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Those are the options. My goal is to work in biglaw in New York.

I visited all 4 and Los Angeles seems like the nicest place to live, although I wouldn't want to be there permanently. The driving/car culture would wear on me after too long. But I can see it being nice for 3 years. Nashville I wasn't crazy about. It was already hot and humid in April, and the city wasn't that interesting to me. I used to live in Charlottesville and DC, so I know those areas and would be fine living there for 3 years. However, I'm not too concerned about living in any of these areas, knowing it wouldn't be permanent anyhow.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm likely headed to GULC with $$ but I don't see how UVA in-state isn't the obvious choice here, especially if you are big-law-or-bust.

UVA in-state isn't that much cheaper than regular tuition, right?

In any case, how bad do you want NYC big law? Vandy is probably the smarter financial decision, but probably not the best one for your career goals.

rad law wrote:UVA in-state isn't that much cheaper than regular tuition, right?

In any case, how bad do you want NYC big law? Vandy is probably the smarter financial decision, but probably not the best one for your career goals.

I'm pretty committed to NYC big law. Vandy's scholarship might give the flexibility to not have to do that, but I think for the first few years after law school, that's what I want to do.

Barring some unexpressed reason that you really want to go to GULC or UCLA, it seems like UVA and Vandy are pretty clearly your best options, objectively speaking. I don't know what UVA costs in-state, but at any rate it's a matter of what you feel most comfortable with.

190k for UVa, 130k for Vandy. I'd take Vandy considering 190k at UVa has a high chance of leaving you in soulcrushing debt with a low paying job. While the 130k debt is pretty high, it is at least close to manageable if you end up in a low paying job. Plus Vandy places well in NYC.

If you are really stuck on working NYC biglaw go to UVA. But I would encourage you to consider that before entering law school you don't really know how your interests may change. And NYC biglaw is an interest that is easier to retain while dropping down in rank. Many many NYC biglaw firms will hire a Vandy student; but admittedly they will require significantly better grades than they would from a UVA student.

Yeah it sounds like UVA would be less risky in terms of job prospects, but if I don't get a good job, I'm fucked. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, offers more risk of not getting a job, but if I don't, the debt isn't as bad. Tough decision.