M vs. D Mistake? Forum

[pelmen74]

I have been accepted into Duke and waitlisted at Michigan. Last week, Michigan sent out a letter to their entire waitlist asking if we are still truly interested. Having already leased an apartment at Durham, I told them that I would not accept an offer without a scholly. Was this a mistake?
At the time I was sure I would go to D over M because of its smaller class size and the nice weather (and the Big Law placement is nearly identical), but I have a feeling that the reputation at Mich is way better and that I will eventually regret not having attempted to shmooze my way off of the waitlist. Do I still have a chance of getting in to Michigan? Is it even worth it to be nervous over all of this?

[romothesavior]

Yes it was a mistake, but you probably aren't getting off the waitlist anyways. None of us are.

[thatsnotmyname]

Wow, relax. The reputation of Mich may be slightly better than Duke, but they are peer schools. Like you said they seem to have nearly identical NLJ250+clerkship placement. Stop stressing.

[pelmen74]

Wow, relax. The reputation of Mich may be slightly better than Duke, but they are peer schools. Like you said they seem to have nearly identical NLJ250+clerkship placement. Stop stressing.

Haha, thats all I wanted to hear. I've been lacking positive reinforcement lately.

[im_blue]

Michigan might have a slight edge over Duke for clerkships or academia, but they are are equal for biglaw.

[rando]

Michigan might have a slight edge over Duke for clerkships or academia, but they are are equal for biglaw.

Though Duke has been killing it in the SCOTUS clerkship arena as of late.

[rayiner]

Go to Duke.

[youpiiz]

dont listen to rayiner

[rayiner]

dont listen to rayiner

dook!

[youpiiz]

fine fine. dook!

[miamiman]

Duke

Not even close (for me)

[badwithpseudonyms]

It's a little late to worry now, don't you think?

Last week you had the stones to tell one of the best law schools in the country you weren't interested in attending unless they could pony up some cash. You must have been feeling pretty good about Duke at the time. Relax and enjoy three years in Durham.

[romothesavior]

It's a little late to worry now, don't you think?

Last week you had the stones to tell one of the best law schools in the country you weren't interested in attending unless they could pony up some cash. You must have been feeling pretty good about Duke at the time. Relax and enjoy three years in Durham.

Credited.

But those shouting Dook are not.

[KMaine]

Just to add to the chours: Duke!!! I prefered Duke over Michigan and would have gone to Duke over Michigan for even $ without a second thought.

[romothesavior]

Just to add to the chours: Duke!!! I prefered Duke over Michigan and would have gone to Duke over Michigan for even $ without a second thought.

What's with all the Duke lovin? I would take Michigan in a heartbeat over Duke.

[doinmybest]

Just to add to the chours: Duke!!! I prefered Duke over Michigan and would have gone to Duke over Michigan for even $ without a second thought.

What's with all the Duke lovin? I would take Michigan in a heartbeat over Duke.

Uhhh yeah. Duke was very easy to turn down after visiting both schools. That decision was a no-brainer for me.

[worldwithoutend]

OP, for what it's worth, I did the same thing. All things being equal, I might have chosen Mich, but in my case, I have a decent scholarship at Duke, which I wouldn't be able to give up without some aid from Michigan. Michigan's reputation is stronger, but the opportunities available to Duke grads are similar. And, as the poster above pointed out, they've been killing it with regard to clerkships recently, which put my mind at ease.

Besides, it doesn't look like it's going to be easy to get off that waitlist. You're going to a great school, so enjoy!

[Grizz]

You made a massive mistake. The only solution is killself.

[thickfreakness]

Dook is so TTT. Your life is ruined.

[09042014]

Michigan is a putrid TTT in decline.

[Hiei]

Michigan might have a slight edge over Duke for clerkships or academia, but they are are equal for biglaw.

Though Duke has been killing it in the SCOTUS clerkship arena as of late.

What? Duke does horribly when it comes to SCOTUS clerkships--all of DCGN do actually.

--LinkRemoved--
http://www.leiterrankings.com/jobs/2000 ... erks.shtml

[pelmen74]

Just to add to the chours: Duke!!! I prefered Duke over Michigan and would have gone to Duke over Michigan for even $ without a second thought.

What's with all the Duke lovin? I would take Michigan in a heartbeat over Duke.

Uhhh yeah. Duke was very easy to turn down after visiting both schools. That decision was a no-brainer for me.

That's cause you visited in the summer. Those Michigan winters are brutal.

[Reedie]

I told the waitlist folk the same thing. I don't regret it in the slightest. Duke gave me a nice scholly and I already turned down a higher ranked school (NYU) for the lower debt burden. I also like the smaller class size.

For those wondering, Duke is going to have 3 SCOTUS clerks next year (http://www.law.duke.edu/news/story?id=4773&u=11). That's very very good for a small school that isn't one of the 3 or 4 SCOTUS powerhouses.

[olanderp]

DUKE'S OCS LIES: According to ATL, "100%" employment at Duke on this past USNews' rankings -- higher than HYS's -- resulted from Duke paying employers to hire Duke graduates temporarily for a few months; unfortunately, these jobs did not result in permanent offers. I thought only TTT schools employed this method of cheating the rankings?
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/06/the-secr ... -practice/

[miamiman]

DUKE'S OCS LIES: According to ATL, "100%" employment at Duke on this past USNews' rankings -- higher than HYS's -- resulted from Duke paying employers to hire Duke graduates temporarily for a few months; unfortunately, these jobs did not result in permanent offers. I thought only TTT schools employed this method of cheating the rankings?
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/06/the-secr ... -practice/

With due respect, virtually every t14 is doing this.