Does undergraduate prestige matter

elf1
Sun, 13 Feb 2022 02:08:50 +0000

There are some unresolved questions in this discussion. I am not really a law expert, but I think that a career in law is more likely to be hindered by an accelerated academic experience than one in something like science, where the mastery of very specialized skills can outweigh other factors. The practice of law is primarily about politics, power, and human relationships, so the OP should consider activities that will boost their resume in these areas. Planning for a junior year abroad, planning for an extra master’s (let’s say from Oxford in politics) prior to law school - which might be possible with a Marshall or other fellowship, doing a stint in Peace Corps or Teach for America, and such accomplishments may be a good way to use the extra time provided by starting college early, and get some life experience that will prepare for work too.
Also, as pointed out, the student can only borrow $25k. What do the parents feel about the $75k? Is it really the student’s burden? UChicago for $25k is worth it.
Why is UChicago falling so short of meeting need? It seems like they should be doing better.
UChicago is not only in a high crime area, it has had students shot and killed on campus. So that is definitely something to consider.
Finally, what is the state school in question? If it is Texas, judging by the username, a school like UT or Texas A&M would also carry a lot of prestige. Going to the best public universities the state offers is fine, and will not disadvantage much in future law school applications. However, going to a “directional” school instead of UChicago is a very different matter. As another poster mentioned, U of Alabama (and also Ole Miss) meet this criteria in the US News rankings; other schools, not so much.