Law School Discussion

It's gonna be between:

 

Georgetown: full tuition scholarship

UVa: 63,000

Penn: 61,000

Berkeley: Boo@ the lack of funding issue. 25,000

 

After visiting each schools, Berkeley was my favorite, regarding its student body and holistic culture. I really felt right there when I visited. I also LOVED UVa, but being the stark minority thing concerns me a little.

 

I do want to end up in California legal market, and that does put Berkeley up in the running. However, it seems that I can go to CA from any of those schools mentioned above if I try a little harder. I don't have any CA ties on my resume though.

 

What do you think? I would really appreciate any thoughts. Does it worth it go to Berkeley paying something like 40k more just because I felt really right there?

 

Am I stupid to give up the full ride at gtown? I did really like the school and the surrounding environment.

 

Gtown wants an answer by the 15th of April. Others want their deposit thing by the 28th of April. should I let go Gtown and have about two more weeks to think about others?

 

Mmmm in addition, here are pros and cons of each school, based on personal, and rational observations.

 

Berkeley:

 

PROS:

Strongest APALSA community out of all those schools. It seemed really cohesive. People(Asians) I've encountered said that they've developed really great mentoring relationships there. Got jobs through there, etc. Even though rationally, this shouldn't be the deciding factor about the school I guess.

 

People looked super happy. The pass/fail grading system seemed to really promote non-competetive environment.

 

Location is great. I love the bay area and I've always wanted to live there and work there.

 

CONS:

 

Cracking down facilities

Lack of funding

Hence nothing to expect from the career service office.. no attentive service like penn's

 

UVa

 

PROS:

 

Very similar culture to Berkeley's - Mandatory B+ curve hence very non competitive environment

Happy looking people

I strangely really liked c'ville

CHEAP! cost of living

Great Fin aid offer I got

 

CONS:

 

being the stark minority(8% asians versus 20% asians at berkeley)

I don't know if I want to practice in DC/NY

I NEED a car there(added 10k in cost)

UVa seemed underestimated in Korea

need to try harder to get to CA market

 

Gtown

 

PROS:

 

DC is awesome

Location is AWESOME - supreme court 4 blocks away

I am getting a full ride

I felt pretty fit there

great facilities

 

CONS:

 

Huge class size

Bottom of t14(trying my best not to be a prestige whore but it's hard)

Reputation of being the "factory"

need to try harder to get to CA market

I don't know if I want to go to DC/NY to practice

Not at all strong APALSA

 

Penn

 

PROS:

Highest in the ranking out of all those schools

opportunities of taking Wharton classes(i know it's not much of a sales pitch but I was a business major in college and it would be very cool)

Strategic location of being right between DC and NY (2 hours each)

VERY VERY attentive career service

I got a great fin aid offer

The school has a lot of $$ obviously

 

CONS:

I didn't really feel fit. Even though this might be due to the biased interactions with only a small portion of the admitted students.

need to try harder to get to CA market

I don't know if I want to go to NY/DC to practice

Assuming the worst case scinario with no $$ from penn, is Northwestern a valid choice? I was really into taking some business classes at Wharton. It seems that NU can satisfy this goal as well w/ Kellogg. I was heavily leaning towards penn before I got the scholarship offer from nu.

Penn does seem to have a slight bit of advantage in placement - but that seems to be focused in NY.

I ultimately want to end up in CA upon graduation if possible.. (this might change of course)

Would NU be a right choice for me?

Thanks for any feedback/thoughts! 

I got the letter, dated dec. 22nd. My professors have told me that they have receieved thank-you emails from upenn for writing my recc. letters on the 20th of dec, which I found kinda odd. Btw, the letters were not school specific but they were sent directly to penn (had some problems with lsdas lor service).

anyway, penn wants me! 

I submitted my application via snail mail, and they have requested my LSDAS report on the 15th of nov, which should mean that they have recieved it by now.

I read the postings about ut on-line status checker, are the user name & passowrd e-mailed to people? Is on-line status checker the only way to check your admissions decision of acceptance/rejection??

much thanks to anyone for answering my q.

Is there a special way to do this in microsoft word?

I am so computer illiterate..