Salaries and Firms - DC

I dont think there is enough traffic on this board to warrant thread divisions. Can the burger move the loan question here for a better shot at responses?

BTW, Temple's tuition would be $6,000/yr compared to GW's $21,000 -- plus the cost of living differnce -- but I think my mindset is that I can live with that as long as I can get out of Philly for at least a while. (No offense to Philly. It's a great town. I'm just bored with it.)

criminy. GWU tuition is at 30 gs now? And Temple's is only at 12? That must mean Harvard is pushing 40 gs. This is crazier than the soaring costs of ski lift tickets in the early nineties. There are just too many good state schools out there to make these nutty tuitions an option. If I were you, I would wait a year and reapply. GW is simply not worth 30 gs a year plus COL, esp if you dont want to do biglaw. If you got scholarship to GWU, you probaby have a shot at a UMichigan or at least a U Minnesota.

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by lawskirt
BTW, Temple's tuition would be $6,000/yr compared to GW's $21,000 -- plus the cost of living differnce -- but I think my mindset is that I can live with that as long as I can get out of Philly for at least a while. (No offense to Philly. It's a great town. I'm just bored with it.)

If you're not sure that you want to end up "married to BIGLAW" consider this: the 15K per year extra tuition = 45K in extra loans over the course of LS = about $450 per month in higher loan payments (not counting accruing interest, and assuming you consolidate the loans over the course of 25 years).

That's a BIG deal if you're not pulling down a six figure salary. I don't know how good/bad a LS Temple may be, and I'd agree that GWU is a fairly well respected regional and is well represented at large firms in D.C. That said, think long and hard about the loans. That kind of debt can significantly limit your choices once you're out.

S_A_M

Originally posted by lawskirt
BTW, Temple's tuition would be $6,000/yr compared to GW's $21,000 -- plus the cost of living differnce -- but I think my mindset is that I can live with that as long as I can get out of Philly for at least a while. (No offense to Philly. It's a great town. I'm just bored with it.)

Martindale lists 2,554 GW grads in D.C., and only 105 from Temple. Granted, there is a large amount of self-selection going on, but it's evidently not easy to get in to the D.C. market with a Temple degree, but not impossible. Heck, even Rutgers has more attorneys listed in D.C.

If you got into GW, don't you have a better option than Temple? There are three public schools in VA alone that are better than Temple. I think the only reason to attend Temple is if you know for sure that you're going to live in Philly for the long haul.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

The post contains an article about some of our "colleagues'" business development tactics.Washington Post article

[SurferB]

Opinions needed. I've been out of work for over a year. Was a junior associate at a large firm when I got laid off. Went to a top 5 law school. I've gotten my first job offer in a practice area that is not what I did at my old firm and not what I see myself doing in five years. The salary is not enough to cover my student loan payments at all.

So I guess my questions are: (1) should I accept this job or keep looking (2) accept the job AND keep looking; (3) will this affect my chances of ever again practicing in my original practice area; (4) will this affect my ability to work in Biglaw again?

[tballstinks]

Take it!! Not even a question.

It's much easier to get a new job if you currently have a job. I'm in a similar situation. I was a corp./securities associate and have been out for over a year.

How did you get an offer for a different practice area? Was it a personal connection?

Accept the job. Use it as a springboard to a better position (which does not necessarily mean think of the job as a paycheck and a free place to print your resume). And try to budget your finances.

Some good and bad news on the local job front.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2003May8.html

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

All complaining aside about service, why is it that Metro goes 8 years without a fare increase, and now plans to raise fares not just once, but possibly twice? Washington Post article

$1.10 is a pretty decent price. Even more decent, considering it's been that amount (yes, for short trips only) for 8 years. Now, why does metro insist on postponing fare increases so long. If they had raised fares to $1.20 3 years ago and now were considering another small raise, it would be a lot more palatable. Is it simply the political inertia that causes this behavior?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Welcome back, Frenchie

My gay friend was telling me how he joined the pool club at one of the DC hotels whose name I forget. Its a gay scene. Does anyone know of any pool clubs that are not so gay? I know you can go to the Patio Bar and sip cocktails by the pool there, but that pool is more of a wading pool, though I love the bar. Thanks!

Originally posted by paigowprincess
My gay friend was telling me how he joined the pool club at one of the DC hotels whose name I forget. Its a gay scene. Does anyone know of any pool clubs that are not so gay? I know you can go to the Patio Bar and sip cocktails by the pool there, but that pool is more of a wading pool, though I love the bar. Thanks!

So I guess that posting of yours on Match.com isn't working out?

Originally posted by paigowprincess
My gay friend was telling me how he joined the pool club at one of the DC hotels whose name I forget. Its a gay scene. Does anyone know of any pool clubs that are not so gay? I know you can go to the Patio Bar and sip cocktails by the pool there, but that pool is more of a wading pool, though I love the bar. Thanks!

Try the Washington Hilton. It has a nice olympic sized pool and a wading pool though the former gets a bit crowded with guests. I think there is also a package that includes the tennis club.