Top Law Schools

hey everyone so I am having a hard time deciding between GW and Notre Dame and ND's deposit is due in 10 days...

scholarship: ND - $35000/yr
GW - $23000/yr

22 year old KJD with 2.9 UGPA and my LSAT is well above both school's 75th

I know there are a lot more potential job opportunities if I go to law school in DC but what GW is offering me right now is far from enough. Notre Dame is a great school and South Bend's living expenses are far lower but I am a little hesitate as their employment stats do not seem as great as GW's.

My parents will be paying for the rest but they can only pay up to $35000 per year.

I intend to practice in DC area and I want big law but I might change my mind later.

As for now retaking is not an option especially with my GPA, still too much uncertainty in reapplying even if I got a 175+ in June.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

lymenheimer wrote:http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 1&t=206299

thanks! edited my post

Neither are good for your goals. Either revaluate your goals or don't go

Hmm, what is your LSAT score? You say it's well above both schools 75th percentiles so I'm guessing high 160's or low 170's? Did you apply to any of the lower T14's? Also, did you try negotiating with GW at all?

As someone who did it myself, K-JD is almost always the wrong move.

Also DC big law is difficult to get even from T14s.

TheMikey wrote:Hmm, what is your LSAT score? You say it's well above both schools 75th percentiles so I'm guessing high 160's or low 170's? Did you apply to any of the lower T14's? Also, did you try negotiating with GW at all?

i tried negotiating with GW and they told me that's all they can offer. I am mostly aiming at t20 as my gpa does not look good & my parents cannot afford the sticker price at t14

rxu1107 wrote:

TheMikey wrote:Hmm, what is your LSAT score? You say it's well above both schools 75th percentiles so I'm guessing high 160's or low 170's? Did you apply to any of the lower T14's? Also, did you try negotiating with GW at all?

i tried negotiating with GW and they told me that's all they can offer. I am mostly aiming at t20 as my gpa does not look good & my parents cannot afford the sticker price at t14

but you can take out loans for the remaining cost, unless you are international, I suppose...What amounts to essentially a 105k scholarship to a T14 is nothing to turn your head at, and a solid LSAT can get you a little scholarship on top from the school, depending.

Well if you would graduate from ND with no debt, that wouldn't be so bad (hopefully you aren't bankrupting your parents in the process). But I wouldn't count on getting biglaw.

Given your GPA I think ND with low debt is a decent outcome. Whether this will let you pursue your goals (DC biglaw is very unlikely from many t-14s, let alone ND) is a different story but at least you'll get to be a lawyer, for whatever that's worth.

If you want DC then your best bet is GW. While it will still be difficult to land big law, GW will give you hands down the best shot at practicing in DC. However, if your LSAT is way above both 75ths, I agree with other posters--retake and reapply early next year blanketing the T14. That will put you in the best position to achieve your stated goals.

DC biglaw is hard, even for GULC students w/decent grades, and will be extremely hard from ND. GW prob better chances than ND but will be tough, you're gonna need to hustle and network, but if you aren't even sure about biglaw but are sure about DC location then pick GW