Where would you go? NW/Duke/UMich/Cornell? Forum

[unreality]

Hi all,

I currently live in S. Florida and I am planning on returning here to Miami for Corporate BigLaw, with a slight chance of doing BigLaw in NYC for a few year before returning to Miami. Alternatively, or possibly after a few years of BigLaw I plan on running my own business or opening my own law firm.

I know voting is fun, but if you could also add why you would choose one school over the other that would be jolly good : )

Thanks!

[Fresh]

In regards to markets, Miami is a TOUGH market to bank on ITE.

edit: removed quote of OP

[akili]

Do you have scholarships at any of these schools?

[bk1]

Scholarship offers?

I don't think any of these is going to give you a significant advantage compared to the others in Miami.

[CanadianWolf]

If you plan on "running" your own business, then Northwestern is a good choice because you can take courses in Northwestern's renowned business school.

P.S. Might also depend upon the type of law school environment that you desire. Cornell, Duke & Michigan are located on traditional college campuses, while Northwestern's law school shares Northwestern's Chicago campus with the medical school in a very upscale part of Chicago overlooking Lake Michigan.

[showNprove]

I'm not sure any school outside of HYSCC can be said to safely feed into Florida, so go with the best school of your options: Michigan.

[unreality]

As the poll states, all sticker! I do have $93K scholarship at W&L.. Even if they wont give me any career advantage which would you choose and why? I still have to pick one!!

[bk1]

As the poll states, all sticker! I do have $93K scholarship at W&L.. Even if they wont give me any career advantage which would you choose and why? I still have to pick one!!

If you are choosing between schools at similar costs with similar prospects then it should be a personal decision. Which one you like more, not which one we like more.

Personally I'd take Michigan or NU for a slight placement edge. I'd take Cornell off the list first and pick between NU/Mich/Duke.

[ndirish2010]

Perhaps NU if you can take classes at Kellogg. Otherwise, Michigan.

[jcunni5]

I voted Duke b/c its placement numbers were good this last OCI something like 60-65% got a S.A.. anecdotally UM did considerably worse than that. Plus I think Duke has better placement power in NY than these other schools.

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

personally i would eliminate Cornell first and probably UM

[TheStrand]

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

AJD costs about the same as the regular JD from NU. You get billed a higher amount for your fall and spring and the summer. They price based on the degree received rather than the length of time you're in school.

*edit: Link to NU's policy on pricing AJD and JD: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... alaid.html

[jcunni5]

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

AJD costs about the same as the regular JD from NU. You get billed a higher amount for your fall and spring and the summer. They price based on the degree received rather than the length of time you're in school.

Oh my bad, I didn't know how it worked.... You still get an extra year of income though as opposed to a 3 year JD

[ahduth]

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

AJD costs about the same as the regular JD from NU. You get billed a higher amount for your fall and spring and the summer. They price based on the degree received rather than the length of time you're in school.

*edit: Link to NU's policy on pricing AJD and JD: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... alaid.html

You save a year of opportunity cost, for what it's worth.

edit: lol, I was beaten to it.

[unreality]

Thank you for all those who voted and commented!

In regards to markets, Miami is a TOUGH market to bank on ITE.

edit: removed quote of OP

Hopefully the economy will pick up a bit in the next 2-3 years which is when I would be graduating anyways. I don't really see myself living anywhere else besides Miami. I also have some friends in the BigLaw world here in Miami, hopefully they will make themselves useful when the time comes.

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

AJD costs about the same as the regular JD from NU. You get billed a higher amount for your fall and spring and the summer. They price based on the degree received rather than the length of time you're in school.

*edit: Link to NU's policy on pricing AJD and JD: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... alaid.html

To elaborate a bit more on Northwestern's AJD, I would finish 1 ½ years earlier than a regular JD (it's 2 years instead of 3 and starts in May instead of September). As TheStrand properly clarified, I would not be saving money on tuition as they charge the same amount as for the regular JD but I would be saving money on COL for 1 ½ years and I would begin to start making money sooner. Also the AJD has a focus on business and forces you to take some business classes at Kellogg. I would imagine that if I requested to be transferred to the regular JD at NU they would probably grant that, but what's the sense in that?

For what it's worth, I should probably also mention that I already have an MBA.

[Patriot1208]

I voted Duke b/c its placement numbers were good this last OCI something like 60-65% got a S.A.. anecdotally UM did considerably worse than that. Plus I think Duke has better placement power in NY than these other schools.

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

personally i would eliminate Cornell first and probably UM

I'm going to go out on the limb (not really) and state that any difference in OCI numbers between Duke and Michigan were negligible. This type of hearsay bullshit is an epidemic on TLS that does nothing but a disservice.

[yoitsmebenny]

I voted Duke b/c its placement numbers were good this last OCI something like 60-65% got a S.A.. anecdotally UM did considerably worse than that. Plus I think Duke has better placement power in NY than these other schools.

You mentioned that NW was an AJD if thats true that would make a big difference and would save you a year of tuition which amounts to a scholarship basically, so that might be your best bet

personally i would eliminate Cornell first and probably UM

I'm going to go out on the limb (not really) and state that any difference in OCI numbers between Duke and Michigan were negligible. This type of hearsay bullshit is an epidemic on TLS that does nothing but a disservice.

Also, it's a well known fact that OCI at Michigan, whatever missteps it had, should only be a one-time event because the career office instructed students to aim lower than they should have to be safe.

[tea_drinker]

Does anyone think Duke may give OP some advantages in the South (including Miami)? Just wonder.

[AreJay711]

I picked UM in the poll and IRL because I think it opens up a new market (Chicago) for you in case you either can't get to Florida or decide you don't want Florida anymore. While Duke has an advantage in the South, idk if that advantage means much for Florida and I don't think working in Atlanta > Chicago but maybe for you that is different.

[unreality]

I picked UM in the poll and IRL because I think it opens up a new market (Chicago) for you in case you either can't get to Florida or decide you don't want Florida anymore. While Duke has an advantage in the South, idk if that advantage means much for Florida and I don't think working in Atlanta > Chicago but maybe for you that is different.

Wouldn't northwestern open up Chicago the same way as UM would?

[AreJay711]

I picked UM in the poll and IRL because I think it opens up a new market (Chicago) for you in case you either can't get to Florida or decide you don't want Florida anymore. While Duke has an advantage in the South, idk if that advantage means much for Florida and I don't think working in Atlanta > Chicago but maybe for you that is different.

Wouldn't northwestern open up Chicago the same way as UM would?

It probably would. My decision was made partially based on programs with good academic placement support programs (even if academia is a long shot for anyone outside of Yale). There are differences between the schools on your list that are enough that you should be able to find one you like more than other but I would at least consider looking at a school that will expand your geographic mobility. Overall, your career prospects will be similar at all of them but not equal in the same regions.

[unreality]

Does anyone think Duke may give OP some advantages in the South (including Miami)? Just wonder.

I think it would, Duke is very well recognized down here although I am not sure if any more than NU or MU.. any thoughts?

[bdubs]

Michigan is the cheapest and highest ranked. Go there.