Georgetown Law School housing vs living at home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're not paying for law school, who is?

He will take loans.

Is t it like $300k for law school at Georgetown?!!! He’s taking $300k in loans?

Don't most law students whose parents earn "too much" money take loans? OP here. We earn too much for him to get financial aid, but after spending almost $400K on college and another fortune on private schools, this is the deal. We still have one more kid whose college we have to pay for, and can't get into grad school support for either of them.

Yes most take out the loans. My parents also gave me an interest free loan that I paid back within my first year at a law firm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re really putting the cart before the carriage if he’s anticipating starting law school in fall 2026. He still needs to apply and be accepted. No need to start deciding on housing now. Figure that out later, in about a year!

Exactly this! I know many students who couldn't get into Georgetown Law or GW Law this year. It is getting tougher to get into these schools, there are tons of people applying with high GPA and LSAT. Go to law admissions Reddit to get a clue about the odds. Seriously asking this question before your son has even applied is crazy. Land your helicopter.

And less jobs for lawyers after

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At GULC, I’d live on or near campus first year. Then I think it’s fine to live off the next two years. I’m not sure of the construction status there with Gewirz being slated for a tear down. Anyone know where students will be housed?

GU law built brand new housing, one side directly facing Gonzaga football field.

Gonzaga rents that building to Georgetown.

GU holds a 99 year lease, about 97 remaining.

Profitable for Gonzaga !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're not paying for law school, who is?

He will take loans.

Is t it like $300k for law school at Georgetown?!!! He’s taking $300k in loans?

Don't most law students whose parents earn "too much" money take loans? OP here. We earn too much for him to get financial aid, but after spending almost $400K on college and another fortune on private schools, this is the deal. We still have one more kid whose college we have to pay for, and can't get into grad school support for either of them.

I'd rather go to public school and in-state college and not need loans for grad school.

Unless your parents pay for both.

We have a second residence/row-house paid off in DC our kids can live in for grad/law school post undergrad. We chose not to sell when we bought our family home so they’d have this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is applying to Georgetown Law and George Washington Law with hope of entry in Fall 2026. Stats well above the median from a great college, but who knows if he'll get in but he is a planner.

He asked advice about housing. I'm too biased on this, so thought I'd ask you!

He knows he can live at home to save money, because we're not footing the bill for law school. We are happy to provide room/board. It wouldn't be going back to his childhood bedroom. He'd have our basement floor (actually has windows around 2 sides since we're on a hill) with separate entrance, a big bedroom, bathroom, media room, living room. So privacy and comfort.

1. Should he live at home all 3 years and save money, except for the cost of a monthly parking pass (which we'll probably spring for) at a facility near campus to lessen his commute. It's a 24 minute commute from our house. We'll be retired and traveling a fair amount. So, we'd be into this as the house would be cared for and we'd see him more.

2. Should he live at home only during the first year? Then as he gets older and maybe wants more separation, he moves out?

3. Should he live in the campus dorm during the first year so that he has community with fellow aspiring lawyers, proximity to the library, etc? Then take advantage of our home to save money in his second and third years?

He wants advice thinking it through. How would you advise your rising college senior on this? Thank you for any feedback!

How can you clock the commute at 24 minutes when GU and GW law schools are in such different parts of the city?

I didn't go to either law school but I am a lawyer. My advice would be to live wherever will be most conducive to studying first year. It's a grind. So if that for him is a place near campus to avoid a commute, do that. If he'd study better at home in a comfortable place, then do that.

[Anonymous]

GU also just bought the Walmart site next to Gonzaga. Not sure what they plan to build there but smart purchase for them especially as some undergrad dorms are near union station

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GU also just bought the Walmart site next to Gonzaga. Not sure what they plan to build there but smart purchase for them especially as some undergrad dorms are near union station

GU built new student housing on land leased from Gonzaga.

[Anonymous]

Is your son applying straight from undergrad? That is not recommended anymore and will put him at a disadvantage. Why not encourage him to work first for 1-2 years. Any type of work experience is acceptable

[Anonymous]

He should also apply to UVA law school. That is an excellent law school. He should apply to several and go to the best one he gets into. Lawyers are very snooty about prestige and rankings. It is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Plenty of good comments in here but I lived at home for 1L and enjoyed it. As others stated it was nice to have some separation from the pressure cooker and neurotic peers, and nice to not have to deal with many other small life errands that add up when living alone. But plenty of others would say just the opposite and that being away from parents is more helpful for maximizing focus.
Also, study groups are extremely overrated. Helpful for some for accountability but most of my peers would not call them crucial. Office hours maybe.
Anyway, many factors here and should be an individual decision, but I enjoyed focusing purely on grades from home 1L then moving near peers for 2-3L when I had much more free time. Cost savings was just a nice (significant) bonus.

[Anonymous]

I went to GULC (years ago) but still remember that parking was a pain and I had to get there very early for a spot. I would have loved to live on campus first year. No need to worry about distractions bc although students are social, everyone still worries about getting their work done so people won't be up all night partying like in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GU also just bought the Walmart site next to Gonzaga. Not sure what they plan to build there but smart purchase for them especially as some undergrad dorms are near union station

Wow, didn’t know that they purchased it. Gonzaga owned the Walmart property as well.

[Anonymous]

I thought Gonzaga leased the Walmart property to Georgetown (99 year lease as well). Gonzaga boys park in the parking lot for school.