<p>Looking to practice in either NY or CA, so location doesn't help much. Full ride to Cardozo, $28,000 to USC. Not sure what type of law I want to practice yet, but likely corporate. I have another opportunity that I'd like to pursue, so I might not end up practicing for a few years after I graduate, so the full ride is looking more attractive. Is the the higher quality/rep of USC worth it?</p>
<p>Do you have any savings that you will be using for room/board expenses, or will you be taking out loans for three years of living expenses? If it’s the latter, quick calculations show that you would be about $80k in debt for Cardozo and $150,000 in debt for USC. Neither one of those is a sane option (IMHO). </p>
<p>What are your GPA/LSAT? What is this opportunity that happens after law school? What are your ties to CA?</p>
<p>Provided a GPA of 3.3 or higher: retake and try again next cycle. </p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. I wouldn’t have to pay for room/board in ny thanks to family apartment connections. Assuming I don’t retake, any insightful comments on the differences between the schools?</p>
<p>Dozo is a classic trap school that you should basically never go to. USC is alright, putting about a third into high paying firm jobs and another 10% into government/PI. Neither is a great bet but USC clearly beats out dozo on the information we have. If you want better answers, provide the information I asked for.</p>
<p>retake is the only answer. Score a few points higher, and the price of 'SC goes down while the odds for T14 increase.</p>
<p>Also, if you really want NYC, consider Fordham.</p>
<p>Oops, was in a rush. 169/3.54. Waitlisted at fordham. Priority waitlisted at georgetown and duke. No professional ties but I most likely have a place to stay in ca as well, willing to start a career there. Strong ties in ny (family is president of a nyc bar). Opportunity is music related. Also have a full scholarship to Brooklyn and a half scholarship to vandy, about 15000 to ucla and accepted to emory. Any reason you’re so down on dozo? My dad hired a dozo grad and my sister got a job out of st johns.</p>
<p>Jobs in Firms with 100+ lawyers:</p>
<p>Dozo = 14%</p>
<p>Fordham = 30%</p>
<p>169 is a score that should really be 171 or 172. You should absolutely retake. I’m not concerned about you being “willing to” start a career, I’m concerned that no one will want to hire you. California is a very tough, insular market for people with no ties. Going to USC will alleviate that a bit, but I’d watch out if law school is your only tie. You’re going to want a compelling story about why you want CA. If you have relatives there, that should play a large part.</p>
<p>I have no idea what a music related opportunity is or why you have to go to law school before you take up on it, especially since you said you wouldn’t be practicing law. If you want that opportunity take it before law school. If you take it after you’ll be a law grad with no experience and a few years since law school. No one will hire you. A few years work experience before law school, however, makes you a much more attractive candidate for legal employers. </p>
<p>As for the other schools you mentioned, you should spend some time [url=<a href=“http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/cardozo/2013/]here[/url”>http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/cardozo/2013/]here[/url</a>] looking at the various employment numbers. Dozo is bad because it employs few of its graduates who nevertheless take on mountains of debt. Brooklyn is worse, Emory about the same, UCLA/USC/Vandy are better, with UCLA and Vandy actually being pretty decent regional premier schools. They should be top of your list, not USC. USC and Fordham should be next and only with a lot of money. Don’t bother going to any of the others,</p>
<p>If you have to choose between USC and Cardozo, clearly USC is the better school. </p>
<p>It sounds like you might have Duke or Georgetown open up, and I’d keep my fingers crossed. You should be OK with USC, though.</p>
<p>Yes, USC is a better school and will give you more opportunities, but I don’t think it’s worth $90,000 in non-dischargeable student loans. </p>
<p>Re-take the LSAT. If you spend 90 hours studying and re-taking, and earn a full tuition scholarship instead of a half-tuition scholarship, your time will be worth $1,000 an hour, plus interest. I’m here to tell you that there is nothing - repeat, nothing - you are doing with your time right now that is worth that much money. Even if you get a BigLaw job, your time won’t be worth a thousand dollars an hour to your clients, let alone to you.</p>
<p>You future self will thank you on bended knee as all of your law school friends strain to pay off their loans. </p>
<p>I agree with ariesathena.</p>
<p>I agree if you can retake the June LSAT, it may even help you in getting off of the Duke/Gtown wait list. If you score a 171/172 and don’t get off of the wait list or get off of the wait list with no money, i would consider not going this year and reapplying next year as a 171/172 would open the T-14 for you or other schools with generous scholarships.</p>
<p>Retake is the only answer here. Nail a 172 and you’re gold. Money everywhere and some T14 offers.</p>