Top Law Schools

pancakes3 wrote:75% scholarship still piles up 100k debt? How?

twenty wrote:Furthermore, CA Western requires you to be in the top 33% of your class to maintain your scholarship. Since law school grades truly are random for as far as you're concerned, that means you have about a 33% chance of retaining your scholarship.

CWvsSU wrote:I have always been interested in going to school in CA, and I currently live in Seattle. In addition, I already have lined up my 1L summer with a very prestigious position based on personal contacts and past work experience. With those aspects in mind, would you take California Western with 100k scholarship (75% scholarship) which requires I maintain a C average or better or Seattle U at full tuition?

Thanks for your input.

CWvsSU wrote:

twenty wrote:Furthermore, CA Western requires you to be in the top 33% of your class to maintain your scholarship. Since law school grades truly are random for as far as you're concerned, that means you have about a 33% chance of retaining your scholarship.

The scholarship requires I maintain a C average or better (76).

pancakes3 wrote:75% scholarship still piles up 100k debt? How?

Ti Malice wrote:

pancakes3 wrote:75% scholarship still piles up 100k debt? How?

How wouldn't it? Remaining tuition plus fees, books, health insurance, San Diego rent, bills, food, clothes, household items, transportation expenses. It adds up.

Moneytrees wrote: San Diego rent is relatively cheap.

Moneytrees wrote: I mean realistically, it wouldn't be 100k.

Ti Malice wrote:

Moneytrees wrote: San Diego rent is relatively cheap.

Relative to what? San Francisco rent? Manhattan rent?

Moneytrees wrote: I mean realistically, it wouldn't be 100k.

No, it very easily could be. It could very easily be considerably more.

With tuition increases, he'll be borrowing for ~$35K (pre-interest) for tuition alone. With Grad PLUS loans, he's looking at ~$3K just in origination fees over the three years. If he borrows for the stated remaining cost of attendance, like most students, he's looking at ~$130K of debt at the start of repayment. If he borrows for just two-thirds of the stated remaining COA ($16K per year for everything but tuition, with ~$700 of that going down the toilet each year just for the privilege of taking out the loan), then he'll owe right around $100K at repayment.

It would take more than a "reasonably modest" lifestyle for him to enter repayment with significantly less than $100K in loan debt from Cal Western.

Moneytrees wrote:I reall

Ti Malice wrote:

Moneytrees wrote: San Diego rent is relatively cheap.

Relative to what? San Francisco rent? Manhattan rent?

Moneytrees wrote: I mean realistically, it wouldn't be 100k.

No, it very easily could be. It could very easily be considerably more.

With tuition increases, he'll be borrowing for ~$35K (pre-interest) for tuition alone. With Grad PLUS loans, he's looking at ~$3K just in origination fees over the three years. If he borrows for the stated remaining cost of attendance, like most students, he's looking at ~$130K of debt at the start of repayment. If he borrows for just two-thirds of the stated remaining COA ($16K per year for everything but tuition, with ~$700 of that going down the toilet each year just for the privilege of taking out the loan), then he'll owe right around $100K at repayment.

It would take more than a "reasonably modest" lifestyle for him to enter repayment with significantly less than $100K in loan debt from Cal Western.

Cost of attendance is obviously not 25 grand a year, if you are living reasonably modestly. I know this because I lived in San Diego. If cost of law school is around 35, it would be pretty hard to spend another 40, let alone 65, over 3 years.

Rent in San Diego is cheap relative to most major cities. If you have a roommate, you can live near the Gaslamp District or in Little Italy for around 800 bucks a month. If you move inland a bit or decide to get a cheap place near La Jolla, you can have your own room for around 600 dollars a month (you would be splitting an apartment with other people, though).

I spent around 15 grand a year in living expenses in college. Maybe even less. Granted, I was a poor college kid and lived very modestly. Perhaps I'm underestimating cost of living. I just have a very hard time seeing how you could spend 70 thousand dollars on rent, food and basic amenities in 3 years. San Diego isn't Manhattan or SF.

Moneytrees wrote:I reall

Ti Malice wrote:

Moneytrees wrote: San Diego rent is relatively cheap.

Relative to what? San Francisco rent? Manhattan rent?

Moneytrees wrote: I mean realistically, it wouldn't be 100k.

No, it very easily could be. It could very easily be considerably more.

With tuition increases, he'll be borrowing for ~$35K (pre-interest) for tuition alone. With Grad PLUS loans, he's looking at ~$3K just in origination fees over the three years. If he borrows for the stated remaining cost of attendance, like most students, he's looking at ~$130K of debt at the start of repayment. If he borrows for just two-thirds of the stated remaining COA ($16K per year for everything but tuition, with ~$700 of that going down the toilet each year just for the privilege of taking out the loan), then he'll owe right around $100K at repayment.

It would take more than a "reasonably modest" lifestyle for him to enter repayment with significantly less than $100K in loan debt from Cal Western.

Cost of attendance is obviously not 25 grand a year, if you are living reasonably modestly. I know this because I lived in San Diego. If cost of law school is around 35, it would be pretty hard to spend another 40, let alone 65, over 3 years.

Rent in San Diego is cheap relative to most major cities. If you have a roommate, you can live near the Gaslamp District or in Little Italy for around 800 bucks a month. If you move inland a bit or decide to get a cheap place near La Jolla, you can have your own room for around 600 dollars a month (you would be splitting an apartment with other people, though).

I spent around 15 grand a year in living expenses in college. Maybe even less. Granted, I was a poor college kid and lived very modestly. Perhaps I'm underestimating cost of living. I just have a very hard time seeing how you could spend 70 thousand dollars on rent, food and basic amenities in 3 years. San Diego isn't Manhattan or SF.

TheSpanishMain wrote:Both are potentially life ruining. Do not attend either even if free.

cron1834 wrote:Ti Malice is very definitely correct about living expenses. $40k for the full gamut of life expenses (including interest) in SD for 3 years is a laughable suggestion, even if you cheat on health ins somehow.

That said, this doesn't seem like an op that wants honest feedback...

Moneytrees wrote:

cron1834 wrote:Ti Malice is very definitely correct about living expenses. $40k for the full gamut of life expenses (including interest) in SD for 3 years is a laughable suggestion, even if you cheat on health ins somehow.

That said, this doesn't seem like an op that wants honest feedback...

I think it's very realistic. I personally did it. Sure, if he lives in the Gaslamp, travels a ton, and borrows every cent of tuition, it could get pricey. I still think it would fall way below 100k, though. A good friend of mine lives in Del Mar (very close to SD and a generally affluent area) and landed a pretty good job out of college. Despite that, he's been renting a room from a family for 500 bucks a month. Our friends make fun of him for still living like he's in college at 26, but his living expenses are very low. OP could easily swing something similar and spend around 15k a year on rent, food and basic amenities.

If you spend 70 thousand dollars in 3 years, you are not living a modest lifestyle, simple as that. Anyways, OP, you should listen to what everyone on here is saying. It's for your own good.