OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT) Forum

[rufus&miles]

[
1. What do you want to do with your law degree and where do you want to practice?

2. Where are you from and what other areas do you have significant ties to?

I want to do patent law and I'd prefer to end up in Boston, but I am not opposed to practicing anywhere and the DC area seems like a great place to be for IP.

My husband and I are both from Massachusetts, so we don't have great ties to any areas outside of MA.

[Icculus]

[
1. What do you want to do with your law degree and where do you want to practice?

2. Where are you from and what other areas do you have significant ties to?

I want to do patent law and I'd prefer to end up in Boston, but I am not opposed to practicing anywhere and the DC area seems like a great place to be for IP.

My husband and I are both from Massachusetts, so we don't have great ties to any areas outside of MA.

Honestly, your best bet is to go to school where you want to work, and if you want Boston then BU is the answer (though risky without a pretty decent scholarship).

[rufus&miles]

Honestly, your best bet is to go to school where you want to work, and if you want Boston then BU is the answer (though risky without a pretty decent scholarship).

Thanks! That is kind of how I am leaning (of course I am hoping I can negotiate a decent scholarship), but I know my husband can get a job in Boston, or commute to his current job a few hours away if needed, and some how that seems a little less scary than taking a scholarship and hoping he can get a job. I know this is all premature, but I wanted some kind of sanity check.

[spleenworship]

Honestly, your best bet is to go to school where you want to work, and if you want Boston then BU is the answer (though risky without a pretty decent scholarship).

Thanks! That is kind of how I am leaning (of course I am hoping I can negotiate a decent scholarship), but I know my husband can get a job in Boston, or commute to his current job a few hours away if needed, and some how that seems a little less scary than taking a scholarship and hoping he can get a job. I know this is all premature, but I wanted some kind of sanity check.

We ended up not moving to make my wife's job doable for us. Also because my mom is here to give us free child care.

That outweighed going somewhere else for us. Of course, it didn't hurt that this ended up being the second cheapest school for me after schollys added up.

What I would do in your situation is: Add up husband's salary for 3 years (or more, if he has a career/profession that a potential 3 year break would kill). Then add up the scholly money you got over 3 years at a location. Whichever one is bigger, go with that.

[nouseforaname123]

Honestly, your best bet is to go to school where you want to work, and if you want Boston then BU is the answer (though risky without a pretty decent scholarship).

Thanks! That is kind of how I am leaning (of course I am hoping I can negotiate a decent scholarship), but I know my husband can get a job in Boston, or commute to his current job a few hours away if needed, and some how that seems a little less scary than taking a scholarship and hoping he can get a job. I know this is all premature, but I wanted some kind of sanity check.

We ended up not moving to make my wife's job doable for us. Also because my mom is here to give us free child care.

That outweighed going somewhere else for us. Of course, it didn't hurt that this ended up being the second cheapest school for me after schollys added up.

What I would do in your situation is: Add up husband's salary for 3 years (or more, if he has a career/profession that a potential 3 year break would kill). Then add up the scholly money you got over 3 years at a location. Whichever one is bigger, go with that.

Nah. It sounds like she's trying to go biglaw and she needs every advantage she can get. She has to consider location as part of the equation. I'm not suggesting she pay full sticker for BU/BC over substantial scholarships at a Midwest T25. Having said that, IUB, even if it costs less, isn't going to be as good for her goals as BU/BC/GW. She also has to factor in her ties to the markets these schools feed.

I'm not sure where the exact tipping point is, but if BU/BC are around $50k more expensive than the other options, I would still take BU/BC (after factoring in financial aid and the husband's job).

[spleenworship]

Honestly, your best bet is to go to school where you want to work, and if you want Boston then BU is the answer (though risky without a pretty decent scholarship).

Thanks! That is kind of how I am leaning (of course I am hoping I can negotiate a decent scholarship), but I know my husband can get a job in Boston, or commute to his current job a few hours away if needed, and some how that seems a little less scary than taking a scholarship and hoping he can get a job. I know this is all premature, but I wanted some kind of sanity check.

We ended up not moving to make my wife's job doable for us. Also because my mom is here to give us free child care.

That outweighed going somewhere else for us. Of course, it didn't hurt that this ended up being the second cheapest school for me after schollys added up.

What I would do in your situation is: Add up husband's salary for 3 years (or more, if he has a career/profession that a potential 3 year break would kill). Then add up the scholly money you got over 3 years at a location. Whichever one is bigger, go with that.

Nah. It sounds like she's trying to go biglaw and she needs every advantage she can get. She has to consider location as part of the equation. I'm not suggesting she pay full sticker for BU/BC over substantial scholarships at a Midwest T25. Having said that, IUB, even if it costs less, isn't going to be as good for her goals as BU/BC/GW. She also has to factor in her ties to the markets these schools feed.

I'm not sure where the exact tipping point is, but if BU/BC are around $50k more expensive than the other options, I would still take BU/BC (after factoring in financial aid and the husband's job).

If she is doing IP, then she doesn't have to worry about location quite as much. A good T1 school with patent bar passage is prolly gonna get the job done, IMO. Hell, I'm at a T2 and someone in IP here got a job with an IP firm in Dallas doing biglaw.

[nouseforaname123]

Nah. It sounds like she's trying to go biglaw and she needs every advantage she can get. She has to consider location as part of the equation. I'm not suggesting she pay full sticker for BU/BC over substantial scholarships at a Midwest T25. Having said that, IUB, even if it costs less, isn't going to be as good for her goals as BU/BC/GW. She also has to factor in her ties to the markets these schools feed.

I'm not sure where the exact tipping point is, but if BU/BC are around $50k more expensive than the other options, I would still take BU/BC (after factoring in financial aid and the husband's job).

If she is doing IP, then she doesn't have to worry about location quite as much. A good T1 school with patent bar passage is prolly gonna get the job done, IMO. Hell, I'm at a T2 and someone in IP here got a job with an IP firm in Dallas doing biglaw.

You're right that she doesn't have to worry about location as much, but she should consider it. IP people do have it easier, but IP is far from a sure thing. Thus, I don't think this comes down to a simple cost analysis. She's from New England and is probably going to be going for biglaw work. I don't know where the tipping point is, but I think BU/BC (and perhaps GW) are worth some extra cost over, say, IUB.

[spleenworship]

Nah. It sounds like she's trying to go biglaw and she needs every advantage she can get. She has to consider location as part of the equation. I'm not suggesting she pay full sticker for BU/BC over substantial scholarships at a Midwest T25. Having said that, IUB, even if it costs less, isn't going to be as good for her goals as BU/BC/GW. She also has to factor in her ties to the markets these schools feed.

I'm not sure where the exact tipping point is, but if BU/BC are around $50k more expensive than the other options, I would still take BU/BC (after factoring in financial aid and the husband's job).

If she is doing IP, then she doesn't have to worry about location quite as much. A good T1 school with patent bar passage is prolly gonna get the job done, IMO. Hell, I'm at a T2 and someone in IP here got a job with an IP firm in Dallas doing biglaw.

You're right that she doesn't have to worry about location as much, but she should consider it. IP people do have it easier, but IP is far from a sure thing. Thus, I don't think this comes down to a simple cost analysis. She's from New England and is probably going to be going for biglaw work. I don't know where the tipping point is, but I think BU/BC (and perhaps GW) are worth some extra cost over, say, IUB.

Fair enough.

[Pip42]

I was wondering what insight my fellow 30+ folks could give me on my situation. I have been accepted to a number of schools that are between 1.5 - 3 hours away. Does anyone have experience of doing a longish distance weekly commute for law school? What I mean by that is that I would live in the law school city during the week but drive home for the weekends/holidays/breaks etc. I own a home, have a wife and a dog, etc. My wife has a job and would prefer not to move.

Has anyone done this or something similar?

[anonstudent]

Just found this thread and checking in! I'm 30, married, and have a toddler. A little nervous about doing 1L with a kid, but I'm really excited to start next year.

Its not as hard as you fear it will be, provided you are willing to lose a little sleep. Welcome and good luck!

Thanks! Good to hear. Definitely used to losing sleep at this point

I even did OK when my second arrived at the beginning of spring semester. You just don't let your mind and body tell you what to do and power through it and you'll be OK. I honestly believe it is impossible to be top 5% with kids (no one I know with kids is that high), but top 10% is possible, though unlikely (only 1 person out of 20 or so in my class with kids made top 10%). That said, above median and even top 25% are totally possible even with kids and zero sleep. You just have to manage your time better than the 24 year old lucky ass childless bastards (and jealousy, you have to manage that as well, which I'm not so good at).

I've even maintained top 25% while maintaining a relationship with my kids and wife. It's hard sometimes, but you can do it.

[Tabemaju]

Resurrecting this thread. I was all set to go this year, but our living plans fell through, and my total debt burden increased about 50k to around 110-120k once I'm done with school and now I don't know what to do. I'll probably put it off another year, like I do every year. There's no way I can make that 100k T4 debt-turd smell good in a mid-market city.

[spleenworship]

Resurrecting this thread. I was all set to go this year, but our living plans fell through, and my total debt burden increased about 50k to around 110-120k once I'm done with school and now I don't know what to do. I'll probably put it off another year, like I do every year. There's no way I can make that 100k T4 debt-turd smell good in a mid-market city.

Sorry to hear, but it sounds like you are making a good decision.

[Void]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

[danitt]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

[Void]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

Nah-you'll be fine. It was a little weird for me being 6-7 years older than my peers. It doesn't sound like much but when I think back to being 23 years old I was such a stupid, different person then. But I made friends with the youngins and dont think too much about it now. In terms of hiring, it's never even come up for me. I think people just sort of assume you're around the same age as everyone else.

[chem!]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

You are both infants compared to me. I question my sanity everyday. I won't be surprised if I'm the oldest 1L at SMU.

[A. Nony Mouse]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

You are both infants compared to me. I question my sanity everyday. I won't be surprised if I'm the oldest 1L at SMU.

I was 39 when I started, and I was the oldest woman in my class (there were 2 guys in their 40s). And my contracts prof kept mixing up me and the second-oldest-woman in the class, even though we looked NOTHING alike.

[spleenworship]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

You are both infants compared to me. I question my sanity everyday. I won't be surprised if I'm the oldest 1L at SMU.

Meh. I have two 50 year old women and a 41 year old woman in my 2L class. Also got a 67 year old man and another in his mid fortys. Several of us are in our 30s as well. While some schools have higher k-JD ratios, I'd be surprised if there wasn't at least one other student aproximately your age.

[chem!]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

You are both infants compared to me. I question my sanity everyday. I won't be surprised if I'm the oldest 1L at SMU.

Meh. I have two 50 year old women and a 41 year old woman in my 2L class. Also got a 67 year old man and another in his mid fortys. Several of us are in our 30s as well. While some schools have higher k-JD ratios, I'd be surprised if there wasn't at least one other student aproximately your age.

I'm hoping for older so I can feel youthful.

[spleenworship]

I'm hoping for older so I can feel youthful.

I saw the pic of you during that one thread. IIRC, you could be mistaken for 29 easily.

[rebexness]

<-- 31 year old married 3L, reporting for duty and feeling older than dry shit.

At least you're a 3L. I'm turning 32 in my first 1L semester. Sometimes I worry that I waited too long.

I turn 30 right before I become a 1L. Luckily I look 23.

[chem!]

I'm hoping for older so I can feel youthful.

I saw the pic of you during that one thread. IIRC, you could be mistaken for 29 easily.

TYTY. We just got home last night from your fair state. If I thought I could get a good job there, I'd move there in a hot second. The appeal of actually having outdoor activities is huge.

[spleenworship]

I'm hoping for older so I can feel youthful.

I saw the pic of you during that one thread. IIRC, you could be mistaken for 29 easily.

TYTY. We just got home last night from your fair state. If I thought I could get a good job there, I'd move there in a hot second. The appeal of actually having outdoor activities is huge.

I'll hire you for my firm after you graduate if you want. I'm planning to make enough to retire 20 years post graduation doing plaintiffs' work. Chem & Spleen, LLC. Attys at Law.

Think about it!

[chem!]

I'm hoping for older so I can feel youthful.

I saw the pic of you during that one thread. IIRC, you could be mistaken for 29 easily.

TYTY. We just got home last night from your fair state. If I thought I could get a good job there, I'd move there in a hot second. The appeal of actually having outdoor activities is huge.

I'll hire you for my firm after you graduate if you want. I'm planning to make enough to retire 20 years post graduation doing plaintiffs' work. Chem & Spleen, LLC. Attys at Law.

Think about it!

The name has a certain je ne sais quoi about it.

[Void]

Chem, Spleen & Void, maybe?