UC Hastings c/o 2016 Applicants (2012-2013) Forum

[unclepete]

Just received the financial aid email. I was offered 25k for 1L. Much more than I was expecting, but that still makes Hastings a tough sell. SF is damn expensive.

25k in grant money total? Or 15k grant + 10k Percy Scholly (3.0 stip)?

The latter. Received 15,500 in grants and 10,000 for the scholly w/ the stip. I'm really debating between UCH and UCD right now, and the COA for Hastings is actually 5,000 less per year. However, while both schools entail a certain degree of risk, I feel that UCH may be a bit riskier given the news and discussion of its employment data. Am I wrong?

UCH still beats UCD by miles

I agree, but I am biased as a huge Sacramento-hater

[md22]

Thanks for the opinions. May I ask why? I mean, I've done a lot of research on the issue and I lean towards Davis mainly because of COL. For BigLaw, Hastings seems to be a better choice. However, I am interested in the public sector (ideally as an ADA). I'm from the Bay Area so really either is fine in terms of location for me personally.

[maxmartin]

Just received the email I was awarded Ken Olivier Renewable Scholarship Award with 2.2 stipulation, Hastings suddenly became more attractive to me

[masked kavana]

25.5k package as well. I don't remember them having stips last year though

[boblawlob]

Just received the email I was awarded Ken Olivier Renewable Scholarship Award with 2.2 stipulation, Hastings suddenly became more attractive to me

How much is that?

[SFSpartan]

Got my aid info from Hastings today. Total is $19.5k including $5k scholly. Bit more than I was expecting, and forcing me to reconsider UCH

[mcs268]

Anyone try negotiating aid yet? Sent an email recently, still waiting on a response.

[well.let's.see]

Can anyone justify shouldering ~$150k in loans from Hastings?

I really want to go, I truly do, but when I'm honest with myself about the weight of that debt—and sooo much grad plus...—I find myself sadly, slowly beginning to cross Hastings off the list of possibilities...

Am I missing something? I hope so...

[unclepete]

Can anyone justify shouldering ~$150k in loans from Hastings?

I really want to go, I truly do, but when I'm honest with myself about the weight of that debt—and sooo much grad plus...—I find myself sadly, slowly beginning to cross Hastings off the list of possibilities...

Am I missing something? I hope so...

+1,000

This doesn't help me, as I`m not BigLaw-or-bust, but some solace might come from the fact that Hastings grads have a real shot at it- even more than UCLA/USC, from a geography standpoint (re: SF is where it's at)

[well.let's.see]

Can anyone justify shouldering ~$150k in loans from Hastings?

I really want to go, I truly do, but when I'm honest with myself about the weight of that debt—and sooo much grad plus...—I find myself sadly, slowly beginning to cross Hastings off the list of possibilities...

Am I missing something? I hope so...

+1,000

This doesn't help me, as I`m not BigLaw-or-bust, but some solace might come from the fact that Hastings grads have a real shot at it- even more than UCLA/USC, from a geography standpoint (re: SF is where it's at)

Agreed, in no way am I of the "BigLaw or bust" mind set either, I just want to be/root myself in SF, and desperately so. Obviously, Berkeley and SLS aren't knocking on my door, and as a result, if $$$ is removed from the equation, Hastings seems the best plan B (Boalt and SLS being plan A). BUT, $$$ is in the equation, and ominously postured to say the least...

[kapital98]

This doesn't help me, as I`m not BigLaw-or-bust, but some solace might come from the fact that Hastings grads have a real shot at it- even more than UCLA/USC, from a geography standpoint (re: SF is where it's at)

I'm not sure about that. It's probably about even. Maybe a slight edge to USC. You want to talk to people who have been to OCI at USC or UCLA and hear what they've heard from recruiters. I've heard it's at best 50/50.

[md22]

Anyone try negotiating aid yet? Sent an email recently, still waiting on a response.

Sent an email as well and haven't received a response yet.

[maxmartin]

Anyone try negotiating aid yet? Sent an email recently, still waiting on a response.

Sent an email as well and haven't received a response yet.

a few school don't do negotiation business, Hastings is one of them. They might budge but that will be at least late July when things are desperate.

[seamus86]

I've finally caved and made a TLS account.

I attended the ASD on March 23, and while interested in UCH I crossed them off the list when I received the FinAid letter a week afterwards, listing $13,500 for need-based grant. A week or so later after the letter, however, I got an email from UCH offering scholarship money, bringing me up to $23,500/year in aid...about half of the tuition and fees.

What are other prospective students thinking about debt and UCH? While it's a solidly decent school, it's employment statistics are rather discouraging, which is especially daunting considering the high cost. Are any current students reading this thread, and if so what are your thoughts on benefits vs cost?

I benefit some from already living in Oakland, in a rent-controlled apartment. I calculated it, and all staying equal, that'll all add up to about $100K in debt...below the UCH average, but still pretty frightening considering the outlook. I'm feeling pretty indecisive about it all.

165/3.78, close to 5 years work experience (with some minor intersections with legal work)

[maxmartin]

I've finally caved and made a TLS account.

I attended the ASD on March 23, and while interested in UCH I crossed them off the list when I received the FinAid letter a week afterwards, listing $13,500 for need-based grant. A week or so later after the letter, however, I got an email from UCH offering scholarship money, bringing me up to $23,500/year in aid...about half of the tuition and fees.

What are other prospective students thinking about debt and UCH? While it's a solidly decent school, it's employment statistics are rather discouraging, which is especially daunting considering the high cost. Are any current students reading this thread, and if so what are your thoughts on benefits vs cost?

I benefit some from already living in Oakland, in a rent-controlled apartment. I calculated it, and all staying equal, that'll all add up to about $100K in debt...below the UCH average, but still pretty frightening considering the outlook. I'm feeling pretty indecisive about it all.

165/3.78, close to 5 years work experience (with some minor intersections with legal work)

the question is do you have other options? Is it justifiable to choose UCH over your other choices? BTW, that is a pretty decent offer form UCH.

[kapital98]

I've finally caved and made a TLS account.

I attended the ASD on March 23, and while interested in UCH I crossed them off the list when I received the FinAid letter a week afterwards, listing $13,500 for need-based grant. A week or so later after the letter, however, I got an email from UCH offering scholarship money, bringing me up to $23,500/year in aid...about half of the tuition and fees.

What are other prospective students thinking about debt and UCH? While it's a solidly decent school, it's employment statistics are rather discouraging, which is especially daunting considering the high cost. Are any current students reading this thread, and if so what are your thoughts on benefits vs cost?

I benefit some from already living in Oakland, in a rent-controlled apartment. I calculated it, and all staying equal, that'll all add up to about $100K in debt...below the UCH average, but still pretty frightening considering the outlook. I'm feeling pretty indecisive about it all.

165/3.78, close to 5 years work experience (with some minor intersections with legal work)

Former student here. This is about as good as Hastings gets. $100k is not that much debt given Hastings' rank, location, prestige, and biglaw chances. What are your other options?

If you want to become a lawyer and don't have significantly better offers from competing schools, I would take it. Your numbers are decent but not amazing. Employment is scary... but it's going to be just as scary at competing schools in the Bay Area.

[BigZuck]

I've finally caved and made a TLS account.

I attended the ASD on March 23, and while interested in UCH I crossed them off the list when I received the FinAid letter a week afterwards, listing $13,500 for need-based grant. A week or so later after the letter, however, I got an email from UCH offering scholarship money, bringing me up to $23,500/year in aid...about half of the tuition and fees.

What are other prospective students thinking about debt and UCH? While it's a solidly decent school, it's employment statistics are rather discouraging, which is especially daunting considering the high cost. Are any current students reading this thread, and if so what are your thoughts on benefits vs cost?

I benefit some from already living in Oakland, in a rent-controlled apartment. I calculated it, and all staying equal, that'll all add up to about $100K in debt...below the UCH average, but still pretty frightening considering the outlook. I'm feeling pretty indecisive about it all.

165/3.78, close to 5 years work experience (with some minor intersections with legal work)

Former student here. This is about as good as Hastings gets. $100k is not that much debt given Hastings' rank, location, prestige, and biglaw chances. What are your other options?

If you want to become a lawyer and don't have significantly better offers from competing schools, I would take it. Your numbers are decent but not amazing. Employment is scary... but it's going to be just as scary at competing schools in the Bay Area.

Yeah but 4 more LSAT points and he/she could go to Cornell and be only about 150K in debt. That seems like a markedly better option.

[apollo2015]

Are any current students reading this thread, and if so what are your thoughts on benefits vs cost?

Hastings for 100k? Definitely do it, unless somewhere else is your dream school.

[seamus86]

Thank you all for the quick replies!

I don't have any other options this year; I applied just to UCH and Boalt, as I'm committed to the Bay Area for 2013-14 (girlfriend has another year for her masters at SFSU). No luck with Boalt (not a surprise).

That being said, my current job pays decently well (nothing great, but could add a bit to my savings if I stayed on another year), and I could try the LSAT again...I think a 167-170 isn't impossible for me. In the next admissions cycle I could also expand my applications to include DC, Boston, and other area schools.

Anyway, I feel very ready and motivated to start law school, and while UCH isn't my dream school I do feel I could do well there. I'm just stuck on deciding whether the ~$100K would be the wisest decision, especially considering the employment outlook.

Man, I feel like quite the whiner agonizing and complaining over a deal that's above average.

On another note, do you feel the IP and Int'l Law programs are strong at UCH?

[kapital98]

Yeah but 4 more LSAT points and he/she could go to Cornell and be only about 150K in debt. That seems like a markedly better option.

Cornell is the best law school in existence.

To be serious: You're right. A 4 point difference in their LSAT would have drastic effects on employment and salary. I just don't typically give out RETAKE advice unless it's seriously needed. The poster's numbers are very respectable. They would need a good reason to retake.

[kapital98]

Thank you all for the quick replies!

I don't have any other options this year; I applied just to UCH and Boalt, as I'm committed to the Bay Area for 2013-14 (girlfriend has another year for her masters at SFSU). No luck with Boalt (not a surprise).

That being said, my current job pays decently well (nothing great, but could add a bit to my savings if I stayed on another year), and I could try the LSAT again...I think a 167-170 isn't impossible for me. In the next admissions cycle I could also expand my applications to include DC, Boston, and other area schools.

Anyway, I feel very ready and motivated to start law school, and while UCH isn't my dream school I do feel I could do well there. I'm just stuck on deciding whether the ~$100K would be the wisest decision, especially considering the employment outlook.

Man, I feel like quite the whiner agonizing and complaining over a deal that's above average.

On another note, do you feel the IP and Int'l Law programs are strong at UCH?

Everything is pointing in the direction of you taking the year off. Only applying to 2 schools was a bad mistake. You should have at least applied to lower ranked regional schools to see how much money they would give you. Retaking and landing a 168+ will give you a good shot at a number of T14 schools. 170+ gives you an outside shot at Berkeley and maybe even Stanford.

The money from Hastings will probably be there next year. However, by waiting a year, you get the opportunity to be accepted into schools with significantly better employment outcomes.

Like the poster above said, a 4 point increase in your LSAT score will have a huge impact. Hastings has 46% employment rate and a 13% biglaw placement rate. Cornell has a 86% employment rate and a ~60% biglaw placement (http://abovethelaw.com/2011/03/best-law ... -job-2011/). That's worth waiting a year. Hastings will still be there if you want to stay in the Bay Area.

[apollo2015]

That being said, my current job pays decently well (nothing great, but could add a bit to my savings if I stayed on another year), and I could try the LSAT again...I think a 167-170 isn't impossible for me. In the next admissions cycle I could also expand my applications to include DC, Boston, and other area schools.

Anyway, I feel very ready and motivated to start law school, and while UCH isn't my dream school I do feel I could do well there. I'm just stuck on deciding whether the ~$100K would be the wisest decision, especially considering the employment outlook.

I would say, go to whatever your dream school is. We only live once, so you should follow your heart.

That said, a corollary of us only living once is that waiting an extra year to start law school means you lose a year of life.

You'll have to do some mental calculations of how much better you realistically think you'd do on the LSAT, and what if any better options would arise from that, versus losing a year of life. Also, would your spouse be willing/able to work elsewhere?

On another note, do you feel the IP and Int'l Law programs are strong at UCH?

We have a concentration in International Law, an International Law journal, an IP concentration, a Science and Technology Law Journal, and a Communications/Entertainment Law Journal (depending on which part of IP you are interested in). IP seems to be really popular here. They seem to like pushing us to do international stuff as well.

[Mick Haller]

Follow your brain, not your heart. And look at the class of 2012 employment data released yesterday.

20% working as lawyers earning 80k+. Less than half working as lawyers. I don't care whether you "don't need big law money." Do you want to go to law school and actually... practice law?

And there is no way the employment data justifies 3 years of your life and 200k cost of attendance. Tread carefully my friends...

[lisavj]

You'll have to do some mental calculations of how much better you realistically think you'd do on the LSAT, and what if any better options would arise from that, versus losing a year of life. Also, would your spouse be willing/able to work elsewhere?

Excellent advice. I tried retaking. I got THE.EXACT.SAME.SCORE. I have issues with one section of the test that I couldn't overcome despite spending three months focusing on that section (by the second go 'round I would have been better off guessing "c" and taking a nap than trying on it in terms of # of correct answers...). If you have one bad section you may be in my sad little boat. If not you may have a real shot at improving. Either way the advice above is, IMHO, golden.

[onionskin]

Thank you all for the quick replies!

I don't have any other options this year; I applied just to UCH and Boalt, as I'm committed to the Bay Area for 2013-14 (girlfriend has another year for her masters at SFSU). No luck with Boalt (not a surprise).

That being said, my current job pays decently well (nothing great, but could add a bit to my savings if I stayed on another year), and I could try the LSAT again...I think a 167-170 isn't impossible for me. In the next admissions cycle I could also expand my applications to include DC, Boston, and other area schools.

Anyway, I feel very ready and motivated to start law school, and while UCH isn't my dream school I do feel I could do well there. I'm just stuck on deciding whether the ~$100K would be the wisest decision, especially considering the employment outlook.

Man, I feel like quite the whiner agonizing and complaining over a deal that's above average.

On another note, do you feel the IP and Int'l Law programs are strong at UCH?

Go to UCH this cycle, transfer next year.