WUSTL ($) v. W&L ($$) v. Vandy ((1/2)*$) Forum

[phitchens]

I can't decide between WUSTL ($) v. W&L ($$) v. Vandy ((1/2)*$). I would prefer to work in one of these cities Chicago, New York, DC.

[romothesavior]

I can't decide between WUSTL ($) v. W&L ($$) v. Vandy ((1/2)*$). I would prefer to work in one of these cities Chicago, New York, DC.

What does 1/2*$ mean? Half scholly?

Tell you what... better yet, give us the totals. But I'm leaning Vandy on this one.

[phitchens]

one half of the scholarship amount given by WUSTL

[romothesavior]

one half of the scholarship amount given by WUSTL

And how much was that? 90k vs. 45k is a hell of a lot different than 10k vs. 5k.

[phitchens]

Scholarships:

Vandy 5000 USD

WUSTL 10000 USD

W&L 20000 USD

[phitchens]

scholarships are per year

[romothesavior]

Scholarships:

Vandy 5000 USD

WUSTL 10000 USD

W&L 20000 USD

Vandy. Wash U is better for Chicago, but Vandy is excellent for DC and pretty good for NYC.

[DerrickRose]

Are those city preferences in order?

There's not a big Illinois scholly hiding here is there?

If the answer to either of those questions is no, Vandy.

[phitchens]

I am currently leaning toward W&L because it is cheaper. However, I might want to pursue a career in IP law. Will attending W&L be a hindrance.

[quadsixm]

I am currently leaning toward W&L because it is cheaper. However, I might want to pursue a career in IP law. Will attending W&L be a hindrance.

I went to the W&L Admitted Students Weekend. I'm in the same boat, since I am an engineer, and I am looking to go into IP. I'm currently deposited at W&L.

Because of the small class size, there aren't as many IP electives as you would find at larger schools. I don't think this would necessarily affect your employment prospects, though. The new W&L third year does have a practicum in IP.

Vandy is the most "national" school on your list. W&L does place decently in NYC and DC, as those were the top two cities for graduates in 2009. But not nearly as well as Vandy does there.

[beesknees]

/

[Grizz]

If giving you the best prospects for your target cities: Vandy.
If minimizing debt: W&L.

Yeah, this is basically what it boils down to. If I were you, I'd take Vandy for the better job prospects for sure though.

[JCougar]

I am currently leaning toward W&L because it is cheaper. However, I might want to pursue a career in IP law. Will attending W&L be a hindrance.

It's good to consider debt, but Vandy is in a different league when it comes to placement compared to W&L, and even WUSTL. In fact, Vandy is starting to rival the bottom end of the T14 in placement. Pick Vandy and you'll thank me if you graduate around median.

(disclosure: I'm WUSTL hold list student waiting to get in, but wishes he had the option of Vandy)

[quadsixm]

However, I might want to pursue a career in IP law.

Oh yeah, could have guessed you might want to do IP with that ((1/2)*$) business!!

[Rawlsian]

Disclaimer: I'm a Vandy Troll. That said, Vandy gives you the best shot at big law in those cities. NY, DC and IL are consistently some of the most popular destinations for Vandy grads. Here are last years numbers:
-36 grads stayed in TN (about 15%)
-22 went to NY (about 10%, all NYC)
-20 went to DC
-16 went to GA (all Atlanta)
-13 went to IL (all Chicago)
breakdown of IL so you can see specifically where they went (PM if you want specifics on the other cities):
-Chicago Legal Clinic-Chancery, Chicago Legal Clinic-Pilsen, dla piper, Kirkland & Ellis (3), Nathanson Law Firm, Neal Gerber & Eisenberg, Schiff Hardin, Sidley Austin (2), Troutman Sanders, Winston & Strawn.

No one destination attracts a majority of students; last year's Vandy grads took jobs in 40 states and 3 counties. Vandy's small size and broad geographic disbursement means you wouldn't be competing with many Vandy grads for jobs in any region. You didn't mention clerking, but Vandy will also give you the best shot at landing a clerkship. This year is shaping up to be one of Vandy's strongest years in article III clerkship placement. Right now Vandy has already placed about 11% of it's 2010 class into article III clerkships, which is better than a good part of the t14 (including clerkship powerhouse UVA).

[NayBoer]

$5k is not much at all. Go to Vandy anyway.

[crazyeddie]

I voted W&L. $20k is nothing to scoff at, and if you work hard and get good grades you have access to DC, and to a lesser extent NYC.

WUSTL offers you no better prospects than W&L in NYC, worse prospects in DC, better prospects in Chicago. But the difference in money should make W&L the clear winner unless you have a preference for Chicago that I don't know about.

W&L > WUSTL bc of money $ and your interests.

Vandy is an interesting decision because it offers slightly better prospects than W&L in all three markets IMO. But you will be taking on significantly more debt. One other thing to consider is that Nashville is a back-up market and a totally awesome city. But ultimately you are taking on a lot more debt for marginally better chances at BigLaw (W&L top 20-25% of class, Vandy top 30-35% of class)

W&L > Vandy but barely

[quadsixm]

W&L actually sent more to NYC than DC in 2009 - I was pleased to learn this at ASW.

[Rawlsian]

I voted W&L. $20k is nothing to scoff at, and if you work hard and get good grades you have access to DC, and to a lesser extent NYC.

WUSTL offers you no better prospects than W&L in NYC, worse prospects in DC, better prospects in Chicago. But the difference in money should make W&L the clear winner unless you have a preference for Chicago that I don't know about.

W&L > WUSTL bc of money $ and your interests.

Vandy is an interesting decision because it offers slightly better prospects than W&L in all three markets IMO. But you will be taking on significantly more debt. One other thing to consider is that Nashville is a back-up market and a totally awesome city. But ultimately you are taking on a lot more debt for marginally better chances at BigLaw (W&L top 20-25% of class, Vandy top 30-35% of class)

W&L > Vandy but barely

Why do you think this? Last year Vandy placed 47% into biglaw (and 10% into article III clerkship) while W&L placed 19%. (See http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1.) Vandy has placed better into big law and clerkships than Cornell, GULC, and every other non-t14 (a meaningless distinction) for the last couple of years.
I realize that this year will be worse, but Vandy is still shaping up to have 40 % into biglaw + 11% into article III clerkships. I don't have W&L's numbers, and W&L is an outstanding school, but I doubt the difference in marginal.

[krj02004]

I voted W&L. $20k is nothing to scoff at, and if you work hard and get good grades you have access to DC, and to a lesser extent NYC.

WUSTL offers you no better prospects than W&L in NYC, worse prospects in DC, better prospects in Chicago. But the difference in money should make W&L the clear winner unless you have a preference for Chicago that I don't know about.

W&L > WUSTL bc of money $ and your interests.

Vandy is an interesting decision because it offers slightly better prospects than W&L in all three markets IMO. But you will be taking on significantly more debt. One other thing to consider is that Nashville is a back-up market and a totally awesome city. But ultimately you are taking on a lot more debt for marginally better chances at BigLaw (W&L top 20-25% of class, Vandy top 30-35% of class)

W&L > Vandy but barely

Why do you think this? Last year Vandy placed 47% into biglaw (and 10% into article III clerkship) while W&L placed 19%. (See http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1.) Vandy has placed better into big law and clerkships than Cornell, GULC, and every other non-t14 (a meaningless distinction) for the last couple of years.
I realize that this year will be worse, but Vandy is still shaping up to have 40 % into biglaw + 11% into article III clerkships. I don't have W&L's numbers, and W&L is an outstanding school, but I doubt the difference in marginal.

+1

No brainer---Vandy. I've deposited there even though they gave me crappy money too... $10k. Glad I wasn't the only one, haha.

Vandy will give you significantly more employment options than the other schools. I think the median starting salary for Vandy grads is like $145k.... W&L has got to be closer to $100k. Better return on your investment for Vandy.

[Grizz]

Vandy will give you significantly more employment options than the other schools. I think the median starting salary for Vandy grads is like $145k.... W&L has got to be closer to $100k. Better return on your investment for Vandy.

Self-reported income stats from schools are generally a crock of shit, though I'd trust Vandy's more that W&L's though due to Vandy's reputation for openness. Still though, the general statement is true, Vandy >>> W&L.

[Grizz]

Vandy is an interesting decision because it offers slightly better prospects than W&L in all three markets IMO. But you will be taking on significantly more debt. One other thing to consider is that Nashville is a back-up market and a totally awesome city. But ultimately you are taking on a lot more debt for marginally better chances at BigLaw (W&L top 20-25% of class, Vandy top 30-35% of class)

W&L > Vandy but barely

Why do you think this? Last year Vandy placed 47% into biglaw (and 10% into article III clerkship) while W&L placed 19%. (See http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1.) Vandy has placed better into big law and clerkships than Cornell, GULC, and every other non-t14 (a meaningless distinction) for the last couple of years.
I realize that this year will be worse, but Vandy is still shaping up to have 40 % into biglaw + 11% into article III clerkships. I don't have W&L's numbers, and W&L is an outstanding school, but I doubt the difference in marginal.

+1 Rawlsian, glad you've already begun trolling for Vandy. And eddie, sorry, but I agree with Rawlsian, what you said is patently untrue.

I'd add that it's not really last year's NLJ250 stats, it's stats from a while ago, as most big firm hiring occurs during 2L OCI, and the numbers should have dropped a lot. However, I would also add that conventional wisdom around blogs such as ATL is that ITE, firms will hire more from top schools and less from bottom schools for the few remaining jobs, so although Vandy's and W&L's NLJ250s decreased, I bet the gap between the two became more more marked. Plus, Vandy is strong throughout the whole South, much more so that W&L. Vandy is far and away worth the extra debt.

[krj02004]

Vandy will give you significantly more employment options than the other schools. I think the median starting salary for Vandy grads is like $145k.... W&L has got to be closer to $100k. Better return on your investment for Vandy.

Self-reported income stats from schools are generally a crock of shit, though I'd trust Vandy's more that W&L's though due to Vandy's reputation for openness. Still though, the general statement is true, Vandy >>> W&L.

Oh, I realize that for sure. I wasn't quoting those figures reported directly by the schools....

[Regionality]

W&L actually sent more to NYC than DC in 2009 - I was pleased to learn this at ASW.

WHAAAA??? How can this be?? Is this like they sent 4 students to DC and 5 students to NYC and the rest are in rural Virginia suing on behalf of black-lunged miners?

[quadsixm]

W&L actually sent more to NYC than DC in 2009 - I was pleased to learn this at ASW.

WHAAAA??? How can this be?? Is this like they sent 4 students to DC and 5 students to NYC and the rest are in rural Virginia suing on behalf of black-lunged miners?

lol, not quite. Out of a class of 138, with 119 reporting, 15 (11%) went to NYC and 11 (8%) went to DC:
http://law.wlu.edu/deptimages/Career%20 ... %20WEB.pdf

Only 38 (28%) stayed in the state of VA.

P.S. Coal mining takes place in West Virginia, not Virginia. They're different states.