Top Law Schools

Stats: 156/3.6 (URM Latino) Third cycle, I've taken the LSAT 4 times. Not reapplying.

Goals: Pay back debt and make a comfortable salary working in the private sector. Preferably living in Boston/DC/NYC but also okay with Philly. I do have undergrad/work ties to DC, but I doubt that matters.

BC (15k/yr scholarship out of 56k/yr tuition)= COA 190k
Temple (20k/yr scholarship out of 26k/yr tuition)=COA 80k
Dickinson Law (Full tuition+5k stipend)=COA 50k

I want to attend BC since they have ~50% BL and I'm assuming being URM might help me a little, but do my other options make more sense? Is 190k for BC too outrageous? While BC seems much higher, their 50% private sector salary is 190k compared to Temple's 90k. So realistically It'd be just as difficult to each pay off if I'm median at each.

These are all regional schools. It's unlikely that you will get a job in DC or NYC. To keep everything in perspective, you should consider (1) where you will likely work, (2) what your salary range will be; and (2) what your debt payments will look like.

1) BC
You should expect to work in Boston. A majority of graduates do. The top half of the class works in biglaw and makes $190k. The bottom half of the class makes just shy of $100k on average (their self-reported 25% percentile salary).

I don't know what graduate loan terms currently look like, but $190k for 15 years at a 6% interest rate you will be paying around $1600/month ($19k/year). You have to account for taxes etc. (i.e., to have an extra $1 after taxes, you probably need to earn an extra $2).

2) Temple
You should expect to work in Philly. Their recent NALP report shows salaries for private practice between 65k-160k with a median of 95k. A similar calculation for the loan puts the cost around $675/month ($8k/year).

3) Dickinson
You should expect to work in Pennsylvania somewhere. Somebody who lives and works in in the State can verify, but some quick research shows that many people work outside of Philly (e.g., central PA). Dickinson doesn't release NALP reports (which is a huge red flag), but the slightly higher ranked "Penn State law" is operated out of the other Penn State campus and shows a range of 60-95 with a 75k average. A similar calculation for the loan puts the cost around $420/month ($5k/year).

In your shoes, I would take Dickinson off the table immediately. I think Temple gives you a lot more bang for your buck. Whether BC is worth it relative to Temple is debatable, but you basically make an extra $30-40k across the board (i.e., bottom of the class makes $100k v. 65k; top of the class makes 190k v. 160k), and it sounds like you would prefer to live in Boston anyway. There might be some other factors I’m missing, but I would probably just bite the bullet and take BC in your shoes.

I feel for you---this is a tough and high-stakes choice to make---and I also agree with dvlthndr above. You should go to BC because it offers the best shot at biglaw, kind of by a wide margin.

decimalsanddollars wrote:I feel for you---this is a tough and high-stakes choice to make---and I also agree with dvlthndr above. You should go to BC because it offers the best shot at biglaw, kind of by a wide margin.

While I agree BC is the best school, it is not worth $190k. OP should at least try and negotiate that down to something like 150 (personally even that is too much). $190k is a lot to pay back if they end up making $75k after graduation

trebekismyhero wrote:

decimalsanddollars wrote:I feel for you---this is a tough and high-stakes choice to make---and I also agree with dvlthndr above. You should go to BC because it offers the best shot at biglaw, kind of by a wide margin.

While I agree BC is the best school, it is not worth $190k. OP should at least try and negotiate that down to something like 150 (personally even that is too much). $190k is a lot to pay back if they end up making $75k after graduation

I appreciate the responses! I'm just confused as to how people get such low COA to schools like BC. Even if I got their average scholarship aid of 20k a year, I'd still be in about 175k COA debt. Am I not supposed to include 12 months of living, and instead make it 9 months in my COA estimates? Do people normally make an income during 1L and 2L summers from places like BC and offset their COA? Thanks!

basketweaver wrote:

trebekismyhero wrote:

decimalsanddollars wrote:I feel for you---this is a tough and high-stakes choice to make---and I also agree with dvlthndr above. You should go to BC because it offers the best shot at biglaw, kind of by a wide margin.

While I agree BC is the best school, it is not worth $190k. OP should at least try and negotiate that down to something like 150 (personally even that is too much). $190k is a lot to pay back if they end up making $75k after graduation

I appreciate the responses! I'm just confused as to how people get such low COA to schools like BC. Even if I got their average scholarship aid of 20k a year, I'd still be in about 175k COA debt. Am I not supposed to include 12 months of living, and instead make it 9 months in my COA estimates? Do people normally make an income during 1L and 2L summers from places like BC and offset their COA? Thanks!

Negotiate with them and ask for more money. I asked my law school (many years ago) twice for more money and they gave it to me. You should be making money your 2L summer to offset costs, but obviously can't guarantee that.

trebekismyhero wrote:

basketweaver wrote:

trebekismyhero wrote:

decimalsanddollars wrote:I feel for you---this is a tough and high-stakes choice to make---and I also agree with dvlthndr above. You should go to BC because it offers the best shot at biglaw, kind of by a wide margin.

While I agree BC is the best school, it is not worth $190k. OP should at least try and negotiate that down to something like 150 (personally even that is too much). $190k is a lot to pay back if they end up making $75k after graduation

I appreciate the responses! I'm just confused as to how people get such low COA to schools like BC. Even if I got their average scholarship aid of 20k a year, I'd still be in about 175k COA debt. Am I not supposed to include 12 months of living, and instead make it 9 months in my COA estimates? Do people normally make an income during 1L and 2L summers from places like BC and offset their COA? Thanks!

Negotiate with them and ask for more money. I asked my law school (many years ago) twice for more money and they gave it to me. You should be making money your 2L summer to offset costs, but obviously can't guarantee that.

BC does not negotiate this year, they even stated it in the acceptance letter. I tried and everyone else who has tried has gotten shut down.