Top Law Schools

Ok, I promise that this is the last time I will harass the TLS community with this question, but I need one more go around. Especially since my last poll was 13 to 13 .

I received incredibly helpful comments previously, so here we go!

University of Washington: $95,000
Vanderbilt University: $147,000

These numbers include 3 years of total cost including Cost of Living and any other expenses.
The following are Pluses for each…

UW
1. Less total debt
2. Really loved the teaching quality
3. Love the quarter system
4. Liked the Public Service focus
5. It’s my home town so no moving!
6. Love the LS Building!
7. Loved the LS culture
8. Love the Mass-Transit
9. Love the Pacific Northwest!
10. Family and Friends here (No wife/kids though).

Vanderbilt
1. Job Prospects are national as opposed to UW (regional)
2. Sun!!! (which for the uninitiated Seattle often lacks)
3. Job Stats are really good
4. Loved the Big-Law focus (this combined with UW’s #4 should show you that I have no idea wtf kind of law I want to do upon graduation).
5. Heard Great Things about the law school culture
6. Very Helpful and responsive administration
7. Like the Southern Friendliness
8. Liked Nashville a lot.
9. Did I mention Job Stats?

To be fair, while I have visited Vanderbilt (and liked it a lot), I didn’t get to attend their ASW, whereas I did attend UW ASW. Thus my limited first-hand knowledge of Vanderbilt’s student culture. Both schools have a small class size (which I want). I would be Love working in the PNW, could tolerate working in the Midwest/South, and would Love to work in the New York/ New England area. So I still don’t know what to do!!! Any advice is appreciated on this, the most important decision of my life!

You are high if you dont go to Vanderbilt taking into account job statistics and the money you are getting! Stop flaunting the numbers and go dominate Nashville. (Meant in a friendly way)

If you know you'd be happy living and working in the PNW, UW seems the better choice, because not only would you have less total debt, but you'd have more opportunities to network here. That just makes more sense than going to Vandy and then moving back home. However, if you're looking to get out of the rain, I'd go with Vanderbilt. Like you said, the job prospects are national. And you'll have more chances at Big Law than if you go to UW.

Since your scholarships are so good, I wouldn't focus too much on the debt and instead think about what kind of job opportunities you want and where you'd like to end up working.

They're both really great schools though, and I'm sure you'll be happy at whichever you choose.

Are Vanderbilt's job prospects really national? Sounds like they place pretty well in the big east coast legal markets, but I really doubt it would give you any advantage over UW for the western half of the country, and especially the PNW.

For me, # 9 and 10 under UW would outweigh the better chances at biglaw from Vanderbilt (the difference in debt would be pretty important too), but if you are pretty sure you do want biglaw and wouldn't mind leaving the northwest, then maybe Vandy is the right choice.

Contrary to what scuzle said, you wouldn't be crazy to choose either school. You just need to do a serious analysis of your priorities, and maybe get some advice from people close to you.

Good luck, and remember that TLS has a bigger east coast bias than ESPN, if you want to work in the NW, or even on the West coast in general, it would not be at all unreasonable to choose UW.

Vanderbilt. Please go to Vanderbilt.