Top Law Schools

Debating Columbia sticker vs. Michigan Dean's Scholly (70k)

New York preference, although I haven't visted Ann Arbor yet.

Thoughts?

What kind of jobs are you looking for post-graduation?

There is no doubt that the money at Michigan is significant - you'll be going to a great program and doing it for very little cash outlay. On the other hand, going to Columbia means that, even though you'll pay sticker, you are still going to have ample opportunity to land good jobs and pay off that debt.

I believe that 3-years of grueling law school will be MUCH more enjoyable in Manhattan. That's my NYC bias. I think what you have to answer is whether you would enjoy Ann Arbor when you have down time. If the answer is "yes" then maybe Michigan is okay; if "no", then go for sticker at Columbia and don't look back.

I had a thread about this earlier: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... t=columbia

I ultimately chose Columbia because I think at median, I have more peace of mind at Columbia than at Michigan. Plus, I think being in the top 1/3 at Columbia gives me chances at some of the top firms in NYC better than Michigan would.

Ultimately it comes down to what you think you might want to do. $70k is huge sum of money upfront, but depending on what your goals are, it may not amount to much in the long run. You really need to figure out whether the opportunities you get coming out of Columbia are worth it to you versus the opportunities you get coming out of Michigan.