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cmgaus wrote:Hey guys,

I've got a 3.2 GPA and a 167 LSAT. Was offered a 35k a year scholarship to Emory and a 35k a year scholarship to Alabama. Now, this means if I establish in-state residency in Alabama it would convert to a full-tuition scholarship. Emory, by my calculations, would leave me with around $100k in debt. It is higher ranked and if I had a gun to my head I would prefer to work in Atlanta out of anywhere in the southeast, but is it worth the huge price upgrade over Bama? My main hesitation with Bama is that 60% work in state after graduation and I don't really know if I'm comfortable working there. Any thoughts?

Go to Bama only if you want to work in Bama. Go to Emory if you want Atlanta. That said, I'd highly recommend you not go $100K in debt for Emory (which is truly struggling of late). I'm curious if you applied to UGA. If Atlanta is the goal, it has very similar Atlanta placement stats to Emory with much cheaper tuition. If not and these are your two options, I'd suggest you wait out this cycle, retake the LSAT and reapply (hopefully with a 170+).

So, none of the above.

cmgaus wrote:Hey guys,

I've got a 3.2 GPA and a 167 LSAT. Was offered a 35k a year scholarship to Emory and a 35k a year scholarship to Alabama. Now, this means if I establish in-state residency in Alabama it would convert to a full-tuition scholarship. Emory, by my calculations, would leave me with around $100k in debt. It is higher ranked and if I had a gun to my head I would prefer to work in Atlanta out of anywhere in the southeast, but is it worth the huge price upgrade over Bama? My main hesitation with Bama is that 60% work in state after graduation and I don't really know if I'm comfortable working there. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't go to Bama counting on working anywhere other than Alabama. It seems like Emory has some sway throughout the South East, but it also consistently has very mediocre employment stats, and I wouldn't pay that much money for it.

If you want portability throughout the South, I think a retake could help you a lot. A 169 would get you above Vanderbilt's 75th percentile, and they might be willing to throw some money at you.

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

cmgaus wrote:Hey guys,

I've got a 3.2 GPA and a 167 LSAT. Was offered a 35k a year scholarship to Emory and a 35k a year scholarship to Alabama. Now, this means if I establish in-state residency in Alabama it would convert to a full-tuition scholarship. Emory, by my calculations, would leave me with around $100k in debt. It is higher ranked and if I had a gun to my head I would prefer to work in Atlanta out of anywhere in the southeast, but is it worth the huge price upgrade over Bama? My main hesitation with Bama is that 60% work in state after graduation and I don't really know if I'm comfortable working there. Any thoughts?

Go to Bama only if you want to work in Bama. Go to Emory if you want Atlanta. That said, I'd highly recommend you not go $100K in debt for Emory (which is truly struggling of late). I'm curious if you applied to UGA. If Atlanta is the goal, it has very similar Atlanta placement stats to Emory with much cheaper tuition. If not and these are your two options, I'd suggest you wait out this cycle, retake the LSAT and reapply (hopefully with a 170+).

So, none of the above.

I did apply to UGA but its tuition is nowhere near as cheap as Alabama. I was awarded a 5,000 dollar a year scholarship as well as a tuition equalization thing which means I would pay in-state tuition my first year. Also, I do not necessarily want to work or not work in any particular city or state. Even the southeast as a region is not set in stone. The 167 is already my second LSAT and I am ready to go to law school this coming year and really do not want to sit out a year because I have no employment prospects. For what it's worth I also was offered a 35k a year scholarship at WashU in St. Louis and already have a seat deposit there.

existentialcrisis wrote:

cmgaus wrote:Hey guys,

I've got a 3.2 GPA and a 167 LSAT. Was offered a 35k a year scholarship to Emory and a 35k a year scholarship to Alabama. Now, this means if I establish in-state residency in Alabama it would convert to a full-tuition scholarship. Emory, by my calculations, would leave me with around $100k in debt. It is higher ranked and if I had a gun to my head I would prefer to work in Atlanta out of anywhere in the southeast, but is it worth the huge price upgrade over Bama? My main hesitation with Bama is that 60% work in state after graduation and I don't really know if I'm comfortable working there. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't go to Bama counting on working anywhere other than Alabama. It seems like Emory has some sway throughout the South East, but it also consistently has very mediocre employment stats, and I wouldn't pay that much money for it.

If you want portability throughout the South, I think a retake could help you a lot. A 169 would get you above Vanderbilt's 75th percentile, and they might be willing to throw some money at you.

I was waitlisted at Vanderbilt. Also my GPA is a 3.2 which is low and has been hurting me consistently in the financial aid department.

cmgaus wrote:

existentialcrisis wrote:

cmgaus wrote:Hey guys,

I've got a 3.2 GPA and a 167 LSAT. Was offered a 35k a year scholarship to Emory and a 35k a year scholarship to Alabama. Now, this means if I establish in-state residency in Alabama it would convert to a full-tuition scholarship. Emory, by my calculations, would leave me with around $100k in debt. It is higher ranked and if I had a gun to my head I would prefer to work in Atlanta out of anywhere in the southeast, but is it worth the huge price upgrade over Bama? My main hesitation with Bama is that 60% work in state after graduation and I don't really know if I'm comfortable working there. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't go to Bama counting on working anywhere other than Alabama. It seems like Emory has some sway throughout the South East, but it also consistently has very mediocre employment stats, and I wouldn't pay that much money for it.

If you want portability throughout the South, I think a retake could help you a lot. A 169 would get you above Vanderbilt's 75th percentile, and they might be willing to throw some money at you.

I was waitlisted at Vanderbilt. Also my GPA is a 3.2 which is low and has been hurting me consistently in the financial aid department.

Which is all the more reason to maximize your LSAT, no?

cmgaus wrote: I did apply to UGA but its tuition is nowhere near as cheap as Alabama. I was awarded a 5,000 dollar a year scholarship as well as a tuition equalization thing which means I would pay in-state tuition my first year. Also, I do not necessarily want to work or not work in any particular city or state. Even the southeast as a region is not set in stone. The 167 is already my second LSAT and I am ready to go to law school this coming year and really do not want to sit out a year because I have no employment prospects. For what it's worth I also was offered a 35k a year scholarship at WashU in St. Louis and already have a seat deposit there.

OK. So, if you're truly agnostic on location, it sounds like WUSTL is the winner over Emory here. Similar levels of debt but measurably better employment outcomes. Once you eliminate Emory's sky-high school employment stats, WUSTL wins 72.1% to Emory's 61.2% (Employment score minus school funded percentage).

Let's look at tuition and COL. WUSTL's tuition is $51,616-$35,000 scholarship=$16,626/yr+$22,700 COL. Emory: $51,510-$35,000 scholarship = $16,510/yr+$24,748 COL. So, it's $1,932 more to go to Emory per year (basically a wash).

So, given your professed lack of any regional preference, I can't see an argument for Emory. Go to Bama if you want to work in Roll Tide country. Pay 6 grand extra for Emory over WUSTL if you're gunning for a hot, spicy school funded slot. Go to WUSTL if you can't possibly imagine retaking.

Seriously though, retake, work at Starbucks, reapply. I promise you, as a 32 year old, saggy-balls-old dude, this can wait one year. It's not worth $125K in debt plus added interest to gamble on these employment options.

Sources: WUSTL: http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/washu/2014/ Emory: http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/emory/2014/

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

cmgaus wrote: I did apply to UGA but its tuition is nowhere near as cheap as Alabama. I was awarded a 5,000 dollar a year scholarship as well as a tuition equalization thing which means I would pay in-state tuition my first year. Also, I do not necessarily want to work or not work in any particular city or state. Even the southeast as a region is not set in stone. The 167 is already my second LSAT and I am ready to go to law school this coming year and really do not want to sit out a year because I have no employment prospects. For what it's worth I also was offered a 35k a year scholarship at WashU in St. Louis and already have a seat deposit there.

OK. So, if you're truly agnostic on location, it sounds like WUSTL is the winner over Emory here. Similar levels of debt but measurably better employment outcomes. Once you eliminate Emory's sky-high school employment stats, WUSTL wins 72.1% to Emory's 61.2% (Employment score minus school funded percentage).

Let's look at tuition and COL. WUSTL's tuition is $51,616-$35,000 scholarship=$16,626/yr+$22,700 COL. Emory: $51,510-$35,000 scholarship = $16,510/yr+$24,748 COL. So, it's $1,932 more to go to Emory per year (basically a wash).

So, given your professed lack of any regional preference, I can't see an argument for Emory. Go to Bama if you want to work in Roll Tide country. Pay 6 grand extra for Emory over WUSTL if you're gunning for a hot, spicy school funded slot. Go to WUSTL if you can't possibly imagine retaking.

Seriously though, retake, work at Starbucks, reapply. I promise you, as a 32 year old, saggy-balls-old dude, this can wait one year. It's not worth $125K in debt plus added interest to gamble on these employment options.

Sources: WUSTL: http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/washu/2014/ Emory: http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/emory/2014/

I think it's a stretch to say WUSTL has "measurably better employment outcomes." They have almost the exact same BL+FC numbers. Emory also cut down on its school-funded jobs in the most recent year for which data is now available (class of 2015).

splitterfromhell wrote: I think it's a stretch to say WUSTL has "measurably better employment outcomes." They have almost the exact same BL+FC numbers. Emory also cut down on its school-funded jobs in the most recent year for which data is now available (class of 2015).

While true, I'd argue this info is irrelevant to OP's decision. First, s/he never mentioned BL/FC as a driving goal of this boondoggle of a plan. Second, if BL/FC placement rates were the driver in this situation, it would only serve to strengthen my argument that s/he should absolutely retake a third time and reapply next year as opposed to accepting one of these offers. OP will be much better served with a 169/170+ and an admit from a T14 as opposed to assuming 125K in non-dischargeable debt for the privilege of a 30% shot at this hypothetical goal.

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

splitterfromhell wrote: I think it's a stretch to say WUSTL has "measurably better employment outcomes." They have almost the exact same BL+FC numbers. Emory also cut down on its school-funded jobs in the most recent year for which data is now available (class of 2015).

While true, I'd argue this info is irrelevant to OP's decision. First, s/he never mentioned BL/FC as a driving goal of this boondoggle of a plan. Second, if BL/FC placement rates were the driver in this situation, it would only serve to strengthen my argument that s/he should absolutely retake a third time and reapply next year as opposed to accepting one of these offers. OP will be much better served with a 169/170+ and an admit from a T14 as opposed to assuming 125K in non-dischargeable debt for the privilege of a 30% shot at this hypothetical goal.

How well does WUSTL place in the south? I have heard that the southeast is difficult for hiring. OP won't have ties to St. Louis for local hiring.

Tls2016 wrote:

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

splitterfromhell wrote: I think it's a stretch to say WUSTL has "measurably better employment outcomes." They have almost the exact same BL+FC numbers. Emory also cut down on its school-funded jobs in the most recent year for which data is now available (class of 2015).

While true, I'd argue this info is irrelevant to OP's decision. First, s/he never mentioned BL/FC as a driving goal of this boondoggle of a plan. Second, if BL/FC placement rates were the driver in this situation, it would only serve to strengthen my argument that s/he should absolutely retake a third time and reapply next year as opposed to accepting one of these offers. OP will be much better served with a 169/170+ and an admit from a T14 as opposed to assuming 125K in non-dischargeable debt for the privilege of a 30% shot at this hypothetical goal.

How well does WUSTL place in the south? I have heard that the southeast is difficult for hiring. OP won't have ties to St. Louis for local hiring.

OP won't get a job in the South regardless of which school they go to. Having a nonspecific mild interest in living in the South is terrible for competing there.

OP, you need to sit out and try again next year. A 3.2 is not the worst GPA to get into Vanderbilt/Duke/UVA. If you really wanna go to school in the South and see if you like it, you need to do so with minimal debt and/or at a school that gives you reasonable backup options in NYC.

Mlk&Ckies wrote:

Tls2016 wrote:

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

splitterfromhell wrote: I think it's a stretch to say WUSTL has "measurably better employment outcomes." They have almost the exact same BL+FC numbers. Emory also cut down on its school-funded jobs in the most recent year for which data is now available (class of 2015).

While true, I'd argue this info is irrelevant to OP's decision. First, s/he never mentioned BL/FC as a driving goal of this boondoggle of a plan. Second, if BL/FC placement rates were the driver in this situation, it would only serve to strengthen my argument that s/he should absolutely retake a third time and reapply next year as opposed to accepting one of these offers. OP will be much better served with a 169/170+ and an admit from a T14 as opposed to assuming 125K in non-dischargeable debt for the privilege of a 30% shot at this hypothetical goal.

How well does WUSTL place in the south? I have heard that the southeast is difficult for hiring. OP won't have ties to St. Louis for local hiring.

OP won't get a job in the South regardless of which school they go to. Having a nonspecific mild interest in living in the South is terrible for competing there.

OP, you need to sit out and try again next year. A 3.2 is not the worst GPA to get into Vanderbilt/Duke/UVA. If you really wanna go to school in the South and see if you like it, you need to do so with minimal debt and/or at a school that gives you reasonable backup options in NYC.

OP isn't from the South? I missed that. Why would OP want a career there?

Mlk&Ckies wrote:
OP won't get a job in the South regardless of which school they go to. Having a nonspecific mild interest in living in the South is terrible for competing there.

OP, you need to sit out and try again next year. A 3.2 is not the worst GPA to get into Vanderbilt/Duke/UVA. If you really wanna go to school in the South and see if you like it, you need to do so with minimal debt and/or at a school that gives you reasonable backup options in NYC.

This is cr

Op you need to reevaluate your employment goals

"The southeast" isn't really a market insofar is most of the places and cities in the southeast aside from Atlanta will bin your resume whether u go to Emory, duke, whatever if you aren't from there or have lived there

baal hadad wrote:

Mlk&Ckies wrote:
OP won't get a job in the South regardless of which school they go to. Having a nonspecific mild interest in living in the South is terrible for competing there.

OP, you need to sit out and try again next year. A 3.2 is not the worst GPA to get into Vanderbilt/Duke/UVA. If you really wanna go to school in the South and see if you like it, you need to do so with minimal debt and/or at a school that gives you reasonable backup options in NYC.

This is cr

Op you need to reevaluate your employment goals

"The southeast" isn't really a market insofar is most of the places and cities in the southeast aside from Atlanta will bin your resume whether u go to Emory, duke, whatever if you aren't from there or have lived there

I wouldn't go quite that far. But it's also not a total stretch. Ties are very important in the Southeast. If you don't have them, you'll have to network your butt off as a 1L and come up with some compelling reasons why you want to work in those markets.

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lawschool1856 wrote:Emory has been on a generally positive trend in USNWR rankings over the past few years

USNWR rankings are worthless

baal hadad wrote:

lawschool1856 wrote:Emory has been on a generally positive trend in USNWR rankings over the past few years

USNWR rankings are worthless

also playing the USNWR rankings as if you're a day trader is really fucking hilarious

OP is from West Virginia. That's kind of like the South, isn't it?

stego wrote:OP is from West Virginia. That's kind of like the South, isn't it?

lolololol

Mlk&Ckies wrote:

stego wrote:OP is from West Virginia. That's kind of like the South, isn't it?

lolololol

"Why do you want to work in the South?"
"It . . . beats going home."

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lawschool1856 wrote:

Mlk&Ckies wrote:

baal hadad wrote:

lawschool1856 wrote:Emory has been on a generally positive trend in USNWR rankings over the past few years

USNWR rankings are worthless

also playing the USNWR rankings as if you're a day trader is really fucking hilarious

This is why I immediately preceded that quote by noting that I was well aware that USNWR rankings are far from the only indicator. As worthless as they may be, being on a positive trend is better than being on a negative one.

No. They are an utterly worthless indicator. They are not even worth looking at. The only things that matter are price and jobs data