UPenn w/ $78k Scholly vs. Chicago at Sticker Forum

[Core]

I posted about this in another thread, and everybody pretty much said Penn was the better choice, but I figure it can only help to get further insight.
I received a $78,000 award (mixture of a grant and a Dean's Scholarship) from Penn and absolutely nothing from Chicago. Negotiation with Chicago got me nowhere, save for a rude response from their financial aid dean. I am really enamored with Chicago, and Penn seems to be a step down, based on these boards and various rankings, so I don't know what to do - hence the creation of this thread. I have apps pending at CLS, HLS, and SLS, but I'd like to be able to decide between Penn and Chicago asap.
My ultimate goal is do get a government, nonprofit, or ngo job in NYC (D.C. is my second choice). I am not interested in Biglaw for the long term but am not opposed to doing it for a year or two directly after graduation. I am also somewhat interested in doing a clerkship after graduation.
Any insight would be much appreciated.

exactly what about chicago enamores?

The faculty, tiny class size, curriculum, amazing placement in just about everything, push for and assistance with publishing, and the quarter system.
$78,000 is just hard to turn down.

to be honest, if you're going to pay to be some place, you might as well make it some place where you whole-heartedly want to be. just make sure you the loans you take out can qualify for ibr and the job you take after law school can qualify for lrap.

Gotcha. I also whole-heartedly want to be at Penn (and Michigan, which offered me $45k). I just whole-heartedly PREFER Chicago lol.

[Core]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Thanks

[sumus romani]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Chicago, even more hated by TLSers than Penn.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. People on TLS speak of CCN, even though the most popular rankings suggest that is false. Also people often suggest that Chicago is equivalent to Columbia and every bit as good or better than NYU. Chicago is one of the few schools that is allowed to be categorized above its US News ranking on TLS without complaint. I can't think of any other school that has this privileged off the top of my head. When people vote Penn, they only suggest that Penn is a good school and worth 78,000 less debt.

[APimpNamedSlickback]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Chicago, even more hated by TLSers than Penn.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. People on TLS speak of CCN, even though the most popular rankings suggest that is false. Also people often suggest that Chicago is equivalent to Columbia and every bit as good or better than NYU. Chicago is one of the few schools that is allowed to be categorized above its US News ranking on TLS without complaint. I can't think of any other school that has this privileged off the top of my head. When people vote Penn, they only suggest that Penn is a good school and worth 78,000 less debt.

to be fair,

stanford also gets a strange bump up the tls tiers. hyc makes more sense.

[09042014]

As long as you want NYC, I'd probably take the money at Penn.

If you were 100% set on PI, I might say Chicago, because IBR and LRAP will make that debt not matter, but you seems a bit ambivalent about it.

[09042014]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Chicago, even more hated by TLSers than Penn.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. People on TLS speak of CCN, even though the most popular rankings suggest that is false. Also people often suggest that Chicago is equivalent to Columbia and every bit as good or better than NYU. Chicago is one of the few schools that is allowed to be categorized above its US News ranking on TLS without complaint. I can't think of any other school that has this privileged off the top of my head. When people vote Penn, they only suggest that Penn is a good school and worth 78,000 less debt.

to be fair,

stanford also gets a strange bump up the tls tiers. hyc makes more sense.

Translation: Columbia rejected me because they are a top 3 school.

[soullesswonder]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Chicago, even more hated by TLSers than Penn.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. People on TLS speak of CCN, even though the most popular rankings suggest that is false. Also people often suggest that Chicago is equivalent to Columbia and every bit as good or better than NYU. Chicago is one of the few schools that is allowed to be categorized above its US News ranking on TLS without complaint. I can't think of any other school that has this privileged off the top of my head. When people vote Penn, they only suggest that Penn is a good school and worth 78,000 less debt.

So if USNWR says Chicago isn't the cat's meow, it's overrated? Why don't you check clerkship, firm, or academia placement once in a while?

And yes, I did vote for Penn in the poll.

[sumus romani]

All that I meant to assert was that chicago is without complaint put in with C and N when it is tied with B in the US News rankings (and unique priveledge means that it is not hated on in TLS). S on the other hand, is ranked at 3 and it put in YHS. You must be thinking that S is "overranked" in the US News rankings. That is a different issue.


comments in reply to the Pimp's earlier comment.

[APimpNamedSlickback]

Translation: Columbia rejected me because they are a top 3 school.

oh wait, what was that? i don't think i heard you from all the way down there at northwestttern.

i was referring more to placement and admissions statistics.

[smov_operator]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Chicago, even more hated by TLSers than Penn.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. People on TLS speak of CCN, even though the most popular rankings suggest that is false. Also people often suggest that Chicago is equivalent to Columbia and every bit as good or better than NYU. Chicago is one of the few schools that is allowed to be categorized above its US News ranking on TLS without complaint. I can't think of any other school that has this privileged off the top of my head. When people vote Penn, they only suggest that Penn is a good school and worth 78,000 less debt.

to be fair,

stanford also gets a strange bump up the tls tiers. hyc makes more sense.

Translation: I got rejected from Stanford, so they suck.

[sumus romani]

I knew Penn was going to win this poll, but I had no idea it would be such a landslide. It currently stands at 23-0.

Congrats on your great options, Core!

Chicago, even more hated by TLSers than Penn.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. People on TLS speak of CCN, even though the most popular rankings suggest that is false. Also people often suggest that Chicago is equivalent to Columbia and every bit as good or better than NYU. Chicago is one of the few schools that is allowed to be categorized above its US News ranking on TLS without complaint. I can't think of any other school that has this privileged off the top of my head. When people vote Penn, they only suggest that Penn is a good school and worth 78,000 less debt.

So if USNWR says Chicago isn't the cat's meow, it's overrated? Why don't you check clerkship, firm, or academia placement once in a while?

And yes, I did vote for Penn in the poll.

No, I for one agree with CCN (with C and C being roughly equal and N being a decided, but not huge, step behind).

[APimpNamedSlickback]

Translation: I got rejected from Stanford, so they suck.

some lsat practice for you: identify the unwarranted assumption you just made.

[jobless2Lguy]

I would have owed around 130k. Still a lot, but much more manageable than 190k. The difference is paying 1900/month v. 1300/month post tax.

My goal now is to get a job that qualifies for LRAP. If I don't get an offer from the agency I'm working for this summer, I will just spam government and public interest, and also midlaw (although that is probably futile, from what I've heard).

if you do get an offer, would you not also take advantage of IBR as well? that would limit your loan payments to under 500/month assuming you're making no more than 50k/yr.

Our LRAP is better than IBR, because you pay nothing if you make under 50k, and a very small amount if you make more than 50k up to a certain point.

[smov_operator]

Translation: I got rejected from Stanford, so they suck.

some lsat practice for you: identify the unwarranted assumption you just made.

stanford also gets a strange bump up the tls tiers. hyc makes more sense.

homework for you: Identify the ridiculousness in this sentence ^

[lawduder]

Penn

also, the Obama 'tars in this thread make me cringe

[APimpNamedSlickback]

Translation: I got rejected from Stanford, so they suck.

some lsat practice for you: identify the unwarranted assumption you just made.

stanford also gets a strange bump up the tls tiers. hyc makes more sense.

homework for you: Identify the ridiculousness in this sentence ^

i refuse to argue with you since the absurdity of two people with obama avatars fighting would be outrageous.

but i was kidding

[smov_operator]

I think the best advice on this thread was to wait and see what Chicago's revamped lrap is looking like. But even still, less debt >lrap. But, I wouldn't take Penn if you think that you would be sitting in Philly second-guessing the decision.

[09042014]

Translation: Columbia rejected me because they are a top 3 school.

oh wait, what was that? i don't think i heard you from all the way down there at northwestttern.

i was referring more to placement and admissions statistics.

You should come to NU ASW, take their money for travel, just to show your HLS prestige.

[smov_operator]

Translation: I got rejected from Stanford, so they suck.

some lsat practice for you: identify the unwarranted assumption you just made.

stanford also gets a strange bump up the tls tiers. hyc makes more sense.

homework for you: Identify the ridiculousness in this sentence ^

i refuse to argue with you since the absurdity of two people with obama avatars fighting would be outrageous.

but i was kidding

So you're saying you'd rather be bipartisan Obama, rather post-healthcare Obama?

[IHaveDietMoxie]

Op do you have much ug debt? Also this thread hijack is really annoying

[Core]

Op do you have much ug debt? Also this thread hijack is really annoying

I do not. Lol yes, it is.

[Core]

I think the best advice on this thread was to wait and see what Chicago's revamped lrap is looking like. But even still, less debt >lrap. But, I wouldn't take Penn if you think that you would be sitting in Philly second-guessing the decision.

I don't think I'd be second-guessing my decision in Philly. I think I'd be second-guessing my decision in Chicago.

[Core]

As long as you want NYC, I'd probably take the money at Penn.

If you were 100% set on PI, I might say Chicago, because IBR and LRAP will make that debt not matter, but you seems a bit ambivalent about it.

I am set on PI, but I'm a 0L so I'm trying to remember that my goals/interests may change, so I'm trying to keep an open mind (although I am certain I do not want biglaw for more than 1-2 years).

[APimpNamedSlickback]

WHO IS THE RENEGADE MAVERICK THAT VOTED FOR CHICAGO?!

show yourself

[Core]

As long as you want NYC, I'd probably take the money at Penn.

If you were 100% set on PI, I might say Chicago, because IBR and LRAP will make that debt not matter, but you seems a bit ambivalent about it.

Is it really that simple? Would I be foolish to take Penn at $78k scholly and still pursue IBR and LRAP when I could've done the same at Chicago?