FINAL: NYU ($) v. Duke ($$) v. HLS - LS22 needs your help Forum

[kathj06]

LS22,

I feel ya on this. Making a similar decision between Chi and Duke. For me, personally, it's the vanity thing that is holding me back. Different story for you, as I know you loved NYU during your visit and they have some great programming for people interested in dc (I loved nyu too but wouldn't pay sticker, so withdrew). Whereas with Chicago, it's an incredible school but I'm not sure if I'd be happy. But it's hard for me to shake the whole "you go to the best school you can get into" mantra. I figured my numbers would lock me out of HYS, so I was always aiming for CCN as my target, and it feels like compromising to be turning down those options (I know, it's stupid). I also prefer Chicago's 2% underemployment rate to Duke's 11%.

But I live in DC now, and have been talking to a lot of people who work in/hire for Biglaw and government here, and they COMPLETELY debunk the idea that there is this enormous gap between Duke and CCN. And when you add a large discrepancy in scholarship funding to the mix, the barely perceptible gap narrows even further.

Anyway, you created these great options for yourself and obviously deserve to go where you want, but that's just my two cents.

PS: thanks for the COA spreadsheets!

[lawschool22]

Personally, I don't think NYU is worth $80k more than Duke - especially if your target market is D.C. You are so close to getting Duke at <$100k of debt, which is an enviable situation.

This is coming from a 0L that would love to see you withdraw from Duke so I can take some of that scholarship money , but in all honesty, what is holding you back from committing to Duke? There must be something else on your mind that is making this decision more difficult in your head than it is on paper.

I think it's just my trepidation related to my DC and federal government aspirations. There is a part of me that thinks NYU may be better suited for those goals, but I'm having trouble quantifying how much this is worth (and if it exists at all). I also feel there is a bit of additional security at NYU in the below-median range, which is also appealing. And I hate to say it, but there is simply an aspect of the overall feeling I got during my visit. I absolutely loved the experience, and enjoyed every student I met. They all seemed genuinely happy, and that was very attractive.

I just can't decide if all of these small differences are enough to sway me. At the current cost difference I don't think they are. I am still waiting to hear back from NYU on my scholarship reconsideration, and that could certainly make things easier if they decide to be generous (ha).

Am I overstating NYU's strength in DC and government? If I am, then maybe this becomes an easier call.

[PrideandGlory1776]

Duke

[rayiner]

Personally, I don't think NYU is worth $80k more than Duke - especially if your target market is D.C. You are so close to getting Duke at <$100k of debt, which is an enviable situation.

This is coming from a 0L that would love to see you withdraw from Duke so I can take some of that scholarship money , but in all honesty, what is holding you back from committing to Duke? There must be something else on your mind that is making this decision more difficult in your head than it is on paper.

I think it's just my trepidation related to my DC and federal government aspirations. There is a part of me that thinks NYU may be better suited for those goals, but I'm having trouble quantifying how much this is worth (and if it exists at all). I also feel there is a bit of additional security at NYU in the below-median range, which is also appealing. And I hate to say it, but there is simply an aspect of the overall feeling I got during my visit. I absolutely loved the experience, and enjoyed every student I met. They all seemed genuinely happy, and that was very attractive.

I just can't decide if all of these small differences are enough to sway me. At the current cost difference I don't think they are. I am still waiting to hear back from NYU on my scholarship reconsideration, and that could certainly make things easier if they decide to be generous (ha).

Am I overstating NYU's strength in DC and government? If I am, then maybe this becomes an easier call.

Based on my experience interviewing in D.C., I think you are. D.C. is super prestige conscious, and it's really HYS >> everyone else. Looking at only DC offices, and at associates, Covington is 12 NYU, 7 Duke, A&P is 3 NYU, 4 Duke, Hogan is 4 NYU, 6 Duke, and Wilmer is 7 NYU, 4 Duke. That's 26 NYU versus 21 Duke, total. Remember, NYU's graduating class is generally twice as big as Duke's.

[lawschool22]

Personally, I don't think NYU is worth $80k more than Duke - especially if your target market is D.C. You are so close to getting Duke at <$100k of debt, which is an enviable situation.

This is coming from a 0L that would love to see you withdraw from Duke so I can take some of that scholarship money , but in all honesty, what is holding you back from committing to Duke? There must be something else on your mind that is making this decision more difficult in your head than it is on paper.

I think it's just my trepidation related to my DC and federal government aspirations. There is a part of me that thinks NYU may be better suited for those goals, but I'm having trouble quantifying how much this is worth (and if it exists at all). I also feel there is a bit of additional security at NYU in the below-median range, which is also appealing. And I hate to say it, but there is simply an aspect of the overall feeling I got during my visit. I absolutely loved the experience, and enjoyed every student I met. They all seemed genuinely happy, and that was very attractive.

I just can't decide if all of these small differences are enough to sway me. At the current cost difference I don't think they are. I am still waiting to hear back from NYU on my scholarship reconsideration, and that could certainly make things easier if they decide to be generous (ha).

Am I overstating NYU's strength in DC and government? If I am, then maybe this becomes an easier call.

Based on my experience interviewing in D.C., I think you are. D.C. is super prestige conscious, and it's really HYS >> everyone else. Looking at only DC offices, and at associates, Covington is 12 NYU, 7 Duke, A&P is 3 NYU, 4 Duke, Hogan is 4 NYU, 6 Duke, and Wilmer is 7 NYU, 4 Duke. That's 26 NYU versus 21 Duke, total. Remember, NYU's graduating class is generally twice as big as Duke's.

That's a good point. The only other variable is the self-selection issue. I wonder how many more people at Duke are targeting DC vs NYU? Although considering Duke is less then half the size of NYU, there would probably need to be a bigger self-selection disparity than is likely for that to explain it.

[09042014]

NYU isn't worth 80k even for NYC. I'm not sure it's worth 1 dollar more for DC.

[Mal Reynolds]

NYU has prestige bro. I would go there.

[lawschool22]

NYU isn't worth 80k even for NYC. I'm not sure it's worth 1 dollar more for DC.

Yeah. I think this is where I'm at. If NYU doesn't come through with any sort of increase I probably have no business going there. Even if they do increase it probably won't be enough...

[Nonconsecutive]

NYU isn't worth 80k even for NYC. I'm not sure it's worth 1 dollar more for DC.

Yeah. I think this is where I'm at. If NYU doesn't come through with any sort of increase I probably have no business going there. Even if they do increase it probably won't be enough...

As another early NYUer, I unfortunately have to agree that they probably aren't going to come up a whole lot given how they've responded to others.

[lawschool22]

Well, we have the news: no change to the NYU scholarship.

It looks like I will be headed to Durham in the fall! Thanks for all of your help everyone!

[coolbean2013]

Congrats on your decision!!

[lawschool22]

Congrats on your decision!!

Thanks! It feels great. Hoping I made the right choice, but I think I did.

[chizzy]

Congrats on your decision! im sure you will do fine wherever you may be.

*still holding out hope for your havard decision

[jbagelboy]

Congrats

[stewart23]

Congrats on your choice!

[Theopliske8711]

Congrats on your decision!!

Thanks! It feels great. Hoping I made the right choice, but I think I did.

You'll be fine; congrats and best of luck in Durham.

[iamgeorgebush]

congrats dude!

[lawschool22]

Thanks everyone. I recently came into some additional funding. It makes them both cheaper, but does it make NYU cheap enough to now consider?

Thoughts? I have two days to decide.

[lastsamurai]

Thanks everyone. I recently came into some additional funding. It makes them both cheaper, but does it make NYU cheap enough to now consider?

Thoughts? I have two days to decide.

didn't see this one coming

You're the only one who can make this decision, and you probably already know in your gut where you're going to go. Just choose - why drag it out for 2 more days?

[buffalo_]

Thanks everyone. I recently came into some additional funding. It makes them both cheaper, but does it make NYU cheap enough to now consider?

Thoughts? I have two days to decide.

Congratulations. That's great news!

How much less will it cost?

Regardless, it sounds like Duke will still be $75k cheaper than NYU no matter how cheap they both are.

It's really a tough call. It sounds like your heart is set on NYU. If you are getting NYU for $150k or less, this is a GREAT opportunity (but so is Duke). I think you need to go with your gut and know that neither option is a bad one. DC lit will be tough from any school, probably equally tough from NYU and Duke. But you say long term you want to work for the government. If you are going into govt in less than 5 years, you can qualify for NYU's extremely generous LRAP which will reduce your cost considerably (as long as you continue to meet the LRAP requirements). I do not know what Duke's LRAP is like, but I imagine it isn't quite as generous as NYU's.

Probably not the only factor to base your decision on, but maybe that's the tipping point. Go with your gut, you have great choices and a bright future from both.

I vote NYU. It's not because I think it is better for you, or that Duke is not going to help you achieve your goals, but I think it is where you want to go. The fact that this new windfall of funding prompted the "Can I go to NYU now?" question instead of "Yay! Duke is even cheaper!" reaction, reveals that NYU is really where you want to be. So I say go for it. You are going to be paying way less than most NYU students. I think on this board people overlook the experience value. I heard it mentioned in a thread once but that was more about specific experience opportunities. Here I am talking about which experience will make you happier and enjoy the study of law more. Enjoyment will help you be successful while you study and you will have experiences that last a lifetime. If it costs you a few hundred dollars more a month afterwards, it might be worth it. Once your done with law school, that's it. You don't get to take the LSAT and go back to choosing a school again in the future. If you really want to go to NYU, I think it is completely fair.

[Theopliske8711]

Thanks everyone. I recently came into some additional funding. It makes them both cheaper, but does it make NYU cheap enough to now consider?

Thoughts? I have two days to decide.

I still think the nearly ~75K difference strikes me as a bit too much between Duke and NYU. But you really want NYU... so I don't want to be the one to tell you not to follow your more costly desire, given my own decision...

[cotiger]

Just go to NYU already

[barrelofmonkeys]

Thanks everyone. I recently came into some additional funding. It makes them both cheaper, but does it make NYU cheap enough to now consider?

Thoughts? I have two days to decide.

didn't see this one coming

You're the only one who can make this decision, and you probably already know in your gut where you're going to go. Just choose - why drag it out for 2 more days?

that is rich, coming from you
but i don't disagree

[09042014]

Duke for 80k is a steal.

[First Offense]

Duke. Pull the bandaid off - that's not monopoly money.