UCLA ($) vs. NU sticker Forum

[scionb4]

LA can be pretty cool if you know where to go. Don't bash it until you've lived there for at least 6 months.

6 months!? You should be able to make judgment on whether or not you'd like to live somewhere in quite a bit less time than that. I personally wouldn't ever want to spend 6 months in a place I hate in the hope that I will stop hating it, especially if I never did and I blew all that $ on a place I didn't want to live in. LA is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too expensive of a place to just say "Oh, give it 6 months before you make a decision."

[motiontodismiss]

LA can be pretty cool if you know where to go. Don't bash it until you've lived there for at least 6 months.

6 months!? You should be able to make judgment on whether or not you'd like to live somewhere in quite a bit less time than that. I personally wouldn't ever want to spend 6 months in a place I hate in the hope that I will stop hating it, especially if I never did and I blew all that $ on a place I didn't want to live in. LA is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too expensive of a place to just say "Oh, give it 6 months before you make a decision."

6 seconds at LAX is enough for me to render a decision. LA proper is much worse than LAX.

[hmlee]

NYC is balls cold in the winter, too, champ. And last year NU had the #1 placement in NLJ250 firms (nobody took the bait I laid on the last page, so I'm coming out and saying it). Anyways, I mostly just wanted to say:

For this poster, or in general? If a poster identifies that geography isn't a concern (which is absurd), then I relent. Northwestern is the clear choice, because it opens options everywhere. For the average poster? I disagree. This may be because I already have a life and a family, and am only going to law school to satiate an intellectual interest of mine and to collect a pay check, but I think where I live matters a whole hell of a lot more than what I make, or where I work.

80k in San Diego> 140K in NY. For me, at least. Both have a high cost of living, but I'm not into high fashion, or theater, or...well, in this day and age what other advantage does Manhattan offer? I'd rather surf, and go to the zoo with my kids, and eat a fat burger at Corvettes. No amount of "cash" makes NY worth it for me because, as I see it, the quality of life is shit. The same can be said of Chicago, the entire midwest, and the entire northeast. Other's disagree, and I respect that, but you have to know what matters to you.

Where I live matters much more than what I make. I just want to pay the bills and use my degree to make a, even slight, difference in the lives of people.

--ImageRemoved--

I was going to ask whether there were some sort of new NLJ250 numbers out that predicted placement for 2010 grads, but you didn't let it go long enough... way to be impatient.

But as for the whole competing with U of C grads thing... first, NU has better (I mean by a few percentage points but still) BigLaw placement than the U of C does. Second, the total # of grads from both NU and the U of C every year is only slightly over 400 people. They don't all stay in the city of Chicago. It's not really an issue unless you're talking about being in the bottom 20% of your class, and you don't want to be there anyway.

[motiontodismiss]

I'll take the bait with an ATL link: http://abovethelaw.com/2010/02/best-law ... iglaw-job/

But keep in mind the survey ignores self-selection.

[hmlee]

Also, as a native Chicagoan, I won't deny that it can get absurdly cold here in the winter. But it's not always like that. This is the view from my apartment, as of 15 minutes ago. I think it's going to be 76 today.

[scionb4]

That view can't have been cheap.

[motiontodismiss]

That view can't have been cheap.

It's sure as hell cheaper than the same view in LA...area looks like South Loop or Lakeview. It's probably not that expensive.

[hmlee]

That view can't have been cheap.

It's sure as hell cheaper than the same view in LA...area looks like South Loop or Lakeview. It's probably not that expensive.

Lakeview. And it's cheaper than living in Streeterville or Lincoln Park ...

[weee]

Just to be clear, you're factoring the tuition rates at UCLA for instate to average roughly 45k / yr right? if your LSN box is right, then you got some hefty need aid or something isn't adding up.

[Fark-o-vision]

LA can be pretty cool if you know where to go. Don't bash it until you've lived there for at least 6 months.

6 months!? You should be able to make judgment on whether or not you'd like to live somewhere in quite a bit less time than that. I personally wouldn't ever want to spend 6 months in a place I hate in the hope that I will stop hating it, especially if I never did and I blew all that $ on a place I didn't want to live in. LA is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too expensive of a place to just say "Oh, give it 6 months before you make a decision."

6 seconds at LAX is enough for me to render a decision. LA proper is much worse than LAX.

LAX is hands down the worst airport in the world. No place on Earth, not even Chicago, is as hellish and awful as LAX. That said, I agree 6 months is too long. Look, it's preference. If you like hot dogs and pizza soup then you should go to Chicago. If you like the best Sushi outside of Japan and dining options as diverse and interesting as the people of the earth then you might want to think about LA. If staying indoors and whining about the brutal cold while your brittle fingers clumsily attempt to shelf another log on top of your waning, lifeless fire is your idea of a good time, I'd pick Chicago. I'd choose LA if you enjoy hiking, hitting the beach, snowboarding (less than an hour to Big Bear, maybe two depending), travelling to wine country for the weekend, visiting the Bay when ever is convenient, shopping (LA rules all but high fashion. High fashion I will concede to NY, and probably even to Chicago), attending a variety of sporting events in decent weather, having a world championship basketball team in your backyard, or living in a kid friendly place (urban sprawls are convenient in some ways).

Then again, I'm big on SoCal. Others are not. I have no idea why, but others are not.

[motiontodismiss]

Yeah lol I'm very much an indoor guy. I like to be kept in a cool and dry place and away from light.

That said, switching on the fireplace while I polish off a half a bottle of wine sounds good to me.

[NerdmoD]

Given that the 8 hours has (long since) expired...any news on OP's decision?

[Fark-o-vision]

Well now I feel like the hyperbole may have rude. I like NY and Chicago just fine. After a couple of weeks in either, though, I do start to miss the things I love about home. Chicago and LA (or San Fran for that matter) are very different cities. Just be sure that region really isn't an issue for you before you make the final decision.

[autarkh]

As an LA native potentially facing this same choice, let me concede that Chicago's an awesome city--despite the cold.


That said, I'll never willingly leave. At least not for anywhere north of the equator. Who doesn't like 300+ days of sunshine, Mexican food, great beaches [strike], and mind numbing bumper to bumper traffic on the 405[/strike]?

[quickquestionthanks]

As an LA native potentially facing this same choice, let me concede that Chicago's an awesome city--despite the cold.


That said, I'll never willingly leave. At least not for anywhere north of the equator. Who doesn't like 300+ days of sunshine, Mexican food, great beaches [strike], and mind numbing bumper to bumper traffic on the 405[/strike]?

lol


When I say 6 months, I'm referring to the amount of time it takes to get to learn the city, where to go (and not go), what to do (and not do, like get on the freeway at 5:30pm). Hell, most people who live in LA probably don't know that there's a drum circle on Venice Beach every Friday at sundown. Nothing else like it in the world.

If you're spending a weekend with a local, you can have the time of your life.

[autarkh]

lol


When I say 6 months, I'm referring to the amount of time it takes to get to learn the city, where to go (and not go), what to do (and not do, like get on the freeway at 5:30pm). Hell, most people who live in LA probably don't know that there's a drum circle on Venice Beach every Friday at sundown. Nothing else like it in the world.

If you're spending a weekend with a local, you can have the time of your life.

You don't have to sell me on it. I may leave, but I'll probably be bound and gagged, with a black bag over my head.

[motiontodismiss]

Well, that is, if you're not sitting in traffic day and night.

[quickquestionthanks]

lol


When I say 6 months, I'm referring to the amount of time it takes to get to learn the city, where to go (and not go), what to do (and not do, like get on the freeway at 5:30pm). Hell, most people who live in LA probably don't know that there's a drum circle on Venice Beach every Friday at sundown. Nothing else like it in the world.

If you're spending a weekend with a local, you can have the time of your life.

You don't have to sell me on it. I may leave, but I'll probably be bound and gagged, with a black bag over my head.

that wasn't really directed at you...just laughing about the 405 part...god i hate the 405

[autarkh]

lol


When I say 6 months, I'm referring to the amount of time it takes to get to learn the city, where to go (and not go), what to do (and not do, like get on the freeway at 5:30pm). Hell, most people who live in LA probably don't know that there's a drum circle on Venice Beach every Friday at sundown. Nothing else like it in the world.

If you're spending a weekend with a local, you can have the time of your life.

You don't have to sell me on it. I may leave, but I'll probably be bound and gagged, with a black bag over my head.

that wasn't really directed at you...just laughing about the 405 part...god i hate the 405

I think six months is reasonable. Hell... even longer would be.

Any place that yields up all its secrets in less time has very little depth.

[raspberryfruitcake]

I hate the 405 as well. Driving local is best in LA

I sent in the seat deposit for UCLA to buy me more time to decide. Is COL really cheaper in Chicago than in LA? By how much?

UCLA's website says that in-state tuition is $35,328. Where does it say that it's 45K???????????????

I apologize if this thread turned into an LA-bashing thread...

[anthonyc350]

If you think LA is a nicer place to live than Chicago you need to have your head examined. I'd rather put up with Chicago winters 365 days a year than live in the shi*hole of america.

[KG_CalGuy]

LA can be pretty cool if you know where to go. Don't bash it until you've lived there for at least 6 months.

6 months!? You should be able to make judgment on whether or not you'd like to live somewhere in quite a bit less time than that. I personally wouldn't ever want to spend 6 months in a place I hate in the hope that I will stop hating it, especially if I never did and I blew all that $ on a place I didn't want to live in. LA is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too expensive of a place to just say "Oh, give it 6 months before you make a decision."

6 seconds at LAX is enough for me to render a decision. LA proper is much worse than LAX.

LAX is hands down the worst airport in the world. No place on Earth, not even Chicago, is as hellish and awful as LAX. That said, I agree 6 months is too long. Look, it's preference. If you like hot dogs and pizza soup then you should go to Chicago. If you like the best Sushi outside of Japan and dining options as diverse and interesting as the people of the earth then you might want to think about LA. If staying indoors and whining about the brutal cold while your brittle fingers clumsily attempt to shelf another log on top of your waning, lifeless fire is your idea of a good time, I'd pick Chicago. I'd choose LA if you enjoy hiking, hitting the beach, snowboarding (less than an hour to Big Bear, maybe two depending), travelling to wine country for the weekend, visiting the Bay when ever is convenient, shopping (LA rules all but high fashion. High fashion I will concede to NY, and probably even to Chicago), attending a variety of sporting events in decent weather, having a world championship basketball team in your backyard, or living in a kid friendly place (urban sprawls are convenient in some ways).

Then again, I'm big on SoCal. Others are not. I have no idea why, but others are not.

I might argue that JFK is the worst airport in the world

[motiontodismiss]

I might argue that JFK is the worst airport in the world

JFK depends on the terminal. jetBlue's new Terminal=beautiful. Actually except for Terminals 2 and 3, JFK is decent. JFK T2/3 are shitholes.

O'Hare is actually kind of nice.

[DerrickRose]

I've never been, but I hear the Las Vegas airport is pretty bad.

[flyingpanda]