The Big Decision

[Yehuda Bauer]

169 LSAT, 3.8 GPA

Should I go to a school like Cornell with a lot of debt? Or should I aim for a scholarship at something like Fordham or Cardozo? Must be close to NYC. All help appreciated!

[fortook]

Oh come on. This is your call.  What's you money situation?  Where do you want to practice?  What do you want to practice?

Me, I'd go for the least amount of debt, but big law isn't my thing.  If its yours, Cornell might be a good call.  It all depends on what you want and what your resources are.  No one can help you with this.  GL

[Yehuda Bauer]

I'd like a shot at biglaw, since I'd have to take out loans.

I'm just wondering what you think is better: high loans and better employment or less loans and worse employment?

[fortook]

For me, less loans.  The equation won't be so clean.  You're not guaranteed a great job no matter where you go, especially not in this market.  All the schools you mentioned have sky high tuition.  Is your LSAT enough to get a full ride?  Did you even look at NY, Rutgers or Buffalo?  Idk, I would be terrified to have so much debt that it is literally big law or bust.  But then again, big law isn't my dream.  If its yours you may have to risk it.

A read an article a while back where Chinese companies were hiring Harvard grads out of undergrad to be token white guys in their companies.  The grads did it because they couldn't find a decent job.

I'm even depressing myself now with so much bleakness.

[Anti09]

Do you want Biglaw?  If so, it's no question, go T14.  Otherwise, there's a case to be made for Fordham, although you'll be hard pressed to get serious $$$ from them (you should not be considering 'Dozo at all with your numbers).  With your stats I would think you could get money somewhere in the lesser T14: I have almost identical numbers and got money from Cornell and Duke. 

[Cher1300]

Fortook is right.  No one can really help you with your decision, but there are some things to consider.  Less debt will give you more freedom to decide the type of work you want to do when you graduate.  What if you absolutely hate big law?  What if during your three years in law school you want to do public service?  This might sound crazy because that is all law students ever talk about - must get a job with big law.  However, I know a couple of attorneys who hated their big law jobs after just a couple of years.  The money was great but the hours were awful and the type of work they had to do was just not worth it.  One guy quit to become a police officer, and another woman quit to work for a smaller firm with lesser hours.  Do some research and talk to some lawyers.  Find out exactly what big law entails and then make your decision because you could burn out very quickly with a lot of debt - especially if you have undergrad debt.  Also consider that you may change your mind while in law school as to the type of law you want to practice, which happens a lot.  Just my two cents.