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Help me decide between NYU and Boalt (sticker for both, for now)!

(I'm also in at Georgetown and GWU ($100k) but don't think either is a better option for federal clerkship --> Biglaw --> AUSA/DOJ/...?)

I went to school in NYC and still live there 2 years later. Looking to return to the city after, which I don't think will pose a problem given substantial ties to the area (my wife's family also lives here, fwiw). Ready for a change though--can't stomach committing to NYC for the rest of my days without living somewhere else first. Love Boalt's activist culture, location, 1st-year clinics/journals, and resources. Strongly believe that NYU COL will offset slightly more expensive tuition at Berkeley, so consider the finances a wash.

Follow my heart to Cali, or stay in NY with its slightly better NLJ stats?

Dayan114 wrote:Help me decide between NYU and Boalt (sticker for both, for now)!

(I'm also in at Georgetown and GWU ($100k) but don't think either is a better option for federal clerkship --> Biglaw --> AUSA/DOJ/...?)

I went to school in NYC and still live there 2 years later. Looking to return to the city after, which I don't think will pose a problem given substantial ties to the area (my wife's family also lives here, fwiw). Ready for a change though--can't stomach committing to NYC for the rest of my days without living somewhere else first. Love Boalt's activist culture, location, 1st-year clinics/journals, and resources. Strongly believe that NYU COL will offset slightly more expensive tuition at Berkeley, so consider the finances a wash.

Follow my heart to Cali, or stay in NY with its slightly better NLJ stats?

You may want to ask in the Berkeley "Discuss Your Law School" thread about how easy it is to find a job in NYC. Ties won't be an issue, but I am assuming that more NYC firms go to NYU than Boalt. You may have to do mass mailing to find a job.

It's been my experience that Boalties with decent grades who want to do NYC Biglaw don't have a problem finding a job. Fewer Boalt students are looking to go to NYC than NYU students and while there might be more firms at OCIP at NYU, there's less competition at Boalt to get slots in the NYC firms that come. Your ties to NYC will also give you an advantage.

I think the differences between these schools are minimal when it comes to how the differences will affect individuals who know where they want to go after law school. I would go to the school where you feel like you'll do the best and where you, at the end of the day, feel like you want to go.