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I'm from NY, would prefer to stay in NY but unless i get a sizable scholly to Cardozo, it would be difficult w/o alot of debt.

UIUC offered me 25k/year, IU offered 40k, and i can go to Fordham at sticker. I know out of the 3, the best big law prospects are out of Fordham, but I was wondering are the big law prospects out of Fordham worth turning down the money to either of the two other schools and if so is 15k enough of a difference to turn down UIUC.

That's tough, I'm going to say you may just have to broaden your geographic horizons or retake. Getting biglaw right now out of any of these is going to be a long shot. I'd say just go to IU or UIUC and practice in the midwest, or retake. Fordham at sticker is a bad idea.

IU > UIUC > Fordham for OP's situation.

Honestly if you're debt adverse I would go to UIUC or retake. If you are deadset on NY then just retake. Though I am not 100% anti Fordham at sticker unlike most TLSers.

How badly do you want to stay in NYC? Have you been to Illinois or Indiana?

I'd say it's probably retake or Fordham unless you have spent some time in Indiana or Illinois and actually like the area for you.

From a strict financial standpoint the obvious answer is whichever is cheapest but the best answer is retake.

Is that 40k/year from IU? If so, shit. I'd take that, but you're going to have a hell of a time getting into NYC. UIUC may give you better chances because its a better school than IU, but they're both really regional.

Fordham sticker probably is too risky of a gamble.

OP, I am happy with my decision to come to Fordham even at sticker, though biglaw was never part of my equation. If we assume back to one in three biglaw odds for OP's class, that isn't terrible, but if OP knows biglaw is nonnegotiable, a retake isn't an awful idea. I honestly see hading for the midwest (aside from UChi, Mich, or NU) as a bigger problem for someone who wants New York, even with tons of money. Even if you could come back, would you be happy and have a support network out there? It matters. Fordham has more money to give than it did in my day. It wouldn't hurt to try asking even now, and you wouldn't need a dramatic score increase to raise your bargaining power. If you had a huge jump you'd have that many options to consider.

I say this as a 2L not doing biglaw who remains very happy with my school.

Fordham/UIUC > IU

If the goal is New York, eliminate IU regardless of the $$. A quick search of the NALP for the schools should lead you to this decision alone.

Illinois is the better of the 3 and you also would receive money. And there ARE a good # of NY firms that come there. BUT fordham is in the background of your desired destination. I honestly don't think its a bad decision at sticker. Just know that you'll have sizable debt.

Check our UIUC and see how you feel about it. Either way, it should just be between those two.