Kent ($0/yr) v. DePaul ($8000/yr, 3.2 GPA requirement)

[scissorsneedi61]

Hello all,

I have a difficult decision to make in the coming days. I was accepted at Kent and DePaul. Kent did not give me money while DePaul gave me $8000 a year provided I keep my GPA above 3.2. I am not sure yet exactly what branch of law I would like to go into. I am aware that Kent has nicer facilities as I have personally seen them; I have, however, not visited DePaul.

Any insight is appreciated.

[Cereal_Killer]

Maintaining a 3.2 GPA will be much harder than you think. Law school isn't college. The odds are stacked heavily against you maintaining the scholarship throughout 3 years of law school. So if tuition is your main concern, you'd probably be better off asking yourself which of the two schools you'd be happy paying sticker price to attend.

[scissorsneedi61]

Thanks for your input.

DePaul's grading curve is such that the top 35% of students are those with a 3.2 and above. Given my track record and my willingness to bust my ass, especially the first year, I think I can manage to be in the top third of my class. I guess my question really boils down to which school would give me a more promising career path after graduation...

[Cereal_Killer]

I appreciate your confidence. And I'm sure you're a bright and diligent student. But you've likely never been in an academic environment where you're surrounded by people who are as equally intelligent and determined as you. In fact, some of these people are intellectual mutants---scary smart. 

Granted finishing in the upper third of your class sounds quite easy. You, like most of your fellow students, have probably achieved a great deal of academic success in the past so top third sounds like a cakewalk. But from a purely statistical standpoint, you're almost twice as likely to end up in the bottom 65% than in the upper 35%.

Anyway, I wish you all the success in the world. Good luck!

[kaitlynw]

What sort of law are you thinking of going in to?
Do you plan on staying in Chicago?

If you're thinking IP, then Kent HANDS DOWN. But if you're thinking public interest/civil rights/immigration go with DePaul. I work at a civil rights firm and I'd say 3/4 of our lawyers are DePaul grads. With the whole Vincentian aspect of the school, it just sort of happens that way.

Also, in Chicago Kent and DePaul are highly regarded (as high as they can be with Northwestern and UChicago). However, a few of my friends are Kent grads and they say that if you go outside of the Chicago area all anyone hears is its affiliation with IIT which isn't the best aspect of the school. DePaul has a bit of a more nationally known name for sure.