Am I making a good decision (BU)? Forum
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Am I making a good decision (BU)?
I’m likely headed to Boston University with a $35k/year scholarship.
I’m very interested in Biglaw, and I’d like to end up in Boston/elsewhere in New England/NYC (in that order).
I am worried about missing Biglaw out of BU, especially since we may be headed into a recession. I’m primarily interested in T&E/Private Client BL, which I understand is a very niche practice area. I’m planning on pursuing a joint Tax LLM after graduation. Is BU with $35k/year a solid option for my goals? Will BU’s reputation allow me to work in T&E? Any thoughts are appreciated.
I’m very interested in Biglaw, and I’d like to end up in Boston/elsewhere in New England/NYC (in that order).
I am worried about missing Biglaw out of BU, especially since we may be headed into a recession. I’m primarily interested in T&E/Private Client BL, which I understand is a very niche practice area. I’m planning on pursuing a joint Tax LLM after graduation. Is BU with $35k/year a solid option for my goals? Will BU’s reputation allow me to work in T&E? Any thoughts are appreciated.
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
I do some T&E stuff. And know plenty more who actually do real T&E. Yeah, BU is fine for going to do your LLM (honestly, most schools are totally fine option for that, but as you slide down you need stronger grades). And, as I'm sure you know, LLMs are really only worth doing at NYU, Gtown and FL.
Do I think you're making a mistake? No. I chose a similar path (BU peer but further South... and slightly weaker stats than BU), but my goal was not biglaw (and I didn't get biglaw). But my debt load was only 60ishk (essentially living expenses).
Sometimes wish I had chose full scholarship to local state U with stipend, but honestly, you've gotta make thee decision.
Going to BU with a scholarship certainly isn't a bad decision.
If I were biglaw or bust though I'd consider reapplying next year and aiming for T14.
Do I think you're making a mistake? No. I chose a similar path (BU peer but further South... and slightly weaker stats than BU), but my goal was not biglaw (and I didn't get biglaw). But my debt load was only 60ishk (essentially living expenses).
Sometimes wish I had chose full scholarship to local state U with stipend, but honestly, you've gotta make thee decision.
Going to BU with a scholarship certainly isn't a bad decision.
If I were biglaw or bust though I'd consider reapplying next year and aiming for T14.
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
Do you know of any BigLaw firms in Boston that have a T&E/Private Client BL practice? If there are any, how many members of the group, and what schools are the recent associates from?Nectarineenmity wrote: ↑Fri Jun 10, 2022 12:14 pmI’m likely headed to Boston University with a $35k/year scholarship.
I’m very interested in Biglaw, and I’d like to end up in Boston/elsewhere in New England/NYC (in that order).
I am worried about missing Biglaw out of BU, especially since we may be headed into a recession. I’m primarily interested in T&E/Private Client BL, which I understand is a very niche practice area. I’m planning on pursuing a joint Tax LLM after graduation. Is BU with $35k/year a solid option for my goals? Will BU’s reputation allow me to work in T&E? Any thoughts are appreciated.
- cavalier1138
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
What matters more to you: being in Boston or being in biglaw?
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
As a rising 2L at BU and with my entire class just off OCIs, I have a pretty good idea of how many got BL and how many were left floating. First question, are you an URM? from personal experience and from friends that are not I can tell you that if you are an URM BU will have events for you to network with lawyers almost weekly sometimes 2-3 times a week, this should set you up nicely for 2L SA BL. Two of my best friends that are not URMs are transferring to other schools, they both got the BL jobs they aimed for but it's basically because they were top %5 and got the job without any help from BU, their reasons for transferring were in their words "they promised they would help me get a BL job and I've had 2 network events the whole semester while everyone else is getting 2 a week, I've had to do this s#yt by myself while everyone else in the class is getting help".
With that being said even if you're not an URM you have a shot at BL in Boston as long as you're in the top 30% of your class, just keep in mind that the T&E/ Private client jobs in Boston are quite limited. Most likely outcome if you come to BU would be BL in litigation or PE in Boston with some outside shots at landing BL elsewhere depending on your grades.
With that being said even if you're not an URM you have a shot at BL in Boston as long as you're in the top 30% of your class, just keep in mind that the T&E/ Private client jobs in Boston are quite limited. Most likely outcome if you come to BU would be BL in litigation or PE in Boston with some outside shots at landing BL elsewhere depending on your grades.
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
I hope it's not too late to write something.
There are no guarantees in this world. The recession is already among us despite what the politicians say—we've had two quarters of negative GDP growth this year. We are in a recession right now by definition. Regarding your decision to attend BU, think very carefully about the COA (tuition+books+living expenses), the nature of biglaw work, and the odds of getting biglaw from BU.
In any case, 75k+ in loans is a risky proposition. I go to law school myself at a T50. I could've applied ED to a place like Vandy or BU and ended up with 100k+ in tuition debt. I thank my past self every day for not doing that and taking the full tuition+stipend deal at a local regional school instead. You might not be like me. You might even have a devil-may-care, bring-it-on attitude toward the loans. But 75k+ in just tuition costs, plus accrued interest, is a serious thing to contemplate. Are you absolutely SURE you want biglaw? Do you know what the work entails? I've met enough people in 1L and during my internship who went into law school all starry-eyed and wanted to do tax law or such. Well... it didn't work out for many of them. People change their minds all the time, and what you want right now may not be something you want 6 or 12 or 24 months from now. Being obligated to repay that much money could spell disaster for you.
Then again, it's none of my business. I'm just a habitual internet user who knows very little. The decision is yours to make and no one else's.
There are no guarantees in this world. The recession is already among us despite what the politicians say—we've had two quarters of negative GDP growth this year. We are in a recession right now by definition. Regarding your decision to attend BU, think very carefully about the COA (tuition+books+living expenses), the nature of biglaw work, and the odds of getting biglaw from BU.
In any case, 75k+ in loans is a risky proposition. I go to law school myself at a T50. I could've applied ED to a place like Vandy or BU and ended up with 100k+ in tuition debt. I thank my past self every day for not doing that and taking the full tuition+stipend deal at a local regional school instead. You might not be like me. You might even have a devil-may-care, bring-it-on attitude toward the loans. But 75k+ in just tuition costs, plus accrued interest, is a serious thing to contemplate. Are you absolutely SURE you want biglaw? Do you know what the work entails? I've met enough people in 1L and during my internship who went into law school all starry-eyed and wanted to do tax law or such. Well... it didn't work out for many of them. People change their minds all the time, and what you want right now may not be something you want 6 or 12 or 24 months from now. Being obligated to repay that much money could spell disaster for you.
Then again, it's none of my business. I'm just a habitual internet user who knows very little. The decision is yours to make and no one else's.
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
- a "recession" with 3.5% unemployment doesn't sound so scary for jobseekersAllegro3935 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:36 amThere are no guarantees in this world. The recession is already among us despite what the politicians say—we've had two quarters of negative GDP growth this year. We are in a recession right now by definition. Regarding your decision to attend BU, think very carefully about the COA (tuition+books+living expenses), the nature of biglaw work, and the odds of getting biglaw from BU.
- not sure how macroeconomic conditions in 2022 matter for the Class of 2025 anyway
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
You are probably not making a good decision. With current tuition rates, $35k a year does not go far enough with a fourth year LLM and big law is still a coin flip or worse. Large firms are spinning off their T&E practices. There are not many big or mid law jobs "elsewhere in New England" which probably refers to Portland/Providence/Hartford. Retake.Nectarineenmity wrote: ↑Fri Jun 10, 2022 12:14 pmI’m likely headed to Boston University with a $35k/year scholarship.
I’m very interested in Biglaw, and I’d like to end up in Boston/elsewhere in New England/NYC (in that order).
I am worried about missing Biglaw out of BU, especially since we may be headed into a recession. I’m primarily interested in T&E/Private Client BL, which I understand is a very niche practice area. I’m planning on pursuing a joint Tax LLM after graduation. Is BU with $35k/year a solid option for my goals? Will BU’s reputation allow me to work in T&E? Any thoughts are appreciated.
- nealric
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
Well, OCI for the incoming class is August of 2023, so it's not really that far away. But nobody has any idea what hiring demand will really look like in 2023. I started law school in 2007. The 2Ls who had just finished OCI told us "don't worry, everyone gets jobs." We all know how different 2008 was. But the opposite can be just as true.The Lsat Airbender wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:52 am- a "recession" with 3.5% unemployment doesn't sound so scary for jobseekersAllegro3935 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:36 amThere are no guarantees in this world. The recession is already among us despite what the politicians say—we've had two quarters of negative GDP growth this year. We are in a recession right now by definition. Regarding your decision to attend BU, think very carefully about the COA (tuition+books+living expenses), the nature of biglaw work, and the odds of getting biglaw from BU.
- not sure how macroeconomic conditions in 2022 matter for the Class of 2025 anyway
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Re: Am I making a good decision (BU)?
Along with others I would advise you against "timing the market." Things can change a lot in a just a year or two. I would also NOT going in thinking about a tax LLM. You might take a few tax courses and hate it! Your goals will likely change a lot. I went into law school with no intention of clerking or doing patent law, and ended up clerking on the federal circuit.
BU is fine for biglaw as long as you study hard and definitely do not mess around 1 L year. Take lots of practice exams. It is the key.
-Chris
BU is fine for biglaw as long as you study hard and definitely do not mess around 1 L year. Take lots of practice exams. It is the key.
-Chris