The usual t2 SoCal Schools (SD/Pepperdine/Loyola) Forum

[UsernameNotFound]

About me:
• Currently live in the Inland Empire but spend most of my time in Orange County
• Not sure what area of law I want to go into, but am interested in corporate/business
- if all else fails, I think I can come back to my current job and work in house corporate counsel
• Would like to end up working in Orange County
• 3.1 GPA
- Sucks but nothing I can do about it now
• 164 LSAT
-Taken 3 times already so not retaking anymore, please don’t bother telling me to. And I will be going to law school this year.


My choices:
Chapman
• Tuition = $48,150/yr
• Estimated CoA = $64,000
• Full ride
- Good academic standing
• Would be able to live at home
• But not really interested because I know their stats are horrible

USD
• Tuition = $48,831
• Estimated CoA = $120,000
• $30,000/yr scholarship
- + $4,000 for my first year
- and the opportunity to get more later for my 2nd and 3rd year as long as I do well
- 2.8 stip (top 70%)
- - Non-negotiable
- Already negotiated up from original offer of $25,000
• Loved the campus
• Don’t mind moving to SD and maybe wouldn’t mind working there
• Housing where most students live is ridiculously priced so will probably have to live around 10 minutes away which isn’t too bad

Loyola
• Tuition = $50,050
• Estimated CoA = $141,000
• $34,000/yr scholarship
- 2.8 stip
- Refused to negotiate
• Not a big fan of the campus or the area
- But it is downtown LA which can give me more job opportunities even though I don't actually want to work there
• May be able to find reasonably priced housing in the area

Pepperdine
• Tuition = $51,180
• Estimated CoA = $150,000
• $30,000/yr
- 2.3 stip
- Non-negotiable
• Absolutely gorgeous campus on the beach which I love
• On-campus housing is ridiculously priced so will probably have to live in Santa Monica or something

UCI
• Tuition = $44,765
• If I do get off the WL I think it would be my top choice even though I would likely not get much money

If you need any more information, let me know.

[cron1834]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

[UsernameNotFound]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

So then you're saying that money is the only thing I should base my decision off of then

[BigZuck]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

So then you're saying that money is the only thing I should base my decision off of then

Cost and job prospects/career goals are pretty much the only factors that really matter. When you have multiple choices that make sense on those grounds then you can start putting other factors into the mix.

[cron1834]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

So then you're saying that money is the only thing I should base my decision off of then

It's called cost-benefit analysis. You can't do it without knowing the costs. That's like half of it dude.

[UsernameNotFound]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

So then you're saying that money is the only thing I should base my decision off of then

It's called cost-benefit analysis. You can't do it without knowing the costs. That's like half of it dude.

No I know that. Obviously. But you only just asked about CoA. Not Employment stats or bar passage rates or whatever else.

[ProfPasteur]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

So then you're saying that money is the only thing I should base my decision off of then

It's called cost-benefit analysis. You can't do it without knowing the costs. That's like half of it dude.

No I know that. Obviously. But you only just asked about CoA. Not Employment stats or bar passage rates or whatever else.

They don't need the employments stats/bar passage rates because we can find that information very easily (it's on LST). On the other hand, CoA will vary from person to person, so they would need that info before they can give you good advice.

[cron1834]

All this information, and you neglected the most important data points. Go calculate total COAs for each school, including presumptive tuition increases, not-conservative COL, and interest. Post a worst-case debt total bottom-line for each school.

I kinda think the answer is going to be study for two years and retake for non-shit options, but you should do the math so people can evaluate efficiently. We're not doing the math for you.

So then you're saying that money is the only thing I should base my decision off of then

It's called cost-benefit analysis. You can't do it without knowing the costs. That's like half of it dude.

No I know that. Obviously. But you only just asked about CoA. Not Employment stats or bar passage rates or whatever else.

They don't need the employments stats/bar passage rates because we can find that information very easily (it's on LST). On the other hand, CoA will vary from person to person, so they would need that info before they can give you good advice.

Bingo. LST does the jobs math, users do the COA math (don't be conservative with COL, assume interest, and account for tuition increases), TLS compares one with the other. Yes it's formulaic, but this will eliminate obviously-terrible choices efficiently. If that happens to include all of your choices, retake/reapply/don't go is the result (i.e., get different choices).

[Rigo]

• On-campus housing is ridiculously priced so will probably have to live in Santa Monica or something

Minor point while we await COA's, but you do know Santa Monica is pretty expensive as well right?

[Dr. Nefario]

• On-campus housing is ridiculously priced so will probably have to live in Santa Monica or something

Minor point while we await COA's, but you do know Santa Monica is pretty expensive as well right?

Off topic post: your new avi is gorgeous, but I miss the dragon.

ETA: OP what is are the stips in relation to the curve?

[Mullens]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

[LShopeful2016]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

Most people don't have clear career goals when going to law school. They usually just have an idea of what they want to study. And that's ok.

[Rigo]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

Most people don't have clear career goals when going to law school. They usually just have an idea of what they want to study. And that's ok.

The higher the risks, the more laser focused you need to be so you don't end up going to a toilet deciding you want biglaw.

[LShopeful2016]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

Most people don't have clear career goals when going to law school. They usually just have an idea of what they want to study. And that's ok.

The higher the risks, the more laser focused you need to be so you don't end up going to a toilet deciding you want biglaw.

You shouldn't be going to these schools if you want to go biglaw anyways. But that still doesn't mean you need to know exactly what you wanna do. Although yes, I agree that you should have some idea.

[UsernameNotFound]

Looks like SD is winning according to the poll, but I updated my original post to add more information that you guys asked for.

[LShopeful2016]

Looks like SD is winning according to the poll, but I updated my original post to add more information that you guys asked for.

Thanks for adding the extra info. I would say go to SD as long as you're absolutely sure you don't mind being stuck there.

[cron1834]

Way too much money for poor schools. Not worth it.

[Mullens]

Most corporate/business work is done by biglaw firms that won't hire you out of these schools. Way too expensive for a low likelihood of meeting your career goals.

[BigZuck]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

Most people don't have clear career goals when going to law school. They usually just have an idea of what they want to study. And that's ok.

You're saying this...as a 0L?

If you're going to schools with poor job placement you better be sure that school can get you the job you want just like Rigo said. Career goals are very important to have as an applicant because that's a major factor in deciding whether a school is worth attending or not. VERY IMPORTANT.

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It doesn't have to be set in stone, but in so far as you can do it you have to make sure that what you might want to pivot towards is also attainable. Basically you can't go to a regional school wanting to be a public defender and then decide as a 3L that you want to work at a big firm. The ship will likely have sailed, and you chose the wrong school in the first place. That's all something you need to have sorted out as a 0L.

Having an idea of what you want to study isn't really all that important because law school is laughably horrible when it comes to the actual school part.

[LShopeful2016]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

Most people don't have clear career goals when going to law school. They usually just have an idea of what they want to study. And that's ok.

You're saying this...as a 0L?

If you're going to schools with poor job placement you better be sure that school can get you the job you want just like Rigo said. Career goals are very important to have as an applicant because that's a major factor in deciding whether a school is worth attending or not. VERY IMPORTANT.

V
E
R
Y

I
M
P
O
R
T
A
N
T

It doesn't have to be set in stone, but in so far as you can do it you have to make sure that what you might want to pivot towards is also attainable. Basically you can't go to a regional school wanting to be a public defender and then decide as a 3L that you want to work at a big firm. The ship will likely have sailed, and you chose the wrong school in the first place. That's all something you need to have sorted out as a 0L.

Having an idea of what you want to study isn't really all that important because law school is laughably horrible when it comes to the actual school part.

I'm saying this as someone who knows many people who went to law school. All different rankings. All over California. Most not knowing exactly what they wanted to do and they ended up just fine, some way better than just fine.

But don't listen to me, OP. I'm just a 0L that doesn't know anything about anything.

[BigZuck]

The anecdotes you've no doubt carefully cultivated don't mean a whole lot for the average person applying to law school

Someone who goes to, say, Cornell doesn't need to have particularly well-defined career goals. Someone who goes to, say, Chapman better know, at the very least, that they 100% don't want the types of jobs that are almost certainly foreclosed to Chapman grads.

The OP did give us their (vaguely defined) career goals. It sounds like none of these schools make sense, but maybe the OP can clarify what they mean by corporate/business

[cron1834]

None of the above at your COA with no clear career goals.

Most people don't have clear career goals when going to law school. They usually just have an idea of what they want to study. And that's ok.

You're saying this...as a 0L?

If you're going to schools with poor job placement you better be sure that school can get you the job you want just like Rigo said. Career goals are very important to have as an applicant because that's a major factor in deciding whether a school is worth attending or not. VERY IMPORTANT.

V
E
R
Y

I
M
P
O
R
T
A
N
T

It doesn't have to be set in stone, but in so far as you can do it you have to make sure that what you might want to pivot towards is also attainable. Basically you can't go to a regional school wanting to be a public defender and then decide as a 3L that you want to work at a big firm. The ship will likely have sailed, and you chose the wrong school in the first place. That's all something you need to have sorted out as a 0L.

Having an idea of what you want to study isn't really all that important because law school is laughably horrible when it comes to the actual school part.

I'm saying this as someone who knows many people who went to law school. All different rankings. All over California. Most not knowing exactly what they wanted to do and they ended up just fine, some way better than just fine.

But don't listen to me, OP. I'm just a 0L that doesn't know anything about anything.

Maybe all of your friends can cover OP's monthly debt payments when OP graduates from a terrible school 6 figures in debt. Otherwise, they're not helpful, and neither are you.

[lymenheimer]

I'm saying this as someone who knows many people who went to law school. All different rankings. All over California. Most not knowing exactly what they wanted to do and they ended up just fine, some way better than just fine.

But don't listen to me, OP. I'm just a 0L that doesn't know anything about anything.

[LShopeful2016]

YHS/BigLaw or bust, OP! Don't settle like everyone else on this thread!

[pancakes3]

YHS/BigLaw or bust, OP! Don't settle like everyone else on this thread!

Or he can take advice from someone who can't even make a sarcastic jab without peppering it with fail.