60K UChi v 150K NW v 65K Columbia Forum

[nebula666]

Chicago does really well in TX and is justifiable for $100k. It's hard to pass up a full ride at a T-14 but honestly any of these options are perfectly acceptable.

[Unagi]

Northwestern.

[whereskyle]

Less debt = more options. Assuming median, you should be able to get TX biglaw from all of these schools. In the event that you are below median at any of these schools, less debt will enable you to take a lower paying job in desired market (TX) rather than gunning for biglaw in NYC (undesirable to OP) on account of the 100k plus loans at CC. This has been my reasoning this cycle. Less debt below median at lower T14 is more desirable to me than more debt below median at higher T14. This is not a perfect calculus, as many will argue that employers go deeper into the class at CC.

[lawschool22]

Given your goals, northwestern in a heartbeat. No debt, from a solid T14 that places well at private firms, with strong ties to Texas? You'll do just fine. Chicago is not worth the extra money here.

[Leo]

To play devil's advocate, I understand that median biglaw starting salary is the same for all three schools, which provides support for choosing NU, but what about mid-career salary? Isn't it reasonable to assume that the OP's mid-career salary will be higher if he chooses C or C?

[lawschool22]

To play devil's advocate, I understand that median biglaw starting salary is the same for all three schools, which provides support for choosing NU, but what about mid-career salary? Isn't it reasonable to assume that the OP's mid-career salary will be higher if he chooses C or C?

No. Actually there was a recent article on this suggesting northwestern's mid career was higher than both. The data of the article was called into question as not definitive, but nonetheless I don't think there is any evidence to support this. The further you get away from graduation the less your school matters in almost all instances.

[lecsa]

.

[jbagelboy]

To play devil's advocate, I understand that median biglaw starting salary is the same for all three schools, which provides support for choosing NU, but what about mid-career salary? Isn't it reasonable to assume that the OP's mid-career salary will be higher if he chooses C or C?

No. Actually there was a recent article on this suggesting northwestern's mid career was higher than both. The data of the article was called into question as not definitive, but nonetheless I don't think there is any evidence to support this. The further you get away from graduation the less your school matters in almost all instances.

"Definitive"? Just lol. Come on ls22, you're competent with data. Don't trust any publication that claims it can produce a "mid-career" salary estimate, or any survey claiming to provide such impossible information.

The number of people who abstain from answering out of shame, not-giving-a-shit, or lying probably exceeds the people that provide dutiful and honest responses.

That kind of crap is what allows schools like Fordham and American to claim mystical six figure salary averages and both spoil the public imagination about the legal market and ruin lives of those deceived.

ETA: I know you weren't pointing to salary information here in a negligent fashion, I'm just saying NO one should make a decision between these kinds of schools based on such "surveys."

[3L2014]

All are great options. I would lean Chicago, but Northwestern is hard to turn down.