In at Richmond - 2014 Forum

[aspire2more]

Missed a call this afternoon. Judging from this thread it must have been about the JM. I will report back soon.

Congratulations ahead of time!

Thanks! I got the good news a short while ago. Now I'm definitely torn. I really, really enjoyed Richmond when I visited in January.

[crysmissmichelle]

Missed a call this afternoon. Judging from this thread it must have been about the JM. I will report back soon.

Congratulations ahead of time!

Thanks! I got the good news a short while ago. Now I'm definitely torn. I really, really enjoyed Richmond when I visited in January.

WOW! I was just looking at your options, and a full scholarship at UVA would be a difficult thing to pass up. What makes you want to do Richmond, with 30 of 35 vs. UVA with full?

[NCtoDC]

Missed a call this afternoon. Judging from this thread it must have been about the JM. I will report back soon.

Congratulations ahead of time!

Thanks! I got the good news a short while ago. Now I'm definitely torn. I really, really enjoyed Richmond when I visited in January.

WOW! I was just looking at your options, and a full scholarship at UVA would be a difficult thing to pass up. What makes you want to do Richmond, with 30 of 35 vs. UVA with full?

Ummm....that would be absolutely ridiculous to choose Richmond over UVA. jussayin

[aspire2more]

Missed a call this afternoon. Judging from this thread it must have been about the JM. I will report back soon.

Congratulations ahead of time!

Thanks! I got the good news a short while ago. Now I'm definitely torn. I really, really enjoyed Richmond when I visited in January.

WOW! I was just looking at your options, and a full scholarship at UVA would be a difficult thing to pass up. What makes you want to do Richmond, with 30 of 35 vs. UVA with full?

Full-tuition =/= Full ride. Assuming I met the requirements for keeping the full JM scholarship, the debt would be about the same for both schools. I have exactly zero interest in Big Law, so although UVA's firm placement is spectacular, it's not a factor in my decision making. Additionally, I liked pretty much everything I saw/experienced at Richmond when I went to visit. It would also be significantly closer to home, reducing the wear I'd have to put on my ancient car.

Of course, I am still considering both options very seriously and I'm not making a final decision until I travel up to Charlottesville next week. However, I'm surprised that people think it's weird for me to be considering both options. Feel free to tell me what I'm missing...seriously, I could use the help.

[suspicious android]

Of course, I am still considering both options very seriously and I'm not making a final decision until I travel up to Charlottesville next week. However, I'm surprised that people think it's weird for me to be considering both options. Feel free to tell me what I'm missing...seriously, I could use the help.

No strings attached scholarship for one. One bad week during finals and you could be on the hook $25k in tuition for years two and three. That's while competing against people who are going to be worried about being jobless and $140k in debt, so I imagine they'll be pretty driven.

Secondly, if you end up being an awesome law student, you'll have a shot at basically any legal job coming out of UVA. Government, PI, east coast, west coast. The top 10% at Richmond will easily get jobs, but not their choice of jobs all over the country.

That $40-50k in debt you're likely to end up with from living expenses, etc? UVA has LRAP in case you end up taking a low paying job.

I wish I had the choice you have, but I'm looking at Richmond only if UVA offers me nothing. More than a token scholarship and I've gotta go UVA.

[NCtoDC]

Personally, and I absolutely have no special knowledge other than what I've seen on TLS, I think that if you are faced with the same debt and one school is T14 v. a very low TT, it would be wise, regardless of your aspirations, to go to the better school. Even in the Richmond area, I'd say that a UVA degree is regarded better than a UR degree. You don't know what life may hand you in the future and you should set yourself up to have the upper hand.

I'm not bashing UR, I loved the campus there.... However, if I had been lucky enough to get in to UVA with a full scholly I would totally go!

[crysmissmichelle]

I absolutely loved Richmond, and having visited C-ville, don't enjoy it at all.

HOWEVER, UVA is an internationally regarded school to which you have a full tuition scholarship, and UR is a regionally recognized school to which you have a full tuition scholarship. Everything SuspiciousAndroid said is right on. UVA=National and International placement while UR is a great school it is just not as universal as UVA.

Now I have a nosey question, SA, you say $25,000 regular scholarship and $10,000 JM? All of the invitations said $20,000 + $10,000. It's gone up? or did you mean on the hook $15,000 tuition?

UR tuition $35,xxx this year.

[aspire2more]

No strings attached scholarship for one. One bad week during finals and you could be on the hook $25k in tuition for years two and three. That's while competing against people who are going to be worried about being jobless and $140k in debt, so I imagine they'll be pretty driven.

Thought about that and did the math. If I can keep the full scholarship, I'll be about $3,000 less in debt than at UVA, assuming I'm within the "average" range budget-wise. Worst case scenario and I lose the $10K, I'd be coming out with about $77K in debt instead of $61K. If I find that I can't see myself in Charlottesville for three years, I might be willing to take the gamble. Maybe.

Secondly, if you end up being an awesome law student, you'll have a shot at basically any legal job coming out of UVA. Government, PI, east coast, west coast. The top 10% at Richmond will easily get jobs, but not their choice of jobs all over the country.

I was not aware that UVA placed students outside of the east coast who had no ties to the region in question. If that's true, that's a good thing for me to keep in mind. I've never lived more than a few minutes from I-95, so tbh I never looked into national placement (especially after hearing nothing back from any non-east coast schools).

That $40-50k in debt you're likely to end up with from living expenses, etc? UVA has LRAP in case you end up taking a low paying job.

Yeah I'm pretty sure whatever job I end up with will be low-paying, especially considering the loan payments I'll be making. LRAP is actually a pretty big deal and I had forgotten that UR doesn't have a program. That may actually make this a little easier for me.

I wish I had the choice you have, but I'm looking at Richmond only if UVA offers me nothing. More than a token scholarship and I've gotta go UVA.

I almost wish I hadn't visited UR now, because I really fell in love with it. Finances/jobs have to be priority #1 though. You were very kind to list these concerns out for me. I appreciate the goodwill and perhaps we will be classmates next year. If so, I promise to share outlines as a proper thank-you.

[suspicious android]

Now I have a nosey question, SA, you say $25,000 regular scholarship and $10,000 JM? All of the invitations said $20,000 + $10,000. It's gone up? or did you mean on the hook $15,000 tuition?

UR tuition $35,xxx this year.

No, I think I just got the numbers backward, is it $20k + $10k, the latter conditional on top third? That makes it a much better deal. I really don't feel like anyone has a lock on top third, considering how hard most people will be working and the fact that none of us has ever been to law school.

[aspire2more]

Personally, and I absolutely have no special knowledge other than what I've seen on TLS, I think that if you are faced with the same debt and one school is T14 v. a very low TT, it would be wise, regardless of your aspirations, to go to the better school. Even in the Richmond area, I'd say that a UVA degree is regarded better than a UR degree. You don't know what life may hand you in the future and you should set yourself up to have the upper hand.

I'm not bashing UR, I loved the campus there.... However, if I had been lucky enough to get in to UVA with a full scholly I would totally go!

I absolutely loved Richmond, and having visited C-ville, don't enjoy it at all.

HOWEVER, UVA is an internationally regarded school to which you have a full tuition scholarship, and UR is a regionally recognized school to which you have a full tuition scholarship. Everything SuspiciousAndroid said is right on. UVA=National and International placement while UR is a great school it is just not as universal as UVA.

Thanks for your input. While universality is not a major concern for me right now, I guess that could change at some point.

[TyrodTaylor]

no reason to take full ride at UR over full ride at UVA, c-ville is wonderful and an awesome place to be, Richmond has many strengths, but UVA will keep your options open

[crysmissmichelle]

Out of curiosity, how long did they give you to respond about the John Marshall Scholarship?

[aspire2more]

Out of curiosity, how long did they give you to respond about the John Marshall Scholarship?

Until April 1 at the latest. I'm going to make my final decision after my trip to UVA next weekend and I'll call Dean Rahman on the 28th to let her know either way.

[aspire2more]

no reason to take full ride at UR over full ride at UVA, c-ville is wonderful and an awesome place to be, Richmond has many strengths, but UVA will keep your options open

Thanks for your input. I will be visiting Charlottesville soon and will determine whether or not the environment is right for me. I agree that both schools have strengths, which is why I'm not willing to turn my nose up at either offer (even though I am leaning towards UVA right now based on conversations with current students/alums). At any rate, I'll come back to this thread and let people know what I decided.

[crysmissmichelle]

Thanks for keeping us up to date.

I'm pulling for SuspiciousAndroid to get into Yale now, so it will be a free JMS!

[kch3684]

Yeah I'm bummed that I didn't' get a JM call. Visiting the campus next Friday so we'll see if I've heard anything about any kind of scholarship by that point.

[crysmissmichelle]

Yeah I'm bummed that I didn't' get a JM call. Visiting the campus next Friday so we'll see if I've heard anything about any kind of scholarship by that point.

Is it one of your top choices?

[kch3684]

When I looked at it over the summer it was! But a HUGE draw was the John Marshall - not just the money but the seminar! I have some other great options it pretty much comes down to if I want to live in Richmond forever. I thought I was up for the south (I have a lot of family there) but sometimes I think I'm just too much of a yankee to really be able to network w/in the southern framework.

[crysmissmichelle]

When I looked at it over the summer it was! But a HUGE draw was the John Marshall - not just the money but the seminar! I have some other great options it pretty much comes down to if I want to live in Richmond forever. I thought I was up for the south (I have a lot of family there) but sometimes I think I'm just too much of a yankee to really be able to network w/in the southern framework.

lol on the yankee thing. . .Richmond is not as "southern" as you'd think from the history.

I can promise you're going to love your visit though. It is a very nice school.

[kch3684]

My mom's family is all from Richmond...can sense the southern network/sensibilities when I'm with my uncle I'd like to think they've come a long way but when I talk to him I'm not so sure. I did LOVE the school when I visited in June and that was w/o any students there

[crysmissmichelle]

What surprised me was the difference between the classroom environment at William and Mary and Richmond. The demeanor of the students and professors. . . not to mention the difference in the admissions office staff.

Will you be observing a class?

[kch3684]

Yup, Friday the 17th at 10am-ish I'm looking forward to it!
I was impressed by the staff when I was there...a student had just got a job and everyone in the office 1. knew what it was that he was going for and 2. gave him a big hug

[limelightwave]

Anybody else visiting on Monday the 14th? I'm excited to finally see the school!

[suspicious android]

Thanks for keeping us up to date.

I'm pulling for SuspiciousAndroid to get into Yale now, so it will be a free JMS!

Awww, thanks. If I win the lottery or get into Yale (similar likelihood), I'll suggest they give my JMS to you.

[crysmissmichelle]

Thanks for keeping us up to date.

I'm pulling for SuspiciousAndroid to get into Yale now, so it will be a free JMS!

Awww, thanks. If I win the lottery or get into Yale (similar likelihood), I'll suggest they give my JMS to you.

lol, awwwww, thanks!