BC or Fordham Forum
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:45 pm
BC or Fordham
Background: I am fully deposited at Fordham Law, they are offering 15k/year. I just got in to BC off of the waitlist, with an offer of 18k/year. BC's tuition also appears to be about 9 or 10k cheaper than Fordham in general. My #'s are 164/3.63
I estimate the total COA to be:
160k for Fordham
120k for BC
I am from upstate NY and would like big law. I have never been to Boston in my life, and applied to the school based entirely on its regional reputation and job prospects. I know this essentially comes down to the question "Would you rather work in NYC or Boston?", but I would just like some opinions on whether the savings in COA are worth completely changing gears and attending BC. Thanks.
I estimate the total COA to be:
160k for Fordham
120k for BC
I am from upstate NY and would like big law. I have never been to Boston in my life, and applied to the school based entirely on its regional reputation and job prospects. I know this essentially comes down to the question "Would you rather work in NYC or Boston?", but I would just like some opinions on whether the savings in COA are worth completely changing gears and attending BC. Thanks.
-
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 6:10 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
BC has better placement stats and it appears it will be cheaper. I'd go with BC.
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:45 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
Thanks for the input. I hear a lot of talk about having "ties" to the region you would like to be employed in. Do you think my never having lived in Boston could have a detriment on my employment prospects?Informative wrote:BC has better placement stats and it appears it will be cheaper. I'd go with BC.
-
- Posts: 1947
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:55 am
Re: BC or Fordham
At your stated costs (more about that in a second), Fordham would be insane, and BC would be a bad idea.
Are your parents paying some, or are you debt-financing all of the cost? If the latter, you are badly understating your debt load at repayment. From BC, you would owe ~$175K at repayment if you debt-financed everything. From Fordham, you would owe ~$235K.
In either payment situation, don't go to either school. Retake.
Are your parents paying some, or are you debt-financing all of the cost? If the latter, you are badly understating your debt load at repayment. From BC, you would owe ~$175K at repayment if you debt-financed everything. From Fordham, you would owe ~$235K.
In either payment situation, don't go to either school. Retake.
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:45 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
My parents are willing to to throw me 17k for the first year, and probably a lesser amount for the following years. I will be contributing 5k in savings. I guess I hadn't quite taken the interest into accoun. Those debt loads are indeed horrifying.Ti Malice wrote:At your stated costs (more about that in a second), Fordham would be insane, and BC would be a bad idea.
Are your parents paying some, or are you debt-financing all of the cost? If the latter, you are badly understating your debt load at repayment. From BC, you would owe ~$175K at repayment if you debt-financed everything. From Fordham, you would owe ~$235K.
In either payment situation, don't go to either school. Retake.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:40 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
No. But you really should visit BC and Boston before you make this decision.generaltoast wrote:Thanks for the input. I hear a lot of talk about having "ties" to the region you would like to be employed in. Do you think my never having lived in Boston could have a detriment on my employment prospects?Informative wrote:BC has better placement stats and it appears it will be cheaper. I'd go with BC.
And I second the option of having you pick neither right now. Retake the LSAT, and reapply, hoping for more $$$ in scholarship.
- RetakeFrenzy
- Posts: 597
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:41 am
Re: BC or Fordham
Living in NYC is too costly...and BC seems quite portable to NY. I'd take BC
- guano
- Posts: 2264
- Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:49 am
Re: BC or Fordham
BCand Fordham are effectively peer schools. No way one is worth $40k more than the other
-
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:19 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
Retake if all you want is biglaw. That debt level is too high for what is a substantial risk of not getting biglaw out of either school and a few more points will get you T13.
Your chances of not getting biglaw, and having to pay the debt back on a 60K salary, is probably about 65-60% from both schools.
Your chances of not getting biglaw, and having to pay the debt back on a 60K salary, is probably about 65-60% from both schools.
- jbagelboy
- Posts: 10361
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:57 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
Boston College between the two.
FWIW I had similar stats to yours as a senior in college (mid 160s, 3.6x); I prepped my application , PS, LoRs, ect, and then bailed and took a consulting job instead at fall recruiting when I saw the schools Id likely be admitted to.
I waited to apply until after id graduated (raised my GPA to over 3.7), worked consulting as solid WE, retook to 172 and got into CCN w/ $ and below with some WLs at HYS.
Consider the opportunity cost of a year of work/retaking vs having a significantly more employable degree or much lower debt.
Good luck
FWIW I had similar stats to yours as a senior in college (mid 160s, 3.6x); I prepped my application , PS, LoRs, ect, and then bailed and took a consulting job instead at fall recruiting when I saw the schools Id likely be admitted to.
I waited to apply until after id graduated (raised my GPA to over 3.7), worked consulting as solid WE, retook to 172 and got into CCN w/ $ and below with some WLs at HYS.
Consider the opportunity cost of a year of work/retaking vs having a significantly more employable degree or much lower debt.
Good luck
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:45 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm currently attempting some last minute haggling for increased scholarship at BC. Retaking is an option I have highly considered. I interviewed all summer for paralegal jobs to get some WE, but came out with nothing.
-
- Posts: 2399
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 4:21 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
I would really encourage you to retake. I know it would suck to burn the deposit, but it's worth it for getting into a better school. I'd even work retail/something else random over a year to improve your outlook.generaltoast wrote:Thanks for the advice guys. I'm currently attempting some last minute haggling for increased scholarship at BC. Retaking is an option I have highly considered. I interviewed all summer for paralegal jobs to get some WE, but came out with nothing.
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:45 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
Figured I would come back and update one of my very first TLS posts.
I ended up going Fordham and not retaking. Ended up 124K in the hole after graduation and interest capitalization, would have been much more had I not lived dirt cheap in the Bronx and financed my first year living with savings.
Scored biglaw, but at times I still wish I had taken the advice in this thread and retaken for a better school with more money. The debt load is a major buzzkill, even at a 180K salary.
I ended up going Fordham and not retaking. Ended up 124K in the hole after graduation and interest capitalization, would have been much more had I not lived dirt cheap in the Bronx and financed my first year living with savings.
Scored biglaw, but at times I still wish I had taken the advice in this thread and retaken for a better school with more money. The debt load is a major buzzkill, even at a 180K salary.
- TasmanianToucan
- Posts: 604
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 11:16 am
Re: BC or Fordham
Thanks for updating! I wish everyone who did one of these threads would post an update. Congrats on having an ideal outcome under the circumstances.generaltoast wrote:
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:45 pm
Re: BC or Fordham
No problem. I'd also like to add that I got biglaw by the skin of my teeth, despite being top 12%. Came out of OCI with one offer (maybe just a crap interviewer). Just noting that I could have landed myself in a very precarious situation, and biglaw is never a certainty.
Get unlimited access to all forums and topics
Register now!
I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...
Already a member? Login