Withdrew from NYU. Now what? Forum

[theseeker]

Made a big (personal) decision a few days ago and withdrew from NYU. Reasons:

-Faced over 200k in debt
-Feared the NYC firm lifestyle
-Wanting to live in the Southeast in the future
-Would like more post-law flexibility (read: less debt) in order to begin a family

So now I am reapplying this year to a variety of schools. Stats: LSAT: 173 (164 first time), GPA: 4.0 from Honors College at Large Public University, okay softs (overseas director of Central Asian NGO, lots of travel, etc.)

Now I am trying to balance schools in terms of prestige/job placement and financial aid.

What schools can expect close to full rides to? Any idea from current students/alumni at the following schools at how much debt I'll face? I have included several non-regional schools just in case they offer me (unexpectedly) nice offers.


Tulane (New Orleans)

UT (Austin)

University of Virginia (Charlottesville)

Vanderbilt (Nashville)

UC Berkeley (Berkeley)

University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)

Northwestern (Chicago)

Georgetown (DC)


Thanks for any info/advice!

[spondee]

Add Duke? I'd guess you could get money at Duke, Vanderbilt, and UVA. Try focusing on those three schools?

Since you dropped NYU because of cost and location, it would seem like Berkeley, Michigan, and Northwestern aren't any/much better.

[CanadianWolf]

Northwestern & Michigan may offer merit money & both have great, albeit very different, locations. Ann Arbor is a great place to go to school while Northwestern's Lake Michigan location near the Magnificent Mile is easily among the top sites of any college, university or law school.

[lawgod]

I wish you luck.
all I'm thinking about reading this thread is how it could help my various waitlist chances. I think I figured one out.

You could do the GW early decision with full ride but I think you may be able to do better than that.

[byunbee]

You should be a lock for significant scholarship $ at the lower half of the T14 if you get in. Take a look at lawschoolnumbers.com. It should give you an idea of the types of scholarships applicants with your numbers are getting at these schools.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

If you are looking to maximize scholarship money you need to apply to as many schools as possible since scholarship money can be unpredictable and you can attempt to leverage offers at some schools to get offers at others. Send out emails to as many schools as possible asking for a merit application fee waiver. You should apply to the latter half of the T14 + Texas, Vandy, UCLA at the very least. I would add WUSTL, Emory, Illinois, plus as many others in the 20-30 range you want to add. You should at the very least get significant money from Texas and Vandy. You're in very good shape to get some significant money from at least one of MVPDN.

[byunbee]

If you are looking to maximize scholarship money you need to apply to as many schools as possible since scholarship money can be unpredictable and you can attempt to leverage offers at some schools to get offers at others. Send out emails to as many schools as possible asking for a merit application fee waiver. You should apply to the latter half of the T14 + Texas, Vandy, UCLA at the very least. I would add WUSTL, Emory, Illinois, plus as many others in the 20-30 range you want to add. You should at the very least get significant money from Texas and Vandy. You're in very good shape to get some significant money from at least one of MVPDN.

WUSTL and Illinois hand out huge scholarships to high LSAT/high GPA applicants, I believe.

[Apple Tree]

I think you would have great chances getting (close to) full rides at Vandy/UT and some nice $$$ from UVA (probably not full ride though since I think they only give out 3 of those every year). With your numbers, I don't think you should go below Vandy/UT.