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I am applying to law school in the fall and am deciding what to do with my year until I go.

I can work for a consulting firm in Mexico City at Mexican salary (25 k plus housing and expenses) +5 k bonus potential
I can work for a private equity firm in LA for (60 k) + 5 k bonus potential

Both jobs are 60 hours a week. The theme/story for my law school apps is latin america. Will continuing to work abroad make any difference in admissions? I am coming from Bogota. Ideally I'd like to practice law with a focus in latin america, but i am hesitant to take a 35k a year pay cut especially considering i will be financing my education on my own and the thought of a mexican salary is counterintuitive to me at this point.

My question is--does it matter which one I take, and what do do about the money difference. The cost of living in LA with rent, car, car insurance will eat up a lot of the difference. I've worked in Mexico City before, so not worried about safety issue etc... For me it boils down to, living abroad, pay, and the story for my law schools apps.

need to decide today.

No, the work itself doesn't really matter. Do whichever one you think you would be happier doing.

Personally, the living abroad thing sounds better, and it might help somewhat with admissions. Small soft.

Since work experience doesn't matter THAT much, and is more of a soft, and EITHER of those jobs would be more impressive work experience than most other recent grads, just take the one that pays more.

because of your app's theme, i'd go with mexico city - cheaper COL, and you might get a few soft pts. since its been in the news lately.

If I were in your shoes would def. lean towards la ciudad. helLA ain't going no where. Be waiting for you when you want to unplug. I just enjoy being the foreigner a bit too much. I am sure for application purposes you could make either one pop off enough on paper. I do believe that if you rolled up on another human face to face and got into the Mexico City story it would carry a lot more weight.

End of the year what are we talking here in reality 10k difference to maintain a similar quality of life in either place. Plus you have a few years of law school waiting for you at the end of this little journey. Whatever will keep you inspired and allow you to be "knee deep" in this game of life.

Instinct should dictate, save the logical reasoning you have plenty of time for that coming at you....never know where you will end up though. Enjoy the ride. Both fine options.