WUSTL vs. Cornell Forum

[rock456]

I was recently admitted off Cornell's wait list so I'm going to assume that I will get little to no scholarship money from them. So, help please?

Cornell: Little to none/year
WUSTL: $15,000/year

Important factors to me: portability of degree (I would like to return to California), hiring prospects (I would like to be able to pay off my $100K+ of loans) and strength of int'l law program.

Thank you!

[keg411]

I was recently admitted off Cornell's wait list so I'm going to assume that I will get little to no scholarship money from them. So, help please?

Cornell: Little to none/year
WUSTL: $15,000/year

Important factors to me: portability of degree (I would like to return to California), hiring prospects (I would like to be able to pay off my $100,000K+ of loans) and strength of int'l law program.

Thank you!

Cornell for all those, regardless of $$.

[JCougar]

I was recently admitted off Cornell's wait list so I'm going to assume that I will get little to no scholarship money from them. So, help please?

Cornell: Little to none/year
WUSTL: $15,000/year

Important factors to me: portability of degree (I would like to return to California), hiring prospects (I would like to be able to pay off my $100,000K+ of loans) and strength of int'l law program.

Thank you!

Just curious...what were your numbers that got you off the Cornell waitlist?

[ppa840]

I was recently admitted off Cornell's wait list so I'm going to assume that I will get little to no scholarship money from them. So, help please?

Cornell: Little to none/year
WUSTL: $15,000/year

Important factors to me: portability of degree (I would like to return to California), hiring prospects (I would like to be able to pay off my $100,000K+ of loans) and strength of int'l law program.

Thank you!

Cornell for all those, regardless of $$.

+1

[sjsteece]

The director of the TNLP at Washington went to Cornell. Ask him what he thinks.

[bk1]

Cornell for CA and hiring prospects.

[Regionality]

Cornell is going to give you the most national portability...and probably better paying jobs on average on top of that. Saving 45k over 3 years is not going to be enough to offset what you're looking for. Guaranteeing California jobs right after law school means either studying there or going to T14...aka Cornell.

Disclaimer: Trying to get off WUSTL waitlist!

[cubswin]

I was recently admitted off Cornell's wait list so I'm going to assume that I will get little to no scholarship money from them. So, help please?

Cornell: Little to none/year
WUSTL: $15,000/year

Important factors to me: portability of degree (I would like to return to California), hiring prospects (I would like to be able to pay off my $100,000K+ of loans) and strength of int'l law program.

Thank you!

Not to say that Cornell at sticker is a risk-free investment, but I think the extra debt is worth the national portability since you are aiming for California. With WUSTL, you might pay less, but I doubt it will matter in the end when you can't find a job in California because nobody has ever heard of the law school you attended.

[84Sunbird2000]

I'd say Cornell too, but c'mon, lawyer-folk in California have DEFINITELY heard of WUSTL.

[romothesavior]

I took WUSTL over Cornell, but only because I want to practice in the Midwest, I got a big scholly at WUSTL, and I hate the northeast. It makes no sense to take WUSTL over Cornell in your situation.

Go to Cornell.

[Aberzombie1892]

If WUSTL had offered you $20,000-$25,0000, things would be different.

I'm not going to dispute that the vast majority of people in CA don't know what a WUSTL is (I didn't know until I started looking a law programs, and don't get started on the people I know). However employers will know of it and that is all that matters. Given that you (OP) are from CA, WUSTL will be able to get you back there.

So the main issue is cost v. prospects.

On one hand WUSTL would be slightly cheaper, but you would take a 15% hit on the percentage of the class that went into big law. However if you (OP) have an advanced degree or work experience, the likelihood of you securing a position in a firm goes up dramatically (see Northwestern 2009 Big Law placement).

On the other hand Cornell would cost more, but you would have more leeway in your GPA/rank. You would not need an advanced degree or work experience to get the job with a slightly lower gpa.

Winner is = Cornell. Unless WashU comes up with another $5,000-$10,000 (or personal preference). You must really like WashU to even start this thread - and there is nothing wrong with that.

[cr073137]

If WUSTL had offered you $20,000-$25,0000, things would be different.

I'm not going to dispute that the vast majority of people in CA don't know what a WUSTL is (I didn't know until I started looking a law programs, and don't get started on the people I know). However employers will know of it and that is all that matters. Given that you (OP) are from CA, WUSTL will be able to get you back there.

So the main issue is cost v. prospects.

On one hand WUSTL would be slightly cheaper, but you would take a 15% hit on the percentage of the class that went into big law. However if you (OP) have an advanced degree or work experience, the likelihood of you securing a position in a firm goes up dramatically (see Northwestern 2009 Big Law placement).

On the other hand Cornell would cost more, but you would have more leeway in your GPA/rank. You would not need an advanced degree or work experience to get the job with a slightly lower gpa.

Winner is = Cornell. Unless WashU comes up with another $5,000-$10,000 (or personal preference). You must really like WashU to even start this thread - and there is nothing wrong with that.

+1, I think you should try to get more money from Wash U

[doomed123]

Cornell is the obvious answer here.

[SaintClarence27]

Why didn't you try UCI? I hear they are awesome!

Sorry guise.

[danidancer]

'grats!!! Similar decision here, but Cornell vs. Fordham. I'm leaning Cornell at the moment, but damn this is tough. I had no idea this decision would be so hard!

[superflush]

Cornell, definitely.

[sluguy14]

I think it's also important to note that the cost of tuition at Cornell is about $10k over that of WUSTL. So there's a bigger financial gap here than just the scholarship.

I dunno, I would think long and hard before I decided on Cornell at sticker. That's gonna be a huge amount of debt. And if you already have California connections, it won't be as difficult to get back there than it would be for other WUSTL students. Maybe I'm just more debt-averse than most people on TLS, but I like WUSTL with money much more than I like Cornell at sticker, even with the better opportunities of a Cornell degree.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Given your preferences, I'd go with Cornell.
Employers in California will likely pick a Cornell applicant over a WUSTL applicant with similar credentials otherwise.

[romothesavior]

Try negotiating with WUSTL and see if you can get more. But still, it would be tough taking Wash U over Cornell for California. CA is definitely one of WUSTL's weaker spots.

[KMaine]

Going to Cornell disclaimer. WUSTL is a good school. You should go to Cornell. I don't think this is close. Maybe consider is WUSTL gives you greater than half scholly. I think the degree will be much more portable. Good luck, but I don't think you really need to stress over this one.

[rock456]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll be sitting on it until the deposit deadline Cornell gave me. But, the choice seems pretty obvious. I love the way that WashU treats its students and I'm a little worried about going to Cornell sight unseen. But, then again, going back to CA is my #1 priority.

Thank you again!

[dominicanizao]

I heard the peace corps helps to get people off waitlists. Congratulations!

[spaacecdt]

I was set on Cornell at sticker. WUSTL sent me an email today, after the deposit deadline, offering me $22,000/year for 3 years. I'm stressing out all over again.

Would any of you choose WUSTL over Cornell now?

[bk1]

I was set on Cornell at sticker. WUSTL sent me an email today, after the deposit deadline, offering me $22,000/year for 3 years. I'm stressing out all over again.

Would any of you choose WUSTL over Cornell now?

Where do you want to work and what do you want to do?

For rock456 it was fairly easy considering his/her desire to work in CA.

[Regionality]

I was set on Cornell at sticker. WUSTL sent me an email today, after the deposit deadline, offering me $22,000/year for 3 years. I'm stressing out all over again.

Would any of you choose WUSTL over Cornell now?

Wow this is remarkably similar to ENGINEERD thread...WUSTL seems to be desperately trying to keep their original admits!

7k more per year is NICE, but is it nice enough to sacrifice T14 national (read california) portability if CA is your goal?

BTW, what'd you choose?