Top Law Schools

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Moneytrees wrote:I wanted to run this by you, and get some thoughts back.

Largely due to the advice given by this website's community, I decided about a month ago to retake the LSAT and re-apply to law school next year (163/3.6). However, I just received a full scholarship to Washington and Lee. This scholarship doesn't just cover tuition. It covers every expense, including COL and books. My first reaction was to disregard and stay on course with the LSAT retake. However, should I be walking away from an offer like this so swiftly? It's tough to turn down, even though I know the employment numbers are not encouraging. Any thoughts? Feedback is appreciated.

Where you gonna practice?

manillabay wrote:

Moneytrees wrote:I wanted to run this by you, and get some thoughts back.

Largely due to the advice given by this website's community, I decided about a month ago to retake the LSAT and re-apply to law school next year (163/3.6). However, I just received a full scholarship to Washington and Lee. This scholarship doesn't just cover tuition. It covers every expense, including COL and books. My first reaction was to disregard and stay on course with the LSAT retake. However, should I be walking away from an offer like this so swiftly? It's tough to turn down, even though I know the employment numbers are not encouraging. Any thoughts? Feedback is appreciated.

Where you gonna practice?

I would like to practice in NYC, or California.

Moneytrees wrote:

manillabay wrote:

Moneytrees wrote:I wanted to run this by you, and get some thoughts back.

Largely due to the advice given by this website's community, I decided about a month ago to retake the LSAT and re-apply to law school next year (163/3.6). However, I just received a full scholarship to Washington and Lee. This scholarship doesn't just cover tuition. It covers every expense, including COL and books. My first reaction was to disregard and stay on course with the LSAT retake. However, should I be walking away from an offer like this so swiftly? It's tough to turn down, even though I know the employment numbers are not encouraging. Any thoughts? Feedback is appreciated.

Where you gonna practice?

I would like to practice in NYC, or California.

For those goals, stick to your plans of re-applying, it's just too regional of a school to make those locations realistic. It doesn't carry much weight outside of its (particularly isolated) home

I wouldn't go, even for free. You have at best a 50/50 shot of becoming a lawyer. Not worth it.

You're not going to get NY or CA out of W&L. Chances are that you won't get any job out of W&L. Continue with the retake plan.

North wrote:You're not going to get NY or CA out of W&L. Chances are that you won't get any job out of W&L. Continue with the retake plan.

Yes...

W&L-----> No job ever----> Poverty--->.....

manillabay wrote:

North wrote:You're not going to get NY or CA out of W&L. Chances are that you won't get any job out of W&L. Continue with the retake plan.

Yes...

W&L-----> No job ever----> Poverty--->.....

Okay, would you prefer that you have a coin flip chance of getting any lawyer job? Cause that's pretty accurate. And that's if you consider 49.2%=50%

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=wl

HTH

manillabay wrote:

North wrote:You're not going to get NY or CA out of W&L. Chances are that you won't get any job out of W&L. Continue with the retake plan.

Yes...

W&L-----> No job ever----> Poverty--->.....

Of 130 2012 grads, 7 went on to work in NYC. None reported going to CA. ETA: Note that those 7 in NY aren't necessarily employed in full time, JD required jobs, either.

Of those 130, 32 are in VA (where OP doesn't want to be), 43 are completely unemployed wherever they want to be.

That's not close to worth three years of lost income given OP's goals.

all you want bro

matthewsean85 wrote:

manillabay wrote:

North wrote:You're not going to get NY or CA out of W&L. Chances are that you won't get any job out of W&L. Continue with the retake plan.

Yes...

W&L-----> No job ever----> Poverty--->.....

Okay, would you prefer that you have a coin flip chance of getting any lawyer job? Cause that's pretty accurate. And that's if you consider 49.2%=50%

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=wl

HTH

WOW. HOW was this the ranked 26th school last year? I thought it's employment #s would be closer to BC/BC/Notre Dame. This is pretty bad.

ManoftheHour wrote: WOW. HOW was this the ranked 26th school last year? I thought it's employment #s would be closer to BC/BC/Notre Dame. This is pretty bad.

Prestige with old partners and judges.

Damn, thats a killer offer! I'd refer you to this thread http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5&t=226852. And recommend that you PM the person to try and gain some perspective outside of this site and LST.

I think the main things you have to ask yourself are:
What would your loss of income be for the three years?
How good are you at capitalizing on alumni networks?
How averse to living in the south are you

The W&L GOB network runs deep and I've seen first hand a few friends get hooked up from it. Considering that they will pay you to go there I'm having a hard time seeing a real downside as long as you can open your mind to the south and you're not making tons of money at your current job. I'm pretty sure they will also pay for you to go out and visit and I would definitely do that if possible to get a feel for the school.

Also, if you have an SO the place is pretty isolated so unless they pay for he/she to move out there with you that distance thing could get tough.

Congrats on that offer!

Dude--this is a pretty good offer. If you could make peace with working in Virginia/mid south, and your life does not depend on CA, NYC, or big law, this ain't bad man.

Here is the link to the 2013 employment stats, which are better than the ones on LST (2012):

http://law.wlu.edu/admissions/nalp/ABAE ... ry2014.pdf

They place a few in NY -- 12 (in a class of 143). Most placement is in the South, but rather spread out within the South.

DportIA wrote:Dude--this is a pretty good offer. If you could make peace with working in Virginia/mid south, and your life does not depend on CA, NYC, or big law, this ain't bad man.

There's no reason to attend any school that only finds 50% of its graduates in JD required jobs. None.

You're still giving up three years of your life + salary.

With a 3.6 and a 170+, OP will be looking at T10 with cash. Sure it's a generous offer, but OP still has a ton of potential to maximize. Also, not like it won't be there next year. W&L is looking desperate, and we know what that means.

DportIA wrote:Dude--this is a pretty good offer. If you could make peace with working in Virginia/mid south, and your life does not depend on CA, NYC, or big law, this ain't bad man.

This place is TTT. Don't go. OP, you had it right the first time. Retake and reapply. There's this guy named Tiago Splitter on here. He has a lower GPA than yours and he goes to Columbia. That could be you if you can score a 170+.

How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

Anyway, the LST reports tell it all. Only 50% of graduates are employed in full-time, long-term positions. Not. Good. Retake! Even if you are worried about losing an offer (an offer that you never really wanted that much to begin with) it will probably still be there next year even if you don't improve (which you almost certainly will with the right study attitude).

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

It's a TTT.

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

THIS. There's no way you get close to a full ride at a t14 with a 3.6 and certainly not with a COL stipend. To the posters above worried about OPs loss of income for the three years thats a tough argument having no idea what OPs income is. The 14k a year from the school could be way more than they are making if they are working part time and living at their parent's. With just a full ride on tuition I'd be with everyone else but with COL paid you have a legitimate chance of leaving law school with money in the bank. AND you can always pull the plug on law school whenever you want without having to scramble to find a job to service the 60k or whatever you'd dump into 1L year. Yes, only 50% got law jobs but quite frankly, if you're in the bottom half at a t14 with a half-ride you're really not in a great spot.

Maybe this s just hindsight coming from a t14 3L with a job lined up but it really seems like a COL stipend is a great deal. Had any schools offered me the COL stipend I think I would have gone for it.

FlanAl wrote:

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

THIS. There's no way you get close to a full ride at a t14 with a 3.6 and certainly not with a COL stipend. To the posters above worried about OPs loss of income for the three years thats a tough argument having no idea what OPs income is. The 14k a year from the school could be way more than they are making if they are working part time and living at their parent's. With just a full ride on tuition I'd be with everyone else but with COL paid you have a legitimate chance of leaving law school with money in the bank. AND you can always pull the plug on law school whenever you want without having to scramble to find a job to service the 60k or whatever you'd dump into 1L year. Yes, only 50% got law jobs but quite frankly, if you're in the bottom half at a t14 with a half-ride you're really not in a great spot.

Maybe this s just hindsight coming from a t14 3L with a job lined up but it really seems like a COL stipend is a great deal. Had any schools offered me the COL stipend I think I would have gone for it.

Yeah but this school is a dump and doesn't place in the OP's target market

Also, wouldn't be surprised if there are sTTTips but I could be wrong about that

FlanAl wrote:

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

THIS. There's no way you get close to a full ride at a t14 with a 3.6 and certainly not with a COL stipend. To the posters above worried about OPs loss of income for the three years thats a tough argument having no idea what OPs income is. The 14k a year from the school could be way more than they are making if they are working part time and living at their parent's. With just a full ride on tuition I'd be with everyone else but with COL paid you have a legitimate chance of leaving law school with money in the bank. AND you can always pull the plug on law school whenever you want without having to scramble to find a job to service the 60k or whatever you'd dump into 1L year. Yes, only 50% got law jobs but quite frankly, if you're in the bottom half at a t14 with a half-ride you're really not in a great spot.

Maybe this s just hindsight coming from a t14 3L with a job lined up but it really seems like a COL stipend is a great deal. Had any schools offered me the COL stipend I think I would have gone for it.

No debt is no doubt great dude.

But no debt in exchange for a 50% chance at a job, and then even if you get a job it won't be anywhere near where you want to live and will probably not pay very much at all, it not a good deal. Then on top of that there's OP's lost income for the time to pursue that deal.

ManoftheHour wrote:

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

It's a TTT.

So? The OP is right about at median for Washington and Lee. It is not like we are talking about Cooley.

WaltGrace83 wrote:

ManoftheHour wrote:

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

It's a TTT.

So? The OP is right about at median for Washington and Lee. It is not like we are talking about Cooley.

Median numbers are as good as 4.0/180 for usnwr

Nova wrote:

WaltGrace83 wrote:

ManoftheHour wrote:

WaltGrace83 wrote:How the hell did you get a full ride+stipend with a 163/3.6?!

It's a TTT.

So? The OP is right about at median for Washington and Lee. It is not like we are talking about Cooley.

Median numbers are as good as 4.0/180 for usnwr

I may be ignorant here but is being above median really THAT huge? I thought median-median numbers would be getting a small scholarship and 75%-75% numbers would be getting a HUGE scholarship and 25%-50% for both numbers would be just getting accepted. This is all generally speaking of course.