Top Law Schools

Yes. I know. There are tons of these on this site but now I understand why so many people have done it. I thought making this decision would have been way easier.

I have posted this elsewhere on the site but I post it here with the hope getting perspectives that I expect will have a unique twist having been "colored" by life and experiences. . . that probably wasn't funny but i'm being serious. Is there anything I should be considering as someone who can check pretty much every single "diversity box"?
I am petrified by the thought of not living in or near a major city for law school. Is this unreasonable? I've never been to St. Louis so I am definitely just going off what are probably very incorrect perceptions and assumptions.


Brooklyn Law
129,000 over 3 years (class rank stipulation, top 40% to get scholarship renewed 100 percent and top 60% to get scholarship renewed by 85%)

Emory
60,000 over 3 years (no stipulations except stay in school)

Fordham
no $$. sticker.

GWU
105,000 over 3 years (30,000 per year and 16,500 for free first year housing in school-owned building; 3.0 gpa stipulation to get scholarship renewed)

WUSTL
149,000 over 3 years (no stipualtions except to "mantain residency at the law school"? idk what that means if anything. basically sounds like, stay in school)

A few points to note:
1) Ultimately I want to live and work in New York (along w/ most people). I do not necessarily want "biglaw", in fact, not really, but if I incurred the debt I would be willing to do so.
2) I am.. for lack of a better phrase, "super liberal" in most, if not all areas of my life.
3) I'm international and black for those interested

Ultimately, I am torn between extreme debt aversion and location (both for the duration of my time in law school and after).
Any thoughts?

(oh, and I suppose people will want to know my "stats". 3.2 (t12 liberal arts college) and 169 lsat. applied in mid to late January to all schools)

1. Throw Fordham and Brooklyn out of the options. Is it worth paying full price for the third and fourth best schools in New York (when you have to compete with everyone migrating from Harvard, Yale, Cornell, and the rest of the T14), as opposed to over 80% paid-for for the second best school in DC? What if you get a ton of debt from Fordham, and don't graduate at the top of your class and don't get a BigLaw offer? The debt is still gonna be there. Brooklyn looks like they want you to go through the runaround for their money.

2. If you think you can maintain a 3.0 every year at GW, then go there. If you can tolerate working in the midwest, then go to WUSTL.

3. Atlanta is the Bel-Air for Black profe$$ionals. Can you tolerate Atlanta?

So, is it more important that you get only a benefit of living in New York City with the NY schools, as opposed to taking advantage of incredible offers from higher ranked schools where you'll be able to graduate at the near median and not have to worry about being broke as hell?

I'd go to WUSTL for free and enjoy a career (without spending my salary on paying off debts every month) in the plains if I were you.

I think GWU and WUSTL are your best options. I would see if I can get the rank stipulations removed at GWU and Brooklyn, and if Brooklyn says yes then you may be able to make them a viable option since you want NYC.

If you want some firsthand info on WUSTL or St. Louis, PM me.

I'd rank your offers like this (based on your goals)

1. GWU
2. WUSTL
3. Brooklyn/Emory



100. Fordham

kimi_6454 wrote:Yes. I know. There are tons of these on this site but now I understand why so many people have done it. I thought making this decision would have been way easier.

I have posted this elsewhere on the site but I post it here with the hope getting perspectives that I expect will have a unique twist having been "colored" by life and experiences. . . that probably wasn't funny but i'm being serious. Is there anything I should be considering as someone who can check pretty much every single "diversity box"?
I am petrified by the thought of not living in or near a major city for law school. Is this unreasonable? I've never been to St. Louis so I am definitely just going off what are probably very incorrect perceptions and assumptions.


Brooklyn Law
129,000 over 3 years (class rank stipulation, top 40% to get scholarship renewed 100 percent and top 60% to get scholarship renewed by 85%)

Emory
60,000 over 3 years (no stipulations except stay in school)

Fordham
no $$. sticker.

GWU
105,000 over 3 years (30,000 per year and 16,500 for free first year housing in school-owned building; 3.0 gpa stipulation to get scholarship renewed)

WUSTL
149,000 over 3 years (no stipualtions except to "mantain residency at the law school"? idk what that means if anything. basically sounds like, stay in school)

A few points to note:
1) Ultimately I want to live and work in New York (along w/ most people). I do not necessarily want "biglaw", in fact, not really, but if I incurred the debt I would be willing to do so.
2) I am.. for lack of a better phrase, "super liberal" in most, if not all areas of my life.
3) I'm international and black for those interested

Ultimately, I am torn between extreme debt aversion and location (both for the duration of my time in law school and after).
Any thoughts?

(oh, and I suppose people will want to know my "stats". 3.2 (t12 liberal arts college) and 169 lsat. applied in mid to late January to all schools)

Maintain residence sounds like you need to stay in the law school dorms your entire time.

I would say Emory as the highest ranked or the cheapest NY one. Fordham is the one who seems to place pretty well from what I remember reading (biglaw)...but you have no money there.

As you can see the new york schools don't really need you, cause they are either offering you nothing or making ways for you to trip yourself up and lose the scholarship.

I don't know the prices of these schools but it sounds from what other posters are saying like WUSTL gave you a full scholarship...how is WUSTL's placement into New York these days?

It seems to be liked on TLS but I am not sure why.

However I don't know its placement stats so I can't say since apparently full scholarship alone isn't swaying you. Maybe it should if you are very sure biglaw is not for you.

.

D. H2Oman wrote:I'd rank your offers like this (based on your goals)

1. GWU
2. WUSTL
3. Brooklyn/Emory



100. Fordham

ROFL ROFL ROFL