International going to Tier 2..should I just not go? Forum

[ykim5]

I am an international student.
I worked very hard and managed to get 162 on my lsat
I applied to many great schools but I got rejected from all of them
and my only accepted school is case west (and I don't know why but they think I am top candidate and they are giving me scholarship..)
but since all my friends who got into tier 1 tells me that (not knowing my situation) tier 2 is not worth it.. and will never find job..
as international stuent.. does that mean I spent boat load of cash and slave for 3 years and
won't be able to find job in U.S?
should I just pack everything and be happy being a mom and a wife..?

[andreea7]

I am an international student.
I worked very hard and managed to get 162 on my lsat
I applied to many great schools but I got rejected from all of them
and my only accepted school is case west (and I don't know why but they think I am top candidate and they are giving me scholarship..)
but since all my friends who got into tier 1 tells me that (not knowing my situation) tier 2 is not worth it.. and will never find job..
as international stuent.. does that mean I spent boat load of cash and slave for 3 years and
won't be able to find job in U.S?
should I just pack everything and be happy being a mom and a wife..?

Hi,

I think if you were only accepted to tier 2 schools you should probably go to the school that will mean less debt for you. I don't know that just because you go to tier 2 you will not find a job -- obviously people do go to those schools. However, it depends on your plans. The school you go to will probably determine where you will be able to get a job upon graduation. You can't go to a Tier 2 school in Virginia, let's say, and then decide you want to work in Chicago. If you want to have a better chance at a job, you will have to work really hard and be among the top students.

I don't know your immigration situation though. As many international students you will face the difficulty of not only having to find a job but also finding a job with a firm that will be willing to sponsor your visa/green card. I have friends who came here to school and then discovered they cannot stay because no one was willing to sponsor their visa.

The visa issue aside, for my money, it is worth going into debt only for the really big-name schools like Columbia/Yale/Harvard, etc. not for those that have low ranks or are in Tier 2. So if you have a choice between a scholarship and paying for a university go to the one with the scholarship. And then try to get some jobs during summers and maybe some part-time gig during your second and third year. As far as I know the first year is very important so having a job then may not be the best idea. Just be very focused during your time in school, make good connections, impress one or two professors by doing research for them, etc. and find a good place for yourself. Use the career office to the maximum to make sure your are not missing out on any deadlines/opportunities. You know best your limits and whether you can make it to the top. Just don't underestimate the writing/reading requirements and be honest with yourself as to whether you are ready. I say this as someone who moved to the U.S. in 2005 and know the obstacles people from other countries face here.

Good luck!

[cupcakess]

Well, you won't be able to do this after you graduate...

But seriously, your LSAT isn't that bad. Which Tier 1 schools did you apply to? I find it hard to believe that none of them would accept you.

[ykim5]

My gpa was low 3.15....
because.. I went through major postpartum depression for 1 year and that crahsed my GPA...
I guess we can't afford depression to be competitive

[Abrikos]

Well, you won't be able to do this after you graduate...

But seriously, your LSAT isn't that bad. Which Tier 1 schools did you apply to? I find it hard to believe that none of them would accept you.

Admission criteria is harsher for int. students. They don't have GPA, LSAC report says almost nothing but - International Student. So schools do not know where an applicant actually stands in the applicants' pool. So it is easier to reject them and accept those who have GPAs.
I know that because I was dinged from many schools where other applicants with my numbers got in easily.

My advice to the OP - do NOT go to law school if you are going to take debt. You are unlikely to be hired unless you are an outstanding student with lots of experience.