Tulane v. American Forum

[rowing2009]

Eventually I would like to practice either CA or DC, I have no interest in New York. I would also like to maximize my chances at big law. Money being equal, which one is the better pick?

EDIT: I have $15k/year (45K total) to go to Tulane - may or may not be able to negotiate that amount up.

So far nothing from American, though I am an applicant for their PI Scholarship (I've spent a year and a half doing pro bono legal work).

I'm think Tulane, thoughts?

[gwuorbust]

Eventually I would like to practice either CA or DC, I have no interest in New York. I would also like to maximize my chances at big law. Money being equal, which one is the better pick?

Tulane. American is locked into DC. And in DC it is the 4th school after GULC, GWU, GMU. No portability. Plus you will prob have to pay sticker. Please do not pay sticker at American.

Tulane usually gives out good schor $... did u get any? Also, Tulane has a pretty good national reach, tho some with dispute the importance of this. If you look at the state by state breakdown, however, they do have a large number of alum in many states. If you want to go to DC from Tulane it is doable. Going anywhere from American is difficult.

[Blindmelon]

For CA, neither will help you at all. So if its between DC and nowhere, take American. But I echo the above poster, I wouldn't even take GW at sticker, let alone American.

[rowing2009]

Interesting - so it would be more feasible to go from Tulane to Big Law in DC than American?

[Blindmelon]

Interesting - so it would be more feasible to go from Tulane to Big Law in DC than American?

A lot less feasible actually. But chances are very slim from either school anyway.

[Aberzombie1892]

OP, where are you from?

[missvik218]

Interesting - so it would be more feasible to go from Tulane to Big Law in DC than American?

Definitely not ... this is tough and I really like to Tulane troll, but for your purposes I would probably vote American (if DC is where you want to be). For CA, like Blindmelon said neither are really ideal choices, but Tulane would probably be better just because their grads seem to be more widely dispersed. American is notoriously stingy with scholarship $$ which makes their DC COL and price tag nearly impossible to swallow. Tulane on the other had gives out good aid, have you heard from them on this front yet? And COL in NOLA is definitely less than DC. You're in a tough spot.

[sanpiero]

do not go to either of these schools without scholarship unless you want GOV'T/PI, which clearly you don't

[gwuorbust]

Interesting - so it would be more feasible to go from Tulane to Big Law in DC than American?

Definitely not ... this is tough and I really like to Tulane troll, but for your purposes I would probably vote American (if DC is where you want to be). For CA, like Blindmelon said neither are really ideal choices, but Tulane would probably be better just because their grads seem to be more widely dispersed. American is notoriously stingy with scholarship $$ which makes their DC COL and price tag nearly impossible to swallow. Tulane on the other had gives out good aid, have you heard from them on this front yet? And COL in NOLA is definitely less than DC. You're in a tough spot.

yeah, more feasible prob not. It is feasible (in the sense doable, but still not easy) if you are in the top of your class.

I just think that American at sticker is a very, very bad idea. I'm in DC and I have heard many stories of ppl graduating at median and not being able to find anything that will cover the crushing debt.

[missvik218]

Interesting - so it would be more feasible to go from Tulane to Big Law in DC than American?

Definitely not ... this is tough and I really like to Tulane troll, but for your purposes I would probably vote American (if DC is where you want to be). For CA, like Blindmelon said neither are really ideal choices, but Tulane would probably be better just because their grads seem to be more widely dispersed. American is notoriously stingy with scholarship $$ which makes their DC COL and price tag nearly impossible to swallow. Tulane on the other had gives out good aid, have you heard from them on this front yet? And COL in NOLA is definitely less than DC. You're in a tough spot.

yeah, more feasible prob not. It is feasible (in the sense doable, but still not easy) if you are in the top of your class.

I just think that American at sticker is a very, very bad idea. I'm in DC and I have heard many stories of ppl graduating at median and not being able to find anything that will cover the crushing debt.

Agreed, I don't even think I'd be able to stomach GW at sticker right now. OP, do you have any connections in either place? Or could you see yourself taking a job in the South for a few years post-grad?

[MarkRenton]

How dead set are you about DC or CA? I would choose Tulane just because it places extraordinarily well in an entire region with some portability versus a school which is 4th in its own saturated city. Also considering that there are plenty of other better schools in VA and DC attracts plenty of other T14 grads, one has to do very well at American. Tulane gives out a lot of money and it's a big fish in a small pond. Have you tried to apply to Hastings or schools like that in CA?

[FunkyJD]

This is a really tough choice. My honest opinion is, if these are your only two options, given your preferences, you may need to adjust your career expectations.

For overall career potential, I'd take Tulane over American. But neither school will get you to California -- at least not immediately, and definitely not without sterling grades -- and your chances of landing a biglaw job in DC from American are far from optimal.

[rowing2009]

Thanks for all the feedback. As FYI, I am from North Carolina (I haven't heard back from UNC yet, I probs have a 50/50 chance of being admitted, and clearly that would be a great choice). I like the South, but am not married to living here for the foreseeable future.

I applied to Davis, and am waiting to hear back...Do you think it would be worth it to shoot an application off to Hastings real quick?

I have excellent softs (worked way through school, varsity athletics at a D-I institute, tons of legal work experience), but my LSAT got messed up by a misbubbling :-/.

[MarkRenton]

Thanks for all the feedback. As FYI, I am from North Carolina (I haven't heard back from UNC yet, I probs have a 50/50 chance of being admitted, and clearly that would be a great choice). I like the South, but am not married to living here for the foreseeable future.

I applied to Davis, and am waiting to hear back...Do you think it would be worth it to shoot an application off to Hastings real quick?

I have excellent softs (worked way through school, varsity athletics at a D-I institute, tons of legal work experience), but my LSAT got messed up by a misbubbling :-/.

Definitely apply to Hastings but I'm unaware of the rolling admissions process and how much you might be disadvantaged by this. Have you applied to the public schools in Virginia (without knowing your numbers) like GMU, W&M, and W&L. Tulane's an interesting choice, particularly if you get money, but there's a lot of unknown and disagreement in terms of the school's portability. It seems as if Tulane has the ability to travel, but you have to finish high up enough in your class where it's not worth the gamble. I think the big factor will be how set you are on CA or DC.

[rowing2009]

thanks for the input...and I'm not set on either DC or CA....its difficult to predict because I have no ties to anywhere but Appalachian Kentucky...i might also try to transfer first year, it seems somewhat feasible to do that should I rank high enough class wise..

[MarkRenton]

thanks for the input...and I'm not set on either DC or CA....its difficult to predict because I have no ties to anywhere but Appalachian Kentucky...i might also try to transfer first year, it seems somewhat feasible to do that should I rank high enough class wise..

Do not count on transferring. Always go to law school with the idea that you'll probably be median at best - particularly if you've been admitted to the school with median numbers. If you have standard numbers and are preparing to be top 10%, you might be setting yourself up...

[rowing2009]

my lsat is a bit lower, but my GPA (top-ten university) is quite good, so I'd like to think I could figure out top 20%...maybe I'm naive

[FunkyJD]

my lsat is a bit lower, but my GPA (top-ten university) is quite good, so I'd like to think I could figure out top 20%...maybe I'm naive

Problem is, most of the people in your class will be just as smart and hardworking as you, if not more so -- regardless of what the numbers show. There are people with below median LSATs coming into law school who end up in the top 10% of their class. Obviously, that comes at the expense of someone with better numbers.

Everyone hopes they can be top 10% or top 20%, but it's not possible. MarkRenton is right on with his advice -- do not go into law school assuming that you will be able to transfer.

[rowing2009]

(see above edit)

Do you think its possible to increase my scholarship at Tulane by negotiating with my instate tuition at UNC?

[gwuorbust]

(see above edit)

Do you think its possible to increase my scholarship at Tulane by negotiating with my instate tuition at UNC?

It is not possible. I asked them and they said it is based on LSAT/GPA combo and they give out the max from the start.