Top School or graduate debt free? Forum

[NYFGJoe]

I'm currently struggling to decide whether I should attend Columbia Law School at full price, which would require that I take out a large loan, or whether I should accept a $40,000/year scholarship offer from George Washington, which would allow me to graduate debt free (or close to it). I know that for working in big law firms, Columbia is the better choice, but I'm not sure whether that's something I want to do. Going to GW would give me more flexibility in terms of not feeling forced to take a big law job just to pay off the loans, but Columbia would open more doors for employment opportunities. I grew up in New York and probably want to live there after graduation, and while Columbia places more graduates in NY, GW has a decent amount there also. I know you obviously won't have an answer of where I should go, but do you have any advice? How hard is it to pay off student loans? Is there anything else I should be considering? Thanks.

(Sorry if this is in the wrong part of the forum.)

[howlery]

You don't have any other options within the T14? I'd imagine that if you could get in to Columbia you'd also be extended at least some money at a lower T14. Did you apply to Cornell?

[NYFGJoe]

The other T14 schools I got into were Cornell and Georgetown. Georgetown gave me no money. Cornell gave me $45K/year. However, I'm a current undergraduate at Cornell and can't imagine spending another 3 years in isolated Ithaca. I would rather go to GW.

[IAFG]

Are you an engineer

[NYFGJoe]

Are you an engineer

No. History major. Although I don't really see how that's relevant.

[IAFG]

Are you an engineer

No. History major. Although I don't really see how that's relevant.

Because the only way I would suggest GW over CLS is if you were IP secure.

[IAFG]

I would bet a large sum of money that in 3 years you will be kicking yourself for not just biting the bullet and going back to Ithaca.

[francesfarmer]

The other T14 schools I got into were Cornell and Georgetown. Georgetown gave me no money. Cornell gave me $45K/year. However, I'm a current undergraduate at Cornell and can't imagine spending another 3 years in isolated Ithaca. I would rather go to GW.

Get Georgetown to match Cornell?

[NYFGJoe]

The other T14 schools I got into were Cornell and Georgetown. Georgetown gave me no money. Cornell gave me $45K/year. However, I'm a current undergraduate at Cornell and can't imagine spending another 3 years in isolated Ithaca. I would rather go to GW.

Get Georgetown to match Cornell?

Tried and failed. Also, failed to get NYU to match Cornell and GW (not that I expected them to).

[RodneyBoonfield]

Is this not a no-brainer for Cornell? I don't understand.

[bk1]

Cornell and it's not even close.

[062914123]

.

[nickb285]

.

[Icculus]

Cornell and it's not even close.

[Tekrul]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

[09042014]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

DC sucks anyway. The women there look like Clinton.

[hephaestus]

Cornell and it's not even close.

[NanaP]

The other T14 schools I got into were Cornell and Georgetown. Georgetown gave me no money. Cornell gave me $45K/year. However, I'm a current undergraduate at Cornell and can't imagine spending another 3 years in isolated Ithaca. I would rather go to GW.

I agree with everyone here, suck it up....it's three more years with minimum debt and a great degree....way better option than GW.....

[NYFGJoe]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

That's not what I said. I like Ithaca a lot. However, I examined both schools and came to the conclusion that being in DC provides a wider range of opportunities to do externships/clinics than being in Ithaca. And it's not like 14 vs 21 in the rankings is a huge difference. Frankly, I didn't understand why Cornell Law was ranked higher than GW.

[$peppercorn]

Cornell, without a doubt, is your best choice.

[phillywc]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

That's not what I said. I like Ithaca a lot. However, I examined both schools and came to the conclusion that being in DC provides a wider range of opportunities to do externships/clinics than being in Ithaca. And it's not like 14 vs 21 in the rankings is a huge difference. Frankly, I didn't understand why Cornell Law was ranked higher than GW.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=cornell
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=gw

Both are actually good schools. Cornell is in another league though. It's called the T-14 for a reason (Check out the large firm scores if they don't seem different at first blush).

[dawyzest1]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

That's not what I said. I like Ithaca a lot. However, I examined both schools and came to the conclusion that being in DC provides a wider range of opportunities to do externships/clinics than being in Ithaca. And it's not like 14 vs 21 in the rankings is a huge difference. Frankly, I didn't understand why Cornell Law was ranked higher than GW.

Be that as it may, law school is professional school meaning that employment prospects trump educational experience to a certain extent. Cornell at a discounted price gives you a good chance of securing an optimal outcome with acceptable downside risk. I'd be all-in on Cornell.

[Mal Reynolds]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

That's not what I said. I like Ithaca a lot. However, I examined both schools and came to the conclusion that being in DC provides a wider range of opportunities to do externships/clinics than being in Ithaca. And it's not like 14 vs 21 in the rankings is a huge difference. Frankly, I didn't understand why Cornell Law was ranked higher than GW.

This is the height of stupidity. There is a huge difference between Cornell and GW. You would be insane to take GW over Cornell.

[Rahviveh]

Damn... is Ithaca that bad?

[09042014]

Cornell. To put it in perspective, you are wagering a 50 year career for 3 years now cause you dont 'like' Ithaca . Youth is blinding you with instant gratification

That's not what I said. I like Ithaca a lot. However, I examined both schools and came to the conclusion that being in DC provides a wider range of opportunities to do externships/clinics than being in Ithaca. And it's not like 14 vs 21 in the rankings is a huge difference. Frankly, I didn't understand why Cornell Law was ranked higher than GW.

Do Cornell and just do an externship in DC one semester. http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/academ ... rnship.cfm