Columbia Law...Bad idea to move a family there? Forum

[Renzo]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

[SaintClarence27]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

Because,

1) I reverse commute to White Plains every day for work. It's a 1/2 hr drive and a 1 1/2 hr train ride, because it's 2 transfers JUST for me to get to the nearest Metro North station.
2) I am only here for another 3 months, at which point the car will become much easier to park, and probably much more of a necessity.
3) The car is not paid off yet, and would cost me more to sell.
4) Before living here, I lived in downstate Illinois, where having a car was not optional.

Believe me, all things being equal, if I was staying here, I wouldn't want a car. I'd much rather use public transit.

[fwaam]

The fact that people are advising you to ditch your kids, or to live in a studio with two children under 3, should indicate the overall quality of the advice in this thread.

OP, I know this thread is theoretical anyway because you're WL'ed, but how much do you really want to go to Columbia? You have other good options. And what are you going to want to do after law school? Do you really want to work 60+ hour weeks in biglaw as a single parent? You'd hardly ever see your kids. With childcare costs you're really looking at an insane amount of debt--and maybe you're into PI and so your priorities are more along the lines of finding the school with the best LRAP, but I think you really have to consider how your choices (debt in particular) are going to affect your family down the road. (Because even with LRAP, if you're making over $50,000 you should expect to make substantial debt payments.)

[thrillhouse]

The fact that people are advising you to ditch your kids, or to live in a studio with two children under 3, should indicate the overall quality of the advice in this thread.

OP, I know this thread is theoretical anyway because you're WL'ed, but how much do you really want to go to Columbia? You have other good options. And what are you going to want to do after law school? Do you really want to work 60+ hour weeks in biglaw as a single parent? You'd hardly ever see your kids. With childcare costs you're really looking at an insane amount of debt--and maybe you're into PI and so your priorities are more along the lines of finding the school with the best LRAP, but I think you really have to consider how your choices (debt in particular) are going to affect your family down the road. (Because even with LRAP, if you're making over $50,000 you should expect to make substantial debt payments.)

While the rest of the advice here is good, the LRAP part is exactly backwards. If you aren't looking for a private firm job, then definitely want a school like Columbia. I don't know much about Vandy's LRAP, but I know Columbia's extremely well. If you make over $50k, you only owe 37.5% of the income ABOVE $50k in loan repayment. So, if you make $60k a year, you only owe $3,750 (or $312.50/month) in loan payments for the year.

Again, you can cut down on expenses by living in Jersey.

[krj02004]

The fact that people are advising you to ditch your kids, or to live in a studio with two children under 3, should indicate the overall quality of the advice in this thread.

OP, I know this thread is theoretical anyway because you're WL'ed, but how much do you really want to go to Columbia? You have other good options. And what are you going to want to do after law school? Do you really want to work 60+ hour weeks in biglaw as a single parent? You'd hardly ever see your kids. With childcare costs you're really looking at an insane amount of debt--and maybe you're into PI and so your priorities are more along the lines of finding the school with the best LRAP, but I think you really have to consider how your choices (debt in particular) are going to affect your family down the road. (Because even with LRAP, if you're making over $50,000 you should expect to make substantial debt payments.)

While the rest of the advice here is good, the LRAP part is exactly backwards. If you aren't looking for a private firm job, then definitely want a school like Columbia. I don't know much about Vandy's LRAP, but I know Columbia's extremely well. If you make over $50k, you only owe 37.5% of the income ABOVE $50k in loan repayment. So, if you make $60k a year, you only owe $3,750 (or $312.50/month) in loan payments for the year.

Again, you can cut down on expenses by living in Jersey.

Good to know. I know my ex-husband has family from Africa in NYC.... but we haven't really always gotten along (lots of cultural difference = divorce), but hperhaps it would be time to mend those bridges if I moved to NYC. This is all very good advice and info though. Lots to think about.

[tartugas]

FWIW, my wife and I live in Inwood, (i.e. upstate Manhattan), and I think it is also a good option should you find yourself looking for options. We're within easy walking distance of 2 subway lines (one of which is the 1 which is the subway you'd likely take to get to class). The overall COL in this neighborhood is far more reasonable than the UWS, and you've got two of the best parks in the city withing easy spitting distance as well.

Best of luck.

[motiontodismiss]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

Because,

1) I reverse commute to White Plains every day for work. It's a 1/2 hr drive and a 1 1/2 hr train ride, because it's 2 transfers JUST for me to get to the nearest Metro North station.
2) I am only here for another 3 months, at which point the car will become much easier to park, and probably much more of a necessity.
3) The car is not paid off yet, and would cost me more to sell.
4) Before living here, I lived in downstate Illinois, where having a car was not optional.

Believe me, all things being equal, if I was staying here, I wouldn't want a car. I'd much rather use public transit.

Why don't you live in Westchester like normal people that commute to Westchester?

[Pearalegal]

Manhattan's a bad place for anyone, single parent or otherwise, to raise kids. Look into living in Westchester and commuting if the kids are that important to you.

Otherwise, leave them with grandma (or the other parent if he/she's still in the picture) while you're in law school.

Um yeah... if I didn't want to see and be in my children's lives I wouldn't have had them. Children always come first. I believe it's absolutely possible to multi-task, but I would never choose something over my kids...period. I can be a mom and a lawyer. It's not a novel idea and I'm not the first... certainly not the last.

On a side note... it's possible to commute? How long of a commute is Westchester?

I didn't read all this through but, boom. You're awesome. I'm not in any life-position even close to yours, but my mom raised me while multi-tasking similar time constraints, and I admire her for it and think it has only taught me solid life lessons.

I have no advice to give.

[SaintClarence27]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

Because,

1) I reverse commute to White Plains every day for work. It's a 1/2 hr drive and a 1 1/2 hr train ride, because it's 2 transfers JUST for me to get to the nearest Metro North station.
2) I am only here for another 3 months, at which point the car will become much easier to park, and probably much more of a necessity.
3) The car is not paid off yet, and would cost me more to sell.
4) Before living here, I lived in downstate Illinois, where having a car was not optional.

Believe me, all things being equal, if I was staying here, I wouldn't want a car. I'd much rather use public transit.

Why don't you live in Westchester like normal people that commute to Westchester?

Long term temp job. I wasn't necessarily planning on working in Westchester, and I have a lease.

[memaha]

Um yeah... if I didn't want to see and be in my children's lives I wouldn't have had them. Children always come first. I believe it's absolutely possible to multi-task, but I would never choose something over my kids...period. I can be a mom and a lawyer. It's not a novel idea and I'm not the first... certainly not the last.

I didn't read all this through but, boom. You're awesome. I'm not in any life-position even close to yours, but my mom raised me while multi-tasking similar time constraints, and I admire her for it and think it has only taught me solid life lessons.

I have no advice to give.

Agreed with Pearalegal. Sorry I didn't bring this up earlier, but you are doing something I could not even begin to try. You seem like you have done well for yourself so far and if there is a will, there is a way. Similar story to Pearalegal's, I was raised by a single mother, who had just immigrated to this country, and somehow she managed to work full-time, raise me, and also get her PhD. Good luck and you will be fine, wherever you end up. Your kids will always have your success and ambition to look up to.

*And yes, I was getting paid by Upper East Siders/West Villagers with boatloads+ of money, haha, so quite different from your situation but I just wanted to caution you on babysitting costs. Also, us NYU students seem to think we deserve a lot of money for babysitting, so thats another thing (I love my school but the stereotypes sometimes run true).

[SaintClarence27]

Um yeah... if I didn't want to see and be in my children's lives I wouldn't have had them. Children always come first. I believe it's absolutely possible to multi-task, but I would never choose something over my kids...period. I can be a mom and a lawyer. It's not a novel idea and I'm not the first... certainly not the last.

I didn't read all this through but, boom. You're awesome. I'm not in any life-position even close to yours, but my mom raised me while multi-tasking similar time constraints, and I admire her for it and think it has only taught me solid life lessons.

I have no advice to give.

Agreed with Pearalegal. Sorry I didn't bring this up earlier, but you are doing something I could not even begin to try. You seem like you have done well for yourself so far and if there is a will, there is a way. Similar story to Pearalegal's, I was raised by a single mother, who had just immigrated to this country, and somehow she managed to work full-time, raise me, and also get her PhD. Good luck and you will be fine, wherever you end up. Your kids will always have your success and ambition to look up to.

*And yes, I was getting paid by Upper East Siders/West Villagers with boatloads+ of money, haha, so quite different from your situation but I just wanted to caution you on babysitting costs. Also, us NYU students seem to think we deserve a lot of money for babysitting, so thats another thing (I love my school but the stereotypes sometimes run true).

There's also something to be said about showing your children the value that you place on education through your actions, rather than just your words. I commend the OP, but I just can't fathom raising children in NYC. Granted, I don't like NYC in general.

[lostjake]

Um yeah... if I didn't want to see and be in my children's lives I wouldn't have had them. Children always come first. I believe it's absolutely possible to multi-task, but I would never choose something over my kids...period. I can be a mom and a lawyer. It's not a novel idea and I'm not the first... certainly not the last.

I didn't read all this through but, boom. You're awesome. I'm not in any life-position even close to yours, but my mom raised me while multi-tasking similar time constraints, and I admire her for it and think it has only taught me solid life lessons.

I have no advice to give.

Agreed with Pearalegal. Sorry I didn't bring this up earlier, but you are doing something I could not even begin to try. You seem like you have done well for yourself so far and if there is a will, there is a way. Similar story to Pearalegal's, I was raised by a single mother, who had just immigrated to this country, and somehow she managed to work full-time, raise me, and also get her PhD. Good luck and you will be fine, wherever you end up. Your kids will always have your success and ambition to look up to.

*And yes, I was getting paid by Upper East Siders/West Villagers with boatloads+ of money, haha, so quite different from your situation but I just wanted to caution you on babysitting costs. Also, us NYU students seem to think we deserve a lot of money for babysitting, so thats another thing (I love my school but the stereotypes sometimes run true).

There's also something to be said about showing your children the value that you place on education through your actions, rather than just your words. I commend the OP, but I just can't fathom raising children in NYC. Granted, I don't like NYC in general.

There's also something to be said about realizing a mistake before you made it. Maybe one day you can tell your kids that they were more important than going to law school. This is a really really bad idea. If it happens make sure you post in here in a year and let us know how its going.

[fwaam]

The fact that people are advising you to ditch your kids, or to live in a studio with two children under 3, should indicate the overall quality of the advice in this thread.

OP, I know this thread is theoretical anyway because you're WL'ed, but how much do you really want to go to Columbia? You have other good options. And what are you going to want to do after law school? Do you really want to work 60+ hour weeks in biglaw as a single parent? You'd hardly ever see your kids. With childcare costs you're really looking at an insane amount of debt--and maybe you're into PI and so your priorities are more along the lines of finding the school with the best LRAP, but I think you really have to consider how your choices (debt in particular) are going to affect your family down the road. (Because even with LRAP, if you're making over $50,000 you should expect to make substantial debt payments.)

While the rest of the advice here is good, the LRAP part is exactly backwards. If you aren't looking for a private firm job, then definitely want a school like Columbia. I don't know much about Vandy's LRAP, but I know Columbia's extremely well. If you make over $50k, you only owe 37.5% of the income ABOVE $50k in loan repayment. So, if you make $60k a year, you only owe $3,750 (or $312.50/month) in loan payments for the year.

Again, you can cut down on expenses by living in Jersey.

I agree with this only if the cost at Vandy/other choices would still be very high. Having a solid LRAP is good, but having little or no debt is better. It depends on what you're looking to do, and since we don't know what the OP wants to do, it's hard to say whether she should turn down scholarships to attend Columbia at sticker. I'd just be very wary of getting into that much debt if I had two kids and was supporting both of them and myself on my own.

[SaintClarence27]

There's also something to be said about showing your children the value that you place on education through your actions, rather than just your words. I commend the OP, but I just can't fathom raising children in NYC. Granted, I don't like NYC in general.

There's also something to be said about realizing a mistake before you made it. Maybe one day you can tell your kids that they were more important than going to law school. This is a really really bad idea. If it happens make sure you post in here in a year and let us know how its going.

That kind of depends on the current situation, doesn't it? I don't know about you, but I didn't particularly love being the poorest kid in school growing up. Perhaps she wants to provide a better life for her children? You're assuming that OP is only going to law school for her own benefit, at the expense of her children's well-being. That's an unfounded and unfair assumption at best.

[lostjake]

There's also something to be said about showing your children the value that you place on education through your actions, rather than just your words. I commend the OP, but I just can't fathom raising children in NYC. Granted, I don't like NYC in general.

There's also something to be said about realizing a mistake before you made it. Maybe one day you can tell your kids that they were more important than going to law school. This is a really really bad idea. If it happens make sure you post in here in a year and let us know how its going.

That kind of depends on the current situation, doesn't it? I don't know about you, but I didn't particularly love being the poorest kid in school growing up. Perhaps she wants to provide a better life for her children? You're assuming that OP is only going to law school for her own benefit, at the expense of her children's well-being. That's an unfounded and unfair assumption at best.

Not really, its a great assumption, because I assume that 1L-3 she's going to have the baby sitter raise her kids because of school requirements, and then she's going to have about 200-300K in debt after. Now she can either get that big law job and then she'll work 12 hours a day and over weekends and have the same baby sitter raise her kids or she won't get the job and have 200K of debt hanging over her head and the kids will still be the poorest kids in school. I'm not seeing any benefit at all for her kids.

[Renzo]

Not really, its a great assumption, because I assume that 1L-3 she's going to have the baby sitter raise her kids because of school requirements, and then she's going to have about 200-300K in debt after. Now she can either get that big law job and then she'll work 12 hours a day and over weekends and have the same baby sitter raise her kids or she won't get the job and have 200K of debt hanging over her head and the kids will still be the poorest kids in school. I'm not seeing any benefit at all for her kids.

New rule. Only parents give advice about being parents.

[legalized]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

Aaaand there goes what I don't like about New York.

People can't afford to park cars.

What public school is Columbia's area zoned for? I want to see what it's rated on greatschools.net.

[SaintClarence27]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

Aaaand there goes what I don't like about New York.

People can't afford to park cars.

What public school is Columbia's area zoned for? I want to see what it's rated on greatschools.net.

It's one of many, many things I don't like about New York.

[fwaam]

Not really, its a great assumption, because I assume that 1L-3 she's going to have the baby sitter raise her kids because of school requirements, and then she's going to have about 200-300K in debt after. Now she can either get that big law job and then she'll work 12 hours a day and over weekends and have the same baby sitter raise her kids or she won't get the job and have 200K of debt hanging over her head and the kids will still be the poorest kids in school. I'm not seeing any benefit at all for her kids.

I'm not even going to get into the rest of what you said, but the first part is definitely untrue. Plenty of people take the "treat law school like a job" approach: they're there from 8-5, take classes, do as much work as they can get done in that time, and then go home and don't have to worry about studying. I've talked to plenty of people for whom this has worked, and if OP has the discipline to do this or something similar (maybe less time at the school in the day, but a couple hours studying after they go to bed) law school does not at all mean she'll never see her kids. It doesn't have to be much different from a 40-hour-a-week job, although with extra hours during finals.

[sbalive]

If you're worried about costs, well, it's going to be ridiculously expensive. I have *no* idea what kind of grants may be available to single parents, or other help you might have, but I think with your stated needs, in NYC, you're looking at at least 60K per year in living expenses. EVERYTHING costs more. If you can avoid having a car in NYC, do so. I park WAY up in washington heights, and have to take the subway 4 stops to get to my car every morning to reverse-commute. All this so I can afford $175/mo for parking, rather than the $300 it would be to park near my (still washington heights) apartment. Sure, you have the insane rent. That's a given. Then you have the insane food costs. Non-food is taxed a ridiculous amount. And if you want cheap takeout, well, it's still more expensive than other parts of the country. Child care is WAY more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. It's louder here. Oh, and you'll have to spend a chunk of money on the subway.

Why do you have a car, if you can't afford to park it? Why not just live like the 75% of us who don't have cars.

Aaaand there goes what I don't like about New York.

People can't afford to park cars.

What public school is Columbia's area zoned for? I want to see what it's rated on greatschools.net.

It's one of many, many things I don't like about New York.

whatever.

anyway, this site might be somewhat helpful, or at least be a start; there's a link on it for child care & schooling:

http://worklife.columbia.edu/drupal/wor ... e-students

[Renzo]

Aaaand there goes what I don't like about New York.

People can't afford to park cars.

What public school is Columbia's area zoned for? I want to see what it's rated on greatschools.net.

It's one of many, many things I don't like about New York.

It's one of many things I love about living here--I don't need (or want) a car! If I were the supreme ruler of the city, I'd ban all cars from Manhattan except cabs, delivery vans, and public vehicles. It'd be great!

[SaintClarence27]

Aaaand there goes what I don't like about New York.

People can't afford to park cars.

What public school is Columbia's area zoned for? I want to see what it's rated on greatschools.net.

It's one of many, many things I don't like about New York.

It's one of many things I love about living here--I don't need (or want) a car! If I were the supreme ruler of the city, I'd ban all cars from Manhattan except cabs, delivery vans, and public vehicles. It'd be great!

Yeah a lot o people love it - just not me. I love the freedom that a car provides. I love having an open road in front of me. I love being able to drive to the store, throw shit in the trunk, and drive it home.

[krj02004]

Not really, its a great assumption, because I assume that 1L-3 she's going to have the baby sitter raise her kids because of school requirements, and then she's going to have about 200-300K in debt after. Now she can either get that big law job and then she'll work 12 hours a day and over weekends and have the same baby sitter raise her kids or she won't get the job and have 200K of debt hanging over her head and the kids will still be the poorest kids in school. I'm not seeing any benefit at all for her kids.

New rule. Only parents give advice about being parents.

A-freaking-men!

No offense, but if you don't have a family, please think before being critical. Life doesn't stop after having children... that would be a horrible lesson to teach them. And besides, I would be able to provide more for them with a law degree. My sister took a person's advice not to continue her education because she would be a "horrible mom" if she did so. At 31 years of age now, with 2 kids, she has to work major overtime at her job to make sure her kids live and go to school in a decent area. All because going back to school would make her feel too guilty for not being there for her kids. But she isn't there now... I should know because they are with me half of the week . Her life is what has motivated me TO GO BACK to school. I rather be home more for my kids in middle and high school when they are learning to make good (or bad) decisions.

[NewHere]

Hi OP,

I haven't read every single word in this long thread, so apologies if I'm repeating things that others have already said. (And I'm not a parent, so I hope I'm allowed to give advice. I have just finished three years of law school, though, so I do know what I'm talking about on the law-school side of things.)

Two points:
1. Manhattan is just as fine a place to be with small children as any other place where you don't know anyone. Morningside Heights itself is not a bad area for children, and others have given you good alternative suggestions (Riverdale, Westchester; both perfectly doable for a commute.)

2. However, what I think should be a very important factor in your decision is whether you would have better support in other places. If your choice is between various cities in none of which you have family, then you might as well pick the city with the best law school you get into, or the school that gives you the most money, or choose by whatever other factor it is that drives your decision. However, if you have options with family nearby, I think that should weigh heavily into your decision. Even if you are not at all intending to 'drop your children at grandma's' for the semester, and even if you are prepared to pay for daycare and prepared to juggle and multitask as hard as you have to, it will be probably make your life a lot easier come exam time if you can make use of your support network for those three/four weeks per year that are the hardest in a law student's life.

[krj02004]

Hi OP,

I haven't read every single word in this long thread, so apologies if I'm repeating things that others have already said. (And I'm not a parent, so I hope I'm allowed to give advice. I have just finished three years of law school, though, so I do know what I'm talking about on the law-school side of things.)

Two points:
1. Manhattan is just as fine a place to be with small children as any other place where you don't know anyone. Morningside Heights itself is not a bad area for children, and others have given you good alternative suggestions (Riverdale, Westchester; both perfectly doable for a commute.)

2. However, what I think should be a very important factor in your decision is whether you would have better support in other places. If your choice is between various cities in none of which you have family, then you might as well pick the city with the best law school you get into, or the school that gives you the most money, or choose by whatever other factor it is that drives your decision. However, if you have options with family nearby, I think that should weigh heavily into your decision. Even if you are not at all intending to 'drop your children at grandma's' for the semester, and even if you are prepared to pay for daycare and prepared to juggle and multitask as hard as you have to, it will be probably make your life a lot easier come exam time if you can make use of your support network for those three/four weeks per year that are the hardest in a law student's life.

#2 is an excellent point which I've thought about. Truthfully... NYC is a whole lot closer to Baltimore (where my parents are) than Vanderbilt. It would be easier to have my parents maybe take the kids for a weekend during finals week in NY than Nahsville.