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In state tuition at UC Davis.
Can easily get in state tuition at Colorado 2L and 3L.

Want to work in Bay Area or DC after graduate (but of course being able to get a job is number one priority).

Not into going biglaw, but do want to make money while doing something somewhat meaningful.

Thanks for the help!

What do you want to do? Where do you prefer living? Have you visited the schools? Any other preferences?

Definitely UC Davis.

You should be able to land a job in the Bay Area and they are known for having excellent public interest aka "meaningful" legal work. My only concern would be the predictions of rising tuition at UCD, however if you are committed to doing something public interest-y you will qualify for a debt forgiveness program in which case UCD at sticker is not an issue.

I've got the Davis v. Colorado thing, too. I'd probably prefer Colorado, b/c I love it so. But my SO prefers Davis (or Hastings, if I get off WL), and I do like northern California a whole bunch. So ... Davis it probably is.

Anyway ...

Part of me assumes that CU is stronger in Colorado market (i.e., Denver) than Davis is in California. My reckoning: Davis competes for *good* California jobs w/T14, then USC/UCLA and Hastings (and top grads at Santa Clara and, less so, on down). Meanwhile, I figure CU competes w/T14, then ... Denver U, then top grads from nearby states?

But your thing is Bay Area vs. D.C. (not BayArea vs. D.C. vs. Denver/CO). American, I gather, has way more competitors for D.C. jobs than Davis does for California.

So, this is easy: Go Davis.