USC vs Loyola $$$

[TBoneUCLA]

i am putting this in the general board because i want opinions..

just got waitlisted at usc. was totally expecting the ding. should i prepare my case for them and plead for an acceptance (squeeze in an interview, all that)

or should i stick with a scholarship at loyola?

i can beg to be the butt-end of a top 20

or

sit on the top (with mucho denero) at a tier 2


what would you do?

[Who's Crowdaddy]

I am leaning toward the money, but I am guessing I am the exception. Probably depends on your goals, but hard to fully know your goals when you haven't even started school.

[TBoneUCLA]

yeah just so every one knows i am leaning toward the money myself.

the thought of being over 150k in debt at graduation physically makes me ill....

and as wonderful as sc is, it isnt harvard. simply having gone there doesnt really give you a magnificent career on a plate. the fight for one is just a little less brutal.

still though, opinions are valuable. espcially those of others in similar situations.

[thelawmantis]

it will only take you ten minutes and .37 to send a letter to USC - I would, it just gives you another option. Besides, you're already on the waitlist which means your chances are good.

[danno51]

I agree to go for the money.  The differences between USC and Loyola are not enough to warrant being in debt 150k.  I mean Loyola has a great rep in LA and i know a bunch of Loyola grads over the last few years who have great jobs.  I read in Susan Estrich's How to get into law School that Loyola is tied with Harvard for having produced the most attorneys at LA's O Melveny and Myers office.  Its not like choosing between sc and a third or 4th tier school.  plus you have the freedom to pick a job you actually like without having to worry about it being super high paying to pay off your loans.  Just my 2 cents

[TBoneUCLA]

I agree to go for the money.  The differences between USC and Loyola are not enough to warrant being in debt 150k.  I mean Loyola has a great rep in LA and i know a bunch of Loyola grads over the last few years who have great jobs.  I read in Susan Estrich's How to get into law School that Loyola is tied with Harvard for having produced the most attorneys at LA's O Melveny and Myers office.  Its not like choosing between sc and a third or 4th tier school.  plus you have the freedom to pick a job you actually like without having to worry about it being super high paying to pay off your loans.  Just my 2 cents

good points, thanks

for the sake of discussion does anyone feel i should get down on my knees and grovel for an acceptacne at usc, paying every cent of the eduation myself?  honestly, i was never planning on getting a cent from sc anyways, so it isnt such a far fetched idea.....

[thelawmantis]

don't grovel, just write a letter - send it off - and don't think about it again. If they offer you admission - great, if they don't, just proceed as planned.

[AllisonAzee]

The other thing you might want to think about is the competition is going to be a little less stiff as Loyola (I am assuming) and you are more likely to be at the top of your class or at least higher ranked than you would be at USC (this is all in theory).  And there is a train of thought that unless its harvard its better to be at the top of a class at a slightly lesser school than to be lost in the crowd at a slightly better school.  It's also all about where you think you will excel, if you think you will learn better, be happier at USC then its probably better to be there otherwise Loyola in a heartbeat.  With interest I highly doubt you'll ever make that 100K back.

[michaelduke]

It really depends on how much you in your heart want USC.  If you really want it, I suppose you should spend the extra $$ rather than spend many years down the road wishing that you have made a different decision. 

i am putting this in the general board because i want opinions..

just got waitlisted at usc. was totally expecting the ding. should i prepare my case for them and plead for an acceptance (squeeze in an interview, all that)

or should i stick with a scholarship at loyola?

i can beg to be the butt-end of a top 20

or

sit on the top (with mucho denero) at a tier 2


what would you do?

[InVinoVeritas]

The other thing you might want to think about is the competition is going to be a little less stiff as Loyola (I am assuming) and you are more likely to be at the top of your class or at least higher ranked than you would be at USC (this is all in theory). And there is a train of thought that unless its harvard its better to be at the top of a class at a slightly lesser school than to be lost in the crowd at a slightly better school. It's also all about where you think you will excel, if you think you will learn better, be happier at USC then its probably better to be there otherwise Loyola in a heartbeat. With interest I highly doubt you'll ever make that 100K back.

actually, i think the competition would be stiffer at Loyola since firms probably don't go as deep into Loyola's class as they do at USC.  If you can manage to finish in the top quarter of your class at Loyola, you'll be golden.  But everyone know this, and because they know this, I think the competition for that top quartile would be fierce.  On the other hand, I think USC students are more secure about the though of getting a high-paying job out of law school if that's what they want, and because of this, they may be less competitive on the whole.