University of Tennessee-Knoxville ($$$) v. Tulane (no money) Forum

[sammykeb]

Hi guys,

I have a feeling of what the answers to my question may be, but I wanted to post it anyway. It looks like my top two choices are UTK and Tulane. I wouldn't mind living and working in, say, Nashville or Atlanta or elsewhere in the southeast. According to this board, Tulane's national sweep is somewhat exaggerated, but at the same time, it does seem to have more mobility than the UTK degree. In the end though, my annual tuition at UTK would be about 11 grand, as opposed to Tulane's 40+. Is this a no-brainer? And would UTK sentence me for a lifetime in the southeast (I wouldn't be horrified by the prospect, but I wouldn't mind extra mobility.) I suppose what I'm saying can be boiled down to this: is Tulane that much better and mobile than UTK to warrant the much, much more expensive education?

Thanks everybody and good luck to you all.

[ran12]

I would go with UTK. It is true that it will be hard to leave the region but if you work hard enough, impress your professors, and do your own legwork, you can get out. Tulane seems to be more national b/c a lot of kids from the northeast go there and then go back home; most have some connection. I had a similar dilemma b/c UTK gave me a full ride but I'm from NY and was worried I would be stuck in the region. But, considering how little debt I would have and the current state of the economy, which I don't think will change dramatically upward in the next few years, I chose UTK. My reasoning was that b/c I have so little debt, I could take the risk of leaving for NY even without a job after graduation. However, in my case, I do have some connections and a business background to fall back on, which is part of my rationale.

When I visited, it seemed like the administration and professors really cared about the students. From what I remember about the faculty, many of them are from outside the southeast region and presumably have connections in other areas. I don't know your exact situation in terms of background and connections but in general it's safe to say that UTK cares about your future and will help you in any way it can.

[TheFactor]

Go to UTK, but don't expect to have any luck getting out of Tennessee. Also, it will be essentially impossible to land a legal job in Atlanta or Nashville from UTK. Both markets are relatively small and very, very competitive.

[Fred_McGriff]

Go to UTK, but don't expect to have any luck getting out of Tennessee. Also, it will be essentially impossible to land a legal job in Atlanta or Nashville from UTK. Both markets are relatively small and very, very competitive.

Essentially impossible in Nashville? There have to be a decent number of Tennessee grads in Nashville...

[ATR]

Go to UTK, but don't expect to have any luck getting out of Tennessee. Also, it will be essentially impossible to land a legal job in Atlanta or Nashville from UTK. Both markets are relatively small and very, very competitive.

Essentially impossible in Nashville? There have to be a decent number of Tennessee grads in Nashville...

There are.

OP, take the $$$ at UTK.

[ran12]

Go to UTK, but don't expect to have any luck getting out of Tennessee. Also, it will be essentially impossible to land a legal job in Atlanta or Nashville from UTK. Both markets are relatively small and very, very competitive.

Essentially impossible in Nashville? There have to be a decent number of Tennessee grads in Nashville...

I think he means that Nashville is pretty saturated so more UTK grads going there is going to be tougher. Vandy kids who stay are gonna get first shot. Then it's the UTK kids with family connections who get into Nashville. The one thing I keep hearing is that for summer jobs at least, UTK kids with connections get Nashville.

[TheFactor]

Go to UTK, but don't expect to have any luck getting out of Tennessee. Also, it will be essentially impossible to land a legal job in Atlanta or Nashville from UTK. Both markets are relatively small and very, very competitive.

Essentially impossible in Nashville? There have to be a decent number of Tennessee grads in Nashville...

"Essentially impossible" may be a bit of hyperbole, but from what I've gathered from current Vandy students, the competition for the limited number of firm jobs in Nashville is pretty cutthroat.

[bartleby]

Tulane at sticker is a nightmare. Solid $200,000 debt. That's $12,000 a year at 6%. I'd go to Cooley on a full ride over Tulane at sticker.

[Fred_McGriff]

Tulane at sticker is $42k or so a year, Tennessee in your case is $11k, boils down to about a $90,000 difference over three years. I'd imagine Knoxville and New Orleans are going to be relatively similar COL wise (I've looked at apartments in both)...

[ATR]

Tulane at sticker is $42k or so a year, Tennessee in your case is $11k, boils down to about a $90,000 difference over three years. I'd imagine Knoxville and New Orleans are going to be relatively similar COL wise (I've looked at apartments in both)...

I know nothing about NO, but you can find a decent apartment in Knoxville for less than $500/month, especially if you're willing to have a roommate.

[sammykeb]

Wow, much thanks for the fast responses. I have been taking UTK more seriously, though I am looking forward to my New Orleans visit in late March, even if it's more to have fun than to seriously mull Tulane.

[Sandro]

ummm... UTK. Confused as to how this was even close enough to make a post about it. Tulane is questionable at 90k debt, let alone 90k MORE debt than UTK.

[Fred_McGriff]

is questionable at 90k debt, let alone 90k MORE debt than UTK.

Based on what?

[Sandro]

is questionable at 90k debt, let alone 90k MORE debt than UTK.

Based on what?

Im just saying thats basically 100k so you have to question if the school is worth it, as you would any regional school. UGA is ~90k for me and I'm a little worried about that debt # ITE. A school that is basically a peer for ANOTHER 90k is pretty huge....

[Fred_McGriff]

Not trying to be a dick at all. I'm in a similar position and am looking to make a similar decision. Are Tulane and Tennessee peer schools?

[ran12]

Not trying to be a dick at all. I'm in a similar position and am looking to make a similar decision. Are Tulane and Tennessee peer schools?

More or less. Like I've said, Tulane has a more national reach b/c many of its students are from the northeast and have connections to begin with so it's really moot. Sports law is Tulane's real selling point academically. Not to be cynical but I personally question the future of Tulane in New Orleans b/c another natural disaster will def occur there in the next couple decades.

[Spookyghost]

This is more than likely a decision I'm going to have to make myself as well, though I would bet the chances of getting out of Louisiana out of Tulane is much higher than the chances of getting out of TN from UTK.

These are my two "home universities" and Tulane does indeed have a strong alumni base in New York, and Tulane claims they place well in Texas, which I am sure all of Texas' 35 law schools claim as well.

From UTK, I doubt many are going to stay around in Knoxville, Nashville is rather droopy lately, I have no idea about the state of Memphis, Chattanooga is super small. As far as Atlanta goes, that's supposedly cutthroat lately and I doubt many from UTK would get a chance to go there over Emory, UGA, and Vandy.

With similar money, I'd probably take Tulane over TN, but only because I loathe Tennessee. I'd rather end up in New Orleans than any city in Tennessee, but Tulane's reputation is pretty polarizing over most of TLS so take it from people more knowledgeable than me.

[Fred_McGriff]

Not to be cynical but I personally question the future of Tulane in New Orleans b/c another natural disaster will def occur there in the next couple decades.

From what I imagine, another couple of decades is very optimistic.

From what I've heard though, that might not necessarily be bad for the legal market in the city.

[whitman]

Heard big Nashville firms like Bass, Berry and Sims look first to Vandy, then to UT, and no one else. Others have to approach them. UT grads definitely get good jobs in Nashville.