Top Law Schools

USD: scholarship stipulation is that I remain in the top 30%. Assuming I do, then the tuition is 9K a year. (49k-40K=9K)

Pepperdine: same stipulation as USD. Tuition is slightly higher but so is the scholarship offer. The cost of tuition would be roughly 6k a year if I keep my scholarship. (51K-45k=6K)

Still waiting for USC and UCI to get back to me. I have been accepted to similarly ranked schools outside the California, but with much smaller or no scholarship offer.

Assuming sticker or smaller scholarship to USC (58K) or UCI (51K), are attending either 2 worth taking on a lot of debt?, Whereas, I could attended USD or Pepperdine relatively debt free giving my circumstances.

What do you want to do?

Where do you want to practice?

What is the actual cost of attendance for each school (not just tuition)?


You said you were accepted to similarly ranked schools as USC, which schools and how much did they give you?


More info is needed but in general, I would avoid taking any scholarship stipulation short of "good academic standing". Without any answers to the above questions I would say at the very least leverage acceptances from better schools to remove the stipulation.

Need more info with respect to your goals and background (see the forum rules), but USD and Pepperdine are both very crappy law schools that wouldn't make sense, even with full rides, in most situations. Also those are terrible stips. USC is a good school, but sticker is suicidal if debt financing and is an incredibly stupid proposition irrespective of financing. UCI without big money is a total no-go, and should probably be a no-go even with a fullie if a specific set of goals are not present.

I remember hearing somewhere that USD would stack a section with scholly students and that 70% would lose their scholarships after the first year. I don't know how true this is, but that's a scary thought to consider. Top 30% is not easy.

Do not take any schooly with a stip for the love of all that is good in life. Negotiate the stip off or don't go. 1L grades are so unpredictable. I know so many people who thought it would be so easy to be in the top 1/3 or top 1/2 of their class based on LSAT/GPA placement, but its just not a surefire thing. People came in biglaw or bust and are now in the bottom third of the class with no OCI hopes. Nike says just do it. But don't.

The schools that I have applied to are just starting to get back to me.

Ohio state, which is similarly ranked as UCI, has offered 16K yearly so long as I maintain a 2.0 GPA.

Boston University, which is similarly ranked as USC, accepted me today but presently has not offered me a scholarship.

Rough COA

USD: 72k

Pepperdine: 80k

USC: 85K

UCI: 80K


I am not sure If I could use the Pepperdine or USD scholarships to negotiate with UCI or USC. Although, I could use USD to negotiate with Pepperdine and Vice Versa. Assuming scholarships from UCI or USC, I believe I could use those to negotiate with any of the 4 schools.

Are Pepperdine or USD worth attending if I can negotiate them to remove or significantly lower the stipulations on their scholarship offers?

SunDevil14 wrote:The schools that I have applied to are just starting to get back to me.

Ohio state, which is similarly ranked as UCI, has offered 16K yearly so long as I maintain a 2.0 GPA.

Boston University, which is similarly ranked as USC, accepted me today but presently has not offered me a scholarship.

Rough COA

USD: 72k

Pepperdine: 80k

USC: 85K

UCI: 80K


I am not sure If I could use the Pepperdine or USD scholarships to negotiate with UCI or USC. Although, I could use USD to negotiate with Pepperdine and Vice Versa. Assuming scholarships from UCI or USC, I believe I could use those to negotiate with any of the 4 schools.

Are Pepperdine or USD worth attending if I can negotiate them to remove or significantly lower the stipulations on their scholarship offers?

As someone who lives in SD and turned down a full ride at USD with $0 COL, I feel that I can tell you this:

USD is a good choice if you want to practice law in San Diego.

Otherwise, it's not a great idea.

Where do you want to practice and what are your career goals?
Do you have loans from undergrad?
Personally how do you feel about a retake/applying next year?
Why do you want to go to law school this fall?

Look up the employment outcomes and locations for students ~@median . Once you have researched those outcomes and understand the debt that you will owe upon graduation (that is non dischargeable) then you can make an educated choice. I am a OL and not the type of person to say only go to law school at HYS or t10 at a full ride but I think it is important that people have a plan and fully understand the decision they are making. It seems like there are still some gaps in there for you and law school is a long term, expensive decision make sure any choice is made with your eyes wide open.

USD stip isn't top 30%. It's top 70% (it's the same for everyone)






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