I was planning on going to Vandy this year (with 50k scholarship spread over 3 years), but I just found out I got in off the waitlist at Duke (really wasn't expecting this because of my GPA). I'm from NC and have pretty strong ties there, and I'd like either NYC, DC, or southern biglaw. I choose Vandy over Cornell (with no money) because I wanted to have options other than NYC. Any thoughts? Is Duke the obvious better choice? I have until July 6th to decide.

If you are set on southern biglaw then you may as well flip a coin between these two options... Duke is better but 50k is a Porsche Boxster. If your actual order of preference is nyc dc south then go to duke.

The way things have been going, it wouldn't hurt to contact Vandy and tell them about this acceptance. Ask if there is any way for them to increase their scholarship offer. Some people have been getting more money that way. You have nothing to lose. After you do that, post your total COA. If the difference isn't too great, I would go to Duke.

Congrats on your acceptances.

Debt? Career goals? Ties?

+1

are you sure Duke isn't giving you any $$?

Get Vandy to bump up the scholly more, otherwise my vote is for Duke

Try for more money. Visit both, then decide. Tough to turn down Duke in your situation.

This.

Also, check with Duke about $$. Even the Top 14 are giving away $$ off the WL.

Added poll, should have done that earlier. My acceptance email didn't mention $$ but it did say they were sending a package with everything else, I don't know if they normally send scholly info that way but I'll ask in this cycle's applicant's thread. I'll also email Vandy asking about possibly getting more $$, and to be honest I thought 50k seemed kind of low for my numbers anyway. Anyone have any idea what a good offer would be?

From NC...ties from there and wants big law....go vandy and buy yourself the Porsche at graduation

Use Vandy cash to see if Duke will give you anything.

If you primarily want NC/Southern biglaw, but want to keep NYC/DC open, Duke is TCR here.

I know NC/Charlotte biglaw is tough to get, but does Duke+NC ties give me pretty good chances? Also, how far into into Dukes class do NYC firms go compared to Columbia/Penn/NYU etc? I'm going to visit Duke tomorrow and probably leaning towards going there.

Vandy's scholarship package for median gpa/LSAT applicants is 75k, I believe. Might try asking for that. A half ride from Vandy isn't shabby

I kinda doubt Duke will match w 50k. They might, though, bc they love 170s

This cycle off waitlist is not predictable. Just ask and see how much you can get.

About to ask duke about financial aid/mention my Vandy scholly. Any idea how I should go about asking this, since they're not really peer exact peer schools? ie I wouldn't need them to match Vandy's offer in order to attend, but given that I'm somewhat 60/40 right now between the two, something less than 50k might change my mind.

I know this isn't the question but I have to ask, why did you withdraw from NYU's WL? You probably would have been in and this would have been a much easier decision.

I'd say Duke, though play the leverage game and see if either bites.

Honestly I don't know how anyone not 100% set on PI goes to NYU or Columbia at sticker. Yeah you have may have better odds at big law but that doesn't mean you will be able to stay there for longer than 5 years. 250k+ is nuts.

OP: got 60k off the WL from duke last cycle with similar numbers (did have 54k from michigan though to negotiate with). This year they seem to be more generous so I definitely think you stand a shot at getting something.

I would choose Duke because they have the better basketball program, so that means that you will get Sports Law if you go to Duke.

I think your Duke degree would also travel better -overseas- if you're interested in International Law.

Pretty much this, which is the same reason I chose Vandy over Cornell. I know NYU would give me a better shot at NYC biglaw than Cornell, but still the idea of paying off 220k plus in debt with NYC COL was pretty scary. In that case, not only do you have the gamble of actually getting biglaw but you have to hope you can stick around long enough to pay it off. I probably did withdraw prematurely but oh well.

ALSO, Duke gave me $42k total, so I'm absolutely thrilled about that. Going to tell Vandy about the acceptance/scholarship Monday and see what they say but unless I get a pretty substantial offer from them I'll be at Duke. I figure even if I'm at/slightly below median at Duke, I have a decent shot at Charlotte biglaw with strong ties.



Lol, this too

Grats on your scholarship offer. I'd say Vandy should up that to 75k before you even half consider it and at that price I'd still go to Dook.

Even with 75k at Vandy, Duke still wins by a mile.

Looks like I'll see you in Durham this fall. Congrats on the scholly, Westinghouse

Advice: do not bank on NC BigLaw out of law school; regardless of ties, it still generally takes really strong grades (getting it from median would be an aberration) and even with both, is still not a given.

I will second this. Currently a biglaw SA in Charlotte. Have not met one Dukie, but a few Vandy. Seems Charlotte likes kids from the more regional SE/Mid-Atlantic schools (Vandy, GW, Wake, UNC) with top grades over a median T14 student (Duke, UVA). Just my very limited observation though.

I'll keep that in mind, but it seems like given equal ties and grades, Duke should have a substanital edge for Charlotte over Vandy?