Is Pepperdine worth it?

[BlackJack21]

Yo, you need to just weigh your options and make an inform choice. Everyone can respond, but you have to find out whats inmportant to you. Such as where do you want to practice? Where do you want to live? How much debt you will be in? Make a list of pros and cons and really make a life decision which is the best option to advance your career and personal happiness. Pepperdine is a solid insitutioin, do well in your class, you will have a big firm job!

<I dont use spell check>

[PillowPants]

Why the hell wouldnt you want to go to Toledo you idiot???  Its a gem in the midwest and...

lol i cant even finish the joke, Toledo is a horrible place to live or work.  Its a good law school, but you regign urself to living in northwest ohio or southern Michigan, not legal or any other type of hotspot.  Well there is a lot of crime there, so if you want to go into criminal law its the place to be!

I cant beleive some jokester would tell you to go there.  But no Pepperdine is not worth it without a good grant or scholarship.


-From PillowPants: The troll who controls the tang

[AmazingGrace]

I would say don't do it. You absolutely cannot bank on getting a big law firm job.  There are jobs everywhere in the L.A. market...but not the kind of jobs that pay 6 figures. You won't really be hard pressed to get employed in L.A. after graduation but lets say you're part of the 75%-80% of people that are NOT at the top of the class...which is statistically very likely...then you are stuck with that 6 figure debt load while not concurrently making 6 figures.

But..I'm also from Ohio so I can understand the inkling to want to leave.  If L.A. is the market you want to be in, going to Pepperdine is better than going to Case for sure but plan for the worst case scenario, NOT the best case scenario.  If you can hosestly say that working a modest 5-figure job in Los Angeles with a huge debt load is something you'd be willing to do, then go for it. If you're not willing to do that then don't go the Pepperdine route because no matter how smart you are or how hard you plan on working, statistically, you have a MUCH greater chance of landing that modest 5-figure job than that huge 6 figure one...and the debt load will be the same either way.

Good luck.

[TheMaddRapper]

Well first of all, what makes you think you're better at LS exams than 95% of the other people at Pepperdine?  Are you willing to bet $150,000 on that?  I'd rather take the money to Vegas.

In your situation I'd go to Georgia State.  Georgia's in-state tuition is incredibly cheap and I think if you work the system you can get it in your second year.  Better yet, just move to Georgia for a year, work as a paralegal or something to make some connections, and then go to GSU and shoot for a small firm job.  You'll be making around $50-60k but you'll have low debt too.

The truth is, you're not going to get biglaw.  If you want biglaw, take the LSAT again and get a 170.  That's a lot easier than getting to the top 5-10% of any law school.

Biglaw goes about 10% into the class at either Pepperdine or GSU, FWIW.

And if you want to stay in Ohio (doesn't sound like it), take in-state tuition at OSU or Cincinnati over Case.  Maybe even take in-state tuition at Cleveland State over Case.  Case is a good school but it is not worth anything close to full price.

[Cabra]

Hi OP--it seems that you really want out of Ohio...so I've got a novel idea for you: move where you want to live, and work there for a year or two before starting law school.
Waiting could only help you--you could save up some money, qualify for in-state tuition, make some legal connections for a job after law school, and possibly retake the lsat down the line.

It's a way you could get out of Ohio without putting yourself in an icky, risky position...

[ace0260]

according to pepperdine's self reported employment data:

97% are employed after 9 months
44% of this number go into private practice
Average starting salary is 113,000

http://law.pepperdine.edu/careers/employment_stats.html

What are your thoughts on this data?

[Cabra]

according to pepperdine's self reported employment data:

97% are employed after 9 months
44% of this number go into private practice
Average starting salary is 113,000

http://law.pepperdine.edu/careers/employment_stats.html

What are your thoughts on this data?

I checked US news, the media private sector salary (in 2005) was $82,350 with 35% reporting their salary.

[TheMaddRapper]

If you land doc review you might approach $80k in Cali--for 3-6 months at a time with no benefits!

Seriously, if you can't think critically about this stuff, what makes you think you'll do well in LS?

[Cabra]

If you land doc review you might approach $80k in Cali--for 3-6 months at a time with no benefits!

Seriously, if you can't think critically about this stuff, what makes you think you'll do well in LS?

Was that directed at me? I was pointing out that the semi-decent-looking salary was with only 35% reporting. I didn't think I had to comment on it for people to know that's lousy and probably represents fudged numbers.

[TheMaddRapper]

no, at the OP.