American $$ v GM v GWU Forum

[DavidJennings6]

I'm enjoyed reading the advice others have gotten on this site and I feel like it was time for me to ask for some as well.

I'm applying Part-Time to various programs in the D.C. area. I currently work as a Contract Specialist and looking to keep working to help off-set some of the tuition and overall COA. I've been accepted to American University on a full scholarship and was placed on GW and GM's waitlist. My question is, would it be better for me to attend American at no expense or attend GW or GM at sticker (should I get off of the waitlist)? Stats are 3.63 and 163.

Thanks!

[cavalier1138]

What are your career goals? Do you want to keep working with your current company/in your current field? Do you get a pay bump for earning your JD?

[DavidJennings6]

What are your career goals? Do you want to keep working with your current company/in your current field? Do you get a pay bump for earning your JD?

Going into school I have a couple of interests, constitutional/law making. Whether that's working on cap hill or for a federal agency. My second interest is international human interests (very different I know). I grew up in the Philippines where my parents did NGO work. Growing up there helped me realize there are plenty of people being taken advantage of and need someone to stand up for their rights. However, I do realize that once school starts, my interests could change.

Although I enjoy working at my current company, a career in federal contracting is not something I'm dying to do for the rest of my life.

[cavalier1138]

Going into school I have a couple of interests, constitutional/law making. Whether that's working on cap hill or for a federal agency. My second interest is international human interests (very different I know).

Well, the former isn't really a legal field. If you're interested in crafting legislation, that doesn't require a JD. And there isn't really a "constitutional law" practice area. To the extent that it does exist, it's practiced in high-level impact litigation at organizations like the ACLU/SPLC. None of your current options are likely to give you a good chance at that kind of work. Similarly, international human rights is an extremely competitive field that is equally inaccessible (if not more so) from those schools.

Your post generally points to part-time school not being a great choice. Depending on how much you earn right now, it's not likely to offset getting a higher LSAT and scholarship to a school that gives you at least a fighting chance at doing the work you seem to be interested in. Additionally, your work is likely to prevent you from being able to intern at relevant organizations and build up the kind of experience/network that you'd need to be successful in those fields.

So your best course of action if you want to practice law is probably to retake the LSAT and shoot for a T13 school like Georgetown, Berkeley, or NYU. YS are both a no-go with your GPA, and H is unlikely). However, if your real interest is in lawmaking rather than in practicing law, don't go to law school at all.

[tls_toddy]

Would you be in-state tuition for GM?

My thoughts are American. I was in a similar situation as you and chose the money. It gets a lot of crap on these subs, but American is very well respected in the DC area and I have been very impressed with my professors.

I think a much, much harder choice (and one I think I may face soon) is GULC at sticker v. American and no debt. For me and my situation, if I'm lucky enough to get the admit to GULC, I'm laying down that deposit immediately. But my situation isn't necessarily yours.

[cavalier1138]

American is very well respected in the DC area and I have been very impressed with my professors.

Someone forgot to tell 47% of graduates how well-respected American is. And professors are impressive everywhere (even the bottom-of-the-barrel schools still have some HYS grads on staff). More importantly, the relative quality of your teachers has nothing to do with employment outcomes.

American for free isn't a bad result in general, but don't oversell it as some guaranteed route to a decent legal job. Half the class aren't even practicing 9 months after graduation, and that's as well as the school has done in the last decade or so. And to the extent the OP is looking to practice law, they aren't looking to practice in the areas that American would set them up for.

[tls_toddy]

With a full ride, OP should not be in the bottom half, but I agree it's not wise to assume you'll do well in law school.

Something to consider, it would be useful to know how many of those 47% are actually seeking lawyer jobs but cant get them v. how many wanted j.d. related jobs, but I am glad you pointed me there because that's lower than I thought.