Value of Penn v. Columbia Forum

[Melo15]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

[handlesthetruth]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

Go to Columbia fool

[3ThrowAway99]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

Go to Columbia fool

+1 (IDK about the fool part lol, but yeah I think Colubmia is TCR unless you have a compelling reason to stay in Philly during law school).

[HeavenWood]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

Go to Columbia fool

The only logical reason I could see going to Penn is if you're 100% sure you want to work in Philadelphia. Otherwise, go to Columbia.

[Moxie]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

Go to Columbia fool

+1 (IDK about the fool part lol), but yeah I think Colubmia is TCR unless you have a compelling reason to stay in Philly during law school.

[dooood]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

Go to Columbia fool

+1 (IDK about the fool part lol, but yeah I think Colubmia is TCR unless you have a compelling reason to stay in Philly during law school).

Even if you plan on working in Philly, Columbia is the correct answer here

[HeavenWood]

Even if you plan on working in Philly, Columbia is the correct answer here

I'm pretty sure this isn't true, but unless the OP is among a select few, he probably doesn't want to work in Philly anyway.

[Melo15]

I'm trying to choose between Penn and Columbia right now, barring any miracles. Both schools have offered me similar awards (roughly $30,000), but obviously living in NY is much more expensive. I loved the atmosphere and small size at Penn, but I'm afraid to give up the prestige and bigger name at Columbia. I also have some personal connections in Philly.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after law school, but big law does not have much appeal to me. I know my views might change once I'm rolling in debt.

How much value do you think I would give up by going to Penn? Also, do you think I could go back to Penn and leverage this into more $, making my decision easier?

Go to Columbia fool

+1 (IDK about the fool part lol), but yeah I think Colubmia is TCR unless you have a compelling reason to stay in Philly during law school.

I do have a compelling reason to be in Philly. But I'm trying to balance it against the additional benefit I would get at Columbia. I guess my question is: How much marginally "better" is Columbia than Penn?

[howaboutthat]

The advantages of Columbia are marginal (though, perhaps, not negligible), and people seem much happier at Penn (and have been for many years -- the character of these two places are definitely different). Columbia is the "stepchild" fourth school of the HYSC continuum, in a sense (broad-ranging faculty, amazing LSAT scores and the like, though NYU is nipping at its heels on some of these measures), while Penn is a relatively collegial, smaller place with incredible placement in the nation's best firms and, more of late, clerkships. Hard to go wrong, in any event, and a given student is most likely going to end up with the same opportunities out of each.

NYC is, of course, amazing, while Philly furnishes more than its share of culture and fun, and is a bit more manageable, especially for the relatively uninitiated by way of city life (going to law school in the city where the Declaration and Constitution were birthed is quite a kick). Penn's campus and university feel far exceed Columbia's, but going to either of these elite law schools in a major city environment like NYC or Philly is an incredible opportunity (with due apologies to the suburban elite academies). If your gut and life circumstances are saying "Penn," then go there and never look back -- you will enjoy life at one of the most supportive, best law schools in the world. If not, then head to Morningside Heights.