I’m making a choice now for an undergraduate education. It looks like my choices may come down to Rice University in Texas and Simpson College in Iowa. The former seems like they’re offering very little aid, I will be in significant debt. The latter is a full ride, with a position on their speech team, theatre company, and tennis team with a triple-major opportunity.
The problem with Simpson, it seems, is that they don’t have a very big name in the academic world.
I want to apply to a top tier law school a couple years after I graduate-- Harvard is the top choice for me.
My question is this: IF I were to go to Simpson and get a nice GPA (3.9/3.8) and a high LSAT score (74-75), would the fact that I did this at a smaller name school hurt my chances of admission significantly?
I realize these kinds of scores are unlikely, I’m definitely not trying to say I can automatically get these kinds of marks. When making this decision, though, I want to assume for argument’s sake that I work my ass off and get these scores I need to get.
I would appreciate any input.
It won’t make a difference. Law school admissions is a numbers game.
That said, Rice is one of the best universities in the country. It may be worth it if you decide you want to do something other than become a lawyer. Also, a getting a high LSAT score in that range is a big “IF.” Only a very small percentage of students can get a score like that. Are these your only 2 options? If you got into Rice, you should have gotten into other schools with very nice merit offers.
I agree with WildestDream. Rice generally would open more doors in a career.
Plus, a speech team, theatre company and tennis team and majoring in three things wouldn’t help law school admissions much at all. Those could actually be distractions from the mandatory goal of getting top grades and a top LSAT score.
Aren’t there schools between Rice and Simpson levels of prestige that would be in your price range?
Unfortunately, these really are the only schools I applied to. Im in that unfortunate family earnings spot where I qualify for no federal or institutional aid because of my parents’ income, but they don’t make enough to contribute their expected 40k a year, or anywhere near that.
I would be looking at nearly 60k in loans per year from Rice, and I don’t know if I can do that.
I would quickly line up a gap year abroad or something to fill a year, and then re-apply to a broader range of schools.
Or accept at Simpson and go there, but don’t plan to graduate from there; perhaps stay 2 years there (or a year if you find another school with a good merit aid package quickly). Be sure to get all As at Simpson–you definitely can.
Do NOT undertake that much debt for Rice.
It is extremely hard to get big merit money as a transfer student. @HappyAlumnus is correct that perhaps you should consider a gap year and apply to a wider range of schools (do not take classes anywhere so that you can apply as a first time freshman)
Would a gap year before undergrad really be a good idea?
yes, a productive gap year may be good. Sit with your parents find out how much they are willing to pay/borrow for you to attend college. Then look at schools where you can get significant merit aid. This will not happen as a transfer student, which is why a gap year may be beneficial so that you can apply as an incoming freshman