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Background:
-Took LSAT under less than ideal situations in fall, got a 161 - 8 points below average.c
- 22, dual major, about to finish UG in MAy
- GPA is 3.4

Predicament: Both parents are lawyers and are very successful in my less than desirable state (WV). They have "talked" about forming their own practice when I finish law school which means I would be my own boss and make $$$. The only law school I was admitted to that I would consider was my state university with a full scholarship. I was hoping on taking a year and retaking the test and going somewhere better as I do not know that I want to live in said state and work in family practice.

The deal breaker: My parents got extremely angry and said that if I want to wait a year than I need to get a job (not a problem) AND that they will make me take out student loans for whatever school I attend.

Their stupidity: They were willing to pay sticker at UK or Tennessee this time around, however, they think that it does not matter where you get your law degree, as long as you pass the bar in said state you can find work. Example - a law grad from U of Phoenix can get into private practice in NYC straight away.

I have no idea what to do?! - The thought of cutting myself off in WV for the rest of my life is undesirable but so is $200K worth of debt.

I am in DIRE need of advice.

Most people pay for law school in loans. IMHO, you are in an adult, do what you think is best for your future -- you're parent's opinions matter, but they are fallible human beings none the less. If it's getting out debt free is your top priority, do that; if it's having the option to go to the highest ranked school possible, do that.

It sounds to me like you can get a higher LSAT score on a retake and open up a lot more doors (and more scholarship opportunities). Good Luck!

Pastels wrote:Background:
-Took LSAT under less than ideal situations in fall, got a 161 - 8 points below average.c
- 22, dual major, about to finish UG in MAy
- GPA is 3.4

Predicament: Both parents are lawyers and are very successful in my less than desirable state (WV). They have "talked" about forming their own practice when I finish law school which means I would be my own boss and make $$$. The only law school I was admitted to that I would consider was my state university with a full scholarship. I was hoping on taking a year and retaking the test and going somewhere better as I do not know that I want to live in said state and work in family practice.

The deal breaker: My parents got extremely angry and said that if I want to wait a year than I need to get a job (not a problem) AND that they will make me take out student loans for whatever school I attend.

Their stupidity: They were willing to pay sticker at UK or Tennessee this time around, however, they think that it does not matter where you get your law degree, as long as you pass the bar in said state you can find work.

I have no idea what to do?! - The thought of cutting myself off in WV for the rest of my life is undesirable but so is $200K worth of debt.

I am in DIRE need of advice.

Retake, get the 169 and take a heavy scholarship at a T20 if you think you might want out. Maybe you'll kill it and put a near-full ride into play or get into a T14. Your parents may come around and chip in if you can work the proud parent angle with a good enough school... and having the family practice as a backup would be ideal if you don't make Biglaw cutoffs wherever you are.

Facing significant debt for a school of a choice is something many (most?) law school students have to face. So it really depends on how risk-averse you are. It would help to know what school(s) you want to go to and then look at how a 3.4/169 performs there. (With the caveat, of course, that there's no guarantee you will get that score (and many people overestimate how well they will do in the clutch) and schools may average your LSAT anyway).

You can see a sampling here:
http://search.lawschoolnumbers.com/user ... Cycle=0910

Wait a minute. You're parents are telling you that you can get a job coming from any law school. According to TLS you'll be lucky to get a doc review job from HYS.

Don't let your parents punk you. If you know you don't want to be in WV and u know you don't want to be in your family's practice then you know what to do. Law school may cost $200k but piece of mind is priceless (sounding like a credit card company was not intentional).

Edit: If you do go a different school and end up with no job will your parents let you come back to their practice and still pay $$$? If so thats even more reason to go off to school

Your subject line speaks for itself. You must do what you believe to be right (in state or retake, I am not picking a side), or else you might regret it for the rest of your life.

FYI, if you get in the upper 160s, with a 3.4 GPA you're looking at ~half scholarships to T20-T30 most likely.

I'd take the guaranteed job, but that's just me.

My parents make some very very good coin. I will say above 500K and less than 800K, each. Hence, this is why this has become so difficult.

pany1985 wrote:I'd take the guaranteed job, but that's just me.

The reason it is so enticing is it would be a 4 person firm with all of their business. I would be my own boss at 25 making some serious coin.

Pastels wrote:My parents make some very very good coin. I will say above 500K and less than 800K, each. Hence, this is why this has become so difficult.

Do you mind sharing where they went to law school?

So is it just a burning desire to get the hell out of WV that makes you want to pass up the free tuition law school and guaranteed high-paying job?

Mom went to WVU, father went to Tennessee.

and no, I want to come back to WV either way as I would be making more than 99% of lawyers in the US if you factor in WV COL compared to NYC COL. Plus I would own my own practice. I just want to get a quality education and mobility just in case something happens.

Pastels wrote:

pany1985 wrote:I'd take the guaranteed job, but that's just me.

The reason it is so enticing is it would be a 4 person firm with all of their business. I would be my own boss at 25 making some serious coin.

So why is this a dilemma? Most 2Ls and 3Ls would have killed to be in your situation. Way too many pros here to turn it down:

-Your parents will help significantly with law school
-You will have a guaranteed job
-While all of your other classmates are stressing about mass mails and OCI, you'll be hanging out playing X-Box
-Once you start practice, you will make very good money
-Your parents already have a solid client base, which will be shared with you once you join them
-You'll pretty much be your own boss and you'll be set for life with the family firm

LOL I'd go to Cooley if it meant I would have a guaranteed practice of my own right after school.

Pastels wrote:Mom went to WVU, father went to Tennessee.

and no, I want to come back to WV either way as I would be making more than 99% of lawyers in the US if you factor in WV COL compared to NYC COL. Plus I would own my own practice. I just want to get a quality education and mobility just in case something happens.

This is an absolute no-brainer. You want to practice in WV, you have mega-bucks to go to WV, and you have family ties to the legal market in WV.

With that much money in WV, you can probably buy a whole town

Yes, I know. However, WV is a bit bland and being a young person there is very unappealing.

I'd go to WVU in a heartbeat, unless, of course, I really really hated living in WV. I don't think you appreciate the current state of the legal job market. Most TLSers would kill to be in your position (maybe "most" is an overstatement given you will have to live in WV). But, c'mon, if you like your mom and dad, have friends in WV, and have a full-ride to WVU, this is a no-brainer.

IMO, from the information posted, you should listen to your parents. You would be nuts to not understand what they are offering. If you decided to not take their counsel, I think they are correct in going another way with their practice.

Pastels wrote:Yes, I know. However, WV is a bit bland and being a young person there is very unappealing.

Having been to West Virginia, I can definitely sympathize with this. However, that's some serious money and it sounds like you'd be getting some pretty solid experience. Also, you could always work until your parents retire, sell the firm, and live the rest of your life on a yacht in the Bahamas....would beat the hell out of working 80 hour weeks for the rest of your life.

Man, stay in Morgantown. I was close to going there myself, but I'm the first in my family who isn't a West Virginia resident, although the coal is in my blood. It's a good school if you want to be in West Virginia, you'll make good connections and you get to live in a beautiful place. It's in the top 100 now, but those rankings are a whole lotta bullshit once you get in that region anyway. The school really cares about the people and the state. It's a great setup because the legislature leans on the school pretty hard to only admit in-state applicants or those with bona fide connections. As you know and said, any money in West Virginia makes you a pretty high earner, and Morgantown is a great place to be if you're 22. At least it has been when I've been back.

And as long as your parents are handing out jobs, I'd gladly take one, especially if it's close to Nicholas County. You'd also get to see the rebirth of a basketball dynasty. But, seriously, the state needs good attorneys, and your state school will serve you well.

AngryAvocado wrote:

Pastels wrote:Yes, I know. However, WV is a bit bland and being a young person there is very unappealing.

Having been to West Virginia, I can definitely sympathize with this. However, that's some serious money and it sounds like you'd be getting some pretty solid experience. Also, you could always work until your parents retire, sell the firm, and live the rest of your life on a yacht in the Bahamas....would beat the hell out of working 80 hour weeks for the rest of your life.

True, and that is just it. I was told to never take a job just for the pay check. Life would be easy, but there would be no action and I guess I would always wonder what if? However, if I do wait a year and do score a 169 on the LSAT and get maybe 15K a year at a school like Emory. I have waited a year, I am now 130K in debt, I work long hours, I start from the bottom. Who knows? I could still end up in WV

The only downside is living in WV, but damn.... that $$$ looks nice.

Your desire to leave WV has more to do with the fact that you are 22, and less to do with what is best for you in the long run. Man up.

Maybe you should go to WVU and just spend your summers on sunny beaches.