On edge about ED Decision Forum

[mst]

OK guys, I need help. I have to make this decision tomorrow or Thursday at the latest. I've been heavily considering ED'ing to NYU (as in 80% sure). I even took the time and money to visit it recently (not an "easy" trip by any means), and I think that the only reliable (50% or more) shot I have is with an ED app. I absolutely loved the school (more than Columbia, aside from the prestige thing) and the people/professors I had a chance to meet. It's a great school.

However, there are several things holding me back at this point: I'm probably going to have to pay at least 2/3 of my education & COL through loans over the next 3 years. In NYC this is basically 130-150k in loans. Second, CCN does seem to have better placement overall, but Michigan seems to offer a bit more flexibility in terms of west-coast & midwest placement, which I have a feeling I might prefer in 3 years come job-time. (I like NYC but I don't want to be there for more than 5-10 years and I like Chicago and SF much more). Third, I like Michigan (the school) a lot, but it would be interesting to live in NYC for a few years and I'm kind of afraid that big-law chances there will harder to find.

My numbers are 3.6, 172. Good Resume, Medium PS & DS. Is it a wise decision to ED NYU or is the potential for cash (at least 30-50k total) from Michigan or even 50k+ from Georgetown, Cornell, etc. likely and worth it (keeping in mind I wan't big-law or bust 3 years from now)?

[im_blue]

Since you're biglaw or bust, you should definitely ED at NYU, where you have the best chance of landing a job through OCI. Also, keep in mind that west coast placement will be difficult from NYU, Michigan, etc without local ties.

[sundance95]

If you do well at Michigan you'll have biglaw opportunities. NYC firms will go deeper into NYU's class than Michigan's, obviously. I suspect that NYU's placement on the west coast would not beat Michigan's, but others would know that better than I.

I agree that you have a good shot at money from Michigan...I know what I would do (take the money and run). Is needing to do 10-15% better in your class to achieve your goals more important than ~$45K? That's the question you need to answer.

[mst]

So with the extra COL, I'm basically paying an extra 20k a year to give myself 10-15% leeway in my class? Tough call, seriously.

[lennonist]

ED NYU, man. If my LSAT nears yours, I'm doing the same thing (i have the same GPA).
Best of luck!
P.S. NYU has good west coast placement (anecdotal evidence via several law firms in LA). Michigan isn't better in that sense.

[bk1]

So with the extra COL, I'm basically paying an extra 20k a year to give myself 10-15% leeway in my class? Tough call, seriously.

Yeah but biglaw is an all or nothing proposition. It's not like if you just miss it then you end up in a job making 80% of a biglaw salary. So it's not fair to necessarily equate it in the way you have.

[Hattori Hanzo]

If you get Biglaw, $45K extra in student loans is not going to be a significant burden.

[mst]

OK, I just wanted to be sure that I'm not giving away practically the same opportunities at MVP for half the cost of NYU. Looks like this will be an ED. Anybody else willing to chime in, please do!

[sundance95]

If you get Biglaw, $45K extra in student loans is not going to be a significant burden.

Not to be a downer but there's a flip side to this coin.

[Hattori Hanzo]

If you get Biglaw, $45K extra in student loans is not going to be a significant burden.

Not to be a downer but there's a flip side to this coin.

On the flipside, if you end up at a $35K/yr job, you're fucked either way and again $45K won't make a difference (assuming IBR)

[sundance95]

If you get Biglaw, $45K extra in student loans is not going to be a significant burden.

Not to be a downer but there's a flip side to this coin.

On the flipside, if you end up at a $35K/yr job, you're fucked either way and again $45K won't make a difference (assuming IBR)

You are forgetting that CoL is significantly less at M as well.

[Perch]

OK, I just wanted to be sure that I'm not giving away practically the same opportunities at MVP for half the cost of NYU. Looks like this will be an ED. Anybody else willing to chime in, please do!

it seems impossible to have a "right" answer in this area of grey. I'd be happy to be in your situation with the 172, so enjoy it and at least rest somewhat assured that you're going to a great school regardless.

[homestyle28]

However, there are several things holding me back at this point: I'm probably going to have to pay at least 2/3 of my education & COL through loans over the next 3 years. In NYC this is basically 130-150k in loans. Second, CCN does seem to have better placement overall, but Michigan seems to offer a bit more flexibility in terms of west-coast & midwest placement, which I have a feeling I might prefer in 3 years come job-time. (I like NYC but I don't want to be there for more than 5-10 years and I like Chicago and SF much more). Third, I like Michigan (the school) a lot

Given that your #'s put you solidly in t-14 range and that you have all the above reasons for NOT choosing NYU, I'd say apply but no ED. My hunch is that if you do ED and are accepted all these same reasons might gnaw at you giving you a "grass is greener" sense of things.

[SupraVln180]

I'll keep this short, ED at NYU, you'll get a great job and have a good 3 years in an awesome area.

[plenipotentiary]

So with the extra COL, I'm basically paying an extra 20k a year to give myself 10-15% leeway in my class? Tough call, seriously.

Let's talk about your worst case scenario: if you fail to get a BigLaw coming job out of Michigan, are you going to regret going there over NYU? Yes, of course. If you don't get a BigLaw job out of NYU, are you going to be pining for Mich? No, because probably you would have been fucked, anyway.

You should also factor in the fact that you might not perform at the same level at both schools. Ann Arbor and New York are very different; you want to pick an environment where you'll thrive.

I have vaguely similar numbers (same LSAT, GPA .1 lower) and I decided not to ED CCN partly because I don't think I'd do as well in law school living in NYC or Chicago. I actually applied ED to UVA. When I got in, I was so thrilled that it erased whatever lingering doubts I might have had. I know TLS would say that I didn't make the wisest decision, since I had a shot (however small) at more "prestigious" schools, and I might have gotten money from "peer schools." But I wanted to be at V, bottom line, and my chances there without ED were 50/50 or less. It's also a lot less excruciating for me, personally, to give up money when it's hypothetical. I didn't even want to see a scholarship offer from M, because I didn't want to feel pressured to go to a school I wasn't interested in just because of $40k. It's three years of your life.

[Sentry]

I have very similar numbers and I decided to ED to Chicago. I figure the worst that could happen is i get WL'd at Chicago and then could still go to one of MVPDNCG. I'd ED NYU if I were in your shoes.

[facetious]

consider that even if you miss the biglaw boat, nyu has an awesome LRAP program. don't know much in how it compares to UM, but seriously, the public interest opportunities at NYU are unreal. and the school fully supports you in every way imaginable for PI. combine that w/ the fact that firms tend to go a bit deeper into our class than MVP (for nyc firms at least), and i think ED is a good choice.

yet, i must reveal my bias: 1L at nyu who applied ED last year

[Perch]

consider that even if you miss the biglaw boat, nyu has an awesome LRAP program. don't know much in how it compares to UM, but seriously, the public interest opportunities at NYU are unreal. and the school fully supports you in every way imaginable for PI. combine that w/ the fact that firms tend to go a bit deeper into our class than MVP (for nyc firms at least), and i think ED is a good choice.

yet, i must reveal my bias: 1L at nyu who applied ED last year

did you go ED because your numbers were borderline? How is NYU with scholarships in general to RD?

[buckilaw]

IMHO, with a biglaw or bust mindset ED is the way to go for OP.

[facetious]

consider that even if you miss the biglaw boat, nyu has an awesome LRAP program. don't know much in how it compares to UM, but seriously, the public interest opportunities at NYU are unreal. and the school fully supports you in every way imaginable for PI. combine that w/ the fact that firms tend to go a bit deeper into our class than MVP (for nyc firms at least), and i think ED is a good choice.

yet, i must reveal my bias: 1L at nyu who applied ED last year

did you go ED because your numbers were borderline? How is NYU with scholarships in general to RD?

I applied ED b/c (1) was stuck exactly at both medians when i applied, (2) didn't really want MVP/wanted to be in nyc/want to work in nyc in the near future, (3) slightly less chance at columbia + like nyu more than columbia for primarily personal reasons. i was on the edge for a while too, but ultimately decided ED was the right choice for me personally and strategically.

as for scholarships, NYU gives out a ton of money to two kinds of ppl: (1) named scholarships/RTK and (3) HYS numbers/softs. for everyone else, its probably sticker. its just how NYU works. but in many ways, you have a scholarship fall back in our LRAP which is fantastic (though likened to the tax code in complication) + a pretty damn good shot at nyc biglaw. if you have numbers that you need to apply ED w/ anyway, you aren't getting any money even if you got in RD.

happy to take questions about nyu ED in the nyu ED thread which i think is around somewhere.

[mst]

Okay, I think I have all the information I need to make a decision. Now it's just time to man up and make it. I'll keep ya'll posted: The pen is on the form which is on the table which is within my view which is making me anxious, so it will either be signed or torn up very soon.