GW sticker price vs. Washington and Lee full scholarship? Forum

[tigerlily13]

So I really, really want to practice in DC (I'm studying international law so the ideal career would be something in international dispute resolution or working as a consultant for the UN or a foreign government) and have narrowed my choices down to W+L and GW.

If I went to GW, I'm looking at about $175,000 in debt, but W+L is going to be about $30,000. I know based on numbers alone W+L is the clear choice, but I'm a little nervous about choosing it. I'm at W+M right now and couldn't stand four years of being in such a small town, and I've heard Lexington has even less to do (which I didn't think was possible...). I'm also a pretty liberal Persian Muslim, so I'm nervous about going somewhere that I've heard is pretty conservative. I appreciate people who have differing views from my own, but with all the hatred that's come up against Middle Easterners in the past few years, it does make me hesitant. I just don't know if I'd be happy at W+L, and the other schools I got into either didn't offer enough $$ or aren't likely to get me into DC.

Also honestly considering getting a paralegal job for a year and retaking, but I don't know if it would do me much good since my GPA is so low - I have a 3.05 and a 164 lsat.

What do you guys suggest?

[cavalier1138]

I suggest retaking and reapplying. Neither of these schools will give you opportunities in the field you're interested in.

[luckyirish13]

I absolutely feel ya on the small town thing. It can be crushing, but what would be even more crushing would be $175,000 in debt from a school that most likely won't get you a job that can pay that off.

Perhaps you could try W+L for a year, commit to getting a 4.0, and then transfer next year?

[cavalier1138]

Perhaps you could try W+L for a year, commit to getting a 4.0, and then transfer next year?

Oh, that's the secret to getting top grades in law school! Commitment. It's all so damn simple! The top 10% of the class is made up entirely of the students who commit. Everyone else just wings it.

[Pomeranian]

Perhaps you could try W+L for a year, commit to getting a 4.0, and then transfer next year?

LOL

[zot1]

Perhaps you could try W+L for a year, commit to getting a 4.0, and then transfer next year?

This is terrible advice. You can bust your ass in law school and still end up median.

OP, your goals could potentially be achieved without law school. But if you really want to go to law school. Do not go at sticker. Specially not when you have such narrow goals that might not materialize upon graduation.

[tigerlily13]

I suggest retaking and reapplying. Neither of these schools will give you opportunities in the field you're interested in.

With my GPA do you really think I could get in somewhere better though/get more $$$ with a higher LSAT score?

I'm also considering Richmond, they just bumped me up to a full ride so I'd be $45,000 in debt, which isn't bad, but idk how well they'd place into DC compared to W+L and GW

[tigerlily13]

I absolutely feel ya on the small town thing. It can be crushing, but what would be even more crushing would be $175,000 in debt from a school that most likely won't get you a job that can pay that off.

Perhaps you could try W+L for a year, commit to getting a 4.0, and then transfer next year?

thanks for the advice and, while I appreciate it, I don't know if I'd want to start off at a school knowing I want to transfer, especially when it's so hard to know if it'll even be possible. I've had several relatives go through law school, so I know no amount of studying can guarantee you a spot in the 5%

[cavalier1138]

I suggest retaking and reapplying. Neither of these schools will give you opportunities in the field you're interested in.

With my GPA do you really think I could get in somewhere better though/get more $$$ with a higher LSAT score?

I'm also considering Richmond, they just bumped me up to a full ride so I'd be $45,000 in debt, which isn't bad, but idk how well they'd place into DC compared to W+L and GW

Yes, you can definitely snag a lower T14 (money is iffy) with a higher LSAT score.

But you keep ignoring that literally none of these schools give you anything resembling a chance at doing the jobs you've outlined. If you change your goals, then maybe the advice changes. But for what you've said you want to do, you need to go to a top school or find a non-legal route to get to those positions.

[Dr. Nefario]

I suggest retaking and reapplying. Neither of these schools will give you opportunities in the field you're interested in.

With my GPA do you really think I could get in somewhere better though/get more $$$ with a higher LSAT score?

I'm also considering Richmond, they just bumped me up to a full ride so I'd be $45,000 in debt, which isn't bad, but idk how well they'd place into DC compared to W+L and GW

Yes, you can definitely snag a lower T14 (money is iffy) with a higher LSAT score.

But you keep ignoring that literally none of these schools give you anything resembling a chance at doing the jobs you've outlined. If you change your goals, then maybe the advice changes. But for what you've said you want to do, you need to go to a top school or find a non-legal route to get to those positions.

This. Also, if you can get your LSAT up, you have the option of somewhere like WashU with money because they are so splitter friendly

[Pragmatic Gun]

Regarding your career goals, what languages do you speak? I am assuming you speak Farsi because of your Persian/Iranian background. fluency in multiple languages is going to be a quasi-necessity.

In order to work at any of the jobs you want to work in, you're probably gonna have to work in the government (federal government, which isn't easy straight out of law school) or at a Biglaw firm with a strong international practice. Basically, you're going to have to be a lawyer for many years and then perhaps work in these difficult to obtain jobs. Since you seem like you have friends studying to be lawyers, you will have an idea of what you're getting yourself into.

[timbs4339]

Regarding your career goals, what languages do you speak? I am assuming you speak Farsi because of your Persian/Iranian background. fluency in multiple languages is going to be a quasi-necessity.

In order to work at any of the jobs you want to work in, you're probably gonna have to work in the government (federal government, which isn't easy straight out of law school) or at a Biglaw firm with a strong international practice. Basically, you're going to have to be a lawyer for many years and then perhaps work in these difficult to obtain jobs. Since you seem like you have friends studying to be lawyers, you will have an idea of what you're getting yourself into.

This. OP, it's going to be pretty tough to snag one of these unicorn jobs even from GW.

[grades??]

neither will get you the job you want. So you either need to readjust your career goals or readjust the schools.

[OneHandedEconomist]

Even at HYS your goals are silly. Rethink them.