Cincinnati area schools (Chase, UD) /other ohio schools Forum

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

I have applied to a 7 schools, mostly in ohio. I live in the Cincinnati area and was wanting some thought on the schools I have applied and been accepted to. I didn't have everything together to apply to UC, Case, OSU. I have applied to NKU Chase, UD, ONU, Capital, Toledo, Cleveland St, and Coastal Florida (random I know, but using as a measuring of where I stand, plus I have family in Jacksonville). I have been accepted to Coastal and Ohio Northern to date. I believe my stats have me in a decent place of getting into most - all of the schools listed. Any thought on the strength of the programs / getting a job after graduation from firms outside the city they are located? Also, if anyone attends any of these schools and your thoughts on them.

[the lantern]

I wouldn't go to any of those schools except maybe Cleveland State for free. If you're from Ohio, you know just how much all those areas (ONU, Toledo, Dayton) suck. There are no jobs there (read: no home market where grads dominate) and the areas are not nice places to live. I wouldn't want to compete with UC, OSU, Case grads in any of the big cities. I have a friend at CSU who says the school is great, but I would say I am very very skeptical and would thus only attend there w/ a significant scholarship. Would you really pay 150k to go to a school like Northern Kentucky or Coastal Florida???

[TTH]

If you can get into OSU or UC, I'd consider waiting a year and reapplying. If not, Cleveland-Marshall and NKU are the only schools worth considering off your list.

ONU - No exit options, and who wants to live "on the way to Lima" for three years?
Toledo - No exit options, and entirely too close to Michigan
Dayton - No jobs.
Capital - Worst law school in Ohio
Fla. Coastal - Worse law school in FL?

CSU does decently well in Cleveland, and NKU does okay in Cincinnati from what I can tell.

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

ONU offered 23,000.00 to me, which makes me consider it more. I agree, there is nothing great about Lima. Tanks for the thoughts, seems like you both see Cleveland as a "decent" school.

[the lantern]

Well, I don't really know anything, so don't make your decision off what I say. I say ONU sucks but I've lived in this area my whole life and I know what the job market here is like, so really it isn't "ONU sucks," it is "NW Ohio sucks." I have a friend who graduated from ONU 6 years ago and makes 400k+ a year in a firm he started. Obviously he is not typical, but I just wanted to throw that out there so that you don't take me too seriously.

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

no I appreciate the thoughts. ONU has scared me a bit, but I feel the money they offer makes it less than OSU / UC to me and, I can't get into either this year. Is it wrong to go in planning to apply to transfer out?

[deadpanic]

Is it wrong to go in planning to apply to transfer out?

Yes. Transferring is never ever a guarantee.

If you have the numbers to attend OSU, UC or Case then sit out a year and apply in September to these schools. Cleveland-Marshall or Northern KY are decent options, but only if you are okay with working in Cleveland or Cinci, respectively. Also, these schools are not #1 in their regions, but CM seems to have a really good alumni network in the Cleveland area.

[bworsowicz]

I would say that barring UC, Case, and TOSU, the "other" school in each of those cities would be a worthwhile option with significant scholarship money. Remember that each of those schools has a respectable USNWR ranking, and thus draws applicants nationally and places graduates in a larger region, so while competition in the city is a concern, it becomes less so when you consider that very few UC, Case, and TOSU grads are looking for jobs in 8 attorney firms in Marysville or the Guernsey County PD's office - the sort of job that is in the wheelhouse of a T3 or T4 grad with a reduced debt load due to scholarship money. As far as Toledo, Dayton, ONU, and Akron, those are all in dying cities with dying economies (with the exception of ONU, which has no city or economy locally). If it's down to those 4, either reapply next year or go to Dayton and gun hard for a job at WPAFB.

Just my $.02

[baboon309]

If you can get into OSU or UC, I'd consider waiting a year and reapplying. If not, Cleveland-Marshall and NKU are the only schools worth considering off your list.

ONU - No exit options, and who wants to live "on the way to Lima" for three years?
CSU does decently well in Cleveland, and NKU does okay in Cincinnati from what I can tell.

Huh? there is a Lima in Ohio?

[bworsowicz]

If you can get into OSU or UC, I'd consider waiting a year and reapplying. If not, Cleveland-Marshall and NKU are the only schools worth considering off your list.

ONU - No exit options, and who wants to live "on the way to Lima" for three years?
CSU does decently well in Cleveland, and NKU does okay in Cincinnati from what I can tell.

Huh? there is a Lima in Ohio?

unfortunately, yes

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

If you can get into OSU or UC, I'd consider waiting a year and reapplying. If not, Cleveland-Marshall and NKU are the only schools worth considering off your list.

ONU - No exit options, and who wants to live "on the way to Lima" for three years?
CSU does decently well in Cleveland, and NKU does okay in Cincinnati from what I can tell.

Huh? there is a Lima in Ohio?

unfortunately, yes

There isn't much pretty about Lima either. ONU is 50 miles or so from Toledo as the next big city, or a hour or so from dayton. not a "choice location" to be honest.

[the lantern]

lol i live in lima

[baboon309]

lol i live in lima

Do you guys have llamas or Alpacas there?

[bworsowicz]

lol i live in lima

my condolences

[homestyle28]

As with all discussion ranking any individual's circumstances it depends on what you want to do. If you want ohio BIGLAW, then UC, OSU, and Case are the best bets. If you want small town ohio law or state gov't then the question becomes much more interesting. Despite what others have said here, I think Capital >ONU>UD. Capital gets grads jobs in Cbus and a lot of state jobs. I visited there and was pleasantly surprised by my experience and all of the 1Ls I spoke to (6 or so) had paying summer gigs lined up.

[lobeca]

What are your numbers? You never know you could be like me. I had a high gpa but a low lsat. I got into case, ohio, and uc. I don't know what their deadlines are but maybe you could apply to them. Or Louisville because that is only an hour away.

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

As with all discussion ranking any individual's circumstances it depends on what you want to do. If you want ohio BIGLAW, then UC, OSU, and Case are the best bets. If you want small town ohio law or state gov't then the question becomes much more interesting. Despite what others have said here, I think Capital >ONU>UD. Capital gets grads jobs in Cbus and a lot of state jobs. I visited there and was pleasantly surprised by my experience and all of the 1Ls I spoke to (6 or so) had paying summer gigs lined up.

Yeah, I have thought about that we as well. I want to look at the money I get from each, if I do and compare. I don't want to have the attitude that I must transfer. I know several who have went to Chase and have been very happy and all passed the bar and had a job. Columbus has a lot to offer, obviously it is the heart of the legal community in the state. That is why it is dificult to look at setting out a year to apply to UC and OSU and hope to get in, while I could be in school now and knock out year one and I may love the school I am at.

[Grizz]

FL Coastal is a festering TTT(T?). Don't go unless you're cool with being marginally employed and heavily indebted.

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

What are your numbers? You never know you could be like me. I had a high gpa but a low lsat. I got into case, ohio, and uc. I don't know what their deadlines are but maybe you could apply to them. Or Louisville because that is only an hour away.

155 lsat, that is the hard part. GPA 3.7 jr/sr. 3.45 major gpa, 3.35 cum gpa. I also have a nearly 10 year career in the banking sector and have a 2 year internship in social work I completed in Atlanta, I did a ton working with the homeless and mentally ill, plus working on petitioning to get an issue on the ballot, that did pass. I am white but have a somewhat diverse background in experience that I hope can help. So my pool of schools don't include Vandy, which I would love to go to and any top programs.

[Grizz]

What are your numbers? You never know you could be like me. I had a high gpa but a low lsat. I got into case, ohio, and uc. I don't know what their deadlines are but maybe you could apply to them. Or Louisville because that is only an hour away.

155 lsat, that is the hard part. GPA 3.7 jr/sr. 3.45 major gpa, 3.35 cum gpa. I also have a nearly 10 year career in the banking sector and have a 2 year internship in social work I completed in Atlanta, I did a ton working with the homeless and mentally ill, plus working on petitioning to get an issue on the ballot, that did pass. I am white but have a somewhat diverse background in experience that I hope can help. So my pool of schools don't include Vandy, which I would love to go to and any top programs.

Keep working, acquire $, retake LSAT, reapply.

[jms1987]

Don't go to UDayton, whatever you do. UC is a far better choice for lower SW Ohio.

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

Don't go to UDayton, whatever you do. UC is a far better choice for lower SW Ohio.

jms, I started my undergrad at Lee as well. Very random.

[jms1987]

Don't go to UDayton, whatever you do. UC is a far better choice for lower SW Ohio.

jms, I started my undergrad at Lee as well. Very random.

haha, thats crazy. There is tons of Ohio people here

[ohiolawschoolstudent]

Don't go to UDayton, whatever you do. UC is a far better choice for lower SW Ohio.

jms, I started my undergrad at Lee as well. Very random.

haha, thats crazy. There is tons of Ohio people here

Yeah I am from Ooltewah, at least until high school when I moved to Ohio. Also, grew up in the COG, so I was excited to go to lee. I later moved to UC. I'm sure everyone reading this without knowledge of the area will laugh, but Ooltewah Tennessee is considered / viewed as a nice area, educated, income, etc. Although, my writing on here doesn't show much for the area, but it is a discussion board.

[Case2L]

Of the schools you've applied to, I would only consider CSU and Toledo. Your numbers will get you in both schools, and probably with some money. UNK and Dayton all have to compete with Cincy for southern Ohio, Capital competes with OSU, Case, and Cincy, and ONU doesn't do well in any market in Ohio. CSU only competes with Case & Akron, and it does better than Akron & most Case grads leave the area. Toledo is, well, in Toledo. It's a cheap city and you really only have Wayne State to compete with for Detroit (virtually no U of M grads will stay in Michigan, much less Detroit).