Top Law Schools

Howdy, y'all!! Appreciate any advice I can get at this point!

-Ultimate goal is to work in Houston Biglaw
-Texas native

UVA: $10K/year for out of state (COA: $70K/year)
UT: $5K/year for in-state (COA: about $50K/year)

Visited UT- wasn't CRAZY about it, but I heard that if I want to stay in Texas, the networking I can do at UT is invaluable! Austin is a plus
Have yet to visit UVA, BUT have been told to go to highest-ranking school I can get into. Sound like good advice? COA difference is negl, IMO, and worth it?

*** EDITED: I am interested in pursuing a fed clerkship upon graduation!!! Forgot to mention that very important fact in original post

I probably wouldn't pay 60K more for UVA than UT with your goal of generic Houston biglaw. 60K isn't "negligible"...it's the down payment on a reasonable house in the Houston burbs. If you were gunning Fed Clerk or weren't 100% sure Texas is where you want to practice, it might make a case for UVA. But in this instance, save the significant amount of cash and enjoy Austin.

Good luck.

I don't think either is worth it at the price you'll have to pay.

What is your LSAT/GPA? I'm getting a 163/3.93 vibe here.

Agree that those prices are too high.

Bottom line: if you're a Texas-lifer and want to work in Houston, UT is the only choice you should make here. That said, UT is not really worth 180K at repayment.

ponderingmeerkat wrote:I probably wouldn't pay 60K more for UVA than UT with your goal of generic Houston biglaw. 60K isn't "negligible"...it's the down payment on a reasonable house in the Houston burbs. If you were gunning Fed Clerk or weren't 100% sure Texas is where you want to practice, it might make a case for UVA. But in this instance, save the significant amount of cash and enjoy Austin.

Good luck.

oops!! It was pretty late last night when I posted this so I forgot to write that UVA's appeal to me is that I am gunning for a federal clerkship!! Also, I wrote that IMO, 60K is negligible... but my concern with with clerkship- does that change my best prospect??

fabfobfib wrote:

ponderingmeerkat wrote:I probably wouldn't pay 60K more for UVA than UT with your goal of generic Houston biglaw. 60K isn't "negligible"...it's the down payment on a reasonable house in the Houston burbs. If you were gunning Fed Clerk or weren't 100% sure Texas is where you want to practice, it might make a case for UVA. But in this instance, save the significant amount of cash and enjoy Austin.

Good luck.

oops!! It was pretty late last night when I posted this so I forgot to write that UVA's appeal to me is that I am gunning for a federal clerkship!! Also, I wrote that IMO, 60K is negligible... but my concern with with clerkship- does that change my best prospect??

No. If you want to go to UVA, go to UVA. But don't do it because of a higher-but-still-low-percentage chance at a one-year job.

Personally, I agree with this:

BigZuck wrote:I don't think either is worth it at the price you'll have to pay.

BigZuck wrote:I don't think either is worth it at the price you'll have to pay.

What is your LSAT/GPA? I'm getting a 163/3.93 vibe here.

Jesus. Right on target. Significant WE gave me the push I think, so I'm lucky to even get into these schools lol.

fabfobfib wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I don't think either is worth it at the price you'll have to pay.

What is your LSAT/GPA? I'm getting a 163/3.93 vibe here.

Jesus. Right on target. Significant WE gave me the push I think, so I'm lucky to even get into these schools lol.

Right. But if you can bump that score up a few points, these schools will be feeling lucky to get you to attend for free.

Are you starting to pick up the unsaid advice?

You need to calculate full/not-conservative total COAs that include interest, origination fees, extras, etc., because most people underestimate. Though I agree that this is probably too expensive in either case even before you do that.

cavalier1138 wrote:

fabfobfib wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I don't think either is worth it at the price you'll have to pay.

What is your LSAT/GPA? I'm getting a 163/3.93 vibe here.

Jesus. Right on target. Significant WE gave me the push I think, so I'm lucky to even get into these schools lol.

Right. But if you can bump that score up a few points, these schools will be feeling lucky to get you to attend for free.

Are you starting to pick up the unsaid advice?

OP if you can seriously get like 2-3 points higher on the LSAT, it will save you tens of thousands of dollars in debt at these same (or better) schools.

fabfobfib wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I don't think either is worth it at the price you'll have to pay.

What is your LSAT/GPA? I'm getting a 163/3.93 vibe here.

Jesus. Right on target. Significant WE gave me the push I think, so I'm lucky to even get into these schools lol.

Work experience didn't matter. It's just a classic "reverse splitter" scenario. They're trying to use you by taking advantage of your high GPA and then using your tuition money to supplement other students. Gotta turn the tables on them by getting a higher LSAT score and squeezing more money out of them.

Everyone is telling you that UVA and UT aren't worth it at that price. Remember most students at UVA pay sticker, so you're not out of the norm if you follow suit.

TLS_Dreamer wrote:Everyone is telling you that UVA and UT aren't worth it at that price. Remember most students at UVA pay sticker, so you're not out of the norm if you follow suit.

This is an absurd line of reasoning. The fact that a large number of people have rich parents or just don't care about debt doesn't mean that everyone else should throw $300k at a degree.

cavalier1138 wrote:

TLS_Dreamer wrote:Everyone is telling you that UVA and UT aren't worth it at that price. Remember most students at UVA pay sticker, so you're not out of the norm if you follow suit.

This is an absurd line of reasoning. The fact that a large number of people have rich parents or just don't care about debt doesn't mean that everyone else should throw $300k at a degree.

OP could also have rich parents. It just shows that most people at UVA believe sticker is worth it. Majorities have been wrong a lot in history but I think there's some weight to the idea that when a majority of people in a situation believe X is a good idea, it's difficult to say that X is an very clearly stupid.

TLS_Dreamer wrote:

cavalier1138 wrote:

TLS_Dreamer wrote:Everyone is telling you that UVA and UT aren't worth it at that price. Remember most students at UVA pay sticker, so you're not out of the norm if you follow suit.

This is an absurd line of reasoning. The fact that a large number of people have rich parents or just don't care about debt doesn't mean that everyone else should throw $300k at a degree.

OP could also have rich parents. It just shows that most people at UVA believe sticker is worth it. Majorities have been wrong a lot in history but I think there's some weight to the idea that when a majority of people in a situation believe X is a good idea, it's difficult to say that X is an very clearly stupid.

I think it's easy to say sticker at UVA is an very clearly stupid

I just did!

BigZuck wrote:

TLS_Dreamer wrote:

cavalier1138 wrote:

TLS_Dreamer wrote:Everyone is telling you that UVA and UT aren't worth it at that price. Remember most students at UVA pay sticker, so you're not out of the norm if you follow suit.

This is an absurd line of reasoning. The fact that a large number of people have rich parents or just don't care about debt doesn't mean that everyone else should throw $300k at a degree.

OP could also have rich parents. It just shows that most people at UVA believe sticker is worth it. Majorities have been wrong a lot in history but I think there's some weight to the idea that when a majority of people in a situation believe X is a good idea, it's difficult to say that X is an very clearly stupid.

I think it's easy to say sticker at UVA is an very clearly stupid

I just did!

How are these the only options? I'm confused. Sticker at UVA is bad, UT on marginal scholarship is also bad. Just bad.