Harvard vs. Duke Mordecai vs. Penn Levy Forum

[BZuckerkorn]

Hi TLS,

I'm very torn between schools and could use some feedback from the community. I'm originally from the Midwest, but have been working in New York City for the past year. I have no undergraduate debt, and will probably be able to receive some help from my parents/family with living expenses and tuition, although certainly not the majority of it (I also don't anticipate receiving any need-based aid).

Current options:
Harvard: sticker price (I estimate roughly $125k in debt)
Duke: Mordecai full-ride
Penn: Levy full-ride
Cornell: Hughes full-ride
Michigan: $40k scholarship per year
Berkeley: aid offer not yet received

Haven't heard back:
Stanford
UVA
Columbia

Goals:
I'd like to work in a US Attorney's Office (probably NYC) or at DOJ (in Washington), and am particularly interested in prosecuting civil rights, white collar crime, or public corruption cases. I also want to clerk after graduation. I'm not entirely opposed to working in Big Law, at least for a while, but don't really want to make it my career. I'll probably land in DC or NYC after graduation, but would consider moving back to the Midwest after 5-10 years of work. Definitely would like flexibility with my degree, both geographically and career-wise.

Thoughts? Take the money and run? Head straight to Harvard?

[Mack.Hambleton]

your goals probably arent gonna happen straight out at median from any school, so I'd take the money.

[052220152]

go to penn

[LoganCouture]

go to penn

[Clearly]

Penn

[BZuckerkorn]

OP here: to the (substantial) majority that voted Penn, why?

[KMart]

OP here: to the (substantial) majority that voted Penn, why?

It's better for your goals than Duke and is a safer bet than Harvard. Also, you're not anonymous - you don't need to specify as OP because we can see who is posting .

[eph]

Harvard

[jbagelboy]

OP here: to the (substantial) majority that voted Penn, why?

better school for your goals than Duke. Great degree to get for free.

[itbdvorm]

Hi TLS,

I'm very torn between schools and could use some feedback from the community. I'm originally from the Midwest, but have been working in New York City for the past year. I have no undergraduate debt, and will probably be able to receive some help from my parents/family with living expenses and tuition, although certainly not the majority of it (I also don't anticipate receiving any need-based aid).

Current options:
Harvard: sticker price (I estimate roughly $125k in debt)
Duke: Mordecai full-ride
Penn: Levy full-ride
Cornell: Hughes full-ride
Michigan: $40k scholarship per year
Berkeley: aid offer not yet received

Haven't heard back:
Stanford
UVA
Columbia

Goals:
I'd like to work in a US Attorney's Office (probably NYC) or at DOJ (in Washington), and am particularly interested in prosecuting civil rights, white collar crime, or public corruption cases. I also want to clerk after graduation. I'm not entirely opposed to working in Big Law, at least for a while, but don't really want to make it my career. I'll probably land in DC or NYC after graduation, but would consider moving back to the Midwest after 5-10 years of work. Definitely would like flexibility with my degree, both geographically and career-wise.

Thoughts? Take the money and run? Head straight to Harvard?

Harvard.

[tacocat]

You should base your decision not only on your goals, but also on what happens if your goals change over the course of the first year or two. Voted for Penn. Best combination of maximum options/minimal debt.

[WeeBey]

Are parents covering the rest of the Harvard debt? If they're that rich, take Harvard. If you would've had to debt finance the full COA of Harvard, take Penn.