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This question only regards to ED under the present circumstances. I've already spent many hours on LSP and LSN, and I'm not retaking.

Facts:

167 (1 score) & 3.65. Non-URM.
Lifelong CA resident--prefer to stay here.
Don't need big law--probably too old anyway.
10+ years WE. Half as a high school teacher, half as a small business owner.
Applying next cycle and blanketing the top twenty plus lower ranked CA schools.
Unsure about prestige versus $$ in many cases. (Full-ride Pepperdine versus sticker USC..?)

Thoughts on ED choices:

CCN- Not sure if one of these is more likely for me/more receptive to ED than the other two. I conflated them because LSN and LSP seem to show that I'm out at all three regardless of ED. Maybe I should swing for the fences and ED one of them anyway?
Penn - No idea.
Michigan - No idea again, but LSP actually puts my chances at less than Penn and Chicago.
Northwestern - I think that I have a decent shot RD, but I've heard that ED is actually more competitive because it comes with a full ride. (Not sure if it will next cycle.) So maybe this is a no go too.
UVA - No idea, and this really wouldn't even be on my list, but I have read many times on here that the credited response for people with my numbers is to ED UVA for the best shot at the top 10. I'm guessing I wouldn't get any money, though, and I probably don't want to be in Virginia. Maybe cracking the top 10 isn't worth it for me.
UCLA - I think I have a decent shot RD, and I may actually prefer USC +$$$, but ED to UCLA probably gives me the best chance at the highest ranked school in a place where I'd actually like to work.
Nowhere - Leaning toward this.

Thanks.

Have you thought about retaking? A lot of people are going to suggest this to you. It could increase your options. I had the same LSAT but a slightly higher GPA (3.7 range). I got into U of M RD but I think I lucked out. Definitely helped that I applied very early in the cycle (before Halloween.) I would probably hold off until next cycle.

Applying next cycle. Only option for retaking would be June, but it's not really feasible for me.

what do you want to do with your law degree?

Gov. PI. Friend is a public defender in northern CA, wouldn't mind something like that. Not opposed to big law, at least for a while, just not gunning for it.

Scuppers wrote:This question only regards to ED under the present circumstances. I've already spent many hours on LSP and LSN, and I'm not retaking.

Oops. I just revisited this. Reading comprehension fail.

Scuppers wrote:Gov. PI. Friend is a public defender in northern CA, wouldn't mind something like that. Not opposed to big law, at least for a while, just not gunning for it.

Given your goals and your unwillingness to retake, you shouldn't be planning to ED anywhere. You're out at any T14 anyway and at sticker you'd need biglaw to pay your debt. Go somewhere in the market where you want to work on full scholarship (or as close as possible) and avoid harsh stipulations. The schools in the lower T1 and T2 are largely interchangeable.

Nelson wrote:

Scuppers wrote:Gov. PI. Friend is a public defender in northern CA, wouldn't mind something like that. Not opposed to big law, at least for a while, just not gunning for it.

Given your goals and your unwillingness to retake, you shouldn't be planning to ED anywhere. You're out at any T14 anyway and at sticker you'd need biglaw to pay your debt. Go somewhere in the market where you want to work on full scholarship (or as close as possible) and avoid harsh stipulations. The schools in the lower T1 and T2 are largely interchangeable.

I don't think you're out at the T14, in fact a few 167/3.6s non-URMs were taken at Cornell/Michigan this year early on in the application cycle. Apply early. You are a CA resident, and at LSAT median at Berkeley & USC. Your extensive WE should make you competitive there. I would even say you're right on the money that USC would give you aid. However, I do agree that for PI, prestige isn't really king, so I'd think about taking money over prestige. ED may help you get into Michigan, but the problem with ED is it eliminates any incentive for schools to give you merit aid, so you could very well be stuck with sticker price.

tennisking88 wrote:

Nelson wrote:

Scuppers wrote:Gov. PI. Friend is a public defender in northern CA, wouldn't mind something like that. Not opposed to big law, at least for a while, just not gunning for it.

Given your goals and your unwillingness to retake, you shouldn't be planning to ED anywhere. You're out at any T14 anyway and at sticker you'd need biglaw to pay your debt. Go somewhere in the market where you want to work on full scholarship (or as close as possible) and avoid harsh stipulations. The schools in the lower T1 and T2 are largely interchangeable.

I don't think you're out at the T14, in fact a few 167/3.6s non-URMs were taken at Cornell/Michigan this year early on in the application cycle. Apply early. You are a CA resident, and at LSAT median at Berkeley & USC. Your extensive WE should make you competitive there. I would even say you're right on the money that USC would give you aid. However, I do agree that for PI, prestige isn't really king, so I'd think about taking money over prestige. ED may help you get into Michigan, but the problem with ED is it eliminates any incentive for schools to give you merit aid, so you could very well be stuck with sticker price.

Sticker price at Cornell or Michigan for someone who wants to work in PI in California and is mid-career? Sounds like a terrible idea.