Another NYC school poll: Fordham ($) vs. Cardozo ($$$) Forum

[kaydish21]

So I have been going back and forth a lot and was leaning towards attending Fordham with a 10k/yr scholarship and the only string is good academic standing. At Cardozo I was offered a full tuition scholarship guaranteed with no strings attached. I have also been admitted to BC and GW but would vastly prefer to stay in the NYC area as my wife will also be attending law school and will most likely be in the NYC area as well. We live in north NJ and have a lot of social and familial connections here. Due to both my wife and I having some work experience/savings and outside help we will have our living expenses covered for the next 3 years. I have visited both schools and love them both but am very aware that Cardozo cannot compare at all with Fordham's private practice placement statistics.

I am interested in working at a large law firm and doing pro bono on the side as time becomes available. Realistically this won't happen for a few years upon graduating, yet I am hopeful that I will be able to do both at some time.

I am very interested in doing public interest work and have done quite a bit of various community organizing, and education related work for the past 6 years. I graduated undergrad in 2007 and have been doing Teach for America in Newark, NJ ever since. I have vastly enjoyed the community work I've done but have also interned at a firm and enjoyed that as well. Given these interests as well as the desire to start a family and have a house and comfortable life the choice is really quite even. If it makes any significant impact, I have ~$9,500 of Americorps grant money that can be put towards tuition for 1 year. If I attend Cardozo, I wouldn't be able to use it, however I am fairly sure I can put it towards my wife's tuition.

I realize that we are lucky to have these options and I would love some input from the TLS world and reasons beyond just a vote in the poll. For what it's worth I'm also on the waitlist at Columbia, UVA, and Gtown and waiting for a decision from NYU.

Thanks You in advance.

[wo.words.ds]

For any shot at big law one would have to go to Fordham and at least it's not completely at sticker. Have you tried to negotiate up with them?