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My home state school is a T50 and has a very solid in-state reputation. With in-state tuition + small scholarship (stingy school) my total COA is about $80k. Despite the fact that my #s are well above both medians, I want to work here (don't care about biglaw) and all my friends and family are here. I was all set to attend until I got a bigger scholarship than expected from Vanderbilt. My COA there would be about $100,000, so pretty minimal difference.

Am I stupid for choosing my state school anyway? I guess what I'm asking is if going to a school with a better national reputation would be an advantage in my home state over the state school. I would prefer to attend my state school for personal reasons, but I don't want to be illogical especially ITE.

Knowing your state school would help. The location of your state in relation to Vanderbilt is important, I think.

I guess George Mason since Maryland hasnt released schooly info yet.

you can't leverage vandy's bigger scholarship against your state school?

Without knowing your state school, it's tough to say, but Vandy people have traditionally done well going back to their home states, generally.

rad law wrote:Without knowing your state school, it's tough to say, but Vandy people have traditionally done well going back to their home states, generally.

It's Ohio State.

I'm pretty confident Vandy could get me back to Ohio but what I'm not sure of is that it would give me an advantage over an OSU grad (and if not, then the distance and little extra $ isn't worth it to me). I'd love to work in Columbus ideally and obviously OSU dominates that entire city. Plus, OSU alums are notoriously loyal to their school. It's hard to gauge though largely because not many Vandy students aim for Ohio.

bartleby wrote:you can't leverage vandy's bigger scholarship against your state school?

I'm absolutely going to try but by all accounts they're not very receptive to that so I'm not banking on that being successful sure would make this easier on me though.

kbrooks55 wrote:

rad law wrote:Without knowing your state school, it's tough to say, but Vandy people have traditionally done well going back to their home states, generally.

It's Ohio State.

I'm pretty confident Vandy could get me back to Ohio but what I'm not sure of is that it would give me an advantage over an OSU grad (and if not, then the distance and little extra $ isn't worth it to me). I'd love to work in Columbus ideally and obviously OSU dominates that entire city. Plus, OSU alums are notoriously loyal to their school. It's hard to gauge though largely because not many Vandy students aim for Ohio.

I know a guy in a similar situation, except I think OSU may have been cheaper, and he went with Vandy. He's pretty happy with his decision.

tough call. Honestly for 20k, I think Vandy will give you more options. However, if you are already dead set on living in Ohio and also prefer not to leave, then I would choose OSU. It has great in-state/midwest reputation and will be cheaper (hey, 20k isn't anything to scoff at either)

Go to Vandy.

Better to have the options that Vanderbilt will give you and turn them down than to go to OSU and decide you want to those options but can't have them. In other words, if you change your mind and decide you want to take a run at Biglaw in a primary market, you'll wish you were at Vanderbilt. Bottom line, Vanderbilt maximizes your options down the road. $20k is a cheap premium for that flexibility.

20k well worth the better options you'll have coming out of Vandy, IMO.

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Leverage Vandy's scholly, but honestly you will be no worse off going to Vandy so if they don't pay up more $ I would easily go to Vandy aka the most underrated school in the nation. (Yeah, yeah, blatant Vandy trolling, I know. Couldn't resist, sorry).