Cal Western (full ride) vs. Thomas Jefferson (105k) Forum

[cc11128615]

Hi everyone, I have no idea what to do!! I want to study law in San Diego because I can live with my parents and save $$$. Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from USD and the seat deposit deadline is coming up for me so these are my two options for now...

The full ride has stipulations (must maintain a 3.0) and I have no idea wether thats attainable or not. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand, has no stipulations. 105k for freee.

What should I do here?? Both schools cost roughly 50k/yr.

Does anyone have information on the quality of education and employment opportunities in the San Diego legal community?? I'm interested to see what others would do in my situation.

** I'm currently waiting for responses from about 10 other schools but i'm thinking these two are my best options in terms of $$$
** Other schools include: American University (accepted but no $$$ so far), Southwestern, Santa Clara, Lewis and Clark, Chapman, UC Hastings, University of San Francisco, University of Hawaii, University of Denver, Penn State.
** I have a 3.5gpa/151lsat and I'm set on starting law school this year

[rcharter1978]

Hi everyone, I have no idea what to do!! I want to study law in San Diego because I can live with my parents and save $$$. Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from USD and the seat deposit deadline is coming up for me so these are my two options for now...

The full ride has stipulations (must maintain a 3.0) and I have no idea wether thats attainable or not. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand, has no stipulations. 105k for freee.

What should I do here?? Both schools cost roughly 50k/yr.

Does anyone have information on the quality of education and employment opportunities in the San Diego legal community?? I'm interested to see what others would do in my situation.

** I'm currently waiting for responses from about 10 other schools but i'm thinking these two are my best options in terms of $$$
** Other schools include: American University, (accepted but no $$$ so far), Santa Clara, Lewis and Clark, Chapman, UC Hastings, and more.
** I have a 3.5gpa/151lsat and I'm set on starting law school this year

If these are the only two schools you want to go to, and you really, really want to go to law school. Like really, really, really want to go, I guess do Thomas Jefferson. Go to Cal Western if you want to play the law school version of Hunger Games.

I don't think Hastings is a bad scene, so maybe wait and see what they have to say. Although I think they are pretty about bar passage right now so all their money may be going to people with super high LSATs.

I'm assume you aren't trolling....although the "and more" is suspicious.

[luckyirish13]

Hi everyone, I have no idea what to do!! I want to study law in San Diego because I can live with my parents and save $$$. Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from USD and the seat deposit deadline is coming up for me so these are my two options for now...

The full ride has stipulations (must maintain a 3.0) and I have no idea wether thats attainable or not. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand, has no stipulations. 105k for freee.

What should I do here?? Both schools cost roughly 50k/yr.

Does anyone have information on the quality of education and employment opportunities in the San Diego legal community?? I'm interested to see what others would do in my situation.

** I'm currently waiting for responses from about 10 other schools but i'm thinking these two are my best options in terms of $$$
** Other schools include: American University, (accepted but no $$$ so far), Santa Clara, Lewis and Clark, Chapman, UC Hastings, and more.
** I have a 3.5gpa/151lsat and I'm set on starting law school this year

Hey fellow San Diegan! First of all congrats on living in America's finest city.

Now as for your post, there are a couple things here. First, Thomas Jefferson and Cal Western are not good schools. The point of going to law school is to come out with a job, but neither of those schools will set you up with that opportunity. Moreover, if you want to practice in San Diego, neither of those schools will help you get into the market. I did my undergrad in San Diego and I absolutely love the city, but just about every lawyer I know in San Diego went to USD. It's a very insular market that tends to hire people from within. A J.D from a tier 4 law school none of them have ever heard of will not be enough to get you in the door.

Now I have some tough love I gotta tell ya. The 151 LSAT isn't gonna cut it. I know you said you're determined to start this year, but that's a mindset you have to break yourself out of. If you go to law school now, you're going to spend 3 years of your life without income, doing full time studying in expectation of a better career when you come out. But if you spend those three years at a school that doesn't set you up with job options, you will have completely wasted your time and study, and presumably have debts from the costs of living during these three years, with very little chance of getting a job good enough to pay these debts off.

With a 3.5 GPA, you absolutely can make it into USD, or even a top 25 school, but in order to get there you will have to get a higher LSAT. I know you want to go to law school now, but think about your potential outcomes. Just going to law school for the sake of going to law school is a waste of your time and money. But going to law school for the purpose of coming out with a job is an investment in your future. You can only accomplish the second by coming out of a good school, preferably in the market you want to work in.

So for the sake of your future, you really should consider holding off for this year, work really hard at the LSAT and then get a much better score. If you work at it enough, USD would come to you with a full ride scholarship, or you could get into a top 25 school and have great prospects for your future. Obviously it's your life, but I would strongly recommend helping yourself out by upping your LSAT and trying again next year.

[issy_cali]

retake but if you really want to go law school, I would recommend Cal Western. TJSL is a joke! Just look at their July CA pass rate: 31%!!! Take a moment and really think about 31% bar pass rate. Did I mention the 31% bar pass rate? Enough said. Move on!

[luckyirish13]

retake but if you really want to go law school, I would recommend Cal Western. TJSL is a joke! Just look at their July CA pass rate: 31%!!! Take a moment and really think about 31% bar pass rate. Did I mention the 31% bar pass rate? Enough said. Move on!

Cal Western isn't much better. 60% pass the bar, and only 37% even get a job in law, let alone Biglaw. https://www.lstreports.com/schools/calwestern/. They're both really bad options.

[cavalier1138]

Neither. These aren't law schools; they're scams. You will not be a practicing lawyer from either option.

Either don't go to law school at all or retake the LSAT and reapply next cycle.

[Rigo]

You need to retake. With proper study, you could get serious $$$ at USD.

[jjcorvino]

Neither, most people at these schools do not even pass the bar, let alone get JD-required jobs. Sit out a year and retake.

[jbagelboy]

Hi everyone, I have no idea what to do!! I want to study law in San Diego because I can live with my parents and save $$$. Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from USD and the seat deposit deadline is coming up for me so these are my two options for now...

The full ride has stipulations (must maintain a 3.0) and I have no idea wether thats attainable or not. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand, has no stipulations. 105k for freee.

What should I do here?? Both schools cost roughly 50k/yr.

Does anyone have information on the quality of education and employment opportunities in the San Diego legal community?? I'm interested to see what others would do in my situation.

** I'm currently waiting for responses from about 10 other schools but i'm thinking these two are my best options in terms of $$$
** Other schools include: American University, (accepted but no $$$ so far), Santa Clara, Lewis and Clark, Chapman, UC Hastings, and more.
** I have a 3.5gpa/151lsat and I'm set on starting law school this year

Hey fellow San Diegan! First of all congrats on living in America's finest city.

Now as for your post, there are a couple things here. First, Thomas Jefferson and Cal Western are not good schools. The point of going to law school is to come out with a job, but neither of those schools will set you up with that opportunity. Moreover, if you want to practice in San Diego, neither of those schools will help you get into the market. I did my undergrad in San Diego and I absolutely love the city, but just about every lawyer I know in San Diego went to USD. It's a very insular market that tends to hire people from within. A J.D from a tier 4 law school none of them have ever heard of will not be enough to get you in the door.

Now I have some tough love I gotta tell ya. The 151 LSAT isn't gonna cut it. I know you said you're determined to start this year, but that's a mindset you have to break yourself out of. If you go to law school now, you're going to spend 3 years of your life without income, doing full time studying in expectation of a better career when you come out. But if you spend those three years at a school that doesn't set you up with job options, you will have completely wasted your time and study, and presumably have debts from the costs of living during these three years, with very little chance of getting a job good enough to pay these debts off.

With a 3.5 GPA, you absolutely can make it into USD, or even a top 25 school, but in order to get there you will have to get a higher LSAT. I know you want to go to law school now, but think about your potential outcomes. Just going to law school for the sake of going to law school is a waste of your time and money. But going to law school for the purpose of coming out with a job is an investment in your future. You can only accomplish the second by coming out of a good school, preferably in the market you want to work in.

So for the sake of your future, you really should consider holding off for this year, work really hard at the LSAT and then get a much better score. If you work at it enough, USD would come to you with a full ride scholarship, or you could get into a top 25 school and have great prospects for your future. Obviously it's your life, but I would strongly recommend helping yourself out by upping your LSAT and trying again next year.

+1, except for the san diego part

[snowball17]

In the chance that you decide to ignore all the above advice, I would recommend putting down a deposit for TJSL and retake the LSAT in June. TJSL offers a guaranteed merit scholarship program, just try to score above a 154 and you'll be guaranteed at least 45K a year with your GAP. A 158 will get you a full ride.

[Rigo]

Isn't TJ on the verge of bankruptcy?

[snowball17]

Isn't TJ on the verge of bankruptcy?

I think they managed to secure some new creditors after wining the fraud lawsuit last year