UCLA vs. WUSTL ($$) vs. Vandy (WL)

[joe_crack]

background, i'm from maryland and am probably looking to return to dc. i am leaning toward focusing on trial ad during ls and would love to do a fed clerkship after school. i also will be looking to do biglaw.

UCLA
Pro: i was at ucla in january and didn't have a chance to take a tour, but the campus is beautiful. the weather is redic. the school seems great from everything i read. they have a strong history of clerkship placement. plus, they have more of a national rep than wash u and are ranked higher.
Con: $$$, including tuition, CoL, traveling to and from, etc.

WUSTL
Pro: i visited wustl and liked it a lot. the people were great. the school was very nice and seems very much like what i am looking for. they have a great trial ad program and the judicial clerkship clinic is great. stl seems very affordable for housing and food, plus washu offered 25k per year.
Con: placement in dc? & lack of strong national reputation

Vandy got the WL this past week
Pro: everything i know about the school makes it seem perfect. nashville is affordable and seems fun. vandy places very well into dc and has very much the community feel i want.
Con: idk if i want to put myself through waiting out the WL

[joe_crack]

anyone care to explain their votes?

[tx2102]

Well I voted UCLA, because Vandy isn't a big enough step up to be praying for with your other options. If you get in off the waitlist I would definitly visit and give it consideration though. Washington U is a great school, but I just personally don't like St. Louis and I don't get the feeling that it's name carries as well nationally as UCLA, plus weather in California is a big plus.

[elemglace]

WashU. I'll just be honest and say I hated the environment at Vandy and WashU impressed me. Completely personal. I voted for this just because I hated Vandy so much.

edited because eye caint spel.

[NoSe]

UCLA for the location and West coast/nationwide opportunities. Also, I think you can get CA residency after the first year.

[nobrainer]

UCLA. Better for biglaw- golden in californa if you want it. Bigger legal market, their reputation is good especially in LA cuz they're the best school in that area.

Big legal market for WashU grads in Chicago but so many schools around midwest target that area too.

[Leonidas]

UCLA...check out the Chat with Dean Schill - Transcript Thread ...

[turkfish]

I can't imagine a better experience than living and working in that area of LA for three years combined with the great atmosphere at UCLA. I think UCLA would provide you with much greater opportunities than WUSTL nationally (like in DC), and you can definitely get resident tuition for 2nd and 3rd years. However, neither of these schools really comes close to guaranteeing a good biglaw job in DC after graduation. If you are looking toward clerkships and then biglaw, UCLA might be worth the extra 25k a year (and the living situation will be well worth the extra cost of living, especially if you can get university-sponsored apts there). However, if you don't really mind working in the midwest, WUSTL could very well be a better deal.

Since you really have no guarantee of getting a biglaw job in DC (aside from top 20% maybe), it's really more about whether you'd rather work in CA or midwest cities such as Chicago. If you have a strong preference for CA, definitely go UCLA. If you don't care either way, go WUSTL. If you slightly prefer LA, do UCLA because of better national rep.

Edit: I would still hold out for the waitlist if that's what you want. Just stay on it and forget about it, if you get an acceptance you will be pleasantly surprised .

[ari20dal7]

I would see if you can get a few bucks out of UCLA. They might be able to help out. With no money, I see it as a tossup between WUSTL and UCLA. I would not take a Vandy WL offer over UCLA.

[moonpie163]

i would say to weigh out your options. put in for the WL at Vandy, wait to see if ucla gives you any $$$, and then you'll have a better idea of your options.

[wustl3l]

Where would you be happiest if you didn't do well in school? That is where I'd pick.

[joe_crack]

to reply to a few different points, i sent a LoCI to Vandy to keep my options open and bc it would be great to get in there. i also contacted ucla and am waiting to hear back about $$$ and finaid.

as for where i would be happier if i did not do well, i would prob say ucla. they have more firms at oci. so, i feel like i would have a better chance to get a decent job if i was graduating with lower numbers, but that could be wrong.

i'm still torn, so i would love to hear any insight from people at the schools in who visited the schools.

thanks for the input

[KidA23]

Vandy, but if that doesn't come through, then UCLA.