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I'm currently weighing a full scholarship and the opportunity to be a research assistant for Alberto Gonzales at Belmont Law in Nashville, which would result in no debt because I would be living at home or near $100,000 in loans to go to Emory. Belmont obviously has virtually no alumni network and I don't want to stay in the Nashville area after graduation. I also would like to clerk post graduation because my ultimate goal is to be an AUSA.

3.8
158
URM

Retake isn't an option. Is Emory worth the debt? I'd appreciate the feedback with as little snark as possible.

If you don't want to be in Nashville, why are you considering Belmont? Where would you like to be?

Nashville is where my family is and living at home cuts down on my COL. I would most likely like to stay in the South but I'm fairly open to other markets.

Belmont wont get you much further than Nashville, so if you're wanting to practice somewhere other than Nashville it's not an option. Seems you have at least some interest in the Atlanta market given you applied to Emory, did you not also apply to UGA or GSU?

j0214f wrote:Nashville is where my family is and living at home cuts down on my COL. I would most likely like to stay in the South but I'm fairly open to other markets.

Does Belmont place into those other markets in which you have interest? If not, then you should mark it off of your list.

j0214f wrote:I'm currently weighing a full scholarship and the opportunity to be a research assistant for Alberto Gonzales at Belmont Law in Nashville, which would result in no debt because I would be living at home or near $100,000 in loans to go to Emory. Belmont obviously has virtually no alumni network and I don't want to stay in the Nashville area after graduation. I also would like to clerk post graduation because my ultimate goal is to be an AUSA.

3.8
158
URM

Retake isn't an option. Is Emory worth the debt? I'd appreciate the feedback with as little snark as possible.

Only 3% of Emory's graduates clerked in 2015. 0.8% at Belmont. The odds of you getting a federal clerkship out by going to either school is very, very, very slim. You also don't want to stay in Nashville, and Belmont has virtually no reputation or a negative reputation everywhere outside of the Nashville area. I don't see how Belmont aligns with your goals at all.

Emory for $100,000 is pretty damn high, but not the worst mistake you could make. The worst mistake you could make would be not retaking for the 160 and trying again next year. What type of URM are you and where all did you apply?

pleadthafif wrote:Belmont wont get you much further than Nashville, so if you're wanting to practice somewhere other than Nashville it's not an option. Seems you have at least some interest in the Atlanta market given you applied to Emory, did you not also apply to UGA or GSU?

I only applied to Emory in the Atlanta market. I'm an undergrad alum

j0214f wrote:I'm currently weighing a full scholarship and the opportunity to be a research assistant for Alberto Gonzales at Belmont Law in Nashville, which would result in no debt because I would be living at home or near $100,000 in loans to go to Emory. Belmont obviously has virtually no alumni network and I don't want to stay in the Nashville area after graduation. I also would like to clerk post graduation because my ultimate goal is to be an AUSA.

3.8
158
URM

Retake isn't an option. Is Emory worth the debt? I'd appreciate the feedback with as little snark as possible.

You won't get a clerkship out of Belmont. Only 0.8% of their grads do. You also stand a very strong chance of being completely unemployed and unemployable with a Belmont degree. Here is a blog post about the complete scam that Belmont is:

http://outsidethelawschoolscam.blogspot ... phant.html

For a more academic take on Belmont, here's the LST Score Report on them:

http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/ ... jobs/2014/

I would also highly recommend you not go to 6-figures into debt for Emory (which has been struggling a lot of late), especially with a URM status and a 3.8 GPA. Understand you say retake isn't an option. I don't believe you; it's always an option. There may be cause for a 1-year delay if you've used up all three attempts. In which case, get a job for a year or two, study, and retake. With a 160+ LSAT you'd probably get near full-ride at Emory or admission with $$ at Vandy. Make a 165+ and you'll have Duke/UVA open up with $$.

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

j0214f wrote:I'm currently weighing a full scholarship and the opportunity to be a research assistant for Alberto Gonzales at Belmont Law in Nashville, which would result in no debt because I would be living at home or near $100,000 in loans to go to Emory. Belmont obviously has virtually no alumni network and I don't want to stay in the Nashville area after graduation. I also would like to clerk post graduation because my ultimate goal is to be an AUSA.

3.8
158
URM

Retake isn't an option. Is Emory worth the debt? I'd appreciate the feedback with as little snark as possible.

You won't get a clerkship out of Belmont. Only 0.8% of their grads do. You also stand a very strong chance of being completely unemployed and unemployable with a Belmont degree. Here is a blog post about the complete scam that Belmont is:

http://outsidethelawschoolscam.blogspot ... phant.html

For a more academic take on Belmont, here's the LST Score Report on them:

http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/ ... jobs/2014/

I would also highly recommend you not go to 6-figures into debt for Emory (which has been struggling a lot of late), especially with a URM status and a 3.8 GPA. Understand you say retake isn't an option. I don't believe you; it's always an option. There may be cause for a 1-year delay if you've used up all three attempts. In which case, get a job for a year or two, study, and retake. With a 160+ LSAT you'd probably get near full-ride at Emory or admission with $$ at Vandy. Make a 165+ and you'll have Duke/UVA open up with $$.

I've read just about every piece of information out there about both schools so I understand that Belmont is a risky step. I've already taken a year off and would really prefer to get my legal education started now so I'm not particularly interested in taking more time off to study to possibly not do any better on the LSAT. I fully realize this decision is the lesser of 2 evils but I'm asking if you had to choose, which would be the better option?

neither in any situation.

j0214f wrote: I've read just about every piece of information out there about both schools so I understand that Belmont is a risky step. I've already taken a year off and would really prefer to get my legal education started now so I'm not particularly interested in taking more time off to study to possibly not do any better on the LSAT. I fully realize this decision is the lesser of 2 evils but I'm asking if you had to choose, which would be the better option?

All of your goals require extraordinarily hard work. The path of least resistance is a two-point increase on the LSAT, not the bet that you will be top 3% at Emory (you almost certainly won't be). Magna/summa cum laude from Emory + even being ~median from T14 for a URM is basically an auto-lock for most firm jobs/gov't positions.

j0214f wrote:

ponderingmeerkat wrote:

j0214f wrote:I'm currently weighing a full scholarship and the opportunity to be a research assistant for Alberto Gonzales at Belmont Law in Nashville, which would result in no debt because I would be living at home or near $100,000 in loans to go to Emory. Belmont obviously has virtually no alumni network and I don't want to stay in the Nashville area after graduation. I also would like to clerk post graduation because my ultimate goal is to be an AUSA.

3.8
158
URM

Retake isn't an option. Is Emory worth the debt? I'd appreciate the feedback with as little snark as possible.

You won't get a clerkship out of Belmont. Only 0.8% of their grads do. You also stand a very strong chance of being completely unemployed and unemployable with a Belmont degree. Here is a blog post about the complete scam that Belmont is:

http://outsidethelawschoolscam.blogspot ... phant.html

For a more academic take on Belmont, here's the LST Score Report on them:

http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/ ... jobs/2014/

I would also highly recommend you not go to 6-figures into debt for Emory (which has been struggling a lot of late), especially with a URM status and a 3.8 GPA. Understand you say retake isn't an option. I don't believe you; it's always an option. There may be cause for a 1-year delay if you've used up all three attempts. In which case, get a job for a year or two, study, and retake. With a 160+ LSAT you'd probably get near full-ride at Emory or admission with $$ at Vandy. Make a 165+ and you'll have Duke/UVA open up with $$.

I've read just about every piece of information out there about both schools so I understand that Belmont is a risky step. I've already taken a year off and would really prefer to get my legal education started now so I'm not particularly interested in taking more time off to study to possibly not do any better on the LSAT. I fully realize this decision is the lesser of 2 evils but I'm asking if you had to choose, which would be the better option?

How old are you? 25? 28? I'm 32 and applying next cycle. I promise, you're not too old to wait a year and get your shit in a sock. Don't sell yourself or your skills short. You have every ability to score 160+ and maybe even 165+. The idea of you and your future family being subjected to the terrible outcome you'll guarantee for yourself at Belmont isn't something I can even possibly recommend. Emory at $100K is an only slightly better bad outcome.

Please please, I'm begging you...think outside the box on this, take breath, realize you're a badass and deserve badass outcomes for yourself and your future family. You are not deserving of these options. Don't do this to yourself.

Retake.

Unless you explain why it's not an option, it's your best option, even if you don't want to do it.

You've all definitely given me something to think about. Thanks.

Belmont just received full accreditation from the ABA. See http://www.belmont.edu/law/admission/accreditation.html

As far as employment, if you look at the large Nashville area firms, Belmont seems competitive. Since 2014 (its first graduating class), Waller has taken 4 Belmont graduates and 1 from Vanderbilt. Bass Berry Sims has taken 1 from Belmont and 2 from Vanderbilt. I did a quick google search and found several judicial clerks in the Nashville area who are Belmont College of Law grads.

If you can go for free, you should consider it.

http://www.belmont.edu/law/pdf/Class201 ... atsABA.pdf

don't be an ass. 1) raw numbers don't count for jack squat. 2) there's a difference between clerking and fed clerking.

6-8 more points on a test and you could be clerking as a Harvard law grad.... Your amazing GPA and URM status gives you unlimited potential. Why waste it?

Man don't waste your GPA on these options. If I was able to put in the work and retake for a higher score, I know you can as well. I went from an almost abysmal outcome to Penn at a steal because I was patient. Don't make a hasty decision you'll regret later.