UC Hastings Vs. GWU Forum

[kaptainkeepa]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

[curry1]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

Don't go. Retake/reapply (if your family lives in L.A. and you could defray COL UClA/USC could be a good option with a decent scholarship, or UCI if family in OC).

[kaptainkeepa]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

Don't go. Retake/reapply (if your family lives in L.A. and you could defray COL UClA/USC could be a good option with a decent scholarship, or UCI if family in OC).

I do not want to settle in the O.C. or L.A. I do NOT want to settle in Southern California. I still think I want to stay in California for family.

[zot1]

That is a very low scholarship amount. You will have significant debt from both schools. But the most concerning part is your goals. I don't know where we will be in three years, but the environmental regulatory landscape will change a lot in the next four years. So perhaps you might want to take that into consideration as well.

Hasting is having a lot of trouble with bar passage and employment rates. I wouldn't go there.

GWU is okay, but it doesn't actually give you a lot of options in DC unless you are in the top of your class, which is hard to determine.

But if you're set in going to school this cycle, just do your research and be well-informed of your possible outcomes. That way at least you know what you're getting into.

[cavalier1138]

I do not want to settle in the O.C. or L.A. I do NOT want to settle in Southern California. I still think I want to stay in California for family.

You really need to do some research on how job placement works after law school.

You have job goals that will inherently take you out of California, and you've already indicated a desire to be able to move around between regions. That means you should be focusing on T14 schools, because every school from the T20 down is going to place you regionally for that work. And environmental law is a highly competitive field to begin with.

Really, you need to retake the LSAT and try again next cycle, or you need to seriously adjust your career goals.

[kaptainkeepa]

I do not want to settle in the O.C. or L.A. I do NOT want to settle in Southern California. I still think I want to stay in California for family.

You really need to do some research on how job placement works after law school.

You have job goals that will inherently take you out of California, and you've already indicated a desire to be able to move around between regions. That means you should be focusing on T14 schools, because every school from the T20 down is going to place you regionally for that work. And environmental law is a highly competitive field to begin with.

Really, you need to retake the LSAT and try again next cycle, or you need to seriously adjust your career goals.

Hm. 

[Ferrisjso]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

You're in a good, no great position on paper but if you don't want to live in DC or California, I don't know why you would go to these schools.

[UVA2B]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

You're in a good, no great position on paper but if you don't want to live in DC or California, I don't know why you would go to these schools.

Time for my obligatory pushback. The OP is not in a great position with the current offers. With that scholarship, OP is looking at ~$250k debt (absent some other contribution from parents, etc.) from either school. Given their career goals, combined with the likely outcomes from these schools, that's a decidedly risky investment. Not even slight hand-wringing risky, but legit reckless risky.

[Mikey]

30k total for both schools is not that good. You will basically be paying sticker, which is a terrible idea. You said the amount both schools gave you is reasonable considering your LSAT score, so I think in this situation, retaking is actually the best path for you because that much debt from those schools is insane.

[kaptainkeepa]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

You're in a good, no great position on paper but if you don't want to live in DC or California, I don't know why you would go to these schools.

Time for my obligatory pushback. The OP is not in a great position with the current offers. With that scholarship, OP is looking at ~$250k debt (absent some other contribution from parents, etc.) from either school. Given their career goals, combined with the likely outcomes from these schools, that's a decidedly risky investment. Not even slight hand-wringing risky, but legit reckless risky.

Thank goodness I got a really good scholarship at another school!

[UVA2B]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools.

You're in a good, no great position on paper but if you don't want to live in DC or California, I don't know why you would go to these schools.

Time for my obligatory pushback. The OP is not in a great position with the current offers. With that scholarship, OP is looking at ~$250k debt (absent some other contribution from parents, etc.) from either school. Given their career goals, combined with the likely outcomes from these schools, that's a decidedly risky investment. Not even slight hand-wringing risky, but legit reckless risky.

Thank goodness I got a really good scholarship at another school!

Depending on scholly and school, I'm gonna go ahead and remain skeptical. Let us know the school/amount if you want further advice.

[Rigo]

I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

I'd be wary of this graduating during Trump presidency.
Are you looking to do PI? Environmental law jobs are kind of unicorn in nature and I wouldn't bet on them.
Do you want to work for a firm? Environmental lit is handled by biglaw firms. You can't count on Biglaw from these schools.

You should really think about your goals and adjust them and your expectations.

At the very least, negotiate. If GW offered you the same as Hastings, get Hastings to increase their offer.

[kaptainkeepa]

I got accepted into both schools and currently waiting on others.

Both offered me $30,000 total for three years. Honestly, not too happy with the amount but it is reasonable on my LSAT score. I love the idea of practicing and living in the D.C. area for a couple of years but I am not seriously considering settling down in the area for my entire life. I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

Need advice. Both areas are expensive to live in but my family is in Southern California. Obviously I still have to wait for other responses from schools

You're in a good, no great position on paper but if you don't want to live in DC or California, I don't know why you would go to these schools.

Time for my obligatory pushback. The OP is not in a great position with the current offers. With that scholarship, OP is looking at ~$250k debt (absent some other contribution from parents, etc.) from either school. Given their career goals, combined with the likely outcomes from these schools, that's a decidedly risky investment. Not even slight hand-wringing risky, but legit reckless risky.

Thank goodness I got a really good scholarship at another school!

Depending on scholly and school, I'm gonna go ahead and remain skeptical. Let us know the school/amount if you want further advice.

I'm fine. Thanks...........

[kaptainkeepa]

I want to practice environmental law and consider working for a governmental agency.

I'd be wary of this graduating during Trump presidency.
Are you looking to do PI? Environmental law jobs are kind of unicorn in nature and I wouldn't bet on them.
Do you want to work for a firm? Environmental lit is handled by biglaw firms. You can't count on Biglaw from these schools.

You should really think about your goals and adjust them and your expectations.

At the very least, negotiate. If GW offered you the same as Hastings, get Hastings to increase their offer.

That's the plan..