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I'm wondering if it would be a good idea for me to try to ED anywhere given my career goals. First of all, I don't have an LSAT score yet (took Oct.), but I don't see how the answer to this question would turn on my LSAT score in any major way, so I'll ask.

I'd most like to do public interest, government, or to work at a firm in a market that isn't NYC/DC/LA (I have no strong city preferences beyond that, and am particularly averse to NYC). Needless to say, though, I'd accept any job I can get!

Given that those are my career goals, should I be EDing anywhere, or thinking more about going to whatever T25 or so school I can go to most cheaply?

So for example if my LSAT score makes it the case that my ED would be a CCN, would it be better given my career goals to go for that and pay sticker at whatever CCN I might ED into, or take a cheaper option at a lower T14? Would your answer change if my LSAT made it the case that my ED would be an MVP? What if my ED was a lower T14?

I guess the general question is whether what school I attend trumps everything so much in terms of the jobs I'm most interested in that its worth the potentially large extra cost of the school.

The reason I'm asking before having an LSAT is so I can be ready to send off all my apps ASAP after I get my LSAT score.

If your answer depends on my numbers, here is the best I can do:

My LSDAS GPA will be 3.53 according to lawschoolpredictor's GPA calculator. Decent softs (teach for america, good letters, etc.). The practice tests I took closest to the LSAT were mostly 178-180 (lowest 174), but who knows what I actually got!


Thanks!

If you have to ask that question, then it is probably not a good idea to ED. You should only do it if there is a school that you would go to regardless of where else you got in and how much scholarship money/aid you get. There is no answer to ranking vs. scholarship money. Some people may pay sticker at CCN. Others may take a lower-ranked school with a full scholarship. Having a low amount of debt is helpful for public interest, but scholarship money is not the only option. Many schools have loan repayment assistance programs. There is also the income-based repayment plan.

Your GPA is a little low for the top 14, but if you score in your practice range, you may have a shot at scholarship money from some of them. You can also target regional schools in areas you think you may want to practice after graduating. See what you get and then decide.

Well, the one school that is both highly appealing to me and that I'd have some ED chance at if I do well on the LSAT is Chicago...

They seem to have a decent LRAP, and their graduates even have a presence in academia, which is my far out pipe dream fantasy job. Chicago is the largest legal market that I think I'd really like to live in (assuming I had a choice!).

How about this: Imagine the minimum LSAT that would probably make me a plausible ED candidate at Chicago (175? 178?). What caliber of schools might I get serious money at with that sort of LSAT?

I apologize for how convoluted and hypothetical this is. I know hypos are frowned upon but its somewhat important that I have this strategy figured out before Nov 1st.

Here are some people with a similar profile on LSN. You can see where they got money.
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/Proximity/jd
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/stansbury
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/WrappedUpInBooks
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/sajastar