Florida vs. American P/T

[skinsfan123]

I have no clue what to do. I want to study international law, but I really don't like the idea of going as a part-time student, if even only for one semester. Florida was my top choice going into this whole thing, but my SO is going to school in DC...

Help?

[bruinbro]

I have no clue what to do. I want to study international law, but I really don't like the idea of going as a part-time student, if even only for one semester. Florida was my top choice going into this whole thing, but my SO is going to school in DC...

Help?

It will be tough to get international BigLaw from either school, but American will offer significantly better options for international law programs. Two questions:

1) Are you in-state at Florida?
2) How serious is your relationship with your SO?

[skinsfan123]

I'm actually from D.C. and would live at home during school at AU to save money. I've been with the SO for almost 6 years. I don't necessarily want BigLaw. I'd rather work for the FBI or some other gov't agency.

Miami is my favorite city in the world, if that makes any difference.

[bruinbro]

I'm actually from D.C. and would live at home during school at AU to save money. I've been with the SO for almost 6 years. I don't necessarily want BigLaw. I'd rather work for the FBI or some other gov't agency.

Miami is my favorite city in the world, if that makes any difference.

Going to American, and living in DC in general, is going to place you in a better position to work for government. I don't get why you would leave your family and your SO of 6 years in order to attend a peer school. Am I missing something here?

PS: It makes no difference that Miami is your favorite city. The city of Gainesville is the complete opposite of Miami and is also located 5 hours away from Miami.

[yykm]

I'm actually from D.C. and would live at home during school at AU to save money. I've been with the SO for almost 6 years. I don't necessarily want BigLaw. I'd rather work for the FBI or some other gov't agency.

Miami is my favorite city in the world, if that makes any difference.

Going to American, and living in DC in general, is going to place you in a better position to work for government. I don't get why you would leave your family and your SO of 6 years in order to attend a peer school. Am I missing something here?

PS: It makes no difference that Miami is your favorite city. The city of Gainesville is the complete opposite of Miami and is also located 5 hours away from Miami.

I thought your remarks were spot on up until the PS.  If the OP likes Miami and wants to work there, it makes a difference.  UF, while 4-5 hours away from Miami, will provide the OP with the opportunity to work in Miami.  The OP may not get biglaw there, but he will still get to live in his favorite city. 

Additionally, UF may cost less than American for the full 3 years.  I believe FL residency remains easy to obtain, which would mean 2L and 3L are very inexpensive.  American's tuition is probably just under $20k, so three years will run you $60k if you live at home.  UF's cost for 1L is just under $30k tuition and roughly $6k for housing.  Tuition for 2L and 3L (assuming you get residency) is $9k each year.  This computes to $48k in tuition and $18k housing for a grand total of $66k.  Still, attending UF comes at a cost - stress on the relationship with the SO.  Outside of the relationship the both schools will likely cost roughyl the same amount.

Another consideration is that P/T students aren't the equivalent of F/T students.  If you were admitted into American as a F/T student, I'd conclude that your options are between two similar schools.  However, P/T is a notch below both UF and F/T American.  Most employers think that you're PT because you didn't have the scores to get in as a FT student, which means that they look for even better credentials from PT students.  Still, American even at PT provides more federal gov't opportunities than UF, but you'll have better overall employment prospects from UF.

If I had the same options, I'd go to UF and try to persuade the SO to come with me. If I couldn't get her to come with me, then this would turn into a question of whether you're willing to jeopardize the relationship for law school at UF.  I'd have to go with the SO if I saw a future there and just attend American.  (Note: if you were in at American as a FT student, I'd go with American over UF.)

[skinsfan123]

Thank you both for your advice.

I stuck with AU. As long as I am in good academic standing after my first semester at AU I can transfer into F/T the second semester. I figured the relationship with the SO is worth it.

I look forward to studying abroad in the summer to make up the lost credit from the first semester. Will starting as P/T, even for only one semester, really impact my career prospects as much as some on these boards say?

I may always regret this, considering I always wanted to go to Florida, but I guess we will see how things play out.

[deedeeleigh]

Additionally, UF may cost less than American for the full 3 years.  I believe FL residency remains easy to obtain, which would mean 2L and 3L are very inexpensive.  American's tuition is probably just under $20k, so three years will run you $60k if you live at home.

Is this true? If so, that is a truly inexpensive school. I thought American was private?

[Gitmo Jones]

The tuition at American is 25k part time, and 35k full time, but if you transfer to full time after the first semester, the lost hours have to be made up in the summer so you end up paying the same amount.
Also American does not give out much aid like most expensive private schools.