selecting a school means knowing where you want to work?

[ohioan]

Actually accumulating $15,000 a year at 8% interest will leave you with $67,500 debt.  Better to know that now than find out in four years that you didn't factor in that 8%.

Are you sure about that figure?

You're right, I was basing it on four years in school and $15,000/year.  It actually comes closer to $48,700 for three years.

Why would you base it on four years...you know I am talking full time....hmmm...wonder if this is more of his ploy to convince me not to go to DePaul.  I am having a very tough time with this decision. Now Seton Hall just sent me a letter indicating I have earned a $10,000 scholarship there. Am planning to reject though since the cost would be even more than DePaul and in a market that has much more competition. I just feel like I might be "happier" at DePaul than Cinci.

[Matthies]

Actually accumulating $15,000 a year at 8% interest will leave you with $67,500 debt.  Better to know that now than find out in four years that you didn't factor in that 8%.

Are you sure about that figure?

You're right, I was basing it on four years in school and $15,000/year.  It actually comes closer to $48,700 for three years.

I just feel like I might be "happier" at DePaul than Cinci.

Being happy where you go to school is extreemly important, LS can royal suck at times, if you don't like where you are it just makes it worse. Although Cini is a fun, but smaller town.

[contrarian]

Why would you base it on four years...you know I am talking full time....hmmm...wonder if this is more of his ploy to convince me not to go to DePaul. 

Naaa, this is a classic case where you shouldn't attribute malice where stupidity suffices.

[ohioan]

Why would you base it on four years...you know I am talking full time....hmmm...wonder if this is more of his ploy to convince me not to go to DePaul. 

Naaa, this is a classic case where you shouldn't attribute malice where stupidity suffices.

I was hoping DePaul would improve their offer of admission, but they said no. So, either I go to a bigger, better, and much more expensive legal market of Chicago or to a smaller and more affordable Cincinnati.

[mantypants]

Just from reading these posts, it sounds to me that you are trying to justify spending the money going to depaul. Maybe it is your subconscious telling you to go there.

If you were completely neutral, go to cinci, network beginning 1L, find internships that will give you the advanced training that you think you'd get at depaul. Maybe find a mentor in IP around cinci early on.

[ohioan]

Just from reading these posts, it sounds to me that you are trying to justify spending the money going to depaul. Maybe it is your subconscious telling you to go there.

If you were completely neutral, go to cinci, network beginning 1L, find internships that will give you the advanced training that you think you'd get at depaul. Maybe find a mentor in IP around cinci early on.

It could be, but I try to rely on the facts:
DePaul has a much stronger IP program which includes more advanced coursework, IP legal writing, IP externship opportunities, IP events (networking), IP Alumni, a higher employment at graduation, and an aesthetically pleasing atmoshphere. The downsides are cost (it will be $15,000 more per year with $25,000 in Grad Plus loans), and, since my wife and I abhor the old apartments in the city, would mean that we live in the suburbs and I commute every day by train. It's not too bad, but students who do it tell me that it becomes tiresome very quickly.

Cincinnati has a simpler living environment, quick and easy access to school. The main advantage is the cost (only $29,000/yr of which $8,500 would be on Grad Plus loans), and minimal competition. There are several IP firms in the area and since there are relatively fewer IP students, externship opportunities are all but a given. The atmosphere is more intimate all around. However, the environment is not so pleasing as it is very near a bad part of town.

In truth, DePaul feels like the better choice, but in a worse case scenario of not finding employment upon graduation, Cinci is the better option due to low debt, less competition for jobs, albeit a lesser number of jobs to begin with.

Based on the faculty I have interacted with at both schools, I find those at DePaul more supportive and helpful than those at Cincinnati. The students at DePaul were also much more enthusiastic about what they were doing. At Cincinnati, many of the students seemed downright miserable.

I would agree that I am leaning towards DePaul, but no, I am not trying to justify the additional cost. Six months ago, I would have thought debating between Cincinnati and DePaul to be easy, Cincinnati wins. But, the employment climates in both areas combined with the debt factor make this tough. It would be helpful if someone could point out something that I have not taken into account.

[Matthies]

Just from reading these posts, it sounds to me that you are trying to justify spending the money going to depaul. Maybe it is your subconscious telling you to go there.

If you were completely neutral, go to cinci, network beginning 1L, find internships that will give you the advanced training that you think you'd get at depaul. Maybe find a mentor in IP around cinci early on.

It could be, but I try to rely on the facts:
DePaul has a much stronger IP program which includes more advanced coursework, IP legal writing, IP externship opportunities, IP events (networking), IP Alumni, a higher employment at graduation, and an aesthetically pleasing atmoshphere. The downsides are cost (it will be $15,000 more per year with $25,000 in Grad Plus loans), and, since my wife and I abhor the old apartments in the city, would mean that we live in the suburbs and I commute every day by train. It's not too bad, but students who do it tell me that it becomes tiresome very quickly.

Cincinnati has a simpler living environment, quick and easy access to school. The main advantage is the cost (only $29,000/yr of which $8,500 would be on Grad Plus loans), and minimal competition. There are several IP firms in the area and since there are relatively fewer IP students, externship opportunities are all but a given. The atmosphere is more intimate all around. However, the environment is not so pleasing as it is very near a bad part of town.

In truth, DePaul feels like the better choice, but in a worse case scenario of not finding employment upon graduation, Cinci is the better option due to low debt, less competition for jobs, albeit a lesser number of jobs to begin with.

Based on the faculty I have interacted with at both schools, I find those at DePaul more supportive and helpful than those at Cincinnati. The students at DePaul were also much more enthusiastic about what they were doing. At Cincinnati, many of the students seemed downright miserable.

I would agree that I am leaning towards DePaul, but no, I am not trying to justify the additional cost. Six months ago, I would have thought debating between Cincinnati and DePaul to be easy, Cincinnati wins. But, the employment climates in both areas combined with the debt factor make this tough. It would be helpful if someone could point out something that I have not taken into account.

Does Depaul have a part-time program? Maybe after 1L you could switch to PT and work PT as a cleark at an IP firm, thus getting experince, contatcts and using your income to defer cost.