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I initially got a $105,000 scholarship from Georgetown and $75,000 from Cornell, but I miraculously convinced Georgetown for more ($55,000 a year). Goergetown increased my scholarship to $165,000 . I negotiated with Cornell using Georgetown scholarship, so my scholarship to $105,000. I want to attend Cornell for its better job prospect, but Georgetown's $165,000 is pretty convincing to me.

Do you think I should re-negotiate with Cornell and is Cornell really that much better than Georgetown? help!

What are your career goals?

total COA at both?

later in my career, I would do criminal law. For the first few years of my career, I am more likely than not to go corporate. The COA for Georgetown and Cornell are similar- $85,000

youngstar2028 wrote:later in my career, I would do criminal law. For the first few years of my career, I am more likely than not to go corporate. The COA for Georgetown and Cornell are similar- $85,000

Since your goals are generic (and completely unrelated, by the way... criminal law is litigation, not corporate, but that's a different issue), Cornell. If the COA is about the same, there's nothing to justify GULC here.

cavalier1138 wrote:

youngstar2028 wrote:later in my career, I would do criminal law. For the first few years of my career, I am more likely than not to go corporate. The COA for Georgetown and Cornell are similar- $85,000

Since your goals are generic (and completely unrelated, by the way... criminal law is litigation, not corporate, but that's a different issue), Cornell. If the COA is about the same, there's nothing to justify GULC here.

Yeah this is all very generic and somewhat confusing, so you're not giving us a lot of info that we can draw on to help you. But with what you've said so far, you should go to Cornell.

Cornell.

Am I the only one skeptical that a $60,000 scholarship difference results in the same COA?

Lavitz wrote:Am I the only one skeptical that a $60,000 scholarship difference results in the same COA?

considering non-discounted COA is almost identical, I am also skeptical

okay cost of attendance for both schools are the same. After discount, I will be taking out a loan of $150,000 at Cornell and $90,000 at Georgetown.
I know criminal law is litigation and corporate isn't, but I am saying is I will work corporate for a few years before going into litigation.

youngstar2028 wrote:The COA for Georgetown and Cornell are similar- $85,000

youngstar2028 wrote:okay cost of attendance for both schools are the same. After discount, I will be taking out a loan of $150,000 at Cornell and $90,000 at Georgetown.

If I can try to reconcile these seemingly contradictory statements, are you saying non-discounted COA is similar for both - ~$85k/yr, and that your COA (because COA stands for cost of attendance, as in, we are asking you what it costs you to attend) is $150,000 at Cornell and $90,000 at GULC? I would take Cornell, but an argument could be made for GULC. probably.

youngstar2028 wrote:I am saying is I will work corporate for a few years before going into litigation.

do you know how common going from doing a few years of transactional work to getting a criminal lit job is? have you ever (literally, ever) talked to someone who did this?

guybourdin wrote:

youngstar2028 wrote:The COA for Georgetown and Cornell are similar- $85,000

youngstar2028 wrote:okay cost of attendance for both schools are the same. After discount, I will be taking out a loan of $150,000 at Cornell and $90,000 at Georgetown.

If I can try to reconcile these seemingly contradictory statements, are you saying non-discounted COA is similar for both - ~$85k/yr, and that your COA (because COA stands for cost of attendance, as in, we are asking you what it costs you to attend) is $150,000 at Cornell and $90,000 at GULC? I would take Cornell, but an argument could be made for GULC. probably.

youngstar2028 wrote:I am saying is I will work corporate for a few years before going into litigation.

do you know how common going from doing a few years of transactional work to getting a criminal lit job is? have you ever (literally, ever) talked to someone who did this?

Apparently I misinterpreted the meaning of COA, but you are right. That is what I meant and I have not spoken to any one about it.

I don't have anything to add to the cost discussion, really. I think Cornell is clearly a superior school and I would rather be 150 in the hole from there than 50-60 less from GULC, but 50-60k is a lot of money and you may end up with the same outcome, so you've got two legitimate options and you could make an argument for both.

HOWEVER:

youngstar2028 wrote:

guybourdin wrote:

youngstar2028 wrote:I am saying is I will work corporate for a few years before going into litigation.

do you know how common going from doing a few years of transactional work to getting a criminal lit job is? have you ever (literally, ever) talked to someone who did this?

I have not spoken to any one about it.

your goals don't make sense, really. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, though: when you said "go corporate" earlier, did you just mean biglaw? like, maybe lit biglaw? That could be an path to doing other lit work.

Have you spoken to anyone? Its weird to me that you've got 6 figure scholarships to top schools but haven't even tried to speak to alums. Ask the schools - they'll put you in touch. my feeling is that you haven't done nearly enough work on your end to justify asking strangers for advice. visit the schools, talk to students, talk to alums, talk to other lawyers.


Cornell is probably the right choice, but thats me doing a ton of projecting. Cornell would probably be the right choice for me.

For big law or New York state or city in general I'd take Cornell. For going into criminal law non-ny I'd take Georgetown

Yeah, you really need to do some more legwork. Based on your description, it sounds like you want to look like one of the cool lawyers on TV but also be super-rich. The career path you're looking at doesn't exist.

Criminal defense work?

If by "corporate" you just mean biglaw, it's certainly possible to go from litigation biglaw to criminal law. And, like pretty much everyone else, I vote Cornell.