UVA vs. Cornell for NYC biglaw Forum

[Frankie55]

Does UVA's superior ranking supersede Cornell's NY-based alumni network? According to LSN, UVA has more NY firms recruiting on campus. According to this NLJ pdf I have from 2007, Cornell has a very slight edge with NLJ 250 firms. Is it reasonable to go to UVA expecting an NYC biglaw job with the right grades? If Cornell is superior, is it superior enough to warrant taking a significantly lower scholarship than one might have at UVA?

[buckilaw]

For just NYC biglaw placement a good argument can be made that Cornell>UVA. However, I don't think it could justify taking, "a significantly lower scholarship".

[LLB2JD]

Does UVA's superior ranking supersede Cornell's NY-based alumni network? According to LSN, UVA has more NY firms recruiting on campus. According to this NLJ pdf I have from 2007, Cornell has a very slight edge with NLJ 250 firms, but also sends 54% of its grads to NYC, while UVA only sends 12%. Is this all self-selection? Is it reasonable to go to UVA expecting an NYC biglaw job with the right grades? If Cornell is superior, is it superior enough to warrant taking a significantly lower scholarship than one might have at UVA?

If you're fine spending 3 years at either or, I'll go for the money.

[Malcolm8X]

tag

[Frankie55]

Just wanted to note I erased that incorrect piece of information about % employed in NYC quoted in LL's post. I was misreading the document I have. It said % employed "in-state," and I thought that was referring to NY rather than the school's state. Seems self-evident that UVA probably sends significantly more than 12% to NYC.

[Patriot1208]

I definitely wouldn't pay more for cornel but at equal cost i'd probably take cornell if I knew I wanted nyc

[Zabini]

I think especially given the new NLJ data, Cornell seems like the choice if you know you want NYC, all else being equal. As for the $ question, I guess it depends on what you mean by "significantly lower," but I doubt Cornell is worth 40k more than UVA.

[barry]

the new data is impressive but as has been said before Cornell only place 40% of their class in SA's for Class o 2011....

link: http://abovethelaw.com/2010/07/biglaw-e ... -a-debate/

I would think UVA almost certainly matched that and in fact i would think it did better.... UVA still sends a ton of people to NYC and the class size is almost as twice as big as cornell almost so you will find a strong alumni base there... also you have to remember everyone at cornell is gunning for NYC whereas at UVA more people are gunning for DC, Atlanta, and other secondary markets, so it is arguable that there will be less competition for NYC SA's

either school is good, but either way i think UVA > Cornell or at least they are equal

[AreJay711]

They seem pretty much equal for NYC but I think there is at least some value in geographic mobility so I'd take UVA if you liked them the same. If the cost isn't equal then the choice should be clear. I liked Cornell better than UVA but when it comes to career prospects and money you have to play the odds IMO

[paulinaporizkova]

I don't know the answer to this question but I am in at both schools and I'm probably going to UVA just because of their DC placement (though NYC is also my first choice at this point.) I have also heard of people benefiting from doing OCI bids against those of their classmates and benefiting, kinda like what the above poster said (above AreJay.) For instance, a smaller portion of UVA grads to to NYC, but that means fewer people are bidding for NYC from UVA, so if you throw all your eggs in one basket (NYC) from UVA, I think you could do fine. At Cornell, everyone is throwing all their eggs at NYC biglaw, so I would imagine the competition might be a bit stiffer.

Part of the reason I'm going to UVA is that I don't want to spend 3 more years in a cold barren wasteland like the one where I live now. I think either school is fine, but USUALLY (with the most recent data being an exception) UVA places better into biglaw than Cornell, which gives it a slight edge in general.

All good points though in this thread.

also keep in mind: cornell is about 5-6k a year more expensive than OOS UVA

[Frankie55]

Yeah, I am talking about around a 40k difference. Also agree that sun sounds better than barren winter wasteland. I am looking at an undergrad level debt load for UVa, and that is obviously really, really tempting. Generally speaking, median at both schools should get you NYC biglaw, right?

[dakatz]

Yeah, I am talking about around a 40k difference. Also agree that sun sounds better than barren winter wasteland. I am looking at an undergrad level debt load for UVa, and that is obviously really, really tempting. Generally speaking, median at both schools should get you NYC biglaw, right?

I really doubt that median would be any sure bet for desirable big firm job out of either school

[BrianGriffintheDog]

Nell Nell Nelly

[cornellbeez]

Yeah, I am talking about around a 40k difference. Also agree that sun sounds better than barren winter wasteland. I am looking at an undergrad level debt load for UVa, and that is obviously really, really tempting. Generally speaking, median at both schools should get you NYC biglaw, right?

I really doubt that median would be any sure bet for desirable big firm job out of either school

This. Cornell's most recent placement statistic (on above the law) stated that the Class of 2011 placed 40% into biglaw...Median is no sure thing at either school.

http://abovethelaw.com/2010/07/biglaw-e ... -a-debate/

[paulinaporizkova]

ok ok take this for what it's worth cuz i'm drunk, but pretty sure cornell hasn't even put out their scholarship info. if you got $$$ at UVAalready (right?), chances are you're gonna get $$$$ from cornell when they put out schol info if your numbers warrant it from uva

[Law Sauce]

it is foolish to believe that medium at either school is anything close to screwed.

[dakatz]

it is foolish to believe that medium at either school is anything close to screwed.

Who said they would be screwed? The guy suggested that he could just waltz into a NYC biglaw job from median at either school. It seems pretty obvious ITE that this isn't the case from any school short of HYS. Sure, at T14 schools, you are certainly in the running even at median, but by no means is a big firm job secure or a sure thing.

[KMaine]

As somebody who goes to Cornell, my advice is to go to UVA. Any slight advantage that Cornell may give you in terms of NYC biglaw is outweighed by the $ at UVA. If Cornell matches $, a stronger argument can be made for Cornell. You are in no way hurting your chances at NYC by going to UVA. Also, from what I have heard, Class of 2011 was the low point for Cornell, and this year's class seems to have done much better. Congrats on your choices.