This is why I don't read...

So i've found myself continuing to compare schools, even though i've decided (supposedly) where i am going. The good news is that nothing is set in stone at this point. I can go to whichever school i choose and not worry about a daggone thing. That's comforting... but i just don't know what to do.

The fact of the matter is, i don't want to be a 6a - 10p lawyer. I don't want to have to bill 2500 hours. i don't want to have to leave out at the crack of dawn and come home when everyone is asleep. If i go to American, that is what i will have to do. My student loan payments will be somewhere around $2,000 and i just can't be in that kind of debt. American is an excellent school with tons of resources, but i just can't see myself in that position when i want to start a family soon after i graduate.

Being a female really sucks sometimes.

Relief

So I've made my decision... kind of. I have decided that I will be going to Loyola University... unless (u knew it was coming) American offers me tons of money. The truth is, I would LOVE to go to American. I just can't justify putting myself into that kind of debt. I don't want to be the kind of lawyer that would earn the salary that i would need to pay off those loans, so I will do what's best for me. I'm very excited and EXTREMELY glad to be leaving the "area". I've had enough of DC, I need to be away from it for a nice long while. And who knows where I might turn up three years from now :)

So now i begin the prepping phase. I feel like i have so much to do in such a short amount of time. Today I plan to get everything in order and start making plans to get outta here!

The Cost of Indecision

So far "indecision" has cost me $950. That's the price i've paid to pay seat deposits at two schools. Today I will be sending out my deposit to Loyola... and I'm still undecided. The problem is I can't pass up $21k. I have dreams of going to Loyola and spending summers in DC. Living with the parents and saving all the money... that would be nice. But i'd actually probably live with the sister... or one of them. But anyway... That's what i'm dealing with... This sucks

Panic

Panic is indeed starting to set in and I'm back to the Ritalin and Zoloft cocktail. I honestly cannot decide on a school. My newest idea is to just go to American and try to spend summers elsewhere. The problem with that is if i want to move upon graduation, i won't have the money to do it. I cannot believe how difficult this whole process has become. I wish i had put more thought into ranking schools before I applied.

Thinking Outside the Box

Yesterday I decided to do some snooping around to try to determine the best school for me. So, i compiled a list of all of the law firms in Chicago and in DC that don't traditionally recruit at Loyola and American respectively. I just sent a brief email asking them about their feelings about the school and how competitive the schools are with others in the area.

To be honest the response that i receive (the fact that i got any respone) was amazing to me. Recruiters have asked me to call them, called me, etc and have been genuinely willing to make themselves available to answer my questions. The information that i am getting from them is fairly standard, but i am hearing that it might be easier to go from DC to Chicago than to go from Chicago to DC.

I am leaning heavily towards American, but it absolutely SUCKS that they haven't offered money. I think that i will be trying to work in other cities in the summer, and making the best of the education that American will provide. My newest task will be trying to come up with a plan that will enable me to continue working part time while going to American. It'd be nice to keep my stock options and to not have to leave such a great company.

Full Court Press

The pressure is officially on. I'm in the home stretch of the whole law school thing and now is the time for me to really make a decision. I paid my deposit for American last week and Loyola's is due on 5/3. But i'm still not sure where i want to go. There are so many factors that i must take into consideration... ranking, bar passage rate, money, employment rate, etc etc

The advantages of Loyola are fairly obvious... i wouldn't incur anywhere near as much debt and I would probably be able to take a job that i really like after graduation because my debt load won't be crushing. On the other hand, it's a smaller school... not sure of the reputation in the area... not as many varied course offerings.... But i am receiving a scholarship named after a retired Judge who would most likely be able to put me in touch with lots of important people and the presence of his name on my resume may prove to be invaluable... but I've always wanted to go to American... there's something about the idea of practicing law here in DC. Having lived in DC all my life would put me in a good situation because it would be easy to convince a law firm that i would plan on being there for awhile. But Chicago is such a friendly city.

*sigh*

So yeah, I'm not even close to making a decision.

shhhhhhhhhh

I feel like i'm hiding out over here... but the powers that be have forced me to censor myself... so check back here for info on me!