding. If I go to Boston will I most likely be able to pay off my debt? Doest BC give a lot of need based scholarship money?
What school should I attend
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 4:53 pm
by kellyfrost
I would say take the full ride at Mizzou. Do well in school, take on less debt, and get your first job.
Too much uncertainty in how you well you will do in school and what the job market will be to to take on the debt, IMO.
I really don't think you can go wrong with the full ride.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:07 pm
by fliptrip
dmoconnell wrote:Here are my facts
UGPA 3.23
LSAT 162
I am from Missouri and I was practice testing my LSAT at 170s, also I wrote a very persuasive personal statement
Boston College offered me 16k per year with a possibility for more need based aid. So the yearly cost of attendance would be around 150k plus interest if I don't get any need based aid.
I was offered a full tuition scholarship at Mizzou Law so the total cost of attendance for me would be around 30k plus interest.
As far as I'm concerned these are my best two options. I have a decent network of people in Missouri that might be able to help me find a job, but the earning potential seems to be higher in Boston and Id like to live in a big city. I'm having difficulty deciding. If I go to Boston will I most likely be able to pay off my debt? Doest BC give a lot of need based scholarship money?
What school should I attend
This is simple...you should go to Mizzou. BC is good for Boston, but Boston is a very provincial place and your ties/lack thereof will be scrutinized and you could end up in a bad way. Also, it's a hell of a risk to go to law school in a place that it sounds like you've never lived knowing that you're going to have to live there after school. As someone who has lived in Boston, let me assure you, you won't be missing anything crucial if you end up settling in St. Louis or Kansas City.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 8:01 pm
by trebekismyhero
If you were PTing in the 170s, retake in June to try and see if you can get that score on the real exam and then reapply.
Between BC and Mizzou, Mizzou is a no brainer for your circumstances
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 8:08 pm
by eagle2a
Retake and if you don't do better go to Mizzou
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:20 pm
by Troianii
dmoconnell wrote:Here are my facts
UGPA 3.23
LSAT 162
I am from Missouri and I was practice testing my LSAT at 170s, also I wrote a very persuasive personal statement
Boston College offered me 16k per year with a possibility for more need based aid. So the yearly cost of attendance would be around 150k plus interest if I don't get any need based aid.
I was offered a full tuition scholarship at Mizzou Law so the total cost of attendance for me would be around 30k plus interest.
As far as I'm concerned these are my best two options. I have a decent network of people in Missouri that might be able to help me find a job, but the earning potential seems to be higher in Boston and Id like to live in a big city. I'm having difficulty deciding. If I go to Boston will I most likely be able to pay off my debt? Doest BC give a lot of need based scholarship money?
What school should I attend
eh, I'd consider this a tough choice, but certainly understand why most people are saying you should go to Mizzou. Personally, Boston is my favorite city in the world, and I've been all over the U.S. and to about a dozen foreign countries.
Statistically, if you want to go for the money in Boston, you will *probably* be able to get a job in Boston that will allow you to pay off your debt comfortably. But, you could very well get the short stick, especially with little local connection, and poor employment prospects are a lot worse when you've got six figures in debt.
So yeah, I'd be split, but obviously Mizzou is the safer option, and the guarantee that you'll graduate without debt is just gold. The only caveat I'd add is that if your Mizzou offer is conditional on GPA/rank, then I'd go BC if there's isn't.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:56 pm
by dmoconnell
Thanks for the input everyone! You all have made me reconsider MU, but maybe this is just wanderlust but I imagine Boston being a lot better of a place to live than either KC or St Louis. Also Mizzou does sort of pigeon hole me so that I won't make a lot of money or do big law ever. Also MU requires that I be in the top 50 percent to maintain the scholarship BC requires a 2.0 to maintain that scholarship
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:45 pm
by Otunga
dmoconnell wrote:Thanks for the input everyone! You all have made me reconsider MU, but maybe this is just wanderlust but I imagine Boston being a lot better of a place to live than either KC or St Louis. Also Mizzou does sort of pigeon hole me so that I won't make a lot of money or do big law ever. Also MU requires that I be in the top 50 percent to maintain the scholarship BC requires a 2.0 to maintain that scholarship
Top 50%? That significantly changes the ballgame...I'd say to negotiate that stip away to AT LEAST top 75%; otherwise you're at risk of getting the worst-case scenario - a school with inferior job outcomes and a boatload of debt.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:51 pm
by bmathers
I live in New England, an hour from Boston (if that, I'm in Providence, RI). I moved up here 4 years ago and the local young crowd is obsessed with Boston - it's the only city that exists, in their mind. However, being an outsider, I'm not a big fan of Boston (I enjoyed living around Atlanta more, FTR) -- it definitely does not live up to the hype and it's not some "amazing place" to live. Cost of living is also HIGH - much higher, I'm sure, than around Mizzou. That alone would equal a lot more COL debt to bring on.
Do yourself a favor and do Mizzou on a full ride. You won't be missing much, if anything, by not moving to Boston.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:56 pm
by Otunga
bmathers wrote:I live in New England, an hour from Boston (if that, I'm in Providence, RI). I moved up here 4 years ago and the local young crowd is obsessed with Boston - it's the only city that exists, in their mind. However, being an outsider, I'm not a big fan of Boston (I enjoyed living around Atlanta more, FTR) -- it definitely does not live up to the hype and it's not some "amazing place" to live. Cost of living is also HIGH - much higher, I'm sure, than around Mizzou. That alone would equal a lot more COL debt to bring on.
Do yourself a favor and do Mizzou on a full ride. You won't be missing much, if anything, by not moving to Boston.
I'm a RI native and I generally have had that same mentality about Boston. While I still prefer it over other east coast cities like NYC, it's not the extraordinary place that small-town New Englanders make it out to be. Yeah, it's a cool place to visit, and I wouldn't mind working there, but living there is too expensive.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:43 pm
by dmoconnell
So I factored the cost of living into the numbers I used its estimated 10k a year in columbia and 15k in Missouri, I dont think the stipulation is that bad since I consider my LSAT performance really bad and I scored in like the 90th percentile for the school. Essentially I think big law big debt vs small debt small law.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 5:24 pm
by bmathers
dmoconnell wrote:So I factored the cost of living into the numbers I used its estimated 10k a year in columbia and 15k in Missouri, I dont think the stipulation is that bad since I consider my LSAT performance really bad and I scored in like the 90th percentile for the school. Essentially I think big law big debt vs small debt small law.
Cost of living is $10k/year in Boston?!?! Say what???? $20k-$30k/year EASY, if you have roommates and are very frugal
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:23 pm
by dmoconnell
bmathers wrote:dmoconnell wrote:So I factored the cost of living into the numbers I used its estimated 10k a year in columbia and 15k in Missouri, I dont think the stipulation is that bad since I consider my LSAT performance really bad and I scored in like the 90th percentile for the school. Essentially I think big law big debt vs small debt small law.
Cost of living is $10k/year in Boston?!?! Say what???? $20k-$30k/year EASY, if you have roommates and are very frugal
I can't type . . .the cost of attendance is 68k at boston and I have a 18k scholarship at MU it is 10-15k a year for me
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:56 pm
by Alive97
What are your thoughts on retaking?
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 7:08 pm
by dmoconnell
Id rather not have to wait another year for law school.
Re: Boston College vs Mizzou
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 11:54 pm
by Clearly
dmoconnell wrote:Id rather not have to wait another year for law school.
Big big mistake. Neither option is good, and you were already prepping better for the LSAT. Just sit a cycle and retake, applications open in just a few months. Then maybe you'll be saying UVA at sticker or BC full ride.