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The cold weather (I'm from Cali) and the scary things I have heard about Chicago have sort of spooked me a bit. Like the super competitiveness...
So far no money from either
I also probably want to practice in Cali but I'm pretty open...not rigidly set on coming back.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Visit both. But [especially] if you want to work in CA you have to take Chicago unless you really really hate the visit. The career prospects are just on a different level ITE.

U of C is the much better choice for someone who either wants to work in CA, or doesn't know where he wants to work at all. The portability of the degree is significantly better.

Try to use your C acceptance to get some scholarship money out of Duke. If they don't give you money, like the poster 2 above said, visit both and unless you hate Chicago that'd probably be the better bet. Good luck!

Chicago is the better school but if u don't want a prestigous clerkship or an academic job and u hate the feel and the weather at u of c which u probably will then there's no reason u shouldn't go to the school you'll enjoy more duke is still an awesome school

lakerfanimal wrote:Try to use your C acceptance to get some scholarship money out of Duke. If they don't give you money, like the poster 2 above said, visit both and unless you hate Chicago that'd probably be the better bet. Good luck!

I wouldn't be surprised if OP got money from Duke... In order to get into Chicago, you're usually at a numbers range that'll get you at least 1/3rd tuition at Dook.

(I could be wrong)

So u guys think if Duke gives me some money that it would be a better choice?

los blancos wrote:

lakerfanimal wrote:Try to use your C acceptance to get some scholarship money out of Duke. If they don't give you money, like the poster 2 above said, visit both and unless you hate Chicago that'd probably be the better bet. Good luck!

I wouldn't be surprised if OP got money from Duke... In order to get into Chicago, you're usually at a numbers range that'll get you at least 1/3rd tuition at Dook.

(I could be wrong)

Lol I got into Chicago, and not only did I not get money from schools in the range of Duke, but I was waitlisted from Duke & Michigan, and rejected at Penn, Virginia, and Georgetown. Go figure.

Would you rather freeze to death in the winter or melt into a puddle of goop in the summer?

dakatz wrote:

los blancos wrote:

lakerfanimal wrote:Try to use your C acceptance to get some scholarship money out of Duke. If they don't give you money, like the poster 2 above said, visit both and unless you hate Chicago that'd probably be the better bet. Good luck!

I wouldn't be surprised if OP got money from Duke... In order to get into Chicago, you're usually at a numbers range that'll get you at least 1/3rd tuition at Dook.

(I could be wrong)

Lol I got into Chicago, and not only did I not get money from schools in the range of Duke, but I was waitlisted from Duke & Michigan, and rejected at Penn, Virginia, and Georgetown. Go figure.

Haha I'd be satisfied with your cycle. Though it might be tough along the way

Renzo wrote:Would you rather freeze to death in the winter or melt into a puddle of goop in the summer?

Don't think there's a big difference between Chicago and NC summers, and I have a feeling very few Duke students spend their summers in Durham anyways.

And rankings aside, what about the doom and gloom reputation of the student body? Is it really as crazy as they say?

Unless Duke is offering at a minimum 50% scholarship over sticker at Chicago, there is really no discussion to be had.

los blancos wrote:

Renzo wrote:Would you rather freeze to death in the winter or melt into a puddle of goop in the summer?

Don't think there's a big difference between Chicago and NC summers, and I have a feeling very few Duke students spend their summers in Durham anyways.

Ooh, that's kind of true... In that case, DUKE!!!!

Chicago's placement is on a whole different level than Duke's, for California and elsewhere. The obvious choice should be Chicago unless you've visited and really hate the environment there.

It just seems odd to even consider Duke. If it was a 50%+ scholarship, I'd consider Duke. If I got the Mordecai, I'd take Duke, unless I wanted academia or was dead-set on a clerkship.

dbt wrote:It just seems odd to even consider Duke. If it was a 50%+ scholarship, I'd consider Duke. If I got the Mordecai, I'd take Duke, unless I wanted academia or was dead-set on a clerkship.

I really like Duke. But if you don't want to work in the south, Duke is at a huge disadvantage.

At even money, you've got to take Chicago. However, many cross-admits between Duke and Chicago get substantial $$ at Duke. If it was Chicago at full price or Duke at half, I think you'd really have to consider Duke.

That said, the best chances at clerking, academia, and Cali (or any) BigLaw are going to come from Chicago.

insidethetwenty wrote:At even money, you've got to take Chicago. However, many cross-admits between Duke and Chicago get substantial $$ at Duke. If it was Chicago at full price or Duke at half, I think you'd really have to consider Duke.

That said, the best chances at clerking, academia, and Cali (or any) BigLaw are going to come from Chicago.

considering Chicago's quarter system and competitiveness, won't the risk of getting lower grades affect my chances of placement?

vickers711 wrote:

insidethetwenty wrote:At even money, you've got to take Chicago. However, many cross-admits between Duke and Chicago get substantial $$ at Duke. If it was Chicago at full price or Duke at half, I think you'd really have to consider Duke.

That said, the best chances at clerking, academia, and Cali (or any) BigLaw are going to come from Chicago.

considering Chicago's quarter system and competitiveness, won't the risk of getting lower grades affect my chances of placement?

You cannot possibly predict you grades at any school, and you will not do better or worse (gradewise) for picking Duke or U Chi.

Renzo wrote:

vickers711 wrote:

insidethetwenty wrote:At even money, you've got to take Chicago. However, many cross-admits between Duke and Chicago get substantial $$ at Duke. If it was Chicago at full price or Duke at half, I think you'd really have to consider Duke.

That said, the best chances at clerking, academia, and Cali (or any) BigLaw are going to come from Chicago.

considering Chicago's quarter system and competitiveness, won't the risk of getting lower grades affect my chances of placement?

You cannot possibly predict you grades at any school, and you will not do better or worse (gradewise) for picking Duke or U Chi.

I think if you were comparing schools with considerably different student bodies, intelligence-wise (say Chicago and DePaul) then yes, you could predict that you would most likely do very well at Depaul and maybe don't know how well you'd do at Chicago (maybe median, maybe top/bottom, you really can't tell). But with schools like Duke and Chicago, which basically have students of the same caliber, you're not going to be able to tell what the difference would be, if any.

dbt wrote:
I think if you were comparing schools with considerably different student bodies, intelligence-wise (say Chicago and DePaul) then yes, you could predict that you would most likely do very well at Depaul and maybe don't know how well you'd do at Chicago (maybe median, maybe top/bottom, you really can't tell). But with schools like Duke and Chicago, which basically have students of the same caliber, you're not going to be able to tell what the difference would be, if any.

I'm not even 100% sure this is true, but the odds are better. Some really, really smart people don't figure out the examsmanship game until it's too late (meaning 2L year).

Renzo wrote:

dbt wrote:
I think if you were comparing schools with considerably different student bodies, intelligence-wise (say Chicago and DePaul) then yes, you could predict that you would most likely do very well at Depaul and maybe don't know how well you'd do at Chicago (maybe median, maybe top/bottom, you really can't tell). But with schools like Duke and Chicago, which basically have students of the same caliber, you're not going to be able to tell what the difference would be, if any.

I'm not even 100% sure this is true, but the odds are better. Some really, really smart people don't figure out the examsmanship game until it's too late (meaning 2L year).

yea actually I think that's right. Even at Depaul, I wouldn't be sure that a high LSAT/GPA kid is going to perform well; the odds are just much better. Because everything rests on one exam and writing an exam (see, typing a ton of words in a quick, coherent fashion) is a brand new experience for most people (and much different from LSAT or writing essays), it's ultimately really hard to say how you'd do. In which case, I'd absolutely go for the best school you can get into (Chicago) unless money pulls you toward another.