My dear Mustachians in the legal profession. I know that law school is often advised against in general, but if we are so inclined to risk life and limb (and future FI) to enter the gauntlet that is the pursuit of a legal education, would any of you that have been to law school and lived to tell the tale have any suggestions on going about it in a mustachian way? I.e. minimizing debt while also attempting to maximize experience, educational value, and future job prospects...?
I can offer my current dilemma on the choice between 2 law schools up for comment. I'd love any insight from mustachian lawyers out there.
Currently deciding between University of Louisville and University of Kentucky (Schools in my home state, I'm currently living abroad and need to return home to be closer to family). I've been offered a full scholarship at UL. I've been offered $18,500 out of $22,700 at UK. That would mean about 15k or so extra tuition at UK over 3 years. I will also have to fund cost of living at UK as I wouldn't be living at home and not sure I could work on the side to help fund myself. So potentially add another 30k over 3 years for cost of living- bringing me to around 45k to go to UK. There is the chance I'd have to take out minimal cost of living loans at UL, so lets say 15k as a safety net, bringing us to a difference in 30k over 3 years, UK being the more expensive option. Yikes... Just writing that makes my skin crawl, as I've learned from my undergraduate loans (currently down to 8k) that student loans are as a general rule of thumb, trash can...
I am from Louisville, have a ton of connections and family there. I feel like I could return home, live meagerly, network like crazy, pick up a weekend job catering bourbon events like I did in undergrad, and graduate nearly debt free and have a job to boot. Let's say UL represents the "safe" bet (relative term).... UK however, is the "higher ranked" school, with potentially better job prospects and a bit more "reach", or reputation, should I decide later in life to leave the state (though I wouldn't go far, I don't think- Cincinnati or Nashville would be about as far as I'd want to go from family). I am also intrigued by the possibility of meeting new people and making new connections in Lexington, Frankfort, and the surrounding areas. Cincinnati is only an hour or so north of Lexington, and UK generally seems to have a bigger draw of students from all over, while UL has bit more of a parochial, commuter school vibe and typically houses students from Louisville and its surrounding counties. UK represents the intriguing, slightly riskier, but potentially rewarding choice.
Of course whichever school I choose, I'll be living close to campus and rocking the bicycle- Mustachian principle numero uno, check :)
Thanks a lot in advance for making it this far in the post. If you want to comment on my dilemma, as I said before, I'd love any insight. If you'd prefer to comment more generally on a mustachian approach to law school, I think that'd be lovely as well and could potentially help future young, law school minded wanna-be mustachians. All the best- CST
