Help! BC vs Fordham Forum

[parneh]

So I have been offered scholarships at both schools.
Fordham is giving me 20k a year and BC 27k. But with NYC cost of living, I would probably be in debt 60k more at the end of 3 years if I went to Fordham.

I know both are pretty much peer schools, and I don't necessarily have a preference in terms of area. While I would like to end up in New York, I haven't really been or lived in Boston, so I can't say if I would mind ending up there.

I was leaning towards BC, but after Fordham's admitted student's day, I am really impressed with the location and facilities. I visited BC, and while the facilities are nice, but it just seems really really suburban.

Also I emailed both schools to see if they could give me more money, and both said no. So any advice on what to do? I do want biglaw. Also, I cannot take the Lsat again because I've taken it three times. I ended up with a 163/3.62

[cavalier1138]

I would stop taking location and facilities into account. Unless the school is in a broken-down shanty in the middle of a cornfield, you'd do better to focus on where you want to live instead of the actual state of the school building(s).

That said, it looks like BC is probably your stronger choice because of the employment stats and reduced COL, with the caveat that biglaw is not going to be easy to get at either location.

[mogwli]

So I have been offered scholarships at both schools.
Fordham is giving me 20k a year and BC 27k. But with NYC cost of living, I would probably be in debt 60k more at the end of 3 years if I went to Fordham.

I know both are pretty much peer schools, and I don't necessarily have a preference in terms of area. While I would like to end up in New York, I haven't really been or lived in Boston, so I can't say if I would mind ending up there.

I was leaning towards BC, but after Fordham's admitted student's day, I am really impressed with the location and facilities. I visited BC, and while the facilities are nice, but it just seems really really suburban.

Also I emailed both schools to see if they could give me more money, and both said no. So any advice on what to do? I do want biglaw. Also, I cannot take the Lsat again because I've taken it three times. I ended up with a 163/3.62

One of my best friends goes to BC law and I went to undergrad there. BC law does a fantastic job of placing in Boston, a meh job of placing in NY, and individual students get lucky in other places. It definitely punches above it's "ranking" as far as USNEWS goes. I know ATL rankings places it in Top 20 for employment. If you've never really spent time in Boston though, I would probably say go to Fordham. While a number of kids get NY from BC, it's just harder and you'd be more likely to end up in Boston. Some people like the city and others can hate it after awhile (I did personally).

As far as the school. You are on the Newton Campus, not main campus (short bus ride away). Actually nice that you are separated from majority of undergrad kids. BC is also in Chestnut Hill, not in Boston, hence the suburban feel. That also makes it much cheaper than city life at Fordham. You'd most likely live in Newton/Brighton/Brookline (neighborhoods like Coolidge Corner, Cleveland Circle,Washington Square) not in Boston proper as that is just too much of a daily commute. Ideal to find a roommate as Boston rent is still crazy expensive even out as far as BC.

You will go "out" to bars either around Harvard ave or downtown. From Brighton it's usually a pretty quick 10-15 minute uber to anywhere downtown.

If you want any other info I'll see what I can find out.

[getemgoon]

Be in $60K more debt to (1) live in NYC for three years over suburban Boston and a (2) slightly higher chance of landing NYC biglaw? Not worth it.

Go with BC. You need to do very well in both schools to get biglaw, and shouldn't be picky at this point whether that's NYC or Boston biglaw.

This is roughly a $150k gamble at being the top quarter of your class to work at biglaw - please remember this as you proceed.

Best of luck.