“What law school have you chosen?” People keep asking me this question and, frankly, I haven’t made any decisions yet. Trust me, that’s as annoying for me as it is for those who are watching me go through this process. What I can do is at least shed some light on what options I am weighing right now and how I got here.
Step #1 In My Process Was The “Starting List” Of Options
When my law school admissions journey began, I was very focused on rankings and prestige. I wanted to go to the best school. So, I went to the US & News World Report rankings to formulate an initial list of options.
At the top of my list were the “T14.” In the law school world, these schools are the creme de la creme. People would DIE to get into these schools, because they are highly ranked, carry a lot of industry and lay prestige, and nearly guarantee “Big Law” jobs that pay big money when you graduate.
The “T14” are: Stanford (#1, CA), Yale (#1, CT), Chicago (#3, IL), UPenn, (#4, PA), Duke (#5, NC), Harvard (#5, MA), NYU (#5, NY), Columbia (#8, NY), UVA (#8, VA), Northwestern (#10, IL), Berkeley (#10, CA), Michigan (#10, MI), Cornell (#13, NY), UCLA (#14, CA), and Georgetown (#15, DC).
Although USC (#16, CA), UT-Austin (#16, TX), Vanderbilt (#16, TN), and WashU (#20, MO) are not considered “T14” they are still very highly ranked, so they were added to my list too.
Although many people have said I’d have “no problem” getting into schools like this, the reality is that these schools are extremely competitive and NO ONE is guaranteed a spot. Even people with perfect LSAT scores and perfect GPAs get rejected from these schools. So, I had to have a secondary list of schools that were more within reach.
For that list, I focused on schools in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia, where most of my family is situated: GW (#35, DC), Washington & Lee (#40, VA), Maryland (#51, MD), Richmond (#60), and American (#89, DC)
Finally, I added ASU (#32, AZ) and UNLV (#89, NV) to my list to be closer to my friend and business partner Valerie Del Grosso, Esq. who inspired me to go to law school.
Step #2 In My Process Was To Talk To My Husband About These Options
I am married with kids, so their needs and wants have to be factored into my decision too. Additionally, since most “1Ls” (first year law students) do not work at all, we had to make sure my husband would be able to find work where ever it is that we ended up.
My husband immediately expressed concern over any school in California. That meant removing Stanford (#1, CA), Berkeley (#10, CA), UCLA (#14, CA), and USC (#16, CA) from my list.
Step #3 In My Process Was To Consider The Locations I’d Genuinely Enjoy Living
The reality is that where ever I go, I have to be there for at least 3 years, but most people end up practicing in the state where they went to law school. At first I deluded myself into thinking I could probably stand living anywhere. After awhile, I realized my quality of life would not be very high in places with very cold weather.
For that reason, I removed the following schools from my list: Yale (#1, CT), Chicago (#3, IL), Harvard (#5, MA), NYU (#5, NY), Columbia (#8, NY), Michigan (#10, MI), and Cornell (#13, NY).
I made weather exceptions for UPenn, (#4, PA), because my mother might be moving near there, Northwestern (#10, IL), because I like the culture of the school, and WashU (#20, MO) because they seem to be very generous with financial aid.
WITH ALL OF THIS IN MIND, HERE WAS MY FINAL LIST OF SCHOOLS I WAS CONSIDERING:
UPenn, (#4, PA), Duke (#5, NC), UVA (#8, VA), Northwestern (#10, IL), Georgetown (#15, DC), UT-Austin (#16, TX), Vanderbilt (#16, TN), WashU (#20, MO), ASU (#32, AZ), GW (#35, DC), Washington & Lee (#40, VA), Maryland (#51, MD), Richmond (#60), and American (#89, DC), UNLV (#89, NV)
Step #4 In My Process Was To Wait To See What Offers I Received
This was a painfully slow process. Despite applying in October/November, I still have not yet received decisions from Vanderbilt (#16, TN), WashU (#20, MO), and UNLV (#89, NV), although I do expect to hear back in the next two weeks.
For the schools I have heard back from, here are the decisions I’ve received so far:
ACCEPTED: Northwestern (#10, IL), GW (#35, DC), Washington & Lee (#40, VA), Maryland (#51, MD), Richmond (#60, VA), American (#89, DC)
I received a full tuition scholarship plus a guaranteed summer fellowship at Richmond, but only a $135,000 scholarship from Washington & Lee. Therefore, I am no longer highly considering Washington & Lee. I received a $120,000 scholarship from both GW and Maryland. Therefore, I am no longer highly considering Maryland. I am still waiting on my aid offers from Northwestern and American. It is also important to note that law school aid packages ARE negotiable, so there is room for me to get more than what I was initially offered here.
PREFERRED WAITLIST: Georgetown (#15, DC)
WAIT LIST: UPenn, (#4, PA), Duke (#5, NC), UVA (#8, VA), UT-Austin (#16, TX), ASU (#32, AZ)
I was only interested in ASU as a safety and only if I received money, so they are no longer on my list. I would also prefer Duke or UVA over UT-Austin or UPenn, so I’m no longer highly considering those as an option either.
With all of this in mind, I simply do not have enough information to make a decision right now.
THEREFORE, RIGHT NOW I AM FOCUSING ON:
- Getting clarity around my aid package from Northwestern and American
- Potentially negotiating with GW for a greater aid package
- Trying to get off the wait lists at Georgetown (#15, DC), Duke (#5, NC), and UVA (#8, VA)
- Waiting for decisions from Vanderbilt (#16, TN), WashU (#20, MO), and UNLV (#89, NV)
- Working with my husband to clarify his employment options at all of these locations
Once these things are done, I will have what I need to decide! Hopefully it is soon, because I am dying to just be done with this process! Wish me luck 🙂