UPDATE: Cornell (105k) v Fordham (full) v BC (105k) Forum

[savepslf]

If you got waitlisted at Columbia and NYU there's no way in the world you won't get money at Cornell

concur. this thread is premature

The thread may be slightly premature, but seeing as I need to make a decision likely before I hear back from Columbia or NYU (or financial aid from Cornell), I have to be ready. To be clear, I've been held at Columbia and haven't heard anything at all from NYU and am assuming waitlist. I was waitlisted at two other T-14s and accepted (no scholarship info yet) at one other T-14 that I'm not considering.

...numbers (again)?

I was really hoping to avoid this, but fine 169, 3.8x, non-URM, semi-unique softs.

[Otunga]

If you got waitlisted at Columbia and NYU there's no way in the world you won't get money at Cornell

concur. this thread is premature

The thread may be slightly premature, but seeing as I need to make a decision likely before I hear back from Columbia or NYU (or financial aid from Cornell), I have to be ready. To be clear, I've been held at Columbia and haven't heard anything at all from NYU and am assuming waitlist. I was waitlisted at two other T-14s and accepted (no scholarship info yet) at one other T-14 that I'm not considering.

...numbers (again)?

I was really hoping to avoid this, but fine 169, 3.8x, non-URM, semi-unique softs.

You ought to get a scholarship at Cornell...a solid scholarship with those numbers.

[BigZuck]

You should get 90K at Cornell (at least)

Thread does seem premature now

[Over the top]

I don't think you're necessarily out at NYU either with those #s.

[savepslf]

I don't think you're necessarily out at NYU either with those #s.

I've lost most hope for NYU at this point, given that I applied in November, had three under review date changes in December, and haven't heard a thing or had any change since then. I had applied for RTK and AnBryce so surely if they were going to accept me anyway, they would have done so in time to be considered for those scholarships....

[Over the top]

Depends on what that X for your GPA. You're at the 25th for LSAT, and 3.85 is their 75th GPA. I'd be surprised if you don't get a waitlist at the least and maybe get pulled in the summer if medians continue to fall. Definitely won't get AnBryce with those #s (it's a full ride IIRC), but just because you won't get a full ride to the school doesn't mean you'll be out.

[capricious]

I just want to put this out there so future TLSers aren't deterred: AnBryce is not numbers dependent.

But the program has already selected this year's finalists, sorry. Good luck with your decision!

[savepslf]

Updated with new COAs. Thoughts?

[Over the top]

Cornell and it's not even close.

Caveat: If BC is willing to give you a full ride, MAYBE BC (since you don't want biglaw), if you also have a reason to live in Boston (but if your SO is in NYC I'm thinking this isn't important.) The distance from Ithaca to NYC vs Boston to NYC is not too big. Congrats on a solid option.

[BigZuck]

Cornell and it's not even close.

Caveat: If BC is willing to give you a full ride, MAYBE BC (since you don't want biglaw), if you also have a reason to live in Boston (but if your SO is in NYC I'm thinking this isn't important.) The distance from Ithaca to NYC vs Boston to NYC is not too big. Congrats on a solid option.

No interest in big law and a SO in NYC? How is the choice still not Fordham?

I would go to Fordham here unless I was looking for an out and an excuse to break up with my SO in which case I would choose Cornell. But 100K is a lot to spend just to break up with someone.

[jbagelboy]

Cornell.

To the above: ithica and nyc is not relationship ending-distance. Ive done coast to coast, across state, across the Atlantic for a time, ect., and can say with experience that's not so bad.

[BigZuck]

Cornell.

To the above: ithica and nyc is not relationship ending-distance. Ive done coast to coast, across state, across the Atlantic for a time, ect., and can say with experience that's not so bad.

Should we compare anecdotes? Or just agree to disagree?

I don't think 4 or 5 hours is relationship crushing, I'm mainly thinking about 150K and "not big law." What is Cornell going to offer the OP that is worth 100K more?

[buffalo_]

Not a big fan of Cornell's LRAP because you invariably end up in a really ugly financial situation. NYC's no-contribution threshold is like 44k or some ridiculously low number. For most forms of low-prestige PI, you're not going to do exponentially better from Cornell than from Fordham. On the other hand, if OP is targeting ACLU or something, they have no business going anywhere except NYU or Columbia.

Where did you get the no-contribution threshold figures? I couldn't find them.

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/admiss ... 2014-2.pdf

All I see in their document is that you have to contribute 50% of net income above a certain threshold. The New York example they use is actually regarding someone who makes more than $40,000.

Example 1:
Single graduate; $55,000.00 salary in New York City;
eligible Law School loans equal $800.00/month,
or $9,600.00 annually;
undergraduate loan payments equal $250.00/month, or
$3,000.00 annually:
$48,000.00 annual income

$3,000.00 non-Law School annual education debt
payments = $52,000.00
$45,052.00 New York City Standard Maintenance
Allowance ($35,000 + $10,052 (28.72%) = $6,948.00
adjusted gross annual income
$9,600.00 annual Law School debt payment
$3,474.00 participant’s expected annual contribution
towards debt payment ($6,948 x 50%)
$6,126.00 PILIPP grant

I'm actually a big fan now of Cornell's LRAP since the whole budge proposal thing. It seems like only Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Cornell protects PI students right now in case an Obama still budget regarding student loans gets passed. However, you're the go-to person on this twenty. Is there something I'm missing?

Columbia has few LRAP programs, one of them is not contingent on IBR/PAYE/PSLF.

If the government was going to keep the current PSLF program, or if we knew with 100% certainty ALL law school debt taken out by class of 2017 was grandfathered in, then I think NYU's LRAP is tough to beat. Lots of uncertainty though.

[Over the top]

Cornell and it's not even close.

Caveat: If BC is willing to give you a full ride, MAYBE BC (since you don't want biglaw), if you also have a reason to live in Boston (but if your SO is in NYC I'm thinking this isn't important.) The distance from Ithaca to NYC vs Boston to NYC is not too big. Congrats on a solid option.

No interest in big law and a SO in NYC? How is the choice still not Fordham?

I would go to Fordham here unless I was looking for an out and an excuse to break up with my SO in which case I would choose Cornell. But 100K is a lot to spend just to break up with someone.

I would say Fordham if OP wanted NYC. OP wants New England though, Fordham is a good school for NYC but it's not a national school.

[Over the top]

I just want to put this out there so future TLSers aren't deterred: AnBryce is not numbers dependent.

But the program has already selected this year's finalists, sorry. Good luck with your decision!

My fault, thanks for the correction.

[BigZuck]

Cornell and it's not even close.

Caveat: If BC is willing to give you a full ride, MAYBE BC (since you don't want biglaw), if you also have a reason to live in Boston (but if your SO is in NYC I'm thinking this isn't important.) The distance from Ithaca to NYC vs Boston to NYC is not too big. Congrats on a solid option.

No interest in big law and a SO in NYC? How is the choice still not Fordham?

I would go to Fordham here unless I was looking for an out and an excuse to break up with my SO in which case I would choose Cornell. But 100K is a lot to spend just to break up with someone.

I would say Fordham if OP wanted NYC. OP wants New England though, Fordham is a good school for NYC but it's not a national school.

Right. But he said he would like New England but would be happy with the tristate area. I don't know what that is but I assume New York is one of the tris?

Also, he said not big law and possibly PI I believe. Those things will require a good hustle game regardless of where he goes. I don't know that some random PD office in a random NE state is going to wet itself just cuz he went to Cornell, they'll hire because he summered there and put in good work product. He could get the same result from Fordham.

I believe the common wisdom is that outside of OCI/clerkships/and some prestigious PI the T14 value drops pretty quickly. If his career goals are modest, a named scholarship at Fordham should be more than sufficient IMO.

If I'm off base or mischaracterizing what he said though I'm more than happy to be corrected.

[savepslf]

Cornell and it's not even close.

Caveat: If BC is willing to give you a full ride, MAYBE BC (since you don't want biglaw), if you also have a reason to live in Boston (but if your SO is in NYC I'm thinking this isn't important.) The distance from Ithaca to NYC vs Boston to NYC is not too big. Congrats on a solid option.

No interest in big law and a SO in NYC? How is the choice still not Fordham?

I would go to Fordham here unless I was looking for an out and an excuse to break up with my SO in which case I would choose Cornell. But 100K is a lot to spend just to break up with someone.

I would say Fordham if OP wanted NYC. OP wants New England though, Fordham is a good school for NYC but it's not a national school.

Right. But he said he would like New England but would be happy with the tristate area. I don't know what that is but I assume New York is one of the tris?

Also, he said not big law and possibly PI I believe. Those things will require a good hustle game regardless of where he goes. I don't know that some random PD office in a random NE state is going to wet itself just cuz he went to Cornell, they'll hire because he summered there and put in good work product. He could get the same result from Fordham.

I believe the common wisdom is that outside of OCI/clerkships/and some prestigious PI the T14 value drops pretty quickly. If his career goals are modest, a named scholarship at Fordham should be more than sufficient IMO.

If I'm off base or mischaracterizing what he said though I'm more than happy to be corrected.

OP here--you're not off-base, except that I'm a she But in all seriousness, yes, I want to do PI and not necessarily prestigious work; yes, tristate area includes NY (NY/NJ/CT). I also have professional ties in Greater Boston in the area of PI that I'm most interested in.

Also to be clear, I do indeed like my SO! We're currently long distance so on the one hand I know we can do it, but on the other I'm ready for that to be over. (This is the part that I was worried could be clouding my judgment too much.)

[Ohiobumpkin]

Fordham because everything else is a little too risky for my taste. Congratulations!

[jbagelboy]

Fordham because everything else is a little too risky for my taste. Congratulations!

Cornell with $105K is risky to you? Even a year ago that would be considered a great package.

[cotiger]

Fordham because everything else is a little too risky for my taste. Congratulations!

Cornell with $105K is risky to you? Even a year ago that would be considered a great package.

Less risky, more sucks. You have to really be sure you want to be a lawyer to take on $170k of debt.