UVA Dillard v Columbia v NYU Forum

[Pragmatic Gun]

Virginia has a great international law program too. It's not like you won't have tons of opportunities there.

Agreed.
But OP doesn't seem to care about wasting a huge amount of money even though he isn't mega rich and wants to go to Columbia.

I went quiet bc I had to actually do some work at my job lol not that I don't care- I was about 60% Columbia 40% UVA when I created this threat but you guys basically brought me to 50% 50%, so thank you! I think I have to go visit UVA to really give UVA a fair chance and have all my considerations on equal footing

I find it slightly amusing that the near-unanimous advice of UVA pushed you from 60/40 to 50/50. You clearly want to go to CLS; just go blow a bunch of money at CLS.

(Speaking of odds, I give it an 83% chance that OP goes to CLS, "discovers" s/he likes international arbitration, and goes to a generic biglaw firm hoping to, but never actually, practicing "international law".)

For the record: I voted UVA.

I thought the very same thing.

10% is a lot in my book, there are tons of factors going into all of our decisions and you guys gave me some very good perspectives but of course I'm not going to do a 180 based on some ppl on the internet telling me to- I hope no one is doing that.

Also bring your random hating somewhere else man, there's no need for that.

Dude.

We're not being haters. That's probably what's going to happen. Working at Human Rights Watch straight out of law school is not a thing.

Exhibit A: the staff of Human Rights Watch.

Exhibit B: the Head Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Exhibit C: the staff of the International Refugee Assistance Project.

Look at their resumes. They either spent a LOT of in government and the private sector OR they got competitive fellowships. I will bet you $50 that you will end up at a big law firm with an international practice for a few years at the very least.

[BoyJord]

If the Dillard coupled with all the advice given here only gets you to 50/50 on this decision, I'm forced to question your judgement a little bit here.

Absent a pretty significant scholarship, take UVA and ask for the $180k from your mom and dad to invest in an index fund or something.

And these are the ppl with the named schollys in their pockets... meanwhile us plebians continue to dream of getting massive $$$ offers so we too can throw them into the wind in favor of a few extra lay-prestige points

[Alexandros]

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[Future Ex-Engineer]

Ordinarily would say Dillard no-brainer, but after reading through this thread - Just go to Columbia, and let the money go to someone who needs it and wants UVA.

Same boat here. OP, go spend your money at Columbia. Let me have your Dillard.

Also why the hell did you not go to UVA ASW if you were offered a Dillard? The idea that you were offered one and weren't even going to do a visit before deciding on somewhere else tells me all I need to know. I think you should stay in New York. Maybe with the extra prestige you can get Pearson Specter Litt to waive the Harvard rule for you too.

[Nebby]

Sticker at CLS will help fund my LRAP benefits

[dabigchina]

OP is going to go to CLS regardless of what people tell him/her.

Enjoy.

[gilmoregirlrevival]

....

[Pragmatic Gun]

Can we make a thread where all the scholarship holders humblebrag about their $$$ and then set up an exchange system where they barter their schollys? Can we, can we?

[uion1715]

Here is what I don't get about people willing to spend parents' $$$ on law school: You can invest $250k and come away with a lot of money (For your house, etc.).

For instance, the average return of the S&P 500 index fund is somewhere around 7 percent (And that includes the Great Recession) a year.

Let's say you are 22, and you put $250,000 into the index fund. When you become 50, that $250,000 becomes $1,660,000. When you become 67, that $250,000 becomes $5,250,613. Do you have any idea what an extra $5 million can do for your retirement???

[Pragmatic Gun]

Here is what I don't get about people willing to spend parents' $$$ on law school: You can invest $250k and come away with a lot of money (For your house, etc.).

For instance, the average return of the S&P 500 index fund is somewhere around 7 percent (And that includes the Great Recession) a year.

Let's say you are 22, and you put $250,000 into the index fund. When you become 50, that $250,000 becomes $1,660,000. When you become 67, that $250,000 becomes $5,250,613. Do you have any idea what an extra $5 million can do for your retirement???

You can also use that money to buy a used car for law school so that travel becomes easier. I can think of a thousand other ways to use that money that would be productive.

[Nebby]

Presumably anyone with rich parents will already get a decent inheritance

[UVA2B]

Presumably anyone with rich parents will already get a decent inheritance

Yeah, but isn't a growing wealth gap in this country a good thing?

[Pragmatic Gun]

OP, just start your own company, become wealthy, and then hire me as your general counsel. We can do good business together.

[dabigchina]

Here is what I don't get about people willing to spend parents' $$$ on law school: You can invest $250k and come away with a lot of money (For your house, etc.).

For instance, the average return of the S&P 500 index fund is somewhere around 7 percent (And that includes the Great Recession) a year.

Let's say you are 22, and you put $250,000 into the index fund. When you become 50, that $250,000 becomes $1,660,000. When you become 67, that $250,000 becomes $5,250,613. Do you have any idea what an extra $5 million can do for your retirement???

people don't apply to law school because numbers are their strong suit.

You can also use that money to buy a used car for law school so that travel becomes easier. I can think of a thousand other ways to use that money that would be productive.

That's one hell of a used car.

[Pragmatic Gun]

Here is what I don't get about people willing to spend parents' $$$ on law school: You can invest $250k and come away with a lot of money (For your house, etc.).

For instance, the average return of the S&P 500 index fund is somewhere around 7 percent (And that includes the Great Recession) a year.

Let's say you are 22, and you put $250,000 into the index fund. When you become 50, that $250,000 becomes $1,660,000. When you become 67, that $250,000 becomes $5,250,613. Do you have any idea what an extra $5 million can do for your retirement???

people don't apply to law school because numbers are their strong suit.

You can also use that money to buy a used car for law school so that travel becomes easier. I can think of a thousand other ways to use that money that would be productive.

That's one hell of a used car.

I meant that you can use a sliver of the money for a used car, and the rest for investing, etc.

[Nebby]

Anyway, enough poking fun at OP's luck. I kinda put this whole thing off topic with my dumb quip about rich parents.

OP, since money is not a factor, just go to CLS.

Just know that there is an extremely small number of entry-level jobs in your desired field and that it's much more about preparing yourself to be competitive for such a job. CLS gives you a marginal advantage only because it offers greater access to international human rights orgs. It's still up to you to make it happen.

I only know one CLS grad who was able to do it. And he literally did everything perfectly.

[Veil of Ignorance]

OP, I think a lot of people who voted UVA (including myself) simply don't come from your kind of money. I don't mean that critically, but it's important to factor in. For me (us) 200k is a colossal sum, way too much to spend on one product which is only marginally better than another. However, if this just isn't the case for you (which I'm guessing from the way you talk about $$), then I can see how the added benefit of living in NYC and going to Columbia could push you to choose it. I mean, some people spend 200k on a wedding, let alone a high-quality professional school.

[UVA2B]

OP, I think a lot of people who voted UVA (including myself) simply don't come from your kind of money. I don't mean that critically, but it's important to factor in. For me (us) 200k is a colossal sum, way too much to spend on one product which is only marginally better than another. However, if this just isn't the case for you (which I'm guessing from the way you talk about $$), then I can see how the added benefit of living in NYC and going to Columbia could push you to choose it. I mean, some people spend 200k on a wedding, let alone a high-quality professional school.

I get what you're saying, but it's more akin to spending an extra $200k on the wedding for an extravagant cake instead of the original five tiered cake that would still be delicious for nearly the same number of guests. Or maybe spending an extra $200k on the wedding singer to get The slightly more popular member of a duet when the other one is still an amazing performer.

[Pragmatic Gun]

OP, I think a lot of people who voted UVA (including myself) simply don't come from your kind of money. I don't mean that critically, but it's important to factor in. For me (us) 200k is a colossal sum, way too much to spend on one product which is only marginally better than another. However, if this just isn't the case for you (which I'm guessing from the way you talk about $$), then I can see how the added benefit of living in NYC and going to Columbia could push you to choose it. I mean, some people spend 200k on a wedding, let alone a high-quality professional school.

I get what you're saying, but it's more akin to spending an extra $200k on the wedding for an extravagant cake instead of the original five tiered cake that would still be delicious for nearly the same number of guests. Or maybe spending an extra $200k on the wedding singer to get The slightly more popular member of a duet when the other one is still an amazing performer.

I get the feeling that the OP is already biased in favor of Columbia for some inexplicable reason that can't be simply attributed to prestige.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Exhibit A: the staff of Human Rights Watch.

Sorry to derail, but damn, they all just look so *intent* and *serious* in their photos.

[Npret]

OP, I think a lot of people who voted UVA (including myself) simply don't come from your kind of money. I don't mean that critically, but it's important to factor in. For me (us) 200k is a colossal sum, way too much to spend on one product which is only marginally better than another. However, if this just isn't the case for you (which I'm guessing from the way you talk about $$), then I can see how the added benefit of living in NYC and going to Columbia could push you to choose it. I mean, some people spend 200k on a wedding, let alone a high-quality professional school.

People from money don't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars needlessly. I agree OP will end up at Columbia and biglaw regardless. Maybe he's wealthier than he's admitted and has real family money. Maybe he has some rivalry with his brother he won't admit to here.

Congrats to whoever gets his full ride to UVa assuming they pass it on.

[Pragmatic Gun]

Exhibit A: the staff of Human Rights Watch.

Sorry to derail, but damn, they all just look so *intent* and *serious* in their photos.

"We is a serious human rights org" *has endless cocktail parties to raise funding*

[OneHandedEconomist]

Exhibit A: the staff of Human Rights Watch.

Sorry to derail, but damn, they all just look so *intent* and *serious* in their photos.

"We is a serious human rights org" *has endless cocktail parties to raise funding*

It's because they're watching human rights.

[Alexandros]

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[Pragmatic Gun]

I would like to point out that I'm gladdened by TLSers arguing in favor about the wider utility of having a wealthy person give up their scholarship so a deserving student can obtain it.