BU vs USC vs GW Forum

[yayooyay]

Hi I'd really appreciate any input or advice on my choices!
Scholarship offers: (negotiating, but assuming I don't get any more)

BU - $75k total ($25k/yr)
USC - $60k ($20k/yr)
GW - $60k ($20k/yr)

Most of COL + tuition will be covered by family, savings, and outside scholarships; the rest loans.

I'm from the east coast, with family and friends all around here. But also with some ties in CA/near LA.

LSAT 166 / GPA 3.59 - taken 2x and scored the same (lol). I am already very carefully considering a retake, but would really appreciate advice between the above 3 options only.

Location doesn't matter much to me. Which would give me a reasonable chance of geographic mobility after graduation? Career goals: as well as I can do but not very interested in big law. I can see myself enjoying living in Boston or LA after graduation, but not as much for DC. Also currently in a long distance relationship where attending USC would mean closing the distance much sooner without my partner taking a hit to their career as opposed to BU/GW (which then means staying in LA after graduation).

Thanks.

[BigZuck]

I know that saying you're "open" sounds good, but even though you don't care about geography lots of employers do. If you don't have a compelling reason for being in an area long term then oftentimes that is a huge (perhaps insurmountable) hurdle to getting a job. If you truly don't care where you end up (and just based on my experience, I can't really wrap my mind around that but a lot of people say it so I guess that's a real thing) then go to school in the place where you have the strongest ties-immediate family there, you grew up there or went to college there, etc.

Almost all degrees are geographically flexible in that you can sit for the bar in any state. But very few degrees are geographically flexible in that they will give you a leg up when applying for jobs anywhere. None of these schools are the latter, really- USC will do well in CA, BU in MA, GW in DC, and that's pretty much it. These schools are all generally regarded as good but none better than the others.

I wouldn't go to any of them if it meant significant debt and/or depletion of significant savings. Rich parents are nice but if it would cause them any sort of hardship at all then I wouldn't go if that was the case either.

[totesTheGoat]

Location doesn't matter much to me. Which would give me a reasonable chance of geographic mobility after graduation?

None of them have a ton of geo mobility in and of themselves, but if you have ties somewhere, none of them are going to keep you from being considered. Generally, you should count on getting a job in the school's respective market.

Career goals: as well as I can do but not very interested in big law. I can see myself enjoying living in Boston or LA after graduation, but not as much for DC.

Don't go to GW.

Also currently in a long distance relationship where attending USC would mean closing the distance much sooner without my partner taking a hit to their career as opposed to BU/GW (which then means staying in LA after graduation).

Are you going to marry/otherwise solemnize your relationship with this person? If yes, go to USC. If no, flip a coin between BU and USC.

Also, do the math on each school and see what kind of loan situation you'll be getting yourself into. If it's going to be 6 figures, think seriously about a retake. If its going to be $20k, dont worry about retaking.

[yayooyay]

Thank you for this. I realize these schools are at their strongest in their own regions, so I'm prepared to settle down or stay indefinitely in the area I go to school. I've fleshed out my pros and cons for each location and in the end they're all almost neck-to-neck so that's why location is at a stalemate for me atm (I guess 'not caring' wasn't a good way to put it). But this was very insightful, so thank you!

[mayorscurvy]

Don't have much to offer this discussion but you are the first person I have come across with my exact same stats 3.59/166. I'll be interested to hear how negotiation goes for you! (I applied to BU but not GW or USC)

[yayooyay]

Are you going to marry/otherwise solemnize your relationship with this person? If yes, go to USC. If no, flip a coin between BU and USC.
Also, do the math on each school and see what kind of loan situation you'll be getting yourself into. If it's going to be 6 figures, think seriously about a retake. If its going to be $20k, dont worry about retaking.

We're serious/committed and marriage is on the table but I don't think we'd get there for at least another few years. While I don't want pick a school based on my relationship, I don't want to leave it out, either. Which leads to a general feeling of ?????? while considering law schools.

I'm anticipating the overall cost of BU to be considerably less than USC. But holding location/ranking/quality equal, it definitely starts to seem like I'm pricing the relationship. I'll likely consider retaking June even if just to see if it'll help getting more $$.

Thanks for the response!

[BigZuck]

Are you going to marry/otherwise solemnize your relationship with this person? If yes, go to USC. If no, flip a coin between BU and USC.
Also, do the math on each school and see what kind of loan situation you'll be getting yourself into. If it's going to be 6 figures, think seriously about a retake. If its going to be $20k, dont worry about retaking.

We're serious/committed and marriage is on the table but I don't think we'd get there for at least another few years. While I don't want pick a school based on my relationship, I don't want to leave it out, either. Which leads to a general feeling of ?????? while considering law schools.

I'm anticipating the overall cost of BU to be considerably less than USC. But holding location/ranking/quality equal, it definitely starts to seem like I'm pricing the relationship. I'll likely consider retaking June even if just to see if it'll help getting more $$.

Thanks for the response!

I retook June and got significantly more scholarship money. Don't just consider it, that's a slam dunk no brainer gotta do it don't even think about it just go sign up right now and do it

[datenginedatcould]

Don't do GW. You can find plenty of research that debunks their employment opportunities and you don't seem to care for DC. Negotiate USC with BU. Heard the news? BU made the Top 20. While that certainly shouldn't be the reasoning behind your negotiation, you can bet USC will be competing for at least some applicants with BU. Convince them why they should invest in you and why you want to invest in them. On a side note, make up your mind between BU & USC. They are drastically different lifestyles/regions. Do some research! The outcome of negotiations will matter significantly less if you're unhappy in your new home region.

[yayooyay]

I retook June and got significantly more scholarship money. Don't just consider it, that's a slam dunk no brainer gotta do it don't even think about it just go sign up right now and do it

Haha thanks for the push! The only thing that complicates it is that USC's scholarship requires I withdraw from all other schools by the 1st deposit in April or I'll forfeit it. Hopefully this is something they can be flexible about.

[yayooyay]

[...] Heard the news? BU made the Top 20. [...]

? What's/where's this from?

EDIT: nevermind! Just saw. Thanks a bunch!