GULC - Is it worth it? Forum

[Vronsky]

I have heard of a 2010 GULC grad who now lives at home with parents because she couldn't get a job. I have seen reference to T13; have had professors advisor me that GULC is not materially better than, say Fordham or my current T2 with law review. If the recession for some reason hit harder, why?

What is up with Georgetown's changing reputation? How are career prospects for big law, clerkships, and academia at GULC compared to say, UVA?

For tuition, assume that current T2 will pay 50-75% scholarship vs. sticker $45k.

[vanwinkle]

Career prospects for clerkships and academia are pretty low for any of your possibilities. GULC, UVA, or T2 w/LR are all possible but incredibly unlikely.

GULC's reputation problems stem from a few things:

1) Being at the bottom of the T14, which makes it easier to pick on.

2) Having a large class size. 600 kids to place a year means that even if they place the same percentage of their class in a given area as other schools, the remaining pool of dissatisfied students is much larger.

3) Being in DC, which is an incredibly hard market to get into and the target of so many of the top HYS kids that even the folks at GULC with top grades and LR face stiff competition. Unlike many T14s it's not even dominant in its home market.

4) UVA competes in DC, but it's also got a number of students who want to practice in the state of Virginia, and a large number who go there intending to work in NYC. Given that it's got a smaller class size and more people focused on places other than DC, you've got a smaller number of students each year there than at GULC who both got shut out in DC and really care.

All of that said... it depends on where your T2 is. If it's in a market/state/region you'd be happy working in (and I hope it is since you chose to go there) then you're going to be in a fairly good position when you graduate. People harp on 0Ls going to T2s because you can't know how well you're going to do going in and that decreases your odds of job success substantially, but you've already earned the one thing that's necessary to dramatically increase your success rate, and that's get fabulous grades. (Plus, you're doing it at dramatically lower cost than you'd incur if you did transfer.)

I do mean, of course, grades sufficient to put you on LR and allow you to transfer up to the T14. Those must be the kind of grades you have. Right?

[Vronsky]

Yeah, I fairly aced first semester and figure to be at least borderline to grade onto law review, T5%.

I figure i have a decent shot at EA and a reasonably likely shot for RD. I am really interested in applying early and getting accepted to gtown for 1) ability to compete in the may LR competition in DC and 2) earlier time to politely ask my dean to increase scholarship to 75%.

however i also figure i have a fighting chance at CLS and NYU. i have been advised that those are a whole different caliber, and worth sticker and no LR in the face of full scholarship and LR at a T2.

my current T2 happens to be in the NYC market, but i'm not all that impressed with placement.

In the NYC big law market, how do GULC (with and without LR), UVA, and St.Johns/Brooklyn/Hofstra/SetonHall-ish with LR compare?

[thexfactor]

Yeah, I fairly aced first semester and figure to be at least borderline to grade onto law review, T5%.

I figure i have a decent shot at EA and a reasonably likely shot for RD. I am really interested in applying early and getting accepted to gtown for 1) ability to compete in the may LR competition in DC and 2) earlier time to politely ask my dean to increase scholarship to 75%.

however i also figure i have a fighting chance at CLS and NYU. i have been advised that those are a whole different caliber, and worth sticker and no LR in the face of full scholarship and LR at a T2.

my current T2 happens to be in the NYC market, but i'm not all that impressed with placement.

In the NYC big law market, how do GULC (with and without LR), UVA, and St.Johns/Brooklyn/Hofstra/SetonHall-ish with LR compare?

Words of caution: I know someone at my old LS who was top 5% first semester and dropped to top 15% after 2nd semester. He didn't apply to GULC first semester because he was "confident" that he would get into a better school. He ended up going to a school like emory/bc

[vanwinkle]

GULC EA is non-binding, so if you want the option, it's worth it to apply... you can always turn it down later.

[Vronsky]

if someone drops from T5% to T15% that means he blew chunks on exams the second time around. i'm really focusing on bringing my grades up a slight bit.

i def. am applying EA, and also applying CLS and NYU. but realistically i'm thinking GULC is more likely.

The difference to me is is >$50k in debt vs. $150k+

so, how realistic is NYC big law from above mentioned T2 w/LR? If i can't get big law, it's not worth it to stay in the city. of course, with minimal debt and LR at a decent T2, i would have a bit more freedom.