Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$ Forum

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iknowlaws

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Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by iknowlaws » Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:43 pm

I currently have a 3/4 tuition offer to Indiana, Bloomington and a full tuition offer to Michigan State University. I do not believe I have big law aspirations and want to work in a moderate-sized firm either in Chicago or Seattle. Is there a clear distinction between the two? I know rankings do not mean as much outside the T14 so any advice would be great!

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Lawworld19

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by Lawworld19 » Mon Apr 09, 2018 4:08 pm

I'd go with full tuition @ MSU. I went to a low ranked state school in the midwest and just landed a 70,000$ right out of law school with average grades with no billables. To be honest, the people who got jobs before graduation in my school were the kids who were good at networking, social, etc. Maybe different at other schools, just my experience.

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deadpanic

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by deadpanic » Mon Apr 09, 2018 9:42 pm

^This is not good advice and a rare outcome.

OP wants Chicago or Seattle. Both schools are not good for this, and especially not Seattle.

What is the total cost of attendance of each? If you had to choose between Indiana or Michigan, which one? Those are the likely places you will land.

Lawworld19

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by Lawworld19 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 12:18 pm

I have experience with the Chicago area and have many friends who work in Chicago. MSU actually has a large alumni base there. IMO if you get a full ride to MSU, clerk in Chicago somewhere over the summers, and you don't get a job there something is wrong. Also, most people who are "looking for jobs" don't look too hard. If you aren't putting a suit on, and physically showing up to firms with a resume and ask for five minutes of their time, you it is your fault for not getting a job. With how tight the market is firms get buried with resumes when they post a job posting. If you show up and put a name with a face, you are better off. I got my college judicial clerkship that way and my job out of law school. I went to a TTT and had a 2.86 GPA ranked right at 50%. Firm who hired me never asked for my grades, judge who hired me didn't ask either.

Lawworld19

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by Lawworld19 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 12:21 pm

Also, a lot of the time scholarships are conditional. If the MSU has no express conditions @ not cost and IU has conditions, to me it would be a no brainer. Also MSU is just an awesome atmosphere.

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iknowlaws

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by iknowlaws » Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:46 pm

Lawworld19 wrote:I'd go with full tuition @ MSU. I went to a low ranked state school in the midwest and just landed a 70,000$ right out of law school with average grades with no billables. To be honest, the people who got jobs before graduation in my school were the kids who were good at networking, social, etc. Maybe different at other schools, just my experience.
One of my concerns is salary potential afterwards. IU's new median private sector salary is $100k vs MSU's $60k. I may also consider the JD/MBA program that the schools offer.

iknowlaws

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by iknowlaws » Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:47 pm

Lawworld19 wrote:Also, a lot of the time scholarships are conditional. If the MSU has no express conditions @ not cost and IU has conditions, to me it would be a no brainer. Also MSU is just an awesome atmosphere.
Even considering their respective salary data with private sector medians at 100k vs 60k? That is a concern in the long term for me because minor debt could be easily paid off and higher cash flows allow for heavier repayment.

Lawworld19

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by Lawworld19 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:28 pm

IU's biz school is better, I agree. Also, IU's salary points are prob skewed due to its proximity to Chicago. Many graduates go to Chicago where it is just a reality they pay more due to the higher COL. MSU is situated in the middle of Michigan, (East Lansing/Lansing), where the COL is very low. I just think having no debt gives you many more options.

You either fly or you don't. Firms care if you can make money for the firm, work efficiently, be decent to be around, and/or make it rain. I understand some firms might only hire LS's from Harvard or Yale because their customers expect that, but if you are good, IU or MSU really will not make a difference IMO.

Lawworld19

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Re: Indiana, Bloomington $$ vs. Michigan State $$$

Post by Lawworld19 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:33 pm

Here is an example. I am just finishing at a public law school in Ohio. I have friends at Case Western which is a higher ranked school than mine. I know what statistics say, but from a real world point of view there really was not a difference. I got a job as an associate at the same rate at a firm where they hired Case graduates. It really was a non factor. Maybe if you went to like cooley or FCSL or something but if you go to a state school at least I think you are fine. Now Harvard v. a state school, and you want to go into BIGLAW, I get that argument. But I mean IU v MSU? No one gives a sh** unless they are super loyal to their alumni base or something.

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