Help Can't Pick a Law School

Comments

• 3 Likes

  Seeking Perfection Alum Member

  April 2018 4428 karma

  We are talking about two law schools where there is a real possibility you will not be able to find a legal job or not be able to find a PSLF qualifying job so you can pay back any debt you aquire.

  If you can keep cost of living fairly low(live cheaply with roommates) then I would go with McGeorge because if things go badly they won't leave you with as crippling a debt load. Definitely try to negotiate both scholarships up though.

  Finally, if you don't like McGeorge and don't want to take the risk of being significantly in debt at a school with Santa Clara's employment numbers, then wait a cycle, consider retaking, and reapply.
• 9 Likes

  JPJ July2021 Core Member

  April 2018 1532 karma

  I would reapply
• legallyblondeee Alum Member

  April 2018 edited April 2018 54 karma

  @"Seeking Perfection" said:
  We are talking about two law schools where there is a real possibility you will not be able to find a legal job or not be able to find a PSLF qualifying job so you can pay back any debt you aquire.

  If you can keep cost of living fairly low(live cheaply with roommates) then I would go with McGeorge because if things go badly they won't leave you with as crippling a debt load. Definitely try to negotiate both scholarships up though.

  Finally, if you don't like McGeorge and don't want to take the risk of being significantly in debt at a school with Santa Clara's employment numbers, then wait a cycle, consider retaking, and reapply.

  ]
• studyingandrestudying Core Member

  April 2018 edited April 2018 5254 karma

  Here's hoping you receive an acceptance from UC-Davis.
• marcosmcqueen Member

  April 2018 241 karma

  Davis or retake. I know that wasn't the question, but that's the answer. Visit Davis, schmooze, LOCI, do it all.
• 1 Like

  testfromaway Alum Member

  April 2018 280 karma

  @jenmar18 said:

  (re applying is not an option

  It really may be your best option, though. Don't go somewhere you hate, even if it's free. Law school will be hard enough as is, you don't need to come in feeling negative.

  I'm also really impatient to start my life and get the degree that will get me working the job I want to have, but if you rush towards school and wind up in a place that damages your mental health or leaves you in a bad spot for passing the bar and getting a job after... that's a hard thing to recover from. Better to wait a year than to make yourself unhappy or go into serious debt ($90,000 plus interest is a HUGE amount of debt. HUGE.) and not even be able to get a job after all of it.

  Really consider why you're so adversed to reapplying, because that might be hard in the short term but your five-years-out-from-this self might really thank you.
• 2 Likes

  Freddie Mercurys Mustache Alum Member

  April 2018 101 karma

  I'm going to go a bit outside the box and say that happiness has to be factor in your choice.

  Pros to McG: Full ride

  Cons to McG: Not ranked (some would argue this isn't a massive issue depending on market of employment) and you weren't in love with it when you visited. Competing schools that will be ranked and also searching for jobs in your desired market could hurt your chances with an unranked degree

  Pros to Santa: 52% scholly which is still a lot of money, ranked, AND you love the school.

  Cons to Santa: Not a full ride, debt to income ratio.

  Just based on this, it's not that easy of a choice to be sure. Since waiting a year is not an option, I think a lot of stock has to be put into what you're going to be happy with. Why go to a school you don't love? You're going to go through rigorous curriculum, become stressed, depressed, worried, etc. Why not go through that in a place you love? This is like working a job you don't love and just waiting for the weekend. To me, it's not worth it.

  I would jump into Santa Clara and trust that what's going to happen post school will happen. Maybe its reckless but if I'm going to possibly be miserable and beat down by academics, I'm going to want to do it in a place that I love.
• _oshun1_ Alum Member

  April 2018 edited April 2018 3652 karma

  If your parents are willing to pay for your living expenses why wouldnt you just keep retaking and reapplying until you get better results...if money was out of the equation for me and i had that much parental support i would just keep reapplying