Chances at Hofstra? Forum

[boat343]

3.73 gpa, but bombed the thing with a 150. First generation college student and some pretty serious softs and LORs. Anybody have any experience with Hofstra and know if they will give me a look? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[whymeohgodno]

retake

[reverendt]

Absolutely retake. From a 150 the LSAT is very improvable.
5 points higher would make a big difference. 10 points higher would be a complete game changer.
Your GPA is very nice. Get a high 150s - 160 and Hofstra will give you money.

[HeavenWood]

retake

This. You also don't want to go to Hofstra.

[Grizz]

retake

This. You also don't want to go to Hofstra.

[reasonable_man]

I have to be honest... As a practicing lawyer in NY, I regard Hofstra as the very worst law school in the region.. Well below Touro and Pace. Its just an awful law school. I beg you, rethink your choice.

[HeavenWood]

I have to be honest... As a practicing lawyer in NY, I regard Hofstra as the very worst law school in the region.. Well below Touro and Pace. Its just an awful law school. I beg you, rethink your choice.

I knew Hofstra was a bad choice, but I didn't know its reputation amongst practicing NYC attorneys was that low.

EDIT: Better?

[reasonable_man]

I have to be honest... As a practicing lawyer in NY, I regard Hofstra as the very worst law school in the region.. Well below Touro and Pace. Its just an awful law school. I beg you, rethink your choice.

I knew Hofstra was a bad choice, but I didn't know its lay prestige was that low.

You're a quick one aint ya?

[northwood]

long island is super expensive to live. Assuming you get in, you will pay full tuition, and have a high cost of living.

study hard, and try again next cycle

best of luck

[HeavenWood]

I have to be honest... As a practicing lawyer in NY, I regard Hofstra as the very worst law school in the region.. Well below Touro and Pace. Its just an awful law school. I beg you, rethink your choice.

I knew Hofstra was a bad choice, but I didn't know its lay prestige was that low.

You're a quick one aint ya?

Why the attitude? I'm surprised to hear that Hofstra, a TT school is considered in a worse light than Pace and Touro.

[beachbum]

I have to be honest... As a practicing lawyer in NY, I regard Hofstra as the very worst law school in the region.. Well below Touro and Pace. Its just an awful law school. I beg you, rethink your choice.

I knew Hofstra was a bad choice, but I didn't know its lay prestige was that low.

It's all the same below Fordham (Cornell?). A bad decision is a bad decision regardless of what name it goes by.

[Aqualibrium]

Hofstra's estimated total cost of attendance is something like 65,000/year. With those numbers, even if you get in, you'll be paying sticker. It may not be the best idea to take out 195k in loans to go to what is one of the three worst schools in the state?

[Grizz]

Hofstra's estimated total cost of attendance is something like 65,000/year. With those numbers, even if you get in, you'll be paying sticker. It may not be the best idea to take out 195k in loans to go to what is one of the three worst schools in the state?

It is however, a very lulzy idea.

[reasonable_man]

I have to be honest... As a practicing lawyer in NY, I regard Hofstra as the very worst law school in the region.. Well below Touro and Pace. Its just an awful law school. I beg you, rethink your choice.

I knew Hofstra was a bad choice, but I didn't know its lay prestige was that low.

You're a quick one aint ya?

Why the attitude? I'm surprised to hear that Hofstra, a TT school is considered in a worse light than Pace and Touro.

Well lets see... My post says... As a lawyer, I regard Hofstra as one of the worst schools in the region and you respond by saying that you were surprised that the school has such poor lay prestige... So what exactly makes my opinion equal to that of a lay person?

[HeavenWood]

Well lets see... My post says... As a lawyer, I regard Hofstra as one of the worst schools in the region and you respond by saying that you were surprised that the school has such poor lay prestige... So what exactly makes my opinion equal to that of a lay person?

It's almost one in the morning, and I've been editing papers for hours. Forgive me for the slip.

[JLR]

Please do not assume thoughts expressed on this forum are gospel. As a practicing lawyer in New York for the last thirty years, I do not share the negative view of Hofstra. FWIW, in my opinion, once you get below Columbia, NYU, Cornell and perhaps Fordham, the rest (St. Johns, Brooklyn, Cardozo, Hofstra) are fairly similar until you drop below that to NYLS, Pace and Touro. After your first job, you will likely never get asked again where you went to law school. Also, better law schools do not necessarily equate with better lawyers. All in all, Hofstra is a fine law school.

[Ragged]

retake

This. You also don't want to go to Hofstra.

[nealric]

After your first job, you will likely never get asked again where you went to law school.

But when you look for your second job, the opportunities open to you will be largely dependent on the nature of your first job. The nature of your first job will be largely determined by where you went to law school.

[Aqualibrium]

Please do not assume thoughts expressed on this forum are gospel. As a practicing lawyer in New York for the last thirty years, I do not share the negative view of Hofstra. FWIW, in my opinion, once you get below Columbia, NYU, Cornell and perhaps Fordham, the rest (St. Johns, Brooklyn, Cardozo, Hofstra) are fairly similar until you drop below that to NYLS, Pace and Touro. After your first job, you will likely never get asked again where you went to law school. Also, better law schools do not necessarily equate with better lawyers. All in all, Hofstra is a fine law school.

You should be disbarred for in any way shape or form encouraging someone to pay 195k to go to Hofstra.

Also:

Every law school I have seen suggests applying early. However, I will be taking the LSAT for the first (and hopefully only time) on October 9. I intend to send in as many apps as I can before that date (and before November 1). So, when a law school looks at the date that I applied, will it be keyed to when my app went in or when it was complete(i.e. after receipt of my LSAT score)?

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5#p3288695

So you've been practicing for over 30 years, but you're applying to law school this cycle?

[JLR]

Super sleuth--first post written by my daughter before she had an account set up--most recent by me. Way to keep your eye on the ball.

[Aqualibrium]

Super sleuth--first post written by my daughter before she had an account set up--most recent by me. Way to keep your eye on the ball.

You're giving me too much credit. You've only got 8 posts. It wasn't difficult. On topic though, you noted that St. Johns, Brooklyn, Cardozo, Hofstra are all essentially the same thing when it comes to New York. Do you seriously believe any of these schools, despite the fact that they are "all in all fine schools," are a good investment for someone paying sticker price?

[reasonable_man]

Super sleuth--first post written by my daughter before she had an account set up--most recent by me. Way to keep your eye on the ball.

Frankly, I don't believe you, but that is totally besides the point.

Hofstra is absolutely a cut below Brooklyn SJU, Etc. That isn't saying much, but its a fact. Generally, I agree with the idea that once you drop below the very top schools, to a large extent, all law schools are about the same. However, Hofstra grads, in my experieince, always seem a bit, well, slow. Moreover, the school's bar pass rate is typically awful and there have been several media leaks over the years about the school pushing kids in the lower third of the class to not take the bar until February, so that they will not hurt the school's bar pass rate.

I had the displeasure of studying for the Bar at Hofstra (bar review course was held there).. The building is like a fucking junior high school and the students that hailed from Hofstra looked like mildly reformed jersey shore casting call rejects. The whole opperation is a fucking disaster.

[boat343]

Man, this stuff is gold. You guys really go at it on here.

I have no experience in the matter, but, I would surmise that if you do well at Hofstra, you will be ok. They do have a ridiculously high average starting salary. Obviously, they played with the numbers because we all know it is not par-for-the-course for Hofstra grads to be making a median of 160k. However, some are making that--it's an objective fact. More than likely, the top 10% of the class at Hofstra (or any of the decent New York law schools for that matter) land great jobs. Now, I know you can't just say, "well, I'm gonna be top 10%" due to all the variables and such. But, if you don't make top 10% at Hofstra, you might not have been able to do it anywhere else. In that case, it would be on me and I failed.

Unless I do get a tremendous offer for a great career opportunity, my ultimate goal is to go back into the military in the JAG program. There are loan forgiveness options associated with that. Also, I'm dirt poor so I'm sure I qualify for some kind of grant, as well as having some GI bill left. I believe my debt will be more around 135k. And, it's gonna be that anywhere not named Phoenix College Law.

I don't have great options due to the all-knowing all-wise standardized test of standardized tests, so I'm gonna kinda get what I get. I know it's not optimal, but, I'm not the prodigy that is ever gonna bang-out a 170--or even a 165 for that matter. However, after reading how some people studied for the LSAT I know realize I probbbbaaably could have done a little more... I just took the Kaplan classes, did the homework and called it good.

Thank you all for the insight. This has been really helpful/entertaining.

[beachbum]

Man, this stuff is gold. You guys really go at it on here.

I have no experience in the matter, but, I would surmise that if you do well at Hofstra, you will be ok. They do have a ridiculously high average starting salary. Obviously, they played with the numbers because we all know it is not par-for-the-course for Hofstra grads to be making a median of 160k. However, some are making that--it's an objective fact. More than likely, the top 10% of the class at Hofstra (or any of the decent New York law schools for that matter) land great jobs. Now, I know you can't just say, "well, I'm gonna be top 10%" due to all the variables and such. But, if you don't make top 10% at Hofstra, you might not have been able to do it anywhere else. In that case, it would be on me and I failed.

Unless I do get a tremendous offer for a great career opportunity, my ultimate goal is to go back into the military in the JAG program. There are loan forgiveness options associated with that. Also, I'm dirt poor so I'm sure I qualify for some kind of grant, as well as having some GI bill left. I believe my debt will be more around 135k. And, it's gonna be that anywhere not named Phoenix College Law.

I don't have great options due to the all-knowing all-wise standardized test of standardized tests, so I'm gonna kinda get what I get. I know it's not optimal, but, I'm not the prodigy that is ever gonna bang-out a 170--or even a 165 for that matter. However, after reading how some people studied for the LSAT I know realize I probbbbaaably could have done a little more... I just took the Kaplan classes, did the homework and called it good.

Thank you all for the insight. This has been really helpful/entertaining.

Yikes. Good luck with that.

Edit for clarification:

The chances of you getting a good job out of Hofstra are minimal. The chances of you getting a job that can justify $135k in debt are small enough to not even merit discussion. You're likely going to need better than top 10% ITE, though assuming top grades is, as you know (or don't know?), a bad decision. You're almost definitely not going to get JAG (which is very selective) out of Hofstra. And yes, a $160k median reported salary is laughable and, in almost all respects, a complete fabrication.

$135k in nondischargeable debt for a Hofstra JD is probably going to be the single worst financial decision of your foreseeable future. And combine that with the fact that you (admittedly) didn't study enough for the LSAT, and all signs point to you making a gigantic mistake. So uh... Yikes. Good luck with that.

[reasonable_man]

Man, this stuff is gold. You guys really go at it on here.

I have no experience in the matter, but, I would surmise that if you do well at Hofstra, you will be ok. They do have a ridiculously high average starting salary. Obviously, they played with the numbers because we all know it is not par-for-the-course for Hofstra grads to be making a median of 160k. However, some are making that--it's an objective fact. More than likely, the top 10% of the class at Hofstra (or any of the decent New York law schools for that matter) land great jobs. Now, I know you can't just say, "well, I'm gonna be top 10%" due to all the variables and such. But, if you don't make top 10% at Hofstra, you might not have been able to do it anywhere else. In that case, it would be on me and I failed.

Unless I do get a tremendous offer for a great career opportunity, my ultimate goal is to go back into the military in the JAG program. There are loan forgiveness options associated with that. Also, I'm dirt poor so I'm sure I qualify for some kind of grant, as well as having some GI bill left. I believe my debt will be more around 135k. And, it's gonna be that anywhere not named Phoenix College Law.

I don't have great options due to the all-knowing all-wise standardized test of standardized tests, so I'm gonna kinda get what I get. I know it's not optimal, but, I'm not the prodigy that is ever gonna bang-out a 170--or even a 165 for that matter. However, after reading how some people studied for the LSAT I know realize I probbbbaaably could have done a little more... I just took the Kaplan classes, did the homework and called it good.

Thank you all for the insight. This has been really helpful/entertaining.

Umm.. Wow... If you believe that the top 10% of Hofstra gets "great" jobs; you really are kidding yourself... I personally know a good handful of Hofstra Law grads that were in the top 10% and enjoyed an extended period of unemployment following their graduation from good ole Hofstra and then took jobs earning 50 to 70k... That's the top 10%... I'd hate to even guess how the poor slobs at the median faired..

Also, to which LRAP at Hofrsta are you referencing here? Cause I'm pretty sure Hofstra isn't going to help you re-pay any loans, no matter what kind of work you're doing..