Top Law Schools

Hey everyone,

So I've been admitted to both Northwestern and Cornell, with decent scholarships (about half off sticker) at both schools which will make the COA at both schools quite similar, with Northwestern being a little bit cheaper overall. I'm interested in working in both the NYC and Chicago markets after graduation, which a slight preference in NYC. While I realize Northwestern has a small edge in terms of reputation and living in Chicago vs Ithaca for 3 years sounds better to me, going to Cornell will mean that I'll be closer to my SO, and I also like the fact that they have small class sizes and (potentially?) a tight-knit community after going to a huge, commuter-heavy undergrad institution. Seems like NYU is not going to happen for me...what should I do?

-signed, a long time lurker.

Half scholarships at both (congrats!) seem like NYU is possible, although you may have to ride the waitlist. If you were interested in just NYC I would say it probably doesn't make a difference, although some argue that Cornell is better for NY but I am not sure that is necessarily true, and if it is, it is probably not enough to make you choose Cornell over NU if you like NU better. However, the fact that you are also interested in Chicago makes me think you should choose NU.

Out of curiosity, what are your stats? From the sound of it your stats may be quite similar to mine, and if they are that would be very encouraging!

If you want to work in Chicago, you're probably better off going to NU; if you're set on ending up in NYC, you could attend either one of those schools--your decision in that case would ultimately come down to where you wanted to live for three years. It sounds like you've alluded to the fact that you'd rather live in Chi-town than Ithaca, so maybe NU would be the better choice!

jvincent11 wrote:Out of curiosity, what are your stats?

I'm curious about this as well. Either way, you've got some great options.

ggnori wrote:Hey everyone,

So I've been admitted to both Northwestern and Cornell, with decent scholarships (about half off sticker) at both schools which will make the COA at both schools quite similar, with Northwestern being a little bit cheaper overall. I'm interested in working in both the NYC and Chicago markets after graduation, which a slight preference in NYC. While I realize Northwestern has a small edge in terms of reputation and living in Chicago vs Ithaca for 3 years sounds better to me, going to Cornell will mean that I'll be closer to my SO, and I also like the fact that they have small class sizes and (potentially?) a tight-knit community after going to a huge, commuter-heavy undergrad institution. Seems like NYU is not going to happen for me...what should I do?

-signed, a long time lurker.

Northwestern has a very tight-knit student body. Almost everyone is involved in at least one student group and are very social. IMO our student body is pretty awesome. Can't speak to Cornell's student body, but I'm confident you won't have any concerns about a disengaged student body at Northwestern.

If you want Chicago as an option then take NU. If you're fairly set on NYC and would definitely prefer it to Chicago then visit both and choose which you prefer.

Go to Northwestern. They're seen as basically equal to UChicago in terms of Chicago BigLaw. Cornell certainly isn't going to be seen as NYU or Columbia's equal in NYC.

I thought NU hasn't given out scholarships yet? When did you hear about $ from NU?

demarco5 wrote:I thought NU hasn't given out scholarships yet? When did you hear about $ from NU?

+1

Only awards I know of are full rides for ED and defers

If you're more interested in working in NYC, I would say Cornell. Even if you decide that you want to work in Chicago, you'll have a great shot at getting a Big Law job in Chicago out of the August Jobs Fair (a few people from my class got Chicago Big Law this way). Cornell's small class size is great because it makes it easier to get on a journal and firms tend to dig deeper into the class when they're hiring. Also, Ithaca in general is a pretty nice town to live in. The people are friendly, the area is scenic, and there are lots of local wineries and breweries. One of the nice things about going to law school in a small town is that (at least for me) it's much easier to concentrate on your work. At the same time, there are also plenty of places to go when you want to go out and unwind.

Although this is a shameless Cornell plug, you should still definitely visit both schools before making your decision. Also, if you're considering doing a JD/MBA, then it might be a better idea to go Northwestern because their MBA program is #4 in the country (while Cornell's is #16). Good luck whatever you decide! Feel free to PM if you have any specific Cornell-related questions.