Emory v. Vandy v. South Carolina Forum

[missytoday]

Okay so I have to make a decision by Friday and I thought I had made up my mind but as it turns out I'm still on the fence. Mostly, I'm just concerned about the cost of attending vs. my opportunities post grad. Vanderbilt would leave me with $100,000 in debt, and Emory and South Carolina both would leave me at about $20,000. I don't know where I want to end up in the long run, but I do love DC and Atlanta.

I currently work for a firm here in Columbia and my boss wants me to continue working for him and has offered to help offset my costs of living if I go to USC, but I'm really not sure I want to commit to living in South Carolina for the rest of my life.

I have considered retaking my LSAT (166) to better match my GPA (3.94) but it makes me nervous to take a year off at just a chance at a better score.

Any advice would be truly wonderful.

[Good Guy Gaud]

Retake! Easily your best option with that terrific GPA.

Can you continue to work at your current firm during prep time? Even if you can't, a retake is probably your best bet. I wouldn't go to USC unless you are certain you want to remain in SC. You have the connects there so it will always be easier for you to come back to SC if you decide you want to.

Really, though, you should be going to a better school and have less debt.

[deadpanic]

If you do not want to remain in SC then USC is not really an option. That being said, I would really think hard about the grass is always greener thing. It always seems nice to go somewhere else for awhile, but unfortunately, unless you go to a very top school and are targeting NYC, ties/connections are very important, even with pretty good grades (which you cannot guarantee).

Connections are super important; if you have a great gig at a really good firm, despite being kind of bored with the city (don't worry, once you start practicing, you will not have really any free time for any hobbies), you should seriously consider that.

Your stats are great, and sure, you probably deserve a retake, but wouldn't USC be cheaper considering cost of living and the fact that you could still work? (not telling you to go there, just pointing that out)

Cost of living in Atlanta and Nashville are also absurd, FWIW, but I assume you factored that in.

[lavarman84]

Retake would be my advice. Won't be easy to get outside of SC going to USC. I loved living in Columbia. I definitely miss it.(I went to USC for undergrad) But the law school doesn't have a lot of reach. You've got an awesome GPA and a solid LSAT. You can boost your LSAT up a few points. If you do, you'll have t14 schools on the table. Duke and UVA would both be good options for you if you boosted your LSAT and could get a significant scholarship. At minimum, you can hopefully boost your scholarship, get a full ride to Vandy, Emory, and South Carolina, make some more money, and make your decision next cycle.

If you're intent on going, I'd say Emory based on your goals.

[GMasters5]

Go to Emory

[col1]

Vandy