Mercer, South Carolina, or Miami

[vap]

I'm considering Mercer (with scholarship) over Iowa.  I've visited the campus.  It's beautiful from the outside, and most of the facilities on the inside are top notch.  The building sits atop a hill that overlooks downtown Macon.

There's definitely more night life in Columbia because of the larger undergrad population.  For what it's worth, there's plenty of free parking at the law school.

The Mercer faculty is well-known to go out of its way to help students.  (The Princeton Review student survey puts them in the top 10 for "professors rock").

One of Leiter's studies looks at the endowment of schools.  If you adjust for cost of living and the # of students, Mercer is in the top 5 in the nation.  So, they've got the money to keep up the facilities and recruit quality faculty, staff, and students.

What is your 3-year estimated cost of attendance (with living) and estimated debt for each school?  This could be an important factor.  And what do you want to do after LS?

[jillibean]

I'm considering Mercer (with scholarship) over Iowa.  I've visited the campus.  It's beautiful from the outside, and most of the facilities on the inside are top notch.  The building sits atop a hill that overlooks downtown Macon.

There's definitely more night life in Columbia because of the larger undergrad population.  For what it's worth, there's plenty of free parking at the law school.

The Mercer faculty is well-known to go out of its way to help students.  (The Princeton Review student survey puts them in the top 10 for "professors rock").

One of Leiter's studies looks at the endowment of schools.  If you adjust for cost of living and the # of students, Mercer is in the top 5 in the nation.  So, they've got the money to keep up the facilities and recruit quality faculty, staff, and students.

What is your 3-year estimated cost of attendance (with living) and estimated debt for each school?  This could be an important factor.  And what do you want to do after LS?

I'm trying to figure out a way to post these pictures... Does this link work?
http://mail.google.com/mail/?disp=imgs&view=att&th=1117ff0757562fa2

your link works- but it just takes you to the sign in google page

[withasigh]

To confirm some of the rumors about USC faculty jumping to Charleston School of Law, here are two articles,

http://www.charlestonlaw.org/news/03.1103.release.htm

http://www.charlestonlaw.org/news/04.0114.spitz.release.htm

Perhaps they have more faculty from USC than they post in their news section, but it does seem that most of their professors come from private practice and not the academic side of things.

[Forget Money, Read a Book]

So I am faced with a huge decision...just like everybody here.

I'm deciding between Mercer, South Carolina, and Miami.

I know a decent amount about Miami, and have visited the city, but I don't know anything about Mercer or South Carolina.

Mercer is rated pretty good, but do the facilities keep pace with South Carolina? I've heard that South Carolina has some pretty old buildings, but honestly that doesn't bother me at all if the faculty is first rate.

I would like to work in Florida...No State Income Tax!!!, but I really do not want to stay in Miami.  I was looking and the cost of living is absolutely through the roof.

I'm just looking for a general discussion about mostly South Carolina and Mercer, there is material all over about Miami, but barely anything about Mercer and South Carolina.

Thanks in advance everybody!

VTMercutio-
Maybe I can help out a little bit.  So. Carolina is my state school and I was admitted with a renewable $7500 scholarship for Fall of '07.  I've been to Columbia many times and know several law students.  Additionally, I live in Charleston and know a few attorneys in the area- one of which worked at Nelson Mullins, which while I wouldn't necessarily consider it "BigLaw," starts first year associates off at $95K. 

My roommates dad went to Mercer and I know one attorney in Charleston that went there.  Both had good things to say, but other than that and the fact that it has some pretty nice study abroad programs, I know nothing about the school.


As someone who was accepted to both USC and Miami, it may be worth mentioning how I compared the two schools. 

1. Diversity
     very important to me.  USC, Columbia, and the state have none, while there is an abundance at UM and South Florida.
     As a state school in the south, and for a long time, the only choice for residents of SC, I find it odd that the law school
     is over 93% white.  I bet that makes for interesting class discussions. 

     At Miami, you'll definitely encounter people that more represent the demographics of this country- your future clients.

2. Opportunities
     yes, if you want to practice in So. Carolina, become a gamecock.  Keep in mind, however, only 3million people
     live in the entire state.  That being said, how many jobs can there be?  Cities worth living in are limited to
     Charleston, Greenville, Rock Hill, and Hilton Head- in that order.  If anyone familiar with SC wants to throw in Aiken, then
     will concede. No matter which of the SC cities you choose, there aren't many glamerous jobs whatsoever.  I live in
     Charleston and one firm here does pay $95 to first years, which will allow you to live like a King in the city.  But thats
     definitely not the norm.

     Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca, W. Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando are all nice places to make a career and retire.  I did UG in FL,
     have friends that have graduated from and are attending FSU, UM, and UF, and as long as you attend one of these three and have
     good grades, you can work in any city.  Miami, as a city, is great for those that want to do Sports/Entertainment and its a
     huge international finance and banking city.  You'll only be able to get this from going to Carolina if you parlay your JD into
     a job in Charlotte (competing against UNC, Duke, and Wake) or Atlanta (competing against UGA and Emory).

3. Location of the School
     Columbia is an awful city- you'll be miserable, trust me.  I bet this is the primary reason the faculty is relocating to
     Charleston, which is beautiful by the way.

     Miami, for me, is perfectly ideal.  We all know about the "Miami" culture so its definitely not for everyone.

4. Money

     It ended up being cheaper for me to attend UM than Carolina (my state school) because of scholarships.  Miami has a large
     endownment and strong alumni network (USC has a large alumni network also) so scholarships are readily available.  Did you
     receive any money from them?  Those receiving scholarships from Miami have to accept by April 2nd so if lots of people
     forego, more money will be freed.


I hope this helps.

[AJF]

So I am faced with a huge decision...just like everybody here.

I'm deciding between Mercer, South Carolina, and Miami.

I know a decent amount about Miami, and have visited the city, but I don't know anything about Mercer or South Carolina.

Mercer is rated pretty good, but do the facilities keep pace with South Carolina? I've heard that South Carolina has some pretty old buildings, but honestly that doesn't bother me at all if the faculty is first rate.

I would like to work in Florida...No State Income Tax!!!, but I really do not want to stay in Miami.  I was looking and the cost of living is absolutely through the roof.

I'm just looking for a general discussion about mostly South Carolina and Mercer, there is material all over about Miami, but barely anything about Mercer and South Carolina.

Thanks in advance everybody!

I am from Florida, raised in Florida, but I went to ug at USC (south carolina) for a year.  If you go to USC, you should plan to work in South Carolina.  If you want to work in Florida, Miami is the best choice, although I know nothing about Mercer.  USC is highly provincial and places VERY well, but in South Carolina, and almost exclusively in South Carolina.  Furthermore, Florida is also a provincial state, and likes to hire from its own schools, i.e. not South Carolina. 

[barenakedtjm]

That is fascination, the $95k firm in Charleston.  Sounds like a dream come true to me.  How many do they hire each year?

[Forget Money, Read a Book]

That is fascination, the $95k firm in Charleston.  Sounds like a dream come true to me.  How many do they hire each year?

Not sure how many they hire a year, but the rumors are true- all offices in SC start first year's off at $95K.  Here's their website below:

http://www.nelsonmullins.com/legal-careers/lawyers-compensation-benefits.cfm


For what its worth, there is something at USC law school named after this firm...I think its called the Nelson Mullins, Riley and Scarborough Center on Professionalim.

[Navygirl]

I posted a similar thread about this awhile ago with zero responses.  It just seems like many people haven't even applied to S.C., let alone are considering attending.  Is there anyone out there that has something positive to say about the school? 

I really am looking to end up in VA, NC, or SC... I didn't apply to any NC schools though, and only one VA school that I know I'm getting a rejection from.  S.C. is the only school in one of those 3 states I applied to.  I've never been to Columbia, but up until I started reading these boards, I've been hoping for an acceptance from S.C., because it had been my #1 choice...
Now I have no clue where I should go...

[barenakedtjm]

Dude it's really not that bad a place, especially if you want to work in SC.  Don't let this board make you think that nobody is applying -- people here do not represent the average applicant.

[Forget Money, Read a Book]

Dude it's really not that bad a place, especially if you want to work in SC.  Don't let this board make you think that nobody is applying -- people here do not represent the average applicant.

Naygirl-
he's right...its not that bad a place at all- just not for me.  There are some very nice cities in SC.  I live in Charleston right now and it has a good quality of life and is a perfect place to raise kids.  Yes, it gets humid, but you absolutely can not beat Charleston in the summertime.  If that's what you want, Univ. of South Carolina and Columbia is perfectly fine.

I actually think I read the thread you speak of posting, but if I recall you were askig for current students to respond.  Since I'm prospective I didn't know if you'd appreciate the input. 

For what its worth, I'm leaning towards not attending only because I've lived in Charleston for about two years and kinda want a change of pace and there's isn't another city in the state I'd want to settle down in.  I'd be at USC in the fall if that weren't the case.