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Hey guys! I'm posting for my friend because she just got a call saying she got off the waitlist at ASU and she basically has to decide tonight but she's at work. She's from northern Ohio, went to undergrad at U of S Carolina, took a year off and moved home to apply to law school, but ultimately wants to end up out west. She is paying all costs entirely on her own with loans, so in terms of financial considerations she's facing about $65k total including cost of living if she goes to ASU (full out of state tuition without any scholarships plus estimated cost of living), with a possibility of receiving in state tuition if she's able to meet their extensive residency requirements. At IU, she's looking at an over half scholarship, which would be about 45k per year in total including cost of living. ASU is ranked 25 and IU is ranked 30. She's not interested in anything government or public interest law related, but she's also not sure what field of law she specifically wants to go into yet, so she's just waiting to let herself be swayed once she's in her classes etc. She would, however, be interested in big law if she can do well enough to be in reasonable consideration. Any sound advice she can get will help and is very much appreciated. Thanks!!!!

**total $ figures not taking interest into consideration

In order to receive the best feedback in this forum, please provide as much of the following information in your original post as possible:

-The schools you are considering
-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships. Here is a helpful calculator.
-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
-Your general career goals
-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
-How many times you have taken the LSAT

Its all in there!!!

Your friend needs to slow her roll. Neither of these options are financially defensible and have a high probability of ruining her future.

You need to make sure you're using the right math when calculating the costs.

ASU at full price means your friend will have to pay back ~$239,000. ASU isn't worth that at all.

IU-B would probably come out somewhere around ~$150k-$170k. Also too much.

What part of the West Coast is she looking for exactly? There are multiple markets out here and each has its own feeder schools. ASU only makes sense if she wants Arizona, AND if she can go there with a hefty COA discount.

Based on her outcomes, she should probably retake the LSAT, get a better idea of what kind of job she wants, then reapply. Is she aware that her most likely outcome from the schools in the ASU/IU-B range is probably smaller firm making about $60k?

At the very least, your friend needs to tell ASU that she is not going to make a life-altering decision in less than 24 hours. Neither of these are great options, though, and retaking/reapplying is her best bet.

Also, does your friend think of Arizona as "out west"? It's fine if she does, but most people are referring to California when they say that. And Arizona is definitely not California.

Way too expensive for regional schools when you're not from the region. I mean, too expensive even if you are, but especially if you're not.

These are both bad options and she shouldn't go to either. The right answer is retake and reapply. If she's not going to retake, or has a garbage GPA then she should at least be applying to West Coast schools. You should never go to a regional school in a region you don't want to work, and especially not for that price.

If she won't listen to this advice, then she should go to the IU because it's cheaper, but that's still an objectively bad decision.

I find it a bit odd that this is the second thread you've created for a friend to ask about a question that they could rightly ask themselves. And it's also a bit curious that both friends are in such precarious positions to be making really difficult and unenviable decisions. Are you like the arbiter of your friend's legal career woes and quandaries?

Definitely don't ask these friends for advice when the shoe is on the other foot. Take that one to the bank.

cron1834 wrote:Way too expensive for regional schools when you're not from the region. I mean, too expensive even if you are, but especially if you're not.

Out of curiosity, why does whether you're from the region or not make a difference? As long as that's where you want to end up, that's what matters, right?

cinderellasyndrome wrote:

cron1834 wrote:Way too expensive for regional schools when you're not from the region. I mean, too expensive even if you are, but especially if you're not.

Out of curiosity, why does whether you're from the region or not make a difference? As long as that's where you want to end up, that's what matters, right?

Kind of. Someone with ties will get a warmer reception at firms than someone who just moved to the region. It depends on the market, though. Places like Florida are known to be horribly insular, while anyone can break in to NYC.

***know-nothing 0L disclaimer***

Well, it seems IU-B gives yo....sorry, your "friend" about twice as great a chance to do biglaw if that's what she wants, though it's still not a likely outcome (18.8% of last year's graduates vs. 10% for ASU). That pricetag is scary though. In this case retake probably is the best idea.

If you absolutely must, though, then go IU-B. ASU at that price is a really bad idea.