Fordham (free) or NYU/Columbia (sticker) Forum

[dunkaduck]

My parents are both Fordham alumni and are willing to cover the difference between my scholarship and tuition if I go to Fordham law. I also got in to NYU and Columbia, but would need to pay sticker at both.

Are NYU or Columbia worth a hundred and fifty thousand more than Fordham, or should I go to Fordham for free?

I feel that NYU and Columbia are pretty much even and if I go that route I should just check which is a better fit, personality wise. If you think only one of them is worth full price, tell me which one.

[rad lulz]

What are your career goals.

[kaiser]

If the goal is NYC biglaw, I think going to Fordham would be a good compromise, especially since they place pretty well in NYC big firms, you won't have any debt, and you can operate without any pressure on you.

[moonman157]

Truthfully, it depends on your career goals. Obviously, all 3 schools are NYC heavy. By narrowing it down to those 3, I'm assuming that you're looking to practice in NYC. Fordham has some of the best Biglaw prospects outside of the T14, and it would be really nice to come out of law school without debt. With that said, only about a quarter of the class gets biglaw. If you're fine working for a middle-sized firm, then Fordham seems to be a great option. However, NYU and Columbia will provide you with substantially better career prospects that will likely allow you to pay off that debt with relative ease, and give you more room within your class to still have a shot at the top firms. Both of those degrees are also much more portable if you're looking to go outside of NYC. I voted Columbia/NYU, simply because it could set you up for a career that's far more rewarding and profitable, depending on what you're looking to go into. You'll be having to pay off loans for your first few years, but 10 or 20 years down the road, I think it would be far more beneficial to have a job that Columbia/NYU can provide. Just my thoughts though.

[tennisking88]

Why can't your parents give you what they'd pay for Fordham and you apply it to NYU/C?

If it's ~20k from your parents, I would absolutely take Columbia, though there's little difference between C/N.

Hell I may even pay sticker for C/N just because your chances at finding really great work, all over the country, are greatly expanded over Fordham, which only gives you 1/4 shot at NYC biglaw (and only NYC Biglaw).

[moneybagsphd]

Why can't your parents give you what they'd pay for Fordham and you apply it to NYU/C? .

Exactly. Just because your parents are Fordham alum doesn't mean that you didn't get into a better school. I mean, if the difference is like 5k it doesn't matter, but if it's 20k you should go to CN. And, you frankly, you shouldn't go to Fordham with less than a full scholly when you're in at CN (not including your parents' contribution)

[kaiser]

I mean, it all boils down to how much you are willing to pay for the safety net that NYU and Columbia can provide. If biglaw is your goal, NYU and Columbia kill it in that area. They are among the very best for placing students into biglaw, with NYC firm placement being as good as you will find. There are kids at median who still line up great jobs, and that isn't really the exception. You obviously don't have that at Fordham. Chances really are more like 1/4, but you risk much less in going there. I guess it depends on what your goals really are and why you are going to law school. No reason for us to pick one of NYU/Columbia over the other at this point since thats not really the decision to be made right now. At this point, its between top NYC school or good NYC school as a general matter, so I would eliminate the indivdual school choices from the poll as to get a better idea on the main question here.

[dingbat]

I really want to say Fordham, but you'd be crazy to pass up Columbia to go there.
Try talking your parents into meeting you half-way

[Artistry]

Is there any way you could use the Fordham scholarship to get $$$ from NYU/Columbia?

[thexfactor]

If the goal is NYC biglaw, I think going to Fordham would be a good compromise, especially since they place pretty well in NYC big firms, you won't have any debt, and you can operate without any pressure on you.

LOL good compromise? a good compromise is going to GULC 3/4 scholarship.

Fordham places 20% in biglaw. NYU/Columbia places 50+%.
Keep in mind that while tuition is free, there is a sunk cost of 3 years of your life. You don't want to graduate with no job.

[kaiser]

If the goal is NYC biglaw, I think going to Fordham would be a good compromise, especially since they place pretty well in NYC big firms, you won't have any debt, and you can operate without any pressure on you.

LOL good compromise? a good compromise is going to GULC 3/4 scholarship.

Fordham places 20% in biglaw. NYU/Columbia places 50+%.
Keep in mind that while tuition is free, there is a sunk cost of 3 years of your life. You don't want to graduate with no job.

Don't equate biglaw placement with just getting a job. With no debt, biglaw isn't a prerequisite for paying anything off. One could go get any job, which stretches far beyond just biglaw positions. Those in huge debt don't really have that kind of flexibility.

[rad lulz]

.

[thexfactor]

If the goal is NYC biglaw, I think going to Fordham would be a good compromise, especially since they place pretty well in NYC big firms, you won't have any debt, and you can operate without any pressure on you.

LOL good compromise? a good compromise is going to GULC 3/4 scholarship.

Fordham places 20% in biglaw. NYU/Columbia places 50+%.
Keep in mind that while tuition is free, there is a sunk cost of 3 years of your life. You don't want to graduate with no job.

Don't equate biglaw placement with just getting a job. With no debt, biglaw isn't a prerequisite for paying anything off. One could go get any job, which stretches far beyond just biglaw positions. Those in huge debt don't really have that kind of flexibility.

People have to keep in mind that midlaw/good PI/ good fed gov/ clerkships are just as competitive to get as biglaw.

Law is bimodal. This means that there aren;t a lot of "midlaw" jobs. There is a good chance that the OP will not be happy with his career options coming from Fordham. No debt doesn't mean you get career prospects. Beggers have no debt, but I don't think anyone envies them.


Also, IBR is a fall back option if he does public service or if he is in the 25% that misses biglaw from NYU/Columbia.
A good middle ground is to take full scholarship at Vandy or 3/4 Georgetown.

[Tiago Splitter]

A good middle ground is to take full scholarship at Vandy or 3/4 Georgetown.

Yes but splitters don't have those options. Dunno if OP is a splitter or not but not everyone can just slide down the scale like that.

[CanadianWolf]

Are your parents willing to hire you after law school ? If so, is that your career goal ?

If Fordham will get you where you want to go career-wise, then it's a great option; however, if you are seeking a career in NYC biglaw, then Columbia is probably the best choice (unless one of your parents is a hiring partner in a NYC biglaw firm that does not have an anti-nepotism rule).

In short, we need more info.

[romothesavior]

Your parents need to get over the alumni thing. Unless they are getting you a six-figure job at a NYC firm after graduation, they shouldn't be pressuring you to go to their alma mater. I'm fine with parents not paying for their kids higher education (mine didn't), but it shouldn't be contingent on you going to their old school. You should have the freedom to do what is best for you, especially when you have such great options on the table.

You need to sit down with them and explain that your career prospects are much, much, MUCH better from Columbia/NYU, and that while Fordham is a good school, you'd be doing a huge disservice to your future. If they say no to that, you should go to Columbia, get a big law job, profit, and in 30 years tell them that you'll pay for their nursing home, but the only one you'll pay for is in Siberia.

[woeisme]

How about none of the above and take Cornell for a chunk of money? You can still end up in NYC with better prospects than you would from Fordham .. and you can save some money. Best of both worlds?

Otherwise,... either one, especially if your parents have legal connections. If it were me I'd either try to do a Cornell/Penn with some money or Columbia. But I'm not you.

[tennisking88]

You need to sit down with them and explain that your career prospects are much, much, MUCH better from Columbia/NYU, and that while Fordham is a good school, you'd be doing a huge disservice to your future. If they say no to that, you should go to Columbia, get a big law job, profit, and in 30 years tell them that you'll pay for their nursing home, but the only one you'll pay for is in Siberia.

+100000

[tennisking88]

How about none of the above and take Cornell for a chunk of money? .

I love how these options all of a sudden EXIST

[justinp]

Did we ever get a response from OP about what his parents' offer is? As in A) contribute a set amount to his/her legal education, no matter where it takes place, that happens to be equal to what the difference between the financial aid package that Fordham offered and sticker at Fordham versus B) contribute only if OP goes to Fordham?

Because if B), OP needs to have a hard conversation with your parents about just why, precisely, they are spending their hard-earned money trying to incentivize him/her to go to an inferior school with worse job prospects.

[Chucky21]

This sounds like Fordham would be the best option. You would have no debt, and a decent shot at biglaw. In today's market the less debt you can take on the better, and that will definitely give you more flexibility down the road, for when you want to buy a house, car, start a family etc. The decisions you make now will have consequences down the road, and an opportunity to get out with 0 debt from Fordham with good prospects at biglaw sounds like a great option.

[justinp]

This sounds like Fordham would be the best option. You would have no debt, and a decent shot at biglaw. In today's market the less debt you can take on the better, and that will definitely give you more flexibility down the road, for when you want to buy a house, car, start a family etc. The decisions you make now will have consequences down the road, and an opportunity to get out with 0 debt from Fordham with good prospects at biglaw sounds like a great option.

But Fordham doesn't have "good prospects." It places ~25-30% with NLJ 250 firms. That's... non-horrible, I guess?

[Chucky21]

This sounds like Fordham would be the best option. You would have no debt, and a decent shot at biglaw. In today's market the less debt you can take on the better, and that will definitely give you more flexibility down the road, for when you want to buy a house, car, start a family etc. The decisions you make now will have consequences down the road, and an opportunity to get out with 0 debt from Fordham with good prospects at biglaw sounds like a great option.

But Fordham doesn't have "good prospects." It places ~25-30% with NLJ 250 firms. That's... non-horrible, I guess?

True, it's not horrible, but 0k in debt has a certain ring to it, especially in a market as uncertain as this one.

[Tiago Splitter]

0k in debt has a certain ring to it, especially in a market as uncertain as this one.

Would the OP need to borrow money for living expenses?

[MrAnon]

Don't let your parents hold you back. Just because your parents drove a volkswagon and have heartstrings for the new jetta doesn't men you can't or shouldn't try to drive Lexus. Evolve.