This Florida Boy Needs Some Help! Forum

[Marlin7]

Long time lurker, first-time poster. To make this short and simple, I am currently trying to decide where to attend in the fall. Vanderbilt with 50% scholarship or Miami Law with 100%. I am down to these two because I would like to practice real estate law/land use in the Florida area( targeting south Florida). I want to eventually work in development and really am trying to decide if I should go to Miami to help build a network and ingrain myself with the city, or go the higher ranked school and give myself of a much better chance of being employed after graduation. Any advice would be helpful I was born in South Florida went to UG at UF and have interned for members of Congress representing South Florida and currently work in Palm Beach County.

[jgloster]

Hey,

I'm not sure if I can help you much but it would cool if we could exchange contact info. I'm looking to go to University of Miami (they're trying to figure out scholarship amount), I have a background in urban planning and I hope to eventually work in development and real estate (hopefully in Miami).

Miami isn't that highly ranked but it's a beautiful school in a beautiful city and I can't wait to attend.

[kw25]

I've heard that it's not really worth the price tag for Top 20 schools if you don't plan on trying to get into biglaw-esque types of jobs. If you've grown up down there and want to end up there, I think getting out of U Miami debt free would be the way to go. Miami may not be highly ranked but it is well respected as far as I've ever heard. I've grown up/gone to school in Florida too, but at the very Northwest portion. Congrats on Vandy! So jealous. Still waiting for my rejection lol. Might see you at Miami if you decide to go with that. Good luck

[sparkytrainer]

I've heard that it's not really worth the price tag for Top 20 schools if you don't plan on trying to get into biglaw-esque types of jobs. If you've grown up down there and want to end up there, I think getting out of U Miami debt free would be the way to go. Miami may not be highly ranked but it is well respected as far as I've ever heard. I've grown up/gone to school in Florida too, but at the very Northwest portion. Congrats on Vandy! So jealous. Still waiting for my rejection lol. Might see you at Miami if you decide to go with that. Good luck

This is objectively false. The t13 schools have the best loan-repayment programs in the country. So you certainly don't need to get biglaw type of jobs. in fact, at my t13, a large portion are focusing on public service related jobs specifically because they could only afford to do that work under my school's loan repayment program.

UM is a decent school, but its employment rate is only 60 or so percent. Barely half the class will ever get a job as a practicing attorney. That is a scary number. Even for free, UM is not a great choice.

[Mr. Archer]

So you certainly don't need to get biglaw type of jobs. in fact, at my t13, a large portion are focusing on public service related jobs specifically because they could only afford to do that work under my school's loan repayment program.

UM is a decent school, but its employment rate is only 60 or so percent. Barely half the class will ever get a job as a practicing attorney. That is a scary number. Even for free, UM is not a great choice.

I don't see anything in OP's post to suggest he want to do public service. So the information about loan repayment doesn't matter. Also, it's complete bullshit to say half of UM's class will never get a job as a practicing attorney. Just look at the 60 percent you threw out.

Vandy is certainly a better school. But Miami is obviously going to be well-respected in South Florida, and there will be a huge alumni network. For free, Miami is much better than tons of schools. I don't know if I could pass up Vandy, but Miami wouldn't be a bad choice.

[sparkytrainer]

So you certainly don't need to get biglaw type of jobs. in fact, at my t13, a large portion are focusing on public service related jobs specifically because they could only afford to do that work under my school's loan repayment program.

UM is a decent school, but its employment rate is only 60 or so percent. Barely half the class will ever get a job as a practicing attorney. That is a scary number. Even for free, UM is not a great choice.

I don't see anything in OP's post to suggest he want to do public service. So the information about loan repayment doesn't matter. Also, it's complete bullshit to say half of UM's class will never get a job as a practicing attorney. Just look at the 60 percent you threw out.

Vandy is certainly a better school. But Miami is obviously going to be well-respected in South Florida, and there will be a huge alumni network. For free, Miami is much better than tons of schools. I don't know if I could pass up Vandy, but Miami wouldn't be a bad choice.

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/miami/jobs/

LST reports only 64.7% of UM grads get legal jobs. So that number is not bullshit. But please, go on about how 65% legal job placement is a good number. Further, I agree OP didn't say anything about public interest, but I was merely responding to how wrong your first comment was.

UM at free might be a fairly acceptable choice, but it is not in any way a great choice.

[kw25]

So you certainly don't need to get biglaw type of jobs. in fact, at my t13, a large portion are focusing on public service related jobs specifically because they could only afford to do that work under my school's loan repayment program.

UM is a decent school, but its employment rate is only 60 or so percent. Barely half the class will ever get a job as a practicing attorney. That is a scary number. Even for free, UM is not a great choice.

I don't see anything in OP's post to suggest he want to do public service. So the information about loan repayment doesn't matter. Also, it's complete bullshit to say half of UM's class will never get a job as a practicing attorney. Just look at the 60 percent you threw out.

Vandy is certainly a better school. But Miami is obviously going to be well-respected in South Florida, and there will be a huge alumni network. For free, Miami is much better than tons of schools. I don't know if I could pass up Vandy, but Miami wouldn't be a bad choice.

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/miami/jobs/

LST reports only 64.7% of UM grads get legal jobs. So that number is not bullshit. But please, go on about how 65% legal job placement is a good number. Further, I agree OP didn't say anything about public interest, but I was merely responding to how wrong your first comment was.

UM at free might be a fairly acceptable choice, but it is not in any way a great choice.

Would just like to point out that I was not the one to call your stats bullshit, lol. But in response to your reply, I did not say you have to get a biglaw job to pay off your debt. I meant it's not worth the price tag if you don't want to get into biglaw as in, don't pay for Cornell if you just want to move back to your small hometown and own a one-attorney family law/criminal defense firm. Not that that's what OP said they wanted to do, or Miami is a small town, scenario just seemed to fit along the same lines of that point. Sorry, should have been more clear.

[Mr. Archer]

LST reports only 64.7% of UM grads get legal jobs. So that number is not bullshit. But please, go on about how 65% legal job placement is a good number. Further, I agree OP didn't say anything about public interest, but I was merely responding to how wrong your first comment was.

UM at free might be a fairly acceptable choice, but it is not in any way a great choice.

65% is more than half of 100%. So, like I said, your statement about "barely half" is bullshit based on your own stats. I did not say it was a good number, so your comment about going on about it doesn't make sense. It's not great, but with no debt it's not a bad risk.

[Marlin7]

Hey,

I'm not sure if I can help you much but it would cool if we could exchange contact info. I'm looking to go to University of Miami (they're trying to figure out scholarship amount), I have a background in urban planning and I hope to eventually work in development and real estate (hopefully in Miami).

Miami isn't that highly ranked but it's a beautiful school in a beautiful city and I can't wait to attend.

--Just shoot me a message!