Top Law Schools

I'm wondering, how much is too much to pay for for a state university's flagship school? I want to do small-mid sized law somewhere in the mountain west, but have been unimpressed with the scholarship offers I've been given, and was told be the fin aid office at one school that most of their money went to instate students.

My best bet seems to be the University of Idaho, but the COA of that with scholarship and my savings will still be around $110,000. The median salary for their grads is 50,000, and making 15,000 a year payments would still leave me making more money than I am at my current retail job.

I really want to leave my current state (in the South), but don't want to dig a big hole for myself. Would going to law school be unreasonable at this point?

Thanks.

Consider that ties are an important part of getting a job in a small market / from a non-top school. If you're from the south and don't go to a T14, you can't just show up in Idaho and expect to get a job.

Is establishing ties during law school impossible? Externships/internships?

mountaindog wrote:Is establishing ties during law school impossible? Externships/internships?

Certainly not impossible, but you're putting yourself in a disadvantageous position from the start, and you're already playing a zero sum game wherein a decent percentage of the class won't end up with a good legal job. I think it's risky, but others will disagree.

Regardless I don't think 100K+ is really justifiable here but I'm sure others will probably disagree with that as well.