Just put down my deposit, already got cold feet Forum

[friedliverattack]

I was accepted to BC this cycle with $25k** scholarship. didn't get in anywhere else I applied as they were all t20 - I figured going for whatever shot i had with the numbers I have was better than ending up accepted to a worse school that will eventually leave me with bad prospects for my employment goals. I'm born and raised in nyc and was hoping to slave away my near future in nyc biglaw. maxed out lsat takes. currently have a 164/3.62. the rest of my education would be funded through loans.

I've trolled the threads for awhile so I'm aware of the standard "don't do it" advice that typically accompanies situations like mine. I guess I'm posting in a last ditch effort to see if I'm currently in a shithole that I have a decent *enough* chance to dig myself out of to keep going, or if I'm closer to a "just stick my head in the fire" situation which would have you all actually advising me to eat the $500 deposit i just made because my prospects are just that terrible. and sure $500 is nothing compared to decades of misery in debt, but I'm trying to gauge from your educated opinions just how close to a forgone conclusion the latter is for me given my circumstances. So... flame away! [maybe if I encourage it, it'll happen less?]

thanks in advance for any advice.

[**edit: guess i should make clear, 25k/yr...oops]

[sj35n2e]

What about Fordham? BC is a regional school and even if you get big law, it likely won't be in NYC.

[Clemenceau]

A 25k scholly is next to nothing. What's the debt at repayment look like? 200k? Probably a good thing to have cold feet about that.

[friedliverattack]

What about Fordham? BC is a regional school and even if you get big law, it likely won't be in NYC.

somehow, I was waitlisted at fordham [edit: only other non t-20 i applied to] ... and since debt is more my concern i wasn't too worried about it after i got the offer from BC since Fordham COA is higher and their prospects don't seem all that much better anyway ...at this point I was just forgetting about the WL but do people think that's not wise? I was also WL at BU but was writing that off as well given that I doubt WL admits get much $ anyway..

[BigZuck]

Definitely retake in June

[friedliverattack]

A 25k scholly is next to nothing. What's the debt at repayment look like? 200k? Probably a good thing to have cold feet about that.

~$180-200k yeah. I suppose my question is do I give up or do I have enough shot at a decent life after that debt to still take the plunge. This is a serious question for me since I really don't see myself seriously in any other line of employment that would generate anything beyond mediocre earning power, esp. given that my undergrad degree is in English...

[edit: and, if it counts for anything, i'd really like to be a lawyer... ]

[friedliverattack]

Definitely retake in June

I cannot retake, I've taken 3x already with only minimal score increase.

[Johann]

Why do you want biglaw in NYC? You're probably making the type of decision you'll regret for the rest of your life because if you're doing this for the money, which it sounds like you are, you're looking at 7 years of repayment in NYC biglaw living like a NYC schoolteacher with minimal savings.

[Johann]

Oh you majored in English. Fuck yeah might be worth pushing the chips all in then because you're probably fucked every way you go about this no law, law no biglaw, and law biglaw. Sorry man.

[friedliverattack]

Oh you majored in English. Fuck yeah might be worth pushing the chips all in then because you're probably fucked every way you go about this no law, law no biglaw, and law biglaw. Sorry man.

Lol yeah...my thoughts exactly. Only the biggest gamble can give the biggest payoff amirite..?

feel like I'm trolling my own thread..

[Leonardo DiCaprio]

dont do it man. you're throwing your life away. consider another career or wait out the timer so you can retake the lsat for the 4th time.

[friedliverattack]

dont do it man. you're throwing your life away. consider another career or wait out the timer so you can retake the lsat for the 4th time.

does my edit of $25k/yr make a difference?

[cannibal ox]

Based on LST's estimates (and they use 2014 tuition and cost of living amounts), a $25k/year scholarship still leaves you with $165,688 of debt at graduation. (Source)

You're likely going to need biglaw to service that debt, and BC puts 40% into those types of jobs (on a good year).

[Roundhill]

Losing a $500 deposit is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Also, you're likely going to end up working in Mass (not NY) if you go just FYI.

If you have time, search up posts by user BlueLotus on these forums.

[Leonardo DiCaprio]

dont do it man. you're throwing your life away. consider another career or wait out the timer so you can retake the lsat for the 4th time.

does my edit of $25k/yr make a difference?

i saw the scholarship. it's not enough. you have a 60% chance of permanently ruining your life, based on recent data (and that's on a good year). those are not good odds. even "winning" in this gamble here isnt you balling out of control with a biglaw salary. it's you chained to a horrible job for years and years just to pay off that debt. if you are not gonna consider another career, at least wait out the clock for a 4th retake.

BC isnt some MEGA PREFTIGIOUS ONCE IN A LIFETIME opportunity. it's a completely unimpressive, middling law school for mediocre people with mediocre credentials. you're not giving up anything. retake bro.

if you can hit 164, you have what it takes to hit higher.

[mornincounselor]

BC does not place 40% of their class into big law. Their BL rate hovers between 25% and the low 30%s. (Unless they are up this year I haven't checked c/o 2015)

Have you used all the prep tests? Example: If I mention lizards and snakes or window and aisle bus seats or fractals or purposeful forest fires do you know what I'm talking about?

You are in a tough spot. Hows your employment situation? I suppose if you are just sitting on the couch maybe going gives you some upside, but if you have or can get any kind of decent job I'd sit out.

Did you do 3 tests back to back? How long till you could retake?

[cannibal ox]

BC does not place 40% of their class into big law. Their BL rate hovers between 25% and the low 30%s. (Unless they are up this year I haven't checked c/o 2015)

c/o 2013: 33.9%
c/o 2014: 36.6%
c/o 2015: 41.2%

[mornincounselor]

BC does not place 40% of their class into big law. Their BL rate hovers between 25% and the low 30%s. (Unless they are up this year I haven't checked c/o 2015)

c/o 2013: 33.9%
c/o 2014: 36.6%
c/o 2015: 41.2%

You're lumping BL and Fed Clerk together.

[cannibal ox]

BC does not place 40% of their class into big law. Their BL rate hovers between 25% and the low 30%s. (Unless they are up this year I haven't checked c/o 2015)

c/o 2013: 33.9%
c/o 2014: 36.6%
c/o 2015: 41.2%

You're lumping BL and Fed Clerk together.

Because fed clerks either have a biglaw offer, or can get one fairly easily.

[mukol]

.

[Hornet2011]

I know things might seem bleak on the employment front right now, but I think you are severely underestimating your long term employability and ability to make $ outside of the legal realm. Again I am assuming you are K-JD or maybe 1 year out? If not, then this doesn't apply as much and your best bet is still to wait it out and apply to lower level schools and get the $$$$ in my opinion if you really want to be an attorney. Also, yes, I realize I am writing a respons at 2:30 AM and no I am not drunk, I am just waiting for the cops to bust the drunk people outside my building who I think are reinacting a scene from that new Jungle Book movie that came out this week.

So you have a degree in English and want to make $. Sure you can try your luck at this big law thing right now today and go to BC, or you could get an internship (yes somebody will give you one, network, find a non-profit, smaller ' midsize company) or a job in a field you might be interested in that is business related. The flavor of today definitely seems to be digital marketing, but pick something you are truly interested in. Do that for 6 months while searching for a permanent position, if that first opportunity was a internship, otherwise just be on the lookout for ways to gain more responsibility. 2-3 years from now I have little doubt if you apply yourself to that as you likely did LSAT studying, you will come out making 60k+ (maybe more out East, I am from the Midwest) at a midsize company. At that point you can retake. The LSAT a bunch of times and try and achieve a better score, or by then take the GMAT and try to get into a respectable business school.

How feasible is this? Very. One of my good friends did this very thing and is now at Booth. I did a similar thing and am working on my GMAT and am sitting in very good position career wise right now and probably won't ever go to law school because the ROI doesn't pay off compared to my current career and b school prospects. Yes, I do understand your desire to be an attorney, but it sounds like the $ is the more overriding concern here and you will probably end of richer at the end of the day with this path. Worst case scenario is you retake the LSAT a bunch of times, never improve, and still are more employable out of law school as you have work experience and less debt. Best case scenario, you find a career you love and cash in or get a much better LSAT, go to law school in a couple years with big $ at better school, still are more employable, and can cover living expenses with the $ you made while employed.

Just my thoughts. Yes, my plan can go wrong, but I really thing compared to the BC to Biglaw plan it is vastly superior and I have made it work for myself and have seen it work for 4+ of my friends (really everybody who really gave it a shot and put in the effort).

[legaleagle16]

I'm a BC 3L with a Boston BigLaw job. Obviously you're looking at a large debt load, and that's def something to consider. That being said, NYC biglaw is an option for good people from BC. My class had four people with SullCrom offers, and there are people going to a variety of NYC firms. However, the vast vast majority of biglaw jobs from BC will be in Boston.

You really are looking at about 1/3 of the class getting Biglaw. It's pretty much the top 1/3 (with journal), plus random URMs and people who got lucky (very few and far between). It's a gamble, but if you are dead set on being a lawyer, BC isn't a bad place to go for it.

tl;dr BC can get you to BigLaw, but its def not a lock -- think about how long you want to have debt for.