Passing up a full-ride...

[camarogirlj]

So I'm still waiting on IU-B, but chances of that happening are slim.  I've gotten my list of acceptances down to Toledo, UK, South Carolina, and Pitt. 

I'm leaning towards Pitt who is ranked 57th and has offered me $19,000/yr making tuition about $12,000/yr.  They also offer a environmental law certificate.
 
However, I also like South Carolina because it is warm (I'm from Ohio) and it has a kick-ass dual degree in environmental law (which I want to focus on).  They are offering in-state tuition.  Rank 91st.

UK is about to get cut probably although they also offered in-state tuition and I'd love to be a wildcat.  They don't offer many environmental courses and no concentration.  I think they're around 60th.

Now the main question of this post (because my family and co-workers are significantly biased)...how ridiculous is it to pass up a full-tuition scholarship to Toledo, ranked 85th?  They have an environmental concentration, but I was looking forward to leaving Ohio and I wasn't impressed with the people. 

Any suggestions?

[UnoriginalAndrew]

Not ridiculous at all.  They are similarly ranked to the other schools, and if you're willing to pay a little extra to go where you wanna go, do it.  There's no reason to sit around in Toledo miserable.

[jack24]

I had a similar decision to make and my friend gave me some good advice.
50-80k in tuition represents around $7,000-10,000 a year in student loan repayments after you graduate.  Is it highly likely that you can make 7-10k a year more by going to one of your preferred schools? 
Also, what requirements do you have to maintain the scholarship to the second year? 

[camarogirlj]

I had a similar decision to make and my friend gave me some good advice.
50-80k in tuition represents around $7,000-10,000 a year in student loan repayments after you graduate.  Is it highly likely that you can make 7-10k a year more by going to one of your preferred schools? 
Also, what requirements do you have to maintain the scholarship to the second year? 

I'm not entirely sure about the jobs prospects, but it does seem like Pitt has a more widespread alumni (although they are heavily based in Pittsburgh).  I feel like if I do well at any of the schools I will be fine finding jobs, it just might mean staying in the area for that first position.

The full-tuition scholarship is given out to half the incoming class and is conditional on maintaining a 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.  Thanks for the help!

[nicole1220]

I am passing up two full rides to go to a better ranked school cause I think it will make that much of a difference in my career opportunities. I hope I'm not crazy either haha, but I don't think so.

[MrDiggler]

Yeah me too on both accounts (though i may be crazy). What are your schools?

[dashrashi]

I had a similar decision to make and my friend gave me some good advice.
50-80k in tuition represents around $7,000-10,000 a year in student loan repayments after you graduate.  Is it highly likely that you can make 7-10k a year more by going to one of your preferred schools? 
Also, what requirements do you have to maintain the scholarship to the second year? 

I'm not entirely sure about the jobs prospects, but it does seem like Pitt has a more widespread alumni (although they are heavily based in Pittsburgh).  I feel like if I do well at any of the schools I will be fine finding jobs, it just might mean staying in the area for that first position.

The full-tuition scholarship is given out to half the incoming class and is conditional on maintaining a 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.  Thanks for the help!

*&^%. That is a scary-ass "scholarship" from where I'm sitting. A 3.3 is hard to get, (esp if the curve is something like a 2.7--likely) and now they have a financial incentive to give a large chunk of the class worse grades. If you don't like the school anyway, I definitely wouldn't let this tip the balance in its favor. Seriously.

[chammon2]

I go to Toledo for undergrad and I'm orginally from Columbus.  I really hate the area here and job prospects in the area are grim.  It seems like 1/3 people here love Toledo if they were born and raised here and feel like they have to be nice to their city.  The other 2/3 are from somewhere else and realize it is the armpit of Ohio.

I was also awarded a full schoarlship to Toledo and I'm not even considering it.  My 1/3 deal to Case is significantly better.

Besides, the only good thing for lawyers in Toledo is our ever-expanding sex trade.  So if that excites you, then Toledo is a great place.

[RonSantoRules]

According to the Law School Buzz Book (2007), Toledo's first year classes are graded on a "C" curve, making the full scholarship nearly impossible to keep. Just be aware before you jump into that. I'm not sure what the means in terms of rank, but it sounds like you'd have to be top 10% to keep it. Make sure to ask someone in the financial aid office about the grading curve to make sure you know what you are possibly getting in to.

[camarogirlj]

Thanks for all the comments.  They definitely tried to make it seem easy to keep the scholarship when I was at the dinner up there.  Something about "there's room for everyone to keep it all three years."  I personally think it is just a plot to get good candidates to come there and then be stuck without $$$ their next two years.  Goodbye Toledo!