Will someone PLEASE just tell me what to do?! Forum

[missvik218]

Alright, I cannot make a decision and deposits are coming up (some to keep $$ are due on 4/1) I'm starting to stress out. The poll options show school and in parenthesis total cost of attendance after $$ is considered. Wake's scholarship is the only one with a grade/rank stipulation attached to and it would require me to remain in the top 2/3 of my class.

A little bit about me to give you an idea of what I'm looking at here:
-- I think I'd prefer to work in the South-Mid Atlantic (Charlotte > DC/ATL > anywhere else).
-- I'm fairly debt averse. None of these options leave me feeling comfortable about being able to pay back considerable loans, and I'd prefer to not live the rest of my life worrying about LS debt. On the other hand, I'm not SO debt averse that I'd forgo an opportunity to significantly enhance my legal education and job prospects for a few extra k.
-- I'm most interested in a corporate/law & business focus - also probably meaning I'll be looking to land hopefully a "big law" type position after graduation.
-- I am not from GA but I have a strange number of ties to both and the school and prominent alums in the area.

I may be able to squeeze a little more $$ from Wake and if I'm really lucky WUSTL, Emory and GW have made it very clear that they will not be negotiating scholarship money.

Additionally, I'm on the waitlist at Vanderbilt and plan on riding that one out at least for another few months if necessary.

[rcharles]

I would try to negotiate with Wake both for more $ and to lower/eliminate the requirements to keep that $. Wake seems like the best option for with all factors in consideration.

[TheBigMediocre]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

[TTH]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

I tend to agree with this. With the connections you mentioned, I'd go to Athens and be happy. Go Dawgs.

[missvik218]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

Haha, yes I know where you stand! And I'm inclined to agree with you about the extra money for Emory or GW ... anyone voting for those care to share your thoughts?

I also should note that I really loved DC, Athens, and ATL when I visited. I was sort of either one on St. Louis but I was only really there for less than 24 hours so I'm sure it could grow on me. Winston-Salem on the other hand I find very bland, and while that might be optimal for some law students, I'm going to want to be able to get away from school at least sometimes.

[deadpanic]

Personally, I would rule out Emory, GW, and WUSTL right away. It would be between UGA & Wake to me.

UGA gives you a great shot at Atlanta and you get to spend 3 years in one of the best college towns in America.
Wake gives you a good shot at Charlotte & most anywhere else in NC, but you have to spend 3 years in Winston. I do think the Wake degree is a little more portable, but not sure how much.

Ultimately, I'd probably pick UGA. I think the student body (heard bad things about Wake), atmosphere, and opportunity at the largest legal market in the South gives it an edge over WFU.

[toolshed]

Possibly Vandy if you get in, UGA otherwise. The price for the other options just doesn't seem worth it.

[doinmybest]

I chose UGA. You have a chance at Biglaw in ATL if you go there (even if its not a big chance.) You will spend the least amount of money to go and I think their job prospects/employment is better than Wake ITE. I personally would not pay $200K at Emory, since the job prospects are only marginally better than UGA right now. I would also rule out GW, 200K is just too much. I would only pay 200K if the school was a T10... but even then I'd feel very iffy. I'm not confident in WUSTL's ability to place you in your desired markets, and for 150K thats just not good enough.

Try to negotiate some more money from UGA, it never hurts to ask!

Also becoming a GA resident after your first year should not be too difficult. I would look into that if I were you, since in-state tuition is so cheap.

[missvik218]

I chose UGA. You have a chance at Biglaw in ATL if you go there (even if its not a big chance.) You will spend the least amount of money to go and I think their job prospects/employment is better than Wake ITE. I personally would not pay $200K at Emory, since the job prospects are only marginally better than UGA right now. I would also rule out GW, 200K is just too much. I would only pay 200K if the school was a T10... but even then I'd feel very iffy. I'm not confident in WUSTL's ability to place you in your desired markets, and for 150K thats just not good enough.

Try to negotiate some more money from UGA, it never hurts to ask!

Also becoming a GA resident after your first year should not be too difficult. I would look into that if I were you, since in-state tuition is so cheap.

Thank you! Everything you said pretty much reitterates what I've been thinking.

Also the $85k calculates in-state tuition for my 2 and 3L years - but you're right that trying to use my scholly at Wake and acceptance at Emory to try to get a little on top of that couldn't hurt.

[sumus romani]

The title of this threat is "Will someone PLEASE just tell me what to do?!"

You need to make your own law school decision, rather than try to have others decide for you. You are not prepared for law school unless you are prepared to embrace the uncertainty found therein. You must choose your path in life, not some random people on the internet.

OK, I'm sort of just joking here. I picked UGA.

[Borhas]

UGA is my gut reaction

WUSTL seems to be a bad idea

[missvik218]

Day two bump ... anyone? Specifically anyone voting WUSTL want to chime in, I need to make my deposit there by Thursday (refundable until 5/1) if I'm considering attending.

Right now I'm leaning mostly towards UGA and riding out the Vandy WL. I'll make my decision about whether Vanderbilt is worth sticker if/when I get to it.

[MarkRenton]

X2 that you can become a Georgia resident after on year which will reduce costs. They're not sticklers like North Carolina or Virgina.

First, UGa vs. Emory = You have to do UGa. UGa's reach isn't as far as Emory - but not by a lot. But in Georgia, UGa does virtually just as well as Emory. The added costs is no where even close to worth it. Plus UGa has much nicer facilities.

Without local connections, I hear WUSTL can be rough. It basically comes down to Wake and UGa. I'd pick UGa. Maybe just personal preference. But I think UGa has a stronger reputation in Georgia than Wake does in NC (sort of in Duke's and UNC's shadow even though it's a great school. Plus Winston-Salem's not a great town by any means. I guess, between Wake and UGa, it's about visiting and see which place you have a better feel for. I'd just highly advise against Emory considering your other options.

[keg411]

Go to UGA and ride out the Vandy WL.

[quickquestionthanks]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

I think you're getting some bad advice on this thread. Emory isn't just going to give you marginally better job prospects. That's a massive understatement. Emory can get you looked at for biglaw in NYC, not to mention the fact that it puts you at the top of this list in the South.

You said you're debt adverse, but not so much that you'd pass up an opportunity which you would def be doing. It's not like you're gonna go to UGA for free. You'll still have a substantial loan payment. Go to Emory and land the job you won't get coming from UGA and then remember the dude on TLS that gave you the advice and send me a bundt cake.

[waverider]

Go to UGA and ride out the Vandy WL.

+1

[MarkRenton]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

I think you're getting some bad advice on this thread. Emory isn't just going to give you marginally better job prospects. That's a massive understatement. Emory can get you looked at for biglaw in NYC, not to mention the fact that it puts you at the top of this list in the South.

You said you're debt adverse, but not so much that you'd pass up an opportunity which you would def be doing. It's not like you're gonna go to UGA for free. You'll still have a substantial loan payment. Go to Emory and land the job you won't get coming from UGA and then remember the dude on TLS that gave you the advice and send me a bundt cake.

ITE, you have to knock it out of the ball park to get "looked at" in NYC. It also doesn't put you at the top of the list for the south. The south is very very regional. Inter-state rivalries are absurd. Plus Emory has the carpet bagger reputation in the south. So Emory really doesn't put you at the top of the list around the south. It's respected, but its southern reputation is not quite as great as you'd think. However, UG'a southern reputation is much greater than one would think. Its Georgia biglaw placements is virtually on par with Emory. Not saying that one should go to UGa over Emory all things being equal... But all things aren't equal. That's well over a one hundred thousand dollars difference. Emory is simply not that much better by any means.

[TheBigMediocre]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

I think you're getting some bad advice on this thread. Emory isn't just going to give you marginally better job prospects. That's a massive understatement. Emory can get you looked at for biglaw in NYC, not to mention the fact that it puts you at the top of this list in the South.

You said you're debt adverse, but not so much that you'd pass up an opportunity which you would def be doing. It's not like you're gonna go to UGA for free. You'll still have a substantial loan payment. Go to Emory and land the job you won't get coming from UGA and then remember the dude on TLS that gave you the advice and send me a bundt cake.

ITE, you have to knock it out of the ball park to get "looked at" in NYC. It also doesn't put you at the top of the list for the south. The south is very very regional. Inter-state rivalries are absurd. Plus Emory has the carpet bagger reputation in the south. So Emory really doesn't put you at the top of the list around the south. It's respected, but its southern reputation is not quite as great as you'd think. However, UG'a southern reputation is much greater than one would think. Its Georgia biglaw placements is virtually on par with Emory. Not saying that one should go to UGa over Emory all things being equal... But all things aren't equal. That's well over a one hundred thousand dollars difference. Emory is simply not that much better by any means.

I was going to reply with exactly this, but then you said it. +1 Renton.

OP, check your private message inbox. I'm sending you an e-mail that an Emory 2L sent me in re: Emory.

[Mr. Matlock]

You know what I think already!

But I will say this, 115k more in debt at Emory for marginally better job prospects then UGA would be downright absurd.

I think you're getting some bad advice on this thread. Emory isn't just going to give you marginally better job prospects. That's a massive understatement. Emory can get you looked at for biglaw in NYC, not to mention the fact that it puts you at the top of this list in the South.

You said you're debt adverse, but not so much that you'd pass up an opportunity which you would def be doing. It's not like you're gonna go to UGA for free. You'll still have a substantial loan payment. Go to Emory and land the job you won't get coming from UGA and then remember the dude on TLS that gave you the advice and send me a bundt cake.

I don't know the current situation, but as of 3-4 years ago, big law placement between the 2 was Emory at 23% and GA at 17%. I imagine both are down considerably now.

With that in mind, I vote GA and will take the bundt cake for the win!

(Of course take Vandy if it comes through! You could then give both of us a bundt cake. Thank you.)

[MarkRenton]

Of course on the Vandy WL. Ride that out.

[quickquestionthanks]

Alright...but if you go to UGA, land in the median, and have no job prospects...you need to send all these jokers a fruit cake.

[missvik218]

Alright...but if you go to UGA, land in the median, and have no job prospects...you need to send all these jokers a fruit cake.

It's debatable though whether I'd be in the same position graduating at median from Emory only with more than double the debt.

Just for comparison sake here are the clerkship (2008) and NLJ 250 numbers (2009) for the schools under consideration:

UGA:
Clerkships: 14/228 (6%)
NLJ 250: 15.8%

Emory:
Clerkships: 13/220 (5.8%)
NLJ 250: 23.5%

Wake:
Clerkships: 10/162 (5.7%)
NLJ 250: 20%

GW:
Clerkships: 25/506 (4.9%)
NLJ 250: 31.6%

WUSTL:
Clerkships 13/256 (5%)
NLJ 250: 27.5%

[doinmybest]

Alright...but if you go to UGA, land in the median, and have no job prospects...you need to send all these jokers a fruit cake.

I live in GA. Being ITE, and knowing everything I know now, I would never pick Emory over UGA unless it was some how cheaper than UGA. I know plenty of people at both schools, and UGA students on the whole seem happier than Emory students. Before the economy crapped out, there might have been a legitimate reason to pick Emory over UGA. But now... there just isn't. Go UGA your quality of life will be better, and that matters a lot. Emory has a reputation for being cutthroat as hell.

[MarkRenton]

I was going to mention the same thing, median at Emory isn't a sweet ride and poverty at UGa. Pretty much the same, tbh. However, considering that Emory tends to admit applicants with slightly higher qualifications from top to bottom - mainly because of UGa's in-state requirement; one could potentially expect to fair a bit better at UGa. Considering this, it'll get you fairly similar results. Again, the difference is NOT worth 100K. OP, the cost difference between the two schools will probably equate to one entire year's salary. That's absurd

I've heard from folks that go to Emory that it's both very cutthroat and not that bad... Either way, the quality of living there just isn't that high. I've heard that UGa students have much more fun.

I don't know why I'm getting so personally invested in this thread

[Grizz]

Vik! For you, as others have said, it comes down to UGA and Wake, with Wake possibly being more portable. Emory, GW, and WUSTL are almost assuredly not worth the money. Though Wake is probably more portable, it seems like this comes down to which state you want to work in, because if you do good, you can definitely leave GA or NC, but if you were around the median, it would be more up in the air. I'd go to UGA, because I love Athens, but you can't really go wrong with either of those choices given that you don't know where you want to end up.

That said, ride out the Vandy waitlist, no question.