Yell at me and tell me to pick UVA (Dillard) over H (off WL) Forum

[ymmv]

^ Exactly. Although Harvard is somewhat of a special case, 0Ls do not understand just how much this website overvalues school name--especially in comparison to massive student loan debt.

I would say Yale is the only special case where the name alone - and more realistically the judicial/academic feedback loop - carries greater weight than its job placement. And even then only for the especially motivated SCOTUS gunners and would-be professors.

And no, I did not get into Yale, before some dumbass like Mistaken tries to attribute my opinion to pride/jealousy.

[Arboreal]

Also, nice job nabbing the Dillard and Harvard with "lower" numbers. Very nice.

In the spirit of piling on, backhanded compliments are a snootily terrible look.

[03152016]

Oʜ, Tʜᴇ Pʀᴇsᴛɪɢᴇ Iɴ Tʜɪs Tʜʀᴇᴀᴅ!

[MistakenGenius]

Post removed.

[truckstop]

Also, nice job nabbing the Dillard and Harvard with "lower" numbers. Very nice.

In the spirit of piling on, backhanded compliments are a snootily terrible look.

I appreciate the support, but I don't think MistakenGenius was being rude. I do have numbers on the lower end for getting the Dillard and Harvard and was incredibly lucky to receive both (probably thanks to work experience, LORs, good interviews, and a down year for applications).

[brazleton]

.

[NYSprague]

For the most part, people chose schools primarily to make sure if they are around median they can get a job that will repay their debt.

The few jobs that Harvard can push you into over Virginia generally require you to be a top student at Harvard.

There is only anecdotal and assumed differences in medium term and long term prospects. My limited experience is that once you are in the job it is your work that matters most. Going to Harvard doesn't guarantee your path will be easy if you aren't good.

Don't forget that Virginia is an excellent and well-regarded school. I can't see that attending Virginia over Harvard is going to hurt OP.

The Harvard grad with debt for the most part ends up in the same jobs as everyone else. The biggest difference is that supposedly firms go below median for Harvard, or something like that.

[ymmv]

Congrats OP! You've made a great choice.

I really am still confused though, just regarding consistency of arguments across different contexts.
If someone were choosing between UVA and Harvard, and the difference in cost was, say, less than 30k total, what school would you recommend (let's say goals are clerking and biglaw in either NY or DC)? Would those choosing Harvard be prestige-whoring? Is it really the contention of posters in this thread that the difference in options, at OCI and for years down the line, for a median student at these schools is not noticeably different? And your answer cannot be "but the Dillard!" because many, many contentions in this thread have really been made without regard to money. (such as, UVA and Harvard grads are seen as the same).
Is it just the Dillard that has people assuming that OP will not be in the ~30% of dissapointed UVA graduates each year?
These are serious questions.

In this bizarre hypothetical, yes, Harvard is probably worth $30k more than UVA.

[brazleton]

.

[ymmv]

Congrats OP! You've made a great choice.

I really am still confused though, just regarding consistency of arguments across different contexts.
If someone were choosing between UVA and Harvard, and the difference in cost was, say, less than 30k total, what school would you recommend (let's say goals are clerking and biglaw in either NY or DC)? Would those choosing Harvard be prestige-whoring? Is it really the contention of posters in this thread that the difference in options, at OCI and for years down the line, for a median student at these schools is not noticeably different? And your answer cannot be "but the Dillard!" because many, many contentions in this thread have really been made without regard to money. (such as, UVA and Harvard grads are seen as the same).
Is it just the Dillard that has people assuming that OP will not be in the ~30% of dissapointed UVA graduates each year?
These are serious questions.

In this bizarre hypothetical, yes, Harvard is probably worth $30k more than UVA.

Thanks to Sprague for answering my question.
You, ymmv, missed the entire point. And then you doubled down by saying that Harvard is "probably" worth 30k more than Harvard. Come on man.

It wasn't worth engaging on any level deeper than that. Your "contributions" to this thread have been just above trolldom.

[brazleton]

.

[jbagelboy]

brazleton: the reason why people attribute poor fiscal decision making to prestige is precisely a level of degree, and that's all ymmv suggested. the "dillard" to me just means full scholarship taking into account tuition increases, and a line on a resume. if OP had $35K need based at Harvard and wanted DC biglaw I'd probably tell them to go to H; a fortiorti at $30K total delta Harvard would be a clear preference -- it's the level of added cost for less substantial added safety net/prospects that creates this gap in logic to be desired, that gap being the unknowable 'prestige' factor, largely a product of tls mythology.

It's not "muddling different issues." the conversations are one and the same. You aren't a 'prestige whore' for choosing Harvard over another T14 at equal cost. That's a sound choice for any candidate since as you stated, the median student at Harvard will struggle less at EIP (although they still won't be clerking with a federal judge). But that label is usually the #1 motivating factor for taking on an added $200,000 of federal loans, to be paid off at great personal sacrifice over nearly a decade, for the same choice.

[cotiger]

I'd wager the majority of the people attacking the OP werenever good enough to have these options in the first place, and since you aren't able to empathize with the OP, you're not contributing to the conversation by attacking him. It's a hard decision, one that you can only understand if you've faced the same.

Christ, what a prick. Repeatedly on TLS these are exactly the kind of people who choose Harvard in this situation, though..

Multiple people in this thread turned down YHS, dude. And it's not debt phobia--it's bigdebt phobia. I ended up turning down a couple of T14 full rides for a less than full ride because of location. A little bit of extra debt to go somewhere with better employment or in a more desirable location is fine. 300k debt is stupid as shit, sorry.

Eta: Just to be explicit, I turned down HS and didn't bother applying to Y bc I decided that I wouldn't go there even if accepted. Hopefully this makes me good enough that my opinions are worth something in your eyes.

[brazleton]

.

[jkpolk]

You'd fit in better at Harvard

Let's avoid posts like this and stick to constructive and helpful comments for the OP.

So I see that TLS hasn't rid the world of 0L bigdumb yet

Don't attack the OP for asking a legitimate question in the on-topic forums. It's not an easy decision, especially once you are in that position.

Holy fucking lol.

[ph14]

You'd fit in better at Harvard

Let's avoid posts like this and stick to constructive and helpful comments for the OP.

So I see that TLS hasn't rid the world of 0L bigdumb yet

Don't attack the OP for asking a legitimate question in the on-topic forums. It's not an easy decision, especially once you are in that position.

Holy fucking lol.

God forbid we remain constructive and on-topic in the on-topic forums.

[jkpolk]

You'd fit in better at Harvard

Let's avoid posts like this and stick to constructive and helpful comments for the OP.

So I see that TLS hasn't rid the world of 0L bigdumb yet

Don't attack the OP for asking a legitimate question in the on-topic forums. It's not an easy decision, especially once you are in that position.

Holy fucking lol.

God forbid we remain constructive and on-topic in the on-topic forums.

Both opinions were both more "constructive and on-topic" than your shitty carping

[Mack.Hambleton]

when it rains it pours

[carolinainmymind]

*

[NYSprague]

Thanks for this thread, OP. I think you made the right choice, but I'm admittedly biased bc I turned down H for a full scholly at another T14. Although, I did just get chastised by a couple of members of our legal dept at work today for my decision, so I got that going for me, which is nice. (And no, I wasn't bragging about turning down H; a mentor I confided in at work mentioned it to a few people, and now I get the privelege of defending myself a lot.) But seriously, this thread (sort of) made me feel better, so thanks everybody.

Would they tell you to turn down $200,000? It is so much easier to tell people to go for the expensive item when you don't have to worry about paying for it.

Also it isn't wrong to tell your friends and family you got into Harvard. It is an accomplishment. It is just the finances that are the issue.

[Otunga]

It's the right move OP. If/when you hate biglaw, there's a way out.