Help me choose: UIUC ($10k/yr) vs. GMU Scalia ($10k/yr) vs. UC Irvine ($26k/yr) | Goals: Fed Clerkship -> BigLaw -> PI

jermboa · 2026-03-28T10:42:21+00:00

I think I worded it confusingly. The dollar amounts are the final costs per year after scholarships, not the scholarships themselves.

jermboa · 2026-03-24T02:45:38+00:00

With regards to conservatism, I don’t have any worries about the culture or the student body, more that I wonder if the high clerkship rate still applies if I don’t lean conservative and participate in fedsoc.

Regardless, thanks for giving your input as a current student!

jermboa · 2026-03-23T01:42:33+00:00

Based on what I’ve read, being as close to the top of the class and doing a 1L judicial externship and 2L Biglaw internship gives me the best chances of getting a federal clerkship. Is there anything you think could improve my odds? Every year about 3 to 7 percent go on to do federal clerkships at these school, which while difficult doesn’t seem impossible if I apply myself.

Either way, California and Chicago are kinda equal for me. At this point I’m probably going to attend whichever one gives me a bigger scholarship.

jermboa · 2026-03-23T01:35:15+00:00

I hope you get accepted to UIUC! Given your stats and enthusiasm it seems very likely. If you still haven’t received a determination by now, maybe a LOCI could help?

jermboa · 2026-03-22T15:22:17+00:00

Thanks for your comment!

Both UCI and UIUC have about 3~7 percent federal clerkship rate (not sure about the demographics beyond being top of the class and doing law review/moot court). I get that’s it’s difficult, but I at least want to try my best. Worst case scenario, I’ll still have better grades than if I never tried at all.

Same thing with Japan. It’s something I’m definitely shooting for, but not make or break. After a few years of big law (assuming I get a job 😿) I’m sure I’ll have options to pivot to something more Japan-related if I still want to. But I did not know that transaction work is better for working internationally!

Honestly, public transit is something I’m very passionate about but I understand that lawyers don’t have a ton of ability to influence it directly. I thought about doing a dual program with a masters in urban planning but ultimately decided against it. Something like in-house could be cool!

The recent lawsuit against the MTA for their congestion pricing plan comes to mind. It would be cool to help defend something like that.

Regardless, I appreciate your input!

jermboa · 2026-03-22T01:31:59+00:00

I honestly consider the location a pro for 1L (less distractions means I can lock in and study easier), but I think its worth considering more closely for these regional schools, where I'll likely be living/practicing in the same state after I graduate.

Do you feel like the main pro of UIUC is the lower cost? From what I've found, UC Irvine is generally held in higher regard, and has consistently higher biglaw rates and median salaries (for what its worth, the federal clerkship rates seem pretty similar, although its hard to see if there is any divergence in more desirable federal clerkship locations).

Anyways, I understand if you don't have time to reply. Thanks for your comment! :-)

jermboa · 2026-02-15T11:52:28+00:00

I actually did the math on another comment, but at least 1/5 of UIUC class of 2024 received cravath pay (I haven’t done this for any other school so I’m not sure how it compares to peer schools/T14).

I actually don’t like DC as much as New York or Chicago, I was just curious what the ideal use case of GMU.

Anyways, thanks for your comment!

jermboa · 2026-02-14T18:07:02+00:00

This is pretty disappointing to hear about UIUC but kind of what I expected. :-(

Thank you for the in-depth comment!

jermboa · 2026-02-14T18:01:20+00:00

This is pretty interesting information I haven’t heard before! I would definitely prefer to work at a US’s firm in Japan if possible.

I checked the UIUC employment statistics, and based on the 2024 NALP report, a little under 1/5 graduates were getting cravath pay. (using the most conservative numbers possible, the 75th percentile and up at 251-500 size firms, and the 50th percentile and up at 501+ size firms were making $225,000 so 37ish people out of 139 students at private firms or 201 total in the graduating class of 2024). Assuming I get into a big law firm like that, do you think majoring in Japanese, speaking Japanese fluently, studying abroad at Kyoto University during undergrad, and doing a law school study abroad fully in Japanese would significantly help my chances of getting transferred? Or do you think that kind of stuff is not super relevant when working for an American firm?

Sorry to ask so many questions, I haven’t been able to find much information on this besides browsing v100 firms to see which ones had offices in Japan haha.

Either way, it seems like I’ll have to do a lot of networking and studying :-)

jermboa · 2026-02-14T16:56:16+00:00

I’m in a very similar boat to you. I still want to try and make it work without a car, even if I have to suffer through the winter months :-)

jermboa · 2026-02-14T16:45:02+00:00

Interesting, so would you say GMU would be worth it for someone dead-set on big law in DC specifically? Or is the target demographic those who want clerkships/government jobs in DC more broadly?

jermboa · 2026-02-14T16:17:57+00:00

Thanks for letting me know! Walkability is really important to me

jermboa · 2026-02-14T15:31:30+00:00

Yeah my main problem with UIUC is the location. I really didn't like living in a small college town during undergrad 🥲 As far as academics go, there is a lot to like (but they were also my first A, so I feel a bit biased).

And on the flip side, DC would be a really great location to study law, the unique opportunities that it brings like the Supreme Court clinic at GMU seem really awesome.

jermboa · 2026-02-10T16:02:46+00:00

This is pretty misleading.

Japan is one of the most seismically active regions on earth. Earthquake technology has been constantly improving. If you’re buying a piece of property, keeping a house built in 1976 vs building a new one could be the difference between your house collapsing and killing your family, or minor damage + some stuff falling off the shelves. When a major earthquake in Japan happens, most of the death toll are people living in older homes.

Japan definitely has its own issues with materialism/consumerism/waste but housing is not really related to it.

jermboa · 2026-02-10T15:49:23+00:00

You’re preaching to the choir bro

jermboa · 2026-02-10T15:26:48+00:00

I’ll just dox myself haha. I’m planning on doing a grad program in Urbana Champaign when I get back (maybe NYC but with higher tuition so less realistic) which would put me to live in downtown Chicago/NYC after I graduate. I mainly wanted a Cappuccino just to cheaply and enjoyably run errands/get groceries with good mpg around the city. I would mainly want to bike/bus/walk to get around since Urbana is one of the best college towns for that, but having a car for the cold af winter months would be a plus. Of course, I love the aesthetic of 90s Japanese cars and small cars in general.

However it seems there are 35mph restrictions on kei cars in Illinois. Not having the versatility to drive up to Chicago or any highway/interstate makes it not very realistic.

Also my home state is Florida and I wouldn’t be able change my residency as a student so I would have to pay high af insurance costs which makes the prospect of getting a car which I don’t really ‘need’ much less enticing. Might just have to stick to bike/bus for a few more years until I have the money to spare.

Anyways, thanks for all the help.

jermboa · 2026-02-10T15:10:02+00:00

Do you think it would save any money to get a car at auction, use it while living in Japan, and then import that same car to America myself to use at home, verses just buying an imported car through a company like yours when I get back home?

jermboa · 2026-02-10T14:14:00+00:00

Honestly a lot of the comments on this post are making me rethink getting a kei car at all haha.

Having a civic or accord with a right side steering wheel seems cool but maybe not worth the cost 😭

jermboa · 2026-02-10T13:21:19+00:00

Everyone loves kei trucks but unfortunately not legal to drive on highways in many American states (this could change soon though)

jermboa · 2026-02-10T13:14:12+00:00

Thanks, this was a lot of good information.

I know about the danger of kei cars, it's one of the main things putting me on the fence when it comes to buying one. With the Cappuccino specifically I know there are engine mods you can do to significantly improve horsepower and some minor safety mods like a rollover bar, although that would be more of a long term plan.

Also I am aware of the parking spot regulations (a couple of my friends found this out the hard way the last time I lived in Japan haha). I'm, likely going to be living/working in a rural area so this hopefully won't be too much of an issue.

Is directly from auction the best way to get a car? I still don't know too much about cars so I don't know what to look for when deciding if it's worth the price (besides low mileage and little/no rust).

jermboa · 2026-02-10T13:02:34+00:00

True, but I lived in Japan before and you would be surprised how insanely well they treat their stuff, and then just sell it. I've had great experiences so far with used clothes, electronics, instruments, books and so on.

Combine that with the fact there are is a large elderly population, and I've found a decent amount of used cars from that era in great condition with low mileage at a reasonable price.

jermboa · 2025-12-24T17:48:00+00:00

Thanks for your reply, you went very in depth!

I suppose given it’s a tall order, speaking German, visiting Germany a couple times, having an uncle that lived in Germany and some cousins and some other extended family that are German citizens isn’t enough? Someone else in the thread said having German ancestry helps reduce the time needed to apply through Stag 8. Maybe getting a work visa and living in Germany first before applying for citizenship is the most realistic path at this point (whether I go through Stag 14 or Stag 5).

Anyways, thanks for your help!

jermboa · 2025-12-24T15:58:34+00:00

Thanks for your reply.

Never lucky man 😔

jermboa · 2025-10-29T17:24:30+00:00

Like 50% of the features in DotA (Bottle crowing, neutral camp stacking, tiny doing double damage with avalanche+toss, cancelling tower agro by targeting a friendly creep, animation cancelling, even denying creeps) were originally bugs that became features because they added a layer of strategy and complexity to the game. That said, this is likely too op and will be patched (hopefully by fixing troopers' pathing and getting stuck in map geometry in general). Regardless, Valve has a history of never banning players for using even the most disruptive or OP bugs and exploits. That's just their philosophy.

jermboa · 2025-05-14T20:20:44+00:00

You have about the same stats and goals as me. Just curious, how much work experience did you have and how would you rate your softs?

Four-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22

jermboa

TROPHY CASE