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Full scholarship at Cardozo in NYC with no strings (GPA, good standing... doesn't matter). Visited this past weekend and thought the students were friendlier than at Fordham, and that the mediation clinic sounded interesting. Basically "good enough" for jobs in NYC.

When I got back home, 75k acceptance to Emory was in my mailbox. I hear it places well in New York, which is most likely where I will try to find employment. But I don't know if attending a "better" school is worth the remaining debt I would have there.

Any thoughts/advice from prospectives or current students would be muchmuchmuch appreciated.

If you want to work in NYC this is pretty easy: Cardozo.

First, you need to verify that "Emory places well in New York". Then get a definition of "well". Then enroll at Cardozo with a full tuition & fees scholarship.

Go to Dozo.

Cardozo is offering full tuition with no strings attached? I didn't think they did that. I mean, how good are your numbers that they're actually worried about screwing you over? I would wait to hear back from Yale before you make a decision.

Folks who voted in favor of Emory... any particular reason why?

tlser888 wrote:Folks who voted in favor of Emory... any particular reason why?

I did, in that from my perspective with COL Cardozo would only come out saving like 30k in debt. For that difference I would go to Emory with a more expansive (not going to say national for fear of getting a beat down from someone) reputation. Poster says probably NYC but they don't know so I would go with the more portable degree from the top school in an area than the other, does that make sense?

or am I rankings blind?

enron123 wrote:

tlser888 wrote:Folks who voted in favor of Emory... any particular reason why?

I did, in that from my perspective with COL Cardozo would only come out saving like 30k in debt. For that difference I would go to Emory with a more expansive (not going to say national for fear of getting a beat down from someone) reputation. Poster says probably NYC but they don't know so I would go with the more portable degree from the top school in an area than the other, does that make sense?

or am I rankings blind?

30k?

Taken from their Tuition/Fees pages:

Emory - 68k/year = 204k - 75k = 130k total
Cardozo - 25k/year = 75k total

Granted Emory might be overestimating CoL... I still see the difference as pretty large. With 75k debt you can take a 40-50k job and pay it back in 10 years. With over 100k that gets less and less feasible.

enron123 wrote:

tlser888 wrote:Folks who voted in favor of Emory... any particular reason why?

I did, in that from my perspective with COL Cardozo would only come out saving like 30k in debt. For that difference I would go to Emory with a more expansive (not going to say national for fear of getting a beat down from someone) reputation. Poster says probably NYC but they don't know so I would go with the more portable degree from the top school in an area than the other, does that make sense?

or am I rankings blind?

Do you really think Atlanta will cost like 750 less a month than Cardozo? You know, you don't have to live in the Village, you are right where almost every train line comes into the city at Cardozo.

ballpop wrote:

enron123 wrote:

tlser888 wrote:Folks who voted in favor of Emory... any particular reason why?

Do you really think Atlanta will cost like 750 less a month than Cardozo? You know, you don't have to live in the Village, you are right where almost every train line comes into the city at Cardozo.

You might be right that my calculation of the debt load is off but I stand by my rec

Im a Emory 2L and I would pick Dozo with a full ride no stips. I like Emory a lot, but a full-ride Dozo degree offers some serious advantages than an Emory degree.

Why? :

1. Costs less than Emory.

2. Dozo is well respected in NYC, and the reputation difference between Dozo and Emory is not worth giving up a full ride over.
3. If biglaw is not your cup of tea, having less loans to pay off gives you more choices for employment.

4. If you want biglaw but dont make it, you still have less debt to pay off.

5. More NYC firms go to Dozo OCI than Emory (Duh...Dozo is their neighbor)

6. Being in NYC gives you an opportunity to intern at places in NYC DURING the school year, increasing your professional network in the city you want to work at.

Emory is a great program, and does place a lot of students in NYC. Tons of lawyers from big firms graduated from Emory. That said, with a full ride and the ability to network in the city you want to work in permanently for your 3 years in law school is too hard to pass up. ITE networking is crucial.