Emory 2/3rd scholly or probably full at GULC/NU Forum

[Greenteachurro]

So I have a 166/3.4 with decent but probably close to average softs from a "public Ivy" (which most likely doesn't mean anything). I have 105k at Emory, and I'm waiting to hear back from GULC/NU, but it looks like if I do get into either of those schools I'll be first waitlisted and then will have to pay sticker or maybe get a tiny scholarship. I'm fine with living in the south, but I do have BL aspirations. This is obviously hypothetical, but assuming I get into either GUlC/NU would it be worth taking the enormous extra debt for a better chance at BL?

[floatie]

Unfortunately, with your numbers I doubt you'll get a scholarship (if you are even accepted, as you're below both medians at both schools). I think it depends on how debt-averse you are, because $250k in loans is no joke, even with a biglaw salary. GULC in particular is more risky because their employment numbers are much less promising, and according to Law School Transparency, GULC's employment prospects are worse than Emory's, overall. Emory with $105k (assuming you take out the rest in loans) would still leave you with $130k-ish in debt, which is still a lot but is more manageable. BL from Emory isn't totally out of reach (IIRC I think about 30% of the class gets it), but its definitely harder. The $100k difference might be worth it for NU, where your prospects will be much better than either GULC or Emory.

[Greenteachurro]

Unfortunately, with your numbers I doubt you'll get a scholarship (if you are even accepted, as you're below both medians at both schools). I think it depends on how debt-averse you are, because $250k in loans is no joke, even with a biglaw salary. GULC in particular is more risky because their employment numbers are much less promising, and according to Law School Transparency, GULC's employment prospects are worse than Emory's, overall. Emory with $105k (assuming you take out the rest in loans) would still leave you with $130k-ish in debt, which is still a lot but is more manageable. BL from Emory isn't totally out of reach (IIRC I think about 30% of the class gets it), but its definitely harder. The $100k difference might be worth it for NU, where your prospects will be much better than either GULC or Emory.

Yeah obviously I wasn't expecting any scholarships from any potential T14's, considering that my chances are relatively slim on just getting in. I'm still wanting on BU and maybe they'll throw an even better number into the mix who knows. Also side question, considering how poorly GULC has been preforming compared to the rest of the T14, would it even be worth to take out close to 300k for a school whose prospects have just been getting worse?

[floatie]

Unfortunately, with your numbers I doubt you'll get a scholarship (if you are even accepted, as you're below both medians at both schools). I think it depends on how debt-averse you are, because $250k in loans is no joke, even with a biglaw salary. GULC in particular is more risky because their employment numbers are much less promising, and according to Law School Transparency, GULC's employment prospects are worse than Emory's, overall. Emory with $105k (assuming you take out the rest in loans) would still leave you with $130k-ish in debt, which is still a lot but is more manageable. BL from Emory isn't totally out of reach (IIRC I think about 30% of the class gets it), but its definitely harder. The $100k difference might be worth it for NU, where your prospects will be much better than either GULC or Emory.

Yeah obviously I wasn't expecting any scholarships from any potential T14's, considering that my chances are relatively slim on just getting in. I'm still wanting on BU and maybe they'll throw an even better number into the mix who knows. Also side question, considering how poorly GULC has been preforming compared to the rest of the T14, would it even be worth to take out close to 300k for a school whose prospects have just been getting worse?

Personally, I don't think it's worth it. GULC is a high risk, high reward place. It works out for a decent number of people, helps you get into the DC market, and does have more of a biglaw placement than Emory (and other similarly ranked schools). I know a lot of people who went to GULC for whom that choice worked out exceptionally well - those are the stories you hear about. But for the 30ish% of people for whom GULC doesn't work out? You're un/underemployed with a mortgage's worth of debt and interest. Even though GULC is part of the t-14, it doesn't have anywhere close to the security that the other t-14s do, and some of the 15-20 range schools surpass it when it comes to employment numbers and quality.

[usn26]

None of these options sound great. GULC definitely doesn't sound appropriate for your situation.

[Greenteachurro]

None of these options sound great. GULC definitely doesn't sound appropriate for your situation.

Yeah that's true. But it's not like in either of these worlds I'm completely screwed out of biglaw. sure, going to either school I have a roughly 60-70% chance of not getting into biglaw, but at that point biglaw isn't out of the realm of possibility at either school either.

Also, what for you makes GULC that bad?

[usn26]

None of these options sound great. GULC definitely doesn't sound appropriate for your situation.

Yeah that's true. But it's not like in either of these worlds I'm completely screwed out of biglaw. sure, going to either school I have a roughly 60-70% chance of not getting into biglaw, but at that point biglaw isn't out of the realm of possibility at either school either.

Also, what for you makes GULC that bad?

"Not out of the realm of possibility" is not really good enough, IMHO, if that (biglaw) is what you actually want. With Emory you'd have at least a shot with a (more) manageable debt load, and at NU you'd have a real solid shot at BL. At GULC you get both the horrible debt *and* not-great chances at biglaw. Without knowing more details, Emory sounds questionable, NU sounds very questionable, and GULC sounds bad. And I'm on the optimistic side for GULC biglaw, where I think it's extremely achievable is you want it, play it smart, and are a competent exam taker. I'm also much more debt-tolerant than most of TLS. I bet others would disagree with me about GULC and biglaw, and even if not there's no way to be sure of your exam competence in advance.

[runinthefront]

Sticker at GULC is not high risk high reward. Working biglaw with 250k+ student loan debt (when you didn't need to) is objectively shitty. Nothing high about that outcome. And that's best case scenario

[runinthefront]

Also, Emory employs like 20% of its class, so it's ployments stats are misleading. I'd still probably go Emory here assuming GULC gives you nada and you are hellbent on going to school this cycle. But if you can retake the LSAT, retake. 3 more questions right would make a lot of difference

[floatie]

Sticker at GULC is not high risk high reward. Working biglaw with 250k+ student loan debt (when you didn't need to) is objectively shitty. Nothing high about that outcome. And that's best case scenario

True, by "high reward" I meant more options in BigLaw (compared to Emory). But yeah, I absolutely wouldn't go to GULC for sticker.

[Npret]

So I have a 166/3.4 with decent but probably close to average softs from a "public Ivy" (which most likely doesn't mean anything). I have 105k at Emory, and I'm waiting to hear back from GULC/NU, but it looks like if I do get into either of those schools I'll be first waitlisted and then will have to pay sticker or maybe get a tiny scholarship. I'm fine with living in the south, but I do have BL aspirations. This is obviously hypothetical, but assuming I get into either GUlC/NU would it be worth taking the enormous extra debt for a better chance at BL?

No.
Why do you even want biglaw?
Don't do this.

According to LST, your debt at repayment from GULC would be just under $320,000.
https://www.lstreports.com/schools/gulc/costs/

This number seems high to me but even without interest and other fees you are running at least $250,000 of debt for a shot at biglaw at a school with a huge class and poor employment stats.

At Emory you are still going to owe a huge debt even with the scholarship. You should calculate it yourself. I get a number close to $160,000.

Seriously none of these options are good for cost or for biglaw. You shouldn't go.