Virginia -or- W&M w/ $$?

[andynomore]

I got zilch from UVA, but I wasn't expecting anything anyway.  Still smarts.

As for tax breaks on loans, it is on interest but it is also determined by income.  I think the cut-off is near 50k.  When you get over a certain number (which I believe is adjusted gross income) your deduction is then a fraction of the interest paid. 

[tiesto82]

Ok... I had enough of people posting on this board without doing the proper research first!!!!  I have read a multitude of times that if you want to make over 100K a year then go to UVA itd be nearly impossible from W&M!!! For those posters that think this you may want to head to your local barnes and nobles and pick up a few books on choosing law schools!!!  The 2007 copy of the U.S. News Ultimate guide to law schools has the following listed as the median starting salary in the private sector at William and Mary (2005) $95,000 per year....the 25th-75th percentiles are $75,000-$125,000 (82% of the graduating class reported)  by contrast UVA has a median listed at $118,000 with the 25th-75th percentiles being $100,000-$128,000 (100% reporting)!!!  Now mind you these salaries are before bonuses!!! 

Yes if you attend UVA you will make more money for the first 5 years!!!  But UVA is not a filter school into the NYC firms (evidenced by it not listing its bar passage rates for the state of NY), neither is W&M!!!  So your main job prospects are going to fall in the South Atlantic region and DC with a little more mobility into the New England and Middle Atlantic regions if you are a UVA grad!!!  But people remember the name on your diploma only matters (when discussing a tier 1 vs a high tier 2 school) when you get your first job!!!  The ABA regulates the 1L curriculum meaning we all learn the same material about the law!!!  If you are top of your class at W&M and have the opportunity to participate in law review and moot court and are invited into the order of coif you gain more valuable experience than finishing in the bottom 50% at UVA.  That will show in on the job performance and when you are a better lawyer in the office and in the courtroom then after a few years of hard work that is more valuable than the school which is listed on your resume!!! 

Follow your heart and go where you are comfortable!!!  If you are comfortable taking out those loans and putting yourself in debt then do it and go for it!!!  If not then do not do it because you will constantly second guess your decision and stress yourself and that will affect your first year performance which will hurt  you much more than making a decision between the #10 and the #30 ranked programs in the country!!!  The best advice I have gotten from the professors at OSU and the many lawyers and law students I  know is that "The opinions of the media, of the your peers, of your girlfriend, of your family, are simply that...opinions...the only person who knows what is right for you is you"   

[Betsy 1]

Ok... I had enough of people posting on this board without doing the proper research first!!!!  I have read a multitude of times that if you want to make over 100K a year then go to UVA itd be nearly impossible from W&M!!! For those posters that think this you may want to head to your local barnes and nobles and pick up a few books on choosing law schools!!!  The 2007 copy of the U.S. News Ultimate guide to law schools has the following listed as the median starting salary in the private sector at William and Mary (2005) $95,000 per year....the 25th-75th percentiles are $75,000-$125,000 (82% of the graduating class reported)  by contrast UVA has a median listed at $118,000 with the 25th-75th percentiles being $100,000-$128,000 (100% reporting)!!!  Now mind you these salaries are before bonuses!!! 

....Follow your heart and go where you are comfortable!!!  If you are comfortable taking out those loans and putting yourself in debt then do it and go for it!!!  If not then do not do it because you will constantly second guess your decision and stress yourself and that will affect your first year performance which will hurt  you much more than making a decision between the #10 and the #30 ranked programs in the country!!!  The best advice I have gotten from the professors at OSU and the many lawyers and law students I  know is that "The opinions of the media, of the your peers, of your girlfriend, of your family, are simply that...opinions...the only person who knows what is right for you is you"   

that is a lot of exclamation points. zowie.

[Bulldog86]

Ok... I had enough of people posting on this board without doing the proper research first!!!!
...But UVA is not a filter school into the NYC firms (evidenced by it not listing its bar passage rates for the state of NY)...

Actually, UVA does list NY bar passage rates (see LSAC Guide), and NYC is the second biggest market for Virginia grads after Washington.

I am shocked -- shocked!!! -- that someone with your exceptional writing skills (as evidenced by dozens of exclamation points, which we ALL KNOW highly correlate with good writing) would make such a mistake.

Some of your advice is valid, but jeez, that was a hard post to read...

[ty1228]

Assuming that you can get a job paying 100K is a HUGE assumption coming from W&M if you finish below median.  Also, those jobs paying that will keep you there past 6:30.  Lawyers work long hours.  Smaller pay doesn't necessarily mean shorter hours because there is competition for any legal job paying 100K+.  Stop being naive and realize that if you are going to want a six figure salary you will work very hard for it no matter where you go.  Also, don't make any decisions based on being a law professor.  Everyone entering law school thinks that would be cool and less than 1% are able to do it. 

[catbird]

Assuming that you can get a job paying 100K is a HUGE assumption coming from W&M if you finish below median.  Also, those jobs paying that will keep you there past 6:30.  Lawyers work long hours.  Smaller pay doesn't necessarily mean shorter hours because there is competition for any legal job paying 100K+.  Stop being naive and realize that if you are going to want a six figure salary you will work very hard for it no matter where you go.  Also, don't make any decisions based on being a law professor.  Everyone entering law school thinks that would be cool and less than 1% are able to do it. 

Believe me, I'm not in any way counting on landing a professorship...ever.  But I suppose I'm one of the multitudes of 0Ls who have entertained the idea of pursuing it--assuming my grades gave me half a chance.  I think it's worth mentioning in the context of a UVA/W&M decision just because W&M grads realistically can't expect to become profs no matter how they did in school.  Even with UVA, it's a lofty goal, but possible at least.  That was my point.

[aerynn]

Assuming that you can get a job paying 100K is a HUGE assumption coming from W&M if you finish below median.  Also, those jobs paying that will keep you there past 6:30.  Lawyers work long hours.  Smaller pay doesn't necessarily mean shorter hours because there is competition for any legal job paying 100K+.  Stop being naive and realize that if you are going to want a six figure salary you will work very hard for it no matter where you go.  Also, don't make any decisions based on being a law professor.  Everyone entering law school thinks that would be cool and less than 1% are able to do it. 

Believe me, I'm not in any way counting on landing a professorship...ever.  But I suppose I'm one of the multitudes of 0Ls who have entertained the idea of pursuing it--assuming my grades gave me half a chance.  I think it's worth mentioning in the context of a UVA/W&M decision just because W&M grads realistically can't expect to become profs no matter how they did in school.  Even with UVA, it's a lofty goal, but possible at least.  That was my point.

Well, they can, but they really have to get an LLM first from someplace prestigious to be competitive.  So it isn't like the door is closed forever.  It just becomes a LOT harder.

[philibusters]

Going into academia from W&M is almost impossible.  Even from UVA it would be quite difficult and 95% of UVA graduates wouldn't be competitive because of grades, lack of law review, didn't get a prestigious fed. clerkship lack of published papers, but at least you would have a fighters chance.

Academia is overrated.  I know a couple profs at my school and its a great fit for them because they really are that analytical and thoughtful, but thats them, not us.  Unless academic questions truly keep you awake at night, I wouldn't worry about that too much.  Its kind of cushy, but you can find other cushy jobs if you really wanted to (certain government jobs for example).

[andynomore]

I chose W&M over UVA. 

[Betsy 1]

Congrats on your decision!

I'm sure you'll enjoy the lower-debt freedom.