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NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 11:53 am
by Dtackpat75
I want to go into Biglaw (securities regulation maybe??), most likely in the city, but willing to think outside of the box as far as location. Also, would like the option to clerk as well, as that is becoming more and more of an attractive idea everytime I revisit it. Any thoughts??
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:04 pm
by KG_CalGuy
Flip a coin and then give me the remaining $$
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:06 pm
by holborn
do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k? I mean, they are very different schools in terms of location, vibe, etc, but I was always under the impression they are considered peer schools and would open the same doors.
that being said, go to columbia b/c im really trying to get some money out of NYU

Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:08 pm
by Helmholtz
julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k?
I do, yes.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:12 pm
by Rand M.
julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k? I mean, they are very different schools in terms of location, vibe, etc, but I was always under the impression they are considered peer schools and would open the same doors.
that being said, go to columbia b/c im really trying to get some money out of NYU

Once one starts to look for post-grad options outside of the city the gap really swells. If you wanted to keep the option of D.C. open for instance, CLS does significantly better than NYU. In NYC the differences are somewhat finer.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:14 pm
by holborn
Rand M. wrote:julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k? I mean, they are very different schools in terms of location, vibe, etc, but I was always under the impression they are considered peer schools and would open the same doors.
that being said, go to columbia b/c im really trying to get some money out of NYU

Once one starts to look for post-grad options outside of the city the gap really swells. If you wanted to keep the option of D.C. open for instance, CLS does significantly better than NYU. In NYC the differences are somewhat finer.
if someone is looking for their 2nd or 3rd job in another market, does the school matter at that point compared to work experience? (and i mean nyu vs. columbia, i know the school matters in general)
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:19 pm
by glowhard
the difference in reputation/quality between nyu and columbia is tiny. it basically does not exist. and rankings change, too- so making a decision based on a 1-spot difference in rankings seems ill-advised.
however, the differences in "feel" and atmosphere between the schools are, IMHO, huge. at this point, it's ridiculous for anyone to say that either option is the wrong option. you'll do best at a school you feel comfortable at. which fits best?
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:21 pm
by Rand M.
julesm2200 wrote:Rand M. wrote:julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k? I mean, they are very different schools in terms of location, vibe, etc, but I was always under the impression they are considered peer schools and would open the same doors.
that being said, go to columbia b/c im really trying to get some money out of NYU

Once one starts to look for post-grad options outside of the city the gap really swells. If you wanted to keep the option of D.C. open for instance, CLS does significantly better than NYU. In NYC the differences are somewhat finer.
if someone is looking for their 2nd or 3rd job in another market, does the school matter at that point compared to work experience? (and i mean nyu vs. columbia, i know the school matters in general)
There is so little data out there that compares schools long-term like that. Everything I have ever seen compares schools along first job opportunities. I think the reason for that is that your second and third jobs will be largely determined by the first one. That's why people try to go to the most prestigious firms they can, because even though the money may be the same, the exit opportunities vary greatly. So, I think its pretty safe to say that the school wouldn't matter all that much down the road.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:23 pm
by chocho
glowhard wrote:the difference in reputation/quality between nyu and columbia is tiny. it basically does not exist. and rankings change, too- so making a decision based on a 1-spot difference in rankings seems ill-advised.
however, the differences in "feel" and atmosphere between the schools are, IMHO, huge. at this point, it's ridiculous for anyone to say that either option is the wrong option. you'll do best at a school you feel comfortable at. which fits best?
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:25 pm
by Chichaca
julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k?
10K is not a big difference, and you might even save almost that much in COL over 3 years.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:33 pm
by Rand M.
Chichaca wrote:julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k?
10K is not a big difference, and you might even save almost that much in COL over 3 years.
This is so true. NYU has the highest COL of pretty much any school. That, and 10k is absolutely nothing in the long run. It really isn't the kind of thing you would look back on and regret not having taken. OP should just visit and follow their bliss. At the end of the day I think by a lot of objective measures CLS is better for firm work, but just go where you 'fit.'
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:38 pm
by Dtackpat75
Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that NYU has even leapfrogged Columbia on a couple of occasions as far as USNWR rankings go. I have visited both schools and absolutely loved them both. I think as fun as the village is it might not be the best environment for me for law school. Too tempting and too many non law school friends in NYC to tempt me. Also, I think I got a little bit more of a communal feel from CLS as the law school seemed more populated with current students in between classes than NYU. I also really liked the fact that Columbia has an actual campus. Coming from a small liberal arts UG this was comforting. Both schools were definitely impressive and I cannot imagine there being a hiring bias either way especially in NYC. So at this time I am pretty sure I am going to CLS I just really wanted to see how the TLS community viewed the options.
Also, as far as the difference in money was concerned I kind of just considered it a wash in the end.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:45 pm
by holborn
Dtackpat75 wrote:Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that NYU has even leapfrogged Columbia on a couple of occasions as far as USNWR rankings go. I have visited both schools and absolutely loved them both. I think as fun as the village is it might not be the best environment for me for law school. Too tempting and too many non law school friends in NYC to tempt me. Also, I think I got a little bit more of a communal feel from CLS as the law school seemed more populated with current students in between classes than NYU. I also really liked the fact that Columbia has an actual campus. Coming from a small liberal arts UG this was comforting. Both schools were definitely impressive and I cannot imagine there being a hiring bias either way especially in NYC. So at this time I am pretty sure I am going to CLS I just really wanted to see how the TLS community viewed the options.
Also, as far as the difference in money was concerned I kind of just considered it a wash in the end.
see rankings.
i mean, if you liked columbia better than definitely go to columbia. i just feel like tls votes according to the USNWR rankings when it comes to these polls, unless theres a large difference in money or markets. and considering you have essentially the same scholarship offer and like the columbia campus more, you have your answer.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:48 pm
by Unemployed
Dtackpat75 wrote:Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that NYU has even leapfrogged Columbia on a couple of occasions as far as USNWR rankings go. I have visited both schools and absolutely loved them both. I think as fun as the village is it might not be the best environment for me for law school. Too tempting and too many non law school friends in NYC to tempt me. Also, I think I got a little bit more of a communal feel from CLS as the law school seemed more populated with current students in between classes than NYU. I also really liked the fact that Columbia has an actual campus. Coming from a small liberal arts UG this was comforting. Both schools were definitely impressive and I cannot imagine there being a hiring bias either way especially in NYC. So at this time I am pretty sure I am going to CLS I just really wanted to see how the TLS community viewed the options.
Also, as far as the difference in money was concerned I kind of just considered it a wash in the end.
It has happened a grand total of 3 times ever since USNWR began ranking law schools. The perception that NYU and CLS are equivalent - and they really are, for all intents and purposes - is relatively new in the real world. As Gen Y begins to take over (:shudders:), this perception will actually solidify. For now, a lot of old school attorneys still believe Chicago>>>Columbia>>>Their alma mater if outside of T6>>>NYU.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:55 pm
by MeTalkPrettyOneDay
Dtackpat75 wrote:Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that NYU has even leapfrogged Columbia on a couple of occasions as far as USNWR rankings go. I have visited both schools and absolutely loved them both. I think as fun as the village is it might not be the best environment for me for law school. Too tempting and too many non law school friends in NYC to tempt me. Also, I think I got a little bit more of a communal feel from CLS as the law school seemed more populated with current students in between classes than NYU. I also really liked the fact that Columbia has an actual campus. Coming from a small liberal arts UG this was comforting. Both schools were definitely impressive and I cannot imagine there being a hiring bias either way especially in NYC. So at this time I am pretty sure I am going to CLS I just really wanted to see how the TLS community viewed the options.
This is a very fair assessment. I chose CLS for very similar reasons. The short of it is, the schools offer at least reasonably comparable outcomes, and so personal factors (general fit, vibe, etc) really can and should inform your choice b/w the two. In the end, CLS just felt like a better fit for me, but of course some other applicants come to exact opposite conclusion.
As for OP, visit both and go where you feel more comfortable. 10K isn't a small chunk of change, but in the big scheme of tuition it isn't massive either. Furthermore, the 10K difference could come out to be a wash in the end based factors such as rent and general cost of living (e.g.: CLS's base tuition is marginally higher than NYU's, but CLS has cheaper housing options if you choose them).
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:28 pm
by holborn
Unemployed wrote:Dtackpat75 wrote:Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that NYU has even leapfrogged Columbia on a couple of occasions as far as USNWR rankings go. I have visited both schools and absolutely loved them both. I think as fun as the village is it might not be the best environment for me for law school. Too tempting and too many non law school friends in NYC to tempt me. Also, I think I got a little bit more of a communal feel from CLS as the law school seemed more populated with current students in between classes than NYU. I also really liked the fact that Columbia has an actual campus. Coming from a small liberal arts UG this was comforting. Both schools were definitely impressive and I cannot imagine there being a hiring bias either way especially in NYC. So at this time I am pretty sure I am going to CLS I just really wanted to see how the TLS community viewed the options.
Also, as far as the difference in money was concerned I kind of just considered it a wash in the end.
It has happened a grand total of 3 times ever since USNWR began ranking law schools. The perception that NYU and CLS are equivalent - and they really are, for all intents and purposes - is relatively new in the real world. As Gen Y begins to take over (:shudders:), this perception will actually solidify. For now, a lot of old school attorneys still believe Chicago>>>Columbia>>>Their alma mater if outside of T6>>>NYU.
im sure some do. but ive also talked to attorneys at vault 100 firms who say that they consider nyu and columbia to be completely equal and once someone is coming from these schools what they look for are really good grades, not whether said person went to nyu or columbia.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:37 pm
by chris0805
glowhard wrote:the difference in reputation/quality between nyu and columbia is tiny. it basically does not exist. and rankings change, too- so making a decision based on a 1-spot difference in rankings seems ill-advised.
however, the differences in "feel" and atmosphere between the schools are, IMHO, huge. at this point, it's ridiculous for anyone to say that either option is the wrong option. you'll do best at a school you feel comfortable at. which fits best?
I hear this (the bolded) so much from 0Ls, but it hasn't played out in my experience. As a 3L at CLS who knows a decent amount of NYU law students, it's been my impression that the two schools (and, to a somewhat lesser extent, all other T10 schools) are VERY similar in atmosphere. The stereotypes and reputations are, at least in my experience, greatly overstated. I will say that I've heard Yale is actually fairly unique, but other than that, law school offers a pretty standardized experience.
With that said, you should go to where
you "feel" more comfortable. I chose CLS over NYU partly because I felt like it was a little more chill and relaxed. I know a guy at NYU who chose NYU over CLS for the exact same reason.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:41 pm
by lakerfanimal
From what you said about the environments, it seems like Columbia has a slight edge for you, so I think you should go there.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:13 pm
by snowpeach06
Both are so similar, that I don't think anything but your personal preference for the vibe of the school should make your decision for you.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:35 pm
by Dtackpat75
This is definitely more lopsided than I would have thought (poll). This was very lopsided even before I added my personal preferences in.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 3:13 pm
by holborn
Dtackpat75 wrote:This is definitely more lopsided than I would have thought (poll). This was very lopsided even before I added my personal preferences in.
the 0L Bible has columbia as 1 rank higher. so, obviously, its a much better school. besides, dont you want to tell people you go to COLUMBIA (cue dramatic music).
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 3:22 pm
by Helmholtz
julesm2200 wrote:Dtackpat75 wrote:This is definitely more lopsided than I would have thought (poll). This was very lopsided even before I added my personal preferences in.
the 0L Bible has columbia as 1 rank higher. so, obviously, its a much better school. besides, dont you want to tell people you go to COLUMBIA (cue dramatic music).
meh, I wouldn't be surprised to see Chicago win in a Chi v. NYU poll or maybe Mich/UVA beat out Penn in a similar poll.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:21 am
by NY88
As a lifelong NYC resident I would choose NYU over Columbia for one reason only....Safety. The West Village is always bustling no matter what time of day. Morningside Heights on the other hand starts getting real seedy once you get a few blocks from campus. It is much safer to be walking alone late at night at NYU than Columbia.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:32 am
by Dtackpat75
NY88 wrote:As a lifelong NYC resident I would choose NYU over Columbia for one reason only....Safety. The West Village is always bustling no matter what time of day. Morningside Heights on the other hand starts getting real seedy once you get a few blocks from campus. It is much safer to be walking alone late at night at NYU than Columbia.
I can see that. Although, I would still take Morningside Heights over West Philly, Durham, New Haven and Hyde Park fo sho. There are also no NYU undergrads in Morningside Heights. But without a doubt I would say general location of NYU is a plus over columbia hands down.
Re: NYU$$ vs. Columbia$$
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:37 am
by yeff
Rand M. wrote:julesm2200 wrote:do people really think columbia is THAT much of a better school thats its worth the extra 10k? I mean, they are very different schools in terms of location, vibe, etc, but I was always under the impression they are considered peer schools and would open the same doors.
that being said, go to columbia b/c im really trying to get some money out of NYU

Once one starts to look for post-grad options outside of the city the gap really swells. If you wanted to keep the option of D.C. open for instance, CLS does significantly better than NYU. In NYC the differences are somewhat finer.
To what extent is this true for biglaw vs govt vs PI ?