Page 1 of 4
What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:00 am
by itsfine
So as I decide what school to attend, I have a feeling I will be attending a 'lesser' school because of substantial scholarship money...and it doesnt feel good to turn down a better school bc another offered you SS....
anyone care to share what school they are attending bc of scholly money, and what school they hate to say no to because of it??
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:53 am
by xyzzzzzzzz
curious too...bump
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:46 pm
by manbearwig
I got a full ride at Temple (Mid T2). I turned down W&M, BU, BC, and GW, and I had gotten a partial scholarship from all except GW. I also didn't ride the waitlists for Vandy and Duke.
(Note, though, that I've lived outside of Philly my whole life and I want to stay in/near the city after I graduate.)
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:48 pm
by missvik218
IS-tuition from UGA got me to turn down acceptances from GW and Emory as well as a 30k scholarship from WUSTL.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:52 pm
by ggocat
Attended Mercer. Turned down Iowa, Arizona (with money), Houston (with money), and some other second tier schools.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:58 pm
by thickfreakness
Duke. But I didn't apply to CCN so I guess I didn't turn anything better down.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:04 pm
by sumus romani
MVPB with $60,000 over CN (not Columbia). That was a good choice, right? I'm far from set on biglaw, but might try it if the opportunity presents itself.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:14 pm
by Grizz
Vanderbilt, but I guess it was really my best option. Decided not to ride WL at Duke and UVA, and gave up sizable monies at UF and UGA, considering I want to practice in FL or GA in all likelihood.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:24 pm
by scribelaw
I turned down sticker @ NYU (and $30,000 from Northwestern) for $90,000 at Georgetown.
My reasons: DC is my preferred market and I don't really want to work in New York City. I also have ties to two secondary markets which are well-represented at Georgetown's OCI. So, I took the money.
I viewed $90k+ as game-changer range, because I should be able to keep total debt around or below $100,000. That provides a lot more flexibility than going $200,000 in debt at NYU.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:05 pm
by Great Satchmo
McGeorge with $75k (no GPA requirement) over Cardozo and Loyola at sticker, and some money at USD and USF.
None of the schools have the most stellar employment stats, so why nitpick over a couple percentage points for that much money? Plus, Sacramento is probably an easier market to try to find work in compared to SF, SD, NY, or LA from those schools.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:09 pm
by weee
I took $$ at UCLA over $ at Mich because it was basically a tie when they both had offered me $ UCLA upped it for me and that sealed the deal.
Also I can't do cold weather. I'll probably still always wonder "what if" but I made a similar choice for undergrad too, chose USC over Berkeley thanks to $, and I feel it was the right choice.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:18 pm
by gdane
scribelaw wrote:I turned down sticker @ NYU (and $30,000 from Northwestern) for $90,000 at Georgetown.
My reasons: DC is my preferred market and I don't really want to work in New York City. I also have ties to two secondary markets which are well-represented at Georgetown's OCI. So, I took the money.
I viewed $90k+ as game-changer range, because I should be able to keep total debt around or below $100,000. That provides a lot more flexibility than going $200,000 in debt at NYU.
This was a great decision. A no brainer. I hope you enjoy Georgetown.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:27 pm
by Cosmo Kramer
manbearwig wrote:I got a full ride at Temple (Mid T2). I turned down W&M, BU, BC, and GW, and I had gotten a partial scholarship from all except GW. I also didn't ride the waitlists for Vandy and Duke.
(Note, though, that I've lived outside of Philly my whole life and I want to stay in/near the city after I graduate.)
Samesies dude. I'll see you in the fall!
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:42 pm
by goosey
brooklyn (full ride) over fordham half tuition in need-based aid.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:43 pm
by ArtVandelay
Notre Dame 20k/yr over Georgetown sticker.
I'm not religious and would much rather be in DC, but I just couldn't justify the extra ~100k (factoring in COL.) It wasn't an easy decision and I'm hoping I won't regret it.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:11 pm
by goosey
ArtVandelay wrote: hoping I won't regret it.
a sentiment I can relate to

Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:17 pm
by itsfine
goosey wrote:ArtVandelay wrote: hoping I won't regret it.
a sentiment I can relate to

i hear that. I tremble to say no.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:22 pm
by rando
$$$$ at Emory over UVA & Duke - sticker
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:23 pm
by ggocat
itsfine wrote:goosey wrote:ArtVandelay wrote: hoping I won't regret it.
a sentiment I can relate to

i hear that. I tremble to say no.
As someone who recently graduated after taking the money, I will say this: it's normal to wonder "what if" sometimes, but lacking $120,000+ in debt is a sure thing.
As a graduate ITE, I am really glad I don't have the debt. I would not trade $120K plus interest for the unknown "what if."
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:31 pm
by rando
ggocat wrote:itsfine wrote:goosey wrote:ArtVandelay wrote: hoping I won't regret it.
a sentiment I can relate to

i hear that. I tremble to say no.
As someone who recently graduated after taking the money, I will say this: it's normal to wonder "what if" sometimes, but lacking $120,000+ in debt is a sure thing.
As a graduate ITE, I am really glad I don't have the debt. I would not trade $120K plus interest for the unknown "what if."
I had some regrets now and again during 1L year. Not after I got a summer job though. Now I feel like a smart sob.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:37 pm
by alirod12
UVa threw me 90k and it was hard to turn down...I hadn't even considered attending before that.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:45 pm
by ze2151
it was about more than money, but $$$$Emory over $$ UVa and Duke. i either got a scholarship or a rejection/waitlist. not one school offered me "sticker." go figure
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:56 pm
by Veyron
Dumped NYU for Penn after I talked Penn into matching their scholarship. Would not have done it otherwise. FWIW, people on this chatblog vastly overestimate the degree to which firms differentiate between schools. IMHO, the only truly stupid decisions (for those who don't wish to work in NYC) are turning down a T3 for $ at another T-14, turning down a T-14 for $ somewhere other than a T-14 or turning down the best school in the region in which you wish to practice for $ at any school not a T-14.
Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:12 pm
by missvik218
Veyron wrote:Dumped NYU for Penn after I talked Penn into matching their scholarship. Would not have done it otherwise. FWIW, people on this chatblog vastly overestimate the degree to which firms differentiate between schools. IMHO, the only truly stupid decisions (for those who don't wish to work in NYC) are turning down a T3 for $ at another T-14, turning down a T-14 for $ somewhere other than a T-14 or turning down the best school in the region in which you wish to practice for $ at any school not a T-14.
Uh oh ... it could be argued that I did exactly that

Re: What school won you over with money?
Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 3:18 pm
by ArtVandelay
Veyron wrote:Dumped NYU for Penn after I talked Penn into matching their scholarship. Would not have done it otherwise. FWIW, people on this chatblog vastly overestimate the degree to which firms differentiate between schools. IMHO, the only truly stupid decisions (for those who don't wish to work in NYC) are turning down a T3 for $ at another T-14, turning down a T-14 for $ somewhere other than a T-14 or turning down the best school in the region in which you wish to practice for $ at any school not a T-14.
Did it.