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A friend of mine is weighing the Hamilton at Columbia (full ride) vs. Harvard at sticker. I'm obviously biased, but I told her it would be totally crazy not to take the scholarship at Columbia. She's not sure what she wants to do yet, but will probably start at a large law firm. I told her it seems like a bad decision to lock herself into all that debt just for a marginally more prestigious degree that will probably take her to the same job she would have after graduation anyway. Is there a really justifiable reason to turn down the Hamilton that I'm not thinking of?

i wouldn't. hamilton is awesome

Common sentiment is that Hamilton = Harvard. So no, she's not insane. She just has a preference in a really close decision.

I think she'd be insane to turn it down. Sure, a handful of doors will be closed, but many more will be opened by being able to graduate with little debt.

You need a poll.

And I'd take the Hamilton in a heartbeat.

Hamilton all the way.

d34dluk3 wrote:Common sentiment is that Hamilton = Harvard. So no, she's not insane. She just has a preference in a really close decision.

I am really skeptical about the truth of that little equation there. It doesn't seem to make any mathematical, logical, or financial sense. Realistically speaking, Columbia can place you almost anywhere that Harvard can, and--all else equal--there would be no reason to expect a higher paying job with a Harvard degree than with a Columbia degree. At the very least, I don't see how that salary difference (if it were to exist) could possibly justify 160K in debt. If you're paying for the prestige, Columbia is plenty prestigious, and Harvard is not 160K more prestigious. It just doesn't make sense. I think you're right, OP--"insane" is the proper adjective.

Cavalier wrote:I think she'd be insane to turn it down. Sure, a handful of doors will be closed, but many more will be opened by being able to graduate with little debt.

+150k

BigBenD wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:Common sentiment is that Hamilton = Harvard. So no, she's not insane. She just has a preference in a really close decision.

I am really skeptical about the truth of that little equation there. It doesn't seem to make any mathematical, logical, or financial sense. Realistically speaking, Columbia can place you almost anywhere that Harvard can, and--all else equal--there would be no reason to expect a higher paying job with a Harvard degree than with a Columbia degree. At the very least, I don't see how that salary difference (if it were to exist) could possibly justify 160K in debt. If you're paying for the prestige, Columbia is plenty prestigious, and Harvard is not 160K more prestigious. It just doesn't make sense. I think you're right, OP--"insane" is the proper adjective.

Especially when you consider the interest on the 160k.

BigBenD wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:Common sentiment is that Hamilton = Harvard. So no, she's not insane. She just has a preference in a really close decision.

I am really skeptical about the truth of that little equation there. It doesn't seem to make any mathematical, logical, or financial sense. Realistically speaking, Columbia can place you almost anywhere that Harvard can, and--all else equal--there would be no reason to expect a higher paying job with a Harvard degree than with a Columbia degree. At the very least, I don't see how that salary difference (if it were to exist) could possibly justify 160K in debt. If you're paying for the prestige, Columbia is plenty prestigious, and Harvard is not 160K more prestigious. It just doesn't make sense. I think you're right, OP--"insane" is the proper adjective.

It depends on what you want to do. If you want big law, you're probably right. If you have bigger ambitions, Harvard opens doors that Columbia can't.

d34dluk3 wrote:

BigBenD wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:Common sentiment is that Hamilton = Harvard. So no, she's not insane. She just has a preference in a really close decision.

I am really skeptical about the truth of that little equation there. It doesn't seem to make any mathematical, logical, or financial sense. Realistically speaking, Columbia can place you almost anywhere that Harvard can, and--all else equal--there would be no reason to expect a higher paying job with a Harvard degree than with a Columbia degree. At the very least, I don't see how that salary difference (if it were to exist) could possibly justify 160K in debt. If you're paying for the prestige, Columbia is plenty prestigious, and Harvard is not 160K more prestigious. It just doesn't make sense. I think you're right, OP--"insane" is the proper adjective.

It depends on what you want to do. If you want big law, you're probably right. If you have bigger ambitions, Harvard opens doors that Columbia can't.

Why only "probably right" for big law?

As someone who will be attending Harvard at a discount, I wouldve taken ANY top 10 full ride over HYS if I were facing sticker.

d34dluk3 wrote:

BigBenD wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:Common sentiment is that Hamilton = Harvard. So no, she's not insane. She just has a preference in a really close decision.

I am really skeptical about the truth of that little equation there. It doesn't seem to make any mathematical, logical, or financial sense. Realistically speaking, Columbia can place you almost anywhere that Harvard can, and--all else equal--there would be no reason to expect a higher paying job with a Harvard degree than with a Columbia degree. At the very least, I don't see how that salary difference (if it were to exist) could possibly justify 160K in debt. If you're paying for the prestige, Columbia is plenty prestigious, and Harvard is not 160K more prestigious. It just doesn't make sense. I think you're right, OP--"insane" is the proper adjective.

It depends on what you want to do. If you want big law, you're probably right. If you have bigger ambitions, Harvard opens doors that Columbia can't.

Let's please not propagate false information.

d34dluk3 wrote:It depends on what you want to do. If you want big law, you're probably right. If you have bigger ambitions, Harvard opens doors that Columbia can't.

This sounds about right. Harvard will have significant advantages for clerkships/academia/prestigiousstuff/etc, but the thing is that these will still be hard to get at Harvard. Obviously CLS is the right choice for biglaw.

I mean if you really really want those things then go to Harvard but I am not sure that sticker at H is justified from a cost/benefit analysis compared to 70k at C.

ExpectLess wrote:Let's please not propagate false information.

Oh come now. If we look at something as simple as A3 clerkships, the difference between the two is definitely significant.

If the goal is NYC BigLaw, the Hamilton is TCR.

bk187 wrote:

ExpectLess wrote:Let's please not propagate false information.

Oh come now. If we look at something as simple as A3 clerkships, the difference between the two is definitely significant.

You have to be at a less high rank at Harvard to get the same opportunities as Columbia. To say that Harvard has doors that Columbia can't access is just wrong.

It would be insane not to accept a Hamilton scholarship if that person attends Columbia.

ExpectLess wrote:You have to be at a less high rank at Harvard to get the same opportunities as Columbia. To say that Harvard has doors that Columbia can't access is just wrong.

It was a tad hyperbolic but now you're just arguing semantics when it was representative of the truth.

bk187 wrote:

ExpectLess wrote:You have to be at a less high rank at Harvard to get the same opportunities as Columbia. To say that Harvard has doors that Columbia can't access is just wrong.

It was a tad hyperbolic but now you're just arguing semantics when it was representative of the truth.

To me, there is a BIG difference between saying that Harvard will give you opportunities that Columbia can't, and that Harvard will make the same opportunities somewhat easier to get.

ExpectLess wrote:You have to be at a less high rank at Harvard to get the same opportunities as Columbia. To say that Harvard has doors that Columbia can't access is just wrong.

This is absolutely false. However, when it comes to OCI/NYC BigLaw specifically, the gap is too small to be worth discussing.

No not insane. Debatable, but neither choice is wrong.

tkgrrett wrote:As someone who will be attending Harvard at a discount, I wouldve taken ANY top 10 full ride over HYS if I were facing sticker.

Not to derail this thread, but didn't you get the Darrow from Michigan?

Neither decision is insane. Paying for Harvard is a sound investment, as is the scholarship at Columbia. Which one he/she takes should come down to her interests and goals, as well as which place seems like the best fit. Speaking as someone who has made the decision between HYS and T10 for free, and has met many others in the same position, I can verify that there is nothing easy or obvious about this choice. My advice is to go to the school that feels the most comfortable and not worry too much about cost/benefit analysis.

Yes. I think she would be insane to turn it down, but that's just my opinion.